KATHMANDU, Jan 6: Sakela, a festival of the Kirat Community (Rai, Limbu, Yakkha, Sunuwar), was celebrated at Tudikhel in the capital today with much fanfare.
In this ritual, ‘Sakelasilli’ (a type of dance step) is performed in a hypnotic way. Sakelasilli is conceptualized to seek the underlying myth behind the ritual to perform, using traditional musical instruments, costumes and ornaments.
Sakela festival in pictures
The Kirat communities celebrate Sakela ritual twice on the basis of the agricultural calendar. Normally, Udhauli is celebrated in Baishakh. It is done so to show deep gratitude to Mother Nature for offering humans food and safety from natural calamities. On the other hand, Ubhauli falls in Mangsir or Poaush which is organized to show respect to the ancestors for teaching civilization.
