Nepali New Year – Navavarsha – Why 1st Baishakh is the nepali New Year?

The Nepali new year, also known as Navavarsha, falls on the first day of the month of Baisakh (April/May) on Nepali calendar 2080 and marks the beginning of the new year in Nepal.

The Nepali calendar is different from the Gregorian calendar used in most parts of the world by Nepalise. While the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar, the Nepali calendar is a lunar-solar calendar, which means that it is based on the cycles of the moon as well as the movement of the sun. The calendar is divided into 12 months, each with its own name and number of days.

The months in the Nepali calendar are as follows:

Baisakh (April/May)
Jestha (May/June)
Ashad (June/July)
Shrawan (July/August)
Bhadra (August/September)
Ashwin (September/October)
Kartik (October/November)
Mangsir (November/December)
Poush (December/January)
Magh (January/February)
Falgun (February/March)
Chaitra (March/April)

Why 1st Baishakh is the nepali New Year?

Bikram Sambat calendar follows the solar calendar system, so when sun completes it’s full revolution which passes through 12 zodiac sign of 30° each making total of 360°. Now when it passes from its last zodiac sign (pisces) completing 360 then the sun just enters to new zodiac sign called Aries. So the moment when the sun just enters to Aries is referred to as New Year in Bikram sambat calendar.

How Bikram Sambat calendar calculated?

We know that earth takes 365.25 days to revolve Sun, for astrological purposes, we consider earth is stationed, Sun revolves around the earth. Basically this is how we see Sun from the earth, in other words, Sun doesn’t rise on East or set on West, its only earth rotates and we think the sun rises and sets. A year on Bikram Sambat calendar follows Zodiac (ecliptic route) – 3600 which is divided into 12 equal signs, they are called as Zodiac signs or Rasi. Zero (00) to 300 is Aries, 300 to 600 is Taurus, etc. Per our astrology, Calendar start when sun enters the 0 degrees on 1st of Baishakh, which is the Aries(Mesh) and end on 360 degrees on Pisces(Meen).

Nepali new year poster in mountain
Poster by JoshEiten

Nepali new year 2080

The Nepali new year, Navavarsha, is celebrated on the first day of the month of Baisakh (April/May). It is a public holiday in Nepal and is celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy. The day is marked with various religious ceremonies, cultural programs, and feasting.

During the new year celebrations, people wear new clothes, clean their houses, and decorate them with flowers and colorful lights. They also make special food items like sel roti, a sweet rice flour bread, and perform pujas to seek blessings from the gods.

The celebration of the Nepali New Year comes with joyful activities that include street dances, parades and reunions all over the country. The occasion has always been enthusiastically participated by the organizations and individuals. Parks and street across the country are full of people with celebration specially in Lakeside of Pokhara city, Sauraha Chitwan, Thamel Kathmandu. The Nepali people living abroad also celebrate the New Year by organizing various events, especially the concerts by the artists of their own nationality.

In addition to the Nepali new year, there are several other festivals and celebrations that are based on the Nepali calendar. Some of the major festivals include Dashain, Tihar, and Chhath. Dashain is the biggest festival in Nepal and is celebrated in the month of Ashwin or Kartik (September/October). It is a 15-day festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil. Tihar is a five-day festival that is celebrated in the month of Kartik (October/November) and is known as the festival of lights. Chhath is a four-day festival that is celebrated in the month of Kartik (October/November) and is dedicated to the worship of the sun god.

In conclusion, the Nepali calendar 2080 is an important part of the cultural heritage of Nepal. It is a lunar-solar calendar that is based on the cycles of the moon as well as the movement of the sun. The Nepali new year, Navavarsha, is celebrated on the first day of the month of Baisakh (April) and marks the beginning of the new year in Nepal. The calendar also plays a significant role in the celebration of various festivals and cultural events in Nepal.

Updated on 6th April 2023 for Legacy article 2011

Happy New Year 

नव वर्षको हार्दिक मंगलमय शुभकामना!!!

 


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