Kathmandu's calendar is perpetually full, marked by vibrant, multi-day festivals guided by the lunar calendar.
- **Dashain & Tihar (Autumn):** The longest and most auspicious Hindu festivals, characterized by family gatherings, feasts, animal sacrifices (during Dashain), and the illumination of the city with lights and mandalas (during Tihar). - **Indra Jatra (September):** A major Newari festival featuring masked dances, the chariot procession of the Living Goddess Kumari, and the erection of a sacred wooden pole at Durbar Square. - **Maha Shivaratri (Spring):** Hundreds of thousands of devotees and sadhus (holy men) gather at Pashupatinath to honor Lord Shiva. - **Contemporary Events:** The city hosts the Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival (KIMFF), Jazzmandu (an international jazz festival), and various vibrant farmers markets at Le Sherpa.
