Ritualistic pole of Fagu festival installed at Hanumandhoka Durbar area

Kathmandu, Feb 27: The festival of Fagu has formally commenced with the installation of the ritualistic wooden pole with the ‘Chir’ at the top end in front of Hanumandhoka Durbar at local Basantapur this morning. The Chir is a tuft of colourful strips of cloth tied to the top end of the pole symbolizing the beginning of Fagu, also called Holi, the festival of colours. The wooden pole is erected at this spot on the eighth day of the waxing moon in the month of Fagun as per the time-honoured custom.

The pole was installed at the auspicious time of 7.45am today, the Nepal Calendar Determination Committee said. The people from the Manandhar community are responsible for the erection of the Chir at Hanumandhoka Durbar area. Fagu festival is celebrated with fervor and enthusiasm in the hilly districts including in the Kathmandu Valley from the eighth day of the bright half to the full moon day in the month of Fagun.

People had smeared each other with different colours and threw colour powder in celebration at Hanumandhoka Durbar area when the Chir was installed, signaling the start of the Fagu festival. This ritualistic pole is pulled down on the full moon day. The main day of Fagu festival falls on March 6 for the people of the hilly districts and on March 7 for the people of the Tarai-Madhesh region this year.