Sakela
साकेला
HinduKirat
Dates
| 2083 BS | Date to be announced | Date to be announced |
| 2084 BS | Date to be announced | Date to be announced |
Sakela, also known as Sakewa or Sakenwa (Nepali: साकेला), is one of the main festivals of the Khambu (Rai people), an ethnic group indigenous to Eastern Nepal and the Sikkim, Kalimpong, and Darjeeling regions of India. Sakela is celebrated twice a year and is distinguished by two names: Ubhauli and Udhauli. Sakela Ubhauli is celebrated during Baisakh Purnima (the full moon day in the month of Baisakh) and Sakela Udhauli is celebrated during the full moon day in the month of Mangsir.
नेपालीमा
साकेला किराँत र राईहरूको महत्त्वपूर्ण चाड हो ।
Observed by: Kirat Khambu Rais around the world
Significance
Kirats believe in shamanism and are worshippers of nature. The Sakela celebration is a prayer to mother nature for healthy crops and protection from natural calamities. Starting on Baisakh Purnima, Sakela Ubhauli is celebrated for fifteen days in Baisakh (April–May), marking the beginning of the farming year. Similarly, the celebration of Sakela Udhauli during Mangsir (November–December), which is the harvest season, thank mother nature for a good harvest. In this festival the Rai people honour Bhumi dev, an Earth goddess.
