Overview

First Published in 1971, The Festivals of Nepal describes the most important festivals from the country, which have been arranged according to the ancient Nepalese calendar, beginning with the New Year in mid-April. The author provides, moreover, a brief introductory sketch of Nepalese geography, history, and religion, to give background to what follows. When Mary Anderson began her five year residence in Kathmandu as the wife of a diplomat, she attended the frequent Nepalese festivals up and down the Valley because they were mysterious, colourful and great fun. But soon she became more deeply absorbed in the meaning of these ancient activities as she grew quickly aware that to the Nepalese themselves the ancient processions and rituals were of great importance. Somewhere, almost every day, there seems to be in Nepal a festival of some kind, but now that this hitherto secret land has been opened up to tourists and foreign influences, much of this historic pageantry may well be lost. The modernization of Nepalese society is certain to have its effects, but when these artless celebrations become the goal of spectators from outside, they will also lose its spontaneity. Mary Anderson was determined to record as many of them as she could, explaining their mythological, religious and historical backgrounds and relating some of the wealth of legends and folk tales that surround them. This is an interesting read for students of sociology of culture, South Asian studies, South Asian religion and culture and Hindu religion.

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9781032888804

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“The author of this unpretentious book spent five years in Nepal as the wife of a diplomat, and during that time she observed many of the festivals and rituals which gave colour to the life of the people of the Nepal Valley. The descriptions of what she has seen and heard are vivid and clear, and the book should be useful to foreign residents and tourists wanting to know what festivals are to be held at specific times of the year, and what meaning the performers attribute to the various rites and ceremonies…In this she has succeeded and the book may even encourage anthropologists to take a closer look at some of the rituals which reflect traditional relations between the various sections of the multiethnic society of the Nepal Valley.” - C. Von Füruer, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, Volume 36 Issue 1

Author Information

Mary M. Anderson lived in China for more than twenty years and has written extensively on Asian history and culture.

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