Nepal is a state at the foot of Everest, a mecca for esotericists and mystics. The capital of Nepal - Kathmandu - is called the Florence of Asia. There are so many monuments of Buddhist and Hindu art in this city. Nepal is said to have more holidays than days of the year. One of the most interesting and striking is the Gayatra festival, which many tourists from all over the world strive to attend.
The mysterious Kingdom of Nepal is one of the oldest states in the world. According to legend, Nepal arose together with the Himalayan mountains from the bowels of the Earth. Nepalese say that there are more gods in the country than inhabitants. Even the traditional greeting - "namaste" - literally translates as greeting God in your face.
There are many national holidays in Nepal. One of the most colorful is considered to be the Gayatra festival or "Procession of the Cows" in Kathmandu, which begins on August 5 and lasts eight days.
The cow is a sacred animal for Nepal. The inhabitants of the country are sure that it is she who helps the souls of the dead get to heaven. Gayatra or the festival of cows is a folk festival of songs, dances, street processions and ancient rituals.
Nepalese believe that at this time the god of death Yamaraja administers judgment on the souls of the dead and decides on their reincarnation. The essence of the Gayatra holiday is to speed up this process and alleviate the fate of souls stuck between heaven and earth.
The highlight of the festival are hundreds of parades of cows decorated with flowers and ribbons. People solemnly march behind the sacred animals. The same families that do not have cows dress up a little boy with a cow. To the beat of drums, the clatter of iron (to scare away evil spirits), the procession passes by the main temples of the capital. Residents and visitors to the holiday, tourists generously shower poor families with coins and food.
You can get to the Gayatra festival and see everything with your own eyes by purchasing a tour to Nepal in advance or by organizing a trip on your own.
The cost of tickets directly depends on the time of year and the city of departure, as well as the airline. Time in Nepal is 2 hours 45 minutes ahead of Moscow time. To travel to Nepal, a visa can be issued directly at Kathmandu airport or at any other land border.
But you can also apply for a visa at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Nepal in Moscow. To do this, you must have a passport, two photographs, an application form and pay a consular fee of $ 30 for a single entry visa for up to 60 days. The visa is valid for 3 months. Children under the age of 10 are exempt from visa fees.
