Swanti (festival)

Painting of Goddess Lakshmi
Bunting over a street in Kathmandu saying Bhintuna (best wishes) for the new year
Kija Puja being performed with mandala

Swanti (Devanagari: स्वन्ति, Nepal Script :𑐳𑑂𑐰𑐣𑑂𑐟𑐶) is a five-day festival of Nepal which is one of the year's greatest celebrations for the Newar people. It is the Newar version of Tihar or Diwali. The festival highlights the central role of women in the household, and the rituals are related to wishing for good fortune of the family members by presenting them auspicious items and praying for longevity by placating the god of death.[1][2]

During the festival, windows and doorways are decorated with flower garlands and lamps. Deities, animals, and people are honored as part of the celebrations. The festival is marked by both Hindus and Buddhists. It is held according to the lunar calendar so the dates are changeable. In 2017, the festival was 17–21 October.[3]

  1. ^ Shrestha, Bal Gopal (July 2006). "The Svanti Festival: Victory over Death and the Renewal of the Ritual Cycle in Nepal" (PDF). Contributions to Nepalese Studies. 33 (2). CNAS/TU: 206–221. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  2. ^ Levy, Robert Isaac (1990). Mesocosm: Hinduism and the Organization of a Traditional Newar City in Nepal. Berkeley: University of California Press. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  3. ^ "2017 Tihar | Swanti Calendar". Retrieved 16 October 2017.