Nepal's religions
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Grafik Nepal's Religious Festivals
Islam:
End of the month of Ramzan
- The Eid ul-Fitr-festival
Festivals in Nepal
Nepal's Festivals
Islam: End of the month of Ramzan - The Eid ul-Fitr-festival

Nepali Muslims always are enjoying their biggest festival, Eid ul-Fitr, the first day of the Arabic month of Shawwal when the crescent moon makes its appearance. For the thousands of believers in the Islamic faith, the month of Ramzan is a period of abstinence when Muslims observe Roza or the fast from dawn to dusk. Muslims believe that Ramzan is the month when their holy book Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed. Throughout this month they practise abstinence so that the mind and the body is purified. Eid signifies the end of the month-long fasting and a day to get the blessings from Allah.

On occasion of Eid ul-Fitr-festival, Nepali Muslims are eating delicious things like sebai, (a milk delicacy). The young people are wearing new cloths and getting pocket money from the elders. On the Eid day, the average Muslim gets up before dawn, takes a bath, and gets into new clothes before he heads for the local mosque for Namaaz, the Muslim prayer. Then the whole day is spent in celebration, exchanging greetings with friends and families for a propitious year. Most Kathmandu Muslims will be observing their prayers at the two mosques - Jami and Kashmiri Jami -near Ratna Park. 20,000-30,000 believers are expected in each of these mosques every year. Before the prayers begin, each Muslim is expected to pay Satkar Fitr, the alms for the month of Ramzan, which can be either 2.45-kg wheat or money equal to that. This is different from the usual Jakat, which is 2.5 percent of a Muslim's wealth that he gives away to those in need.

The festival is especially heartening for children and women, as they will be at the receiving end of gifts. It's also mehndi time for the women, who are busy making all kinds of patterns on their palms and feet.
The night of the festival eve is regarded as one of great sanctity. The faithful spend this night in prayers after taking the solemn bath (Ghusl). It is believed that one who offers six different prayers on this night will be pardoned off all sins.

March 2008
The Government in Nepal decided to observe 18 different festivals of various religions and communities as public holidays and insert them as national holidays in the government's official calendar.

The festivals to be observed as public holidays include Eid and Bakr Eid of the Muslims, Christmas, the Nanak Memorial Day of the Sikhs, Udhouli and Ubhouli of the Kirants, Goura of the far west and the Tamu and Sonam Lhosars.

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