Janai Purnima (जनै पूर्णिमा)

Janai Purnima, also called Raksha Bandhan or Rishi Tarpani, falls on the full-moon of Shrawan. Brahmins and Kshatriyas renew the sacred thread (janai) while priests tie a coloured cotton doro on everyone’s wrist for protection. Families celebrate with sprouted-bean kwati soup and exchange rakhis.

Scriptures relate how Lord Vishnu defeated the demon King Bali by the power of a protective thread. The doro symbolises that safeguard, while the new janai reminds wearers to uphold purity of thought, word and deed.

1. Thread Preparation (8 Aug 2025): Priests twist fresh cotton strands and sanctify them with Vedic mantras.
2. Janai Purnima (9 Aug 2025): Holy dip, Gayatri japa, thread change and doro tying between 05:30–13:39 NST.
3. Kwati Feast (9 Aug evening): Nine-bean sprouted soup, dahi-chiura and sweets shared after sunset.

• Mass bathing and thread-changing at Kumbheshwar Pokhari, Patan
• Pilgrimage to Gosaikunda alpine lake for sacred dip
• Water-buffalo sacrifice & Deopokhari Jatra in Khokana (day after Purnima)

Main venue: Kumbheshwar Temple, Patan (≈100 000 visitors).
Other hubs: Pashupatinath, Gosaikunda, Khokana Deopokhari and Nepali diaspora temples.
Festival window 2025: 8–10 Aug 2025.