Kathmandu, 12 April: “Lhuti Punhi” is a cultural and religious festival mainly celebrated by the Newar community in Nepal.
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“Lhuti” refers to ritual bathing or holy cleansing, usually in rivers or sacred waters.
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“Punhi” means full moon day (from “Purnima” in Sanskrit).
So, “Lhuti Punhi” is the festival where people take a ritual bath on the full moon day, often at sacred sites.
In places like Balaju Baisdhara, which is a sacred site with 22 stone water spouts, devotees gather during this festival to bathe and seek blessings. It is believed that bathing in holy waters on this day brings spiritual purification and good fortune.
Today, not only the Newar community but also followers of Hinduism and Buddhism gathered at Baisdhara to take ritual baths and honor their ancestors. From early morning, devotees, visitors, and shoppers from around Kathmandu and nearby areas arrived, creating a large crowd. The fair was vibrant and lively, filled with religious floats (jhakis), traditional Newari music, and bustling trade activities.
This fair takes place around the time of the Nepali New Year. According to the Nepali calendar, today is the last day of the year — Chaitra 30, 2081 B.S. The day after tomorrow, the New Year 2082 B.S. will begin on Baisakh 1.
In the Tamang community, on Chaitra Shukla Purnima, people observe the occasion by lighting lamps in the Buddhist tradition and taking a ritual bath at Balaju
The Buddhist Tamang community, who lit lamps all night on Friday in the Buddhist Chaitya premises, praying for the salvation of their ancestors, has set off towards Balaju Baisdhara to take a bath.
Bhuwan Lama, ward chairman of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Ward No. 6, informed RSS that devotees have been leaving since morning to take a bath in Balaju Baisdhara. It is a tradition to visit the Buddhist temple on the Chaturdashi of the full moon of Chaitra and light lamps in the name of deceased ancestors. On the full moon day, people take a bath in Balaju Baisdhara in the morning and visit Nagarjuna’s Jamacho and Swayambhu.
Rajkumar Lama, former chairman of the Boudhanath Area Development Committee, says that the tradition of coming to Boudhanath to hold a fair began during the reign of Rinchin Dorje, the last Tamang king of Temal, by giving this festival national recognition. There is a religious belief that if one lights a lamp at the stupa on the Chaturdashi of the bright moon of Chaitra every year, one’s ancestors will attain salvation.
On the occasion of the festival, Tamang Selo and costumes and a rally reflecting Tamang culture were organized in the Buddhist area. The Buddhist Temal Jatra, which began yesterday, will conclude today after reaching Balaju 22 Dhara, Jamacho and Swayambhu and bathing and worshipping. The Tamang community from districts including Kavrepalanchok, Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Dolakha, Sindhupalchok, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Dhading, Kathmandu and Makawanpur participated in the festival.
