July 28, 2025

Janai Purnima, also known as the Sacred Thread Festival, is celebrated across Nepal but holds a special vibrancy in the Kathmandu Valley. Falling on the full moon of Shravan (August), the festival centers on purification, renewal, and the reaffirmation of sacred and familial ties. It is especially important to Hindus, Buddhists, and the Newar community, each of whom celebrate it in their own way, making it one of the most inclusive and layered festivals in Nepal.

For Hindus, the day marks the ritual changing of the janai, a sacred thread worn by men of the Brahmin and Chhetri castes. Priests tie a protective raksha bandhan (thread) around the wrist, blessing it to ward off misfortune for the year ahead. Temples like Pashupatinath and Gosainkunda draw large crowds of pilgrims seeking spiritual merit on this auspicious day.

Among Newars, the festival is called Gunhu Punhi and includes a week-long sequence of cultural events and family traditions. A major component is the preparation and consumption of kwati, a hearty soup made from nine sprouted beans, symbolizing health and regeneration. This tradition reflects the agricultural calendar and the nourishment needed to transition from monsoon to harvest season.

In places like Kumbheshwar Temple in Patan, a symbolic bathing ritual is performed in the temple’s twin ponds, believed to be connected to the sacred lake of Gosainkunda in the Himalayas. Devotees take ritual dips and offer prayers, particularly those unable to make the long pilgrimage to the mountains. The temple becomes a hub of spiritual and social gathering, lined with makeshift stalls, music, and food.

Janai Purnima is also the occasion for Raksha Bandhan, where sisters tie decorative threads around their brothers’ wrists, praying for their safety and receiving gifts in return. This sweet exchange adds a personal and emotional layer to a day already rich in ritual meaning.

Time of Year: August (full moon of Shravan)

Location: Kathmandu Valley-wide (notably Pashupatinath, Kumbheshwar, and family homes)

Duration: 1 day (Newar Gunhu Punhi rituals last about a week)

What to Expect: Sacred thread ceremonies, temple rituals, pilgrimages, family feasts, rakhi exchanges

Interesting Facts:

  • Newars celebrate the day with kwati, a traditional 9-bean sprout soup
  • The ponds at Kumbheshwar Temple are believed to be mystically connected to Gosainkunda
  • The festival overlaps with Buddhist Gunla, a holy month of devotion and pilgrimage