The great mask of Sweta Bhairava is revealed during the Yenyā festival.

Yanlā (Nepal Bhasa: ञला) is the eleventh month in the Nepal Era calendar, the national lunar calendar of Nepal.[1] The month coincides with Bhadrapada (भाद्रपद) in the Hindu lunar calendar and September in the Gregorian calendar.

Yanlā begins with the new moon and the full moon falls on the 15th of the lunar month. The month is divided into the bright and dark fortnights which are known as Yanlā Thwa (ञला थ्व) and Yanlā Gā (ञला गा) respectively.

Among the major events of the month, the 4th day of the bright fortnight is Ganesha Chaturthi which marks the birthday of the Hindu deity of good fortune Ganesha. It is known as Chathā (चथा) in Nepal Bhasa.

The highlight of Yanlā is Yenyā (येँयाः). The name means "Festival of Kathmandu" and it is the largest religious street celebration in the Nepalese capital. Also known as Indra Jātrā, it consists of chariot processions of the Living Goddess Kumari, masked dances of deities, pageants and displays of sacred images. Yenyā lasts for eight days from the 12th day of the bright fortnight to the 4th day of the dark fortnight.[2][3]

Days in the month

Thwa (थ्व) or Shukla Paksha
(bright half) 		Gā (गा) or Krishna Paksha
(dark half)
1. Pāru 1. Pāru
2. Dwitiyā 2. Dwitiyā
3. Tritiyā 3. Tritiyā
4. Chauthi 4. Chauthi
5. Panchami 5. Panchami
6. Khasti 6. Khasti
7. Saptami 7. Saptami
8. Ashtami 8. Ashtami
9. Navami 9. Navami
10. Dashami 10. Dashami
11. Ekādashi 11. Ekādashi
12. Dwādashi 12. Dwādashi
13. Trayodashi 13. Trayodashi
14. Chaturdashi 14. Charhe (चह्रे)
15. Punhi (पुन्हि) 15. Āmāi (आमाइ)

Months of the year

Devanagari script Roman script Corresponding Gregorian month Name of Full Moon
1. कछला Kachhalā November Saki Milā Punhi, Kārtik Purnimā
2. थिंला Thinlā December Yomari Punhi, Dhānya Purnimā
3. पोहेला Pohelā January Milā Punhi, Paush Purnimā
4. सिल्ला Sillā February Si Punhi, Māghi Purnimā
5. चिल्ला Chillā March Holi Punhi, Phāgu Purnimā
6. चौला Chaulā April Lhuti Punhi, Bālāju Purnimā
7. बछला Bachhalā May Swānyā Punhi, Baisākh Purnimā
8. तछला Tachhalā June Jyā Punhi, Gaidu Purnimā
9. दिल्ला Dillā July Dillā Punhi, Guru Purnimā
10. गुंला Gunlā August Gun Punhi, Janāi Purnimā (Raksha Bandhan)
11. ञला Yanlā September Yenyā Punhi, Bhādra Purnimā
12. कौला Kaulā October Katin Punhi, Kojāgrat Purnimā

References

  1. ^ "Nepal Sambat gets national status". The Rising Nepal. 24 October 2008. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  2. ^ Toffin, Gérard (January 1992). "The Indra Jātrā of Kathmandu as a Royal Festival Past and Present". Contributions to Nepalese Studies. Center for Nepal and Asian Studies, Tribbuvan University. p. 73. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  3. ^ Levy, Robert Isaac (1990). "A Catalogue of Annual Events and Their Distribution throughout the Lunar Year". Mesocosm: Hinduism and the Organization of a Traditional Newar City in Nepal. University of California Press. p. 654. ISBN 9780520069114.
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