{"id":2152598,"date":"2026-09-19T05:00:48","date_gmt":"2026-09-19T02:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2152598"},"modified":"2026-09-19T05:00:48","modified_gmt":"2026-09-19T02:00:48","slug":"drums-dancing-and-definitely-no-tears-heres-why-you-need-to-experience-nepals-sa-paru-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2152598","title":{"rendered":"Drums, dancing and definitely no tears: Here\u2019s why you need to experience Nepal\u2019s Sa: Paru festival"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/16\/47\/1200x675_cmsv2_254f196f-216d-5e3e-81d1-c64480d57c6e-9911647.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2926985-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2926985\" data-cid=\"9919727\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926985-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/97\/27\/189x106_cmsv2_63b409a2-ed80-54db-a233-2ecceac35df0-9919727.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - Ed Sheeran attends the Time100 Gala, in New York on April 24, 2025\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ed Sheeran set to resume tour after Macklemore dropping debacle\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926641-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2926641\" data-cid=\"9918787\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926641-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/80\/80\/189x106_cmsv2_c94bb0e6-4683-5218-aae9-1100b6b50fc3-9918080.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Mark Carney greets Emmanuel Macron at the official welcome for the G7 summit on 16 June 2025 in Kananaskis, Canada.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    World News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Macron heading to Saint Pierre and Miquelon to meet with Carney\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926864-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2926864\" data-cid=\"9919211\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926864-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/92\/11\/189x106_cmsv2_5bd2574c-c0b7-574e-b16c-ba28bb4e3d42-9919211.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Who deserves a transplant? 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AI&apos;s answer isn&apos;t the same as a human doctor&apos;s\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Health news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Who deserves a transplant? 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<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Travel<\/p>\n<p>                          Moments<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Drums, dancing and definitely no tears: Here\u2019s why you need to experience Nepal\u2019s Sa: Paru festival<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-controller=\"video-player\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/16\/47\/1536x864_cmsv2_254f196f-216d-5e3e-81d1-c64480d57c6e-9911647.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Nepal\u2019s Sa: Paru festival is celebrated annually in August or September across the Kathmandu Valley\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Nepal\u2019s Sa: Paru festival is celebrated annually in August or September across the Kathmandu Valley<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">Dianne Apen-Sadler<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0Dianne Apen-Sadler\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspDianne Apen-Sadler\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1789794048\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-09-19 07:00:48 +02:00\">19\/09\/2026 &#8211; 7:00 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay js-c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay 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loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Euronews Travel\u2019s Dianne Apen-Sadler headed to the ancient city of Bhaktapur in Nepal for the Sa: Paru festival honouring those that have died in the past year.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content c-article-content--travel js-article-content\">\n<p>The sound I most associate with death is silence. Not just the obvious one, in that the dearly departed will never speak, never yell, never cry, never laugh again.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Smaller silences, like post-funeral, when the last guest is gone and all you\u2019re left with are your thoughts and an inordinate amount of food shared by well-wishers. Or when weeks have passed and you go to call or text them about your day before you stop yourself because you can\u2019t do that any more.<\/p>\n<p>Even years later, it lingers in that awkward pause when you reveal someone close to you has passed away and the other person doesn\u2019t quite know what to say in response.<\/p>\n<p>Drums and bells, it is not. Music, beyond the songs chosen for the service, feels incongruous. The loud, chaotic energy of a festival? Never.<\/p>\n<p>Yet that\u2019s exactly what Sa: Paru, an annual festival honouring those that have died in the past year, is all about, as I discovered on my recent trip to Nepal\u2019s Bhaktapur. <\/p>\n<p>Celebrated across the Kathmandu Valley by the Newar people, the festival turns the western idea of grieving on its head, giving the dead a joyous farewell as they head towards salvation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen people pass away in western societies, people wear black. They grieve in silence \u2013 it&#8217;s a very somber moment,\u201d says Ajay Bahadur Pradhanang. \u201cBut in Nepal, everybody comes together and it&#8217;s turned into this carnival, a real joyous moment of farewell.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.75\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/16\/47\/808x608_cmsv2_7f739edf-1ad9-577a-9bf5-7a3b0667698e-9911647.jpg\" alt=\"Bamboo structures known as taha: sa are created for the procession through the city \"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Bamboo structures known as taha: sa are created for the procession through the city <\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Dianne Apen-Sadler<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>A community coming together<\/h2>\n<p>While the festival also takes place in other cities like Lalitpur as well as the capital Kathmandu, which is around 13 kilometres away, the celebration in Bhaktapur takes its own unique form.<\/p>\n<p>Prior to the festival\u2019s main day, which takes place after the full moon during the 10th month of the country\u2019s lunisolar calendar in August or September, neighbours \u2013 whether they\u2019ve lost someone or not \u2013 gather to create taha: sa.<\/p>\n<p>The bamboo structures, which replaced the cows that would traditionally have been used as part of the procession, are wrapped before a painting of the sacred animal is placed at the top.<\/p>\n<p>It takes skill, and manpower, to complete the whole affair. After the cloth (generally red for women, and white for men) and cow portrait are added, various decorations follow, like a photograph of the deceased, depictions of Shiva, and, finally, an umbrella to shield them from sun and rain \u2013 a sign of respect.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor Sa: Paru, we have to have certain rituals, and these would be impossible if it was just me, or just my family, without the wider community to help us,\u201d Ajay notes.<\/p>\n<p>It might take a village to raise a child, but the celebration in Bhaktapur goes to show that it takes a community to mark the other end of somebody\u2019s life, too.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m here at the invitation of The Nanee, a boutique hotel near the city\u2019s centre. Ajay, the hotel\u2019s chairman, lost his mother this year, which means I can see the work underway in the neighbouring courtyard, but any visitor to the city will easily be able to find taha: sa being constructed throughout the day.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.75\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/16\/47\/808x608_cmsv2_86a6d5cb-2f22-5ebd-9d75-97bfe1bad359-9911647.jpg\" alt=\"The city gets busier and busier as the day goes on\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">The city gets busier and busier as the day goes on<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Dianne Apen-Sadler<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The festival starts early the following morning, with a steady stream of taha: sa passing through the streets accompanied by music, drums, bells and the sound of sticks clashing together as pairs take part in the Ghintang Ghisi dance.<\/p>\n<p>The procession follows a set route, and at the beginning, it seems each troupe is moving to its own beat \u2013 some rush, causing the structures to sway, giving the effect of a drunken cow passing by; others march slowly, pausing to dance together. It\u2019s only as the streets begin to clog up and movement reaches a snail\u2019s pace that they move as one.<\/p>\n<p>While some attendees don traditional wear, or modern interpretations of it, you\u2019re just as likely to see people wearing football kits and Hawaiian shirts. Come as you are \u2013 you\u2019re welcome to get involved in the festivities, provided you don\u2019t mind crowds.<\/p>\n<p>After taking a pause to catch my breath, I get chatting to Mano Dhaubhadel, a Nepali living in the US who recently lost his younger brother and has returned for the festival.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is something you don\u2019t see anywhere else in the world,\u201d he told me. \u201cThe culture here is just magnificent, and it\u2019s there for everyone to enjoy, not just Newars. The best way to learn is to get involved.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Of course, you can also attend the festival with a guide. I\u2019m joined by The Nanee\u2019s curator, Peepul Subedi, a priest and PhD student who is more than happy to explain the meaning behind the festival\u2019s various elements, and its importance.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The whole city comes together for this festival, and every household who has a family member who has passed away in the past year will take out this sort of structure,\u201d he tells me.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt represents the message that everyone has to die, and all of us are going through the same sort of sorrow \u2013 that&#8217;s life. We&#8217;re not celebrating death by dancing and singing, we are celebrating the fact that the departed soul is moving towards salvation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Celebrations in most of the valley last just a single day \u2013 here in Bhaktapur, the festival continues on for eight, with different dance performances throughout the city.<\/p>\n<p>The exact origins of Sa: Paru, which is also known as Gai Jatra, aren\u2019t precisely known, but historians believe that the tradition may have started in the 14th century.<\/p>\n<p>The name most commonly associated with the festival is King Pratap Malla, who is said to have expanded the festival to cheer up his wife following the death of their son Chakravartendra Malla with the inclusion of satirical elements, which today sees people don satirical masks of political figures like US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.75\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/16\/47\/808x608_cmsv2_9d43fbff-7e86-52f4-872d-7c4124998487-9911647.jpg\" alt=\"Many tourists pass through Bhaktapur on a day trip \u2013 but there are plenty of reasons you should linger longer\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Many tourists pass through Bhaktapur on a day trip \u2013 but there are plenty of reasons you should linger longer<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Dianne Apen-Sadler<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>A reason to linger in Bhaktapur<\/h2>\n<p>Travel itineraries for tourists visiting Kathmandu often include a detour to Bhaktapur \u2013 but they typically only mention a visit to the Durbar Square, with its various temples and the 55 Window Palace.<\/p>\n<p>Similar to the cruise ship tourists who swarm cities in Europe for a few hours in the summer months, climbing back on board having contributed nothing to the local economy beyond the cost of an ice cream and a fridge magnet, these visitors will spend an hour or two in town before heading back to the capital.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a real shame \u2013 not just for the locals, who fail to see the financial benefit, but for the tourists themselves, who miss out on the best Bhaktapur has to offer.<\/p>\n<p>Life is slower here, and the city is best experienced in the early mornings, when you\u2019ll see folks milling about, praying at the Hindu and Buddhist temples, or buying produce at the market.<\/p>\n<p>Aside from the Durbar Square, you can see ceramics drying under the sun at Pottery Square, give pottery a go yourself at one of the workshops, or pick out some pieces to add to your homeware collection.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.75\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/16\/47\/808x608_cmsv2_85345f25-ba62-5e56-8ee0-9464f40d22cf-9911647.jpg\" alt=\"The Nanee aims to be an oasis of calm within the city of Bhaktapur\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">The Nanee aims to be an oasis of calm within the city of Bhaktapur<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Dianne Apen-Sadler<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Peacock Shop is another must visit, where the chatty owner is more than happy to talk, and walk you through the traditional Lokta paper making process.<\/p>\n<p>The Nanee was founded by Ajay and Shailaja Pradhanang with a view to encourage people to linger longer while enjoying the comforts of a luxury boutique hotel.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBhaktapur is a living heritage site, and we wanted that to continue,\u201d Ajay tells me.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith The Nanee, we offer guests a small oasis in the beautiful city of Bhaktapur while ensuring that the community, which has done so much to preserve and conserve its heritage, benefits from their stay.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Experiences offered by the hotel are in partnership with locals, like the morning walk with a housewife, or the evening dinner with an artisan.<\/p>\n<p>Aside from Sa: Paru, there are numerous festivals throughout the year, including the famed Bisket Jatra, celebrated for eight nights each April.<\/p>\n<h2>A note on the recent floods<\/h2>\n<p>Just hours before landing in Kathmandu for the festival, a series of flash floods near the border with Tibet saw the loss of at least 1,369 lives, with some 5,000 people missing.<\/p>\n<p>Naturally, many people have cancelled or are thinking about cancelling their trips to Nepal as a result, which will have a serious impact on a tourism industry that is already dealing with the impact of the Iran war on flight routes to the country.<\/p>\n<p>Popular tourist spots like the Kathmandu Valley, as well as Mount Everest and other trekking trails, were unaffected by the tragedy, and your tourism dollars are more needed than ever. <\/p>\n<p><em>Dianne Apen-Sadler was hosted by The Nanee during the Sa: Paru festival. You can reach out to the hotel<\/em><em>directly<\/em><em>to enquire about your potential stay in order to align your trip with one of Bhaktapur\u2019s many festivals. For more information about Bhaktapur, visit the<\/em><em>official tourism board website<\/em><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__container\">\n<article id=\"abe-2914804-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" 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class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2914804-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2914804\" data-cid=\"9860545\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2914804-label-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" 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<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2911554-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2911554\" data-cid=\"9845904\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Social media is ruining travel\u2019s element of surprise, survey reveals<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926867-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926867\" data-cid=\"9919231\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Just six European airlines ranked in the world&#8217;s top 20 for 2026<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">The sound I most associate with death is silence. Not just the obvious one, in that the dearly departed will never speak, never yell, never cry, never laugh again.Smaller silences, like post-funeral, when the last guest is gone and all you\u2019re left with are your thoughts and an inordinate amount of food shared by well-wishers. Or when weeks have passed and you go to call or text them about your day before you stop yourself because you can\u2019t do that any more.Even years later, it lingers in that awkward pause when you reveal someone close to you has passed away and the other person doesn\u2019t quite know what to say in response.Drums and bells, it is not. Music, beyond the songs chosen for the service, feels incongruous. The loud, chaotic energy of a festival? Never.Yet that\u2019s exactly what Sa: Paru, an annual festival honouring those that have died in the past year, is all about, as I discovered on my recent trip to Nepal\u2019s Bhaktapur.\u00a0Celebrated across the Kathmandu Valley by the Newar people, the festival turns the western idea of grieving on its head, giving the dead a joyous farewell as they head towards salvation.\u201cWhen people pass away in western societies, people wear black. They grieve in silence \u2013 it&#8217;s a very somber moment,\u201d says Ajay Bahadur Pradhanang. \u201cBut in Nepal, everybody comes together and it&#8217;s turned into this carnival, a real joyous moment of farewell.\u201dA community coming togetherWhile the festival also takes place in other cities like Lalitpur as well as the capital Kathmandu, which is around 13 kilometres away, the celebration in Bhaktapur takes its own unique form.Prior to the festival\u2019s main day, which takes place after the full moon during the 10th month of the country\u2019s lunisolar calendar in August or September, neighbours \u2013 whether they\u2019ve lost someone or not \u2013 gather to create taha: sa.The bamboo structures, which replaced the cows that would traditionally have been used as part of the procession, are wrapped before a painting of the sacred animal is placed at the top.It takes skill, and manpower, to complete the whole affair. After the cloth (generally red for women, and white for men) and cow portrait are added, various decorations follow, like a photograph of the deceased, depictions of Shiva, and, finally, an umbrella to shield them from sun and rain \u2013 a sign of respect.\u201cFor Sa: Paru, we have to have certain rituals, and these would be impossible if it was just me, or just my family, without the wider community to help us,\u201d Ajay notes.It might take a village to raise a child, but the celebration in Bhaktapur goes to show that it takes a community to mark the other end of somebody\u2019s life, too.I\u2019m here at the invitation of The Nanee, a boutique hotel near the city\u2019s centre. Ajay, the hotel\u2019s chairman, lost his mother this year, which means I can see the work underway in the neighbouring courtyard, but any visitor to the city will easily be able to find taha: sa being constructed throughout the day.The festival starts early the following morning, with a steady stream of taha: sa passing through the streets accompanied by music, drums, bells and the sound of sticks clashing together as pairs take part in the Ghintang Ghisi dance.The procession follows a set route, and at the beginning, it seems each troupe is moving to its own beat \u2013 some rush, causing the structures to sway, giving the effect of a drunken cow passing by; others march slowly, pausing to dance together. It\u2019s only as the streets begin to clog up and movement reaches a snail\u2019s pace that they move as one.While some attendees don traditional wear, or modern interpretations of it, you\u2019re just as likely to see people wearing football kits and Hawaiian shirts. Come as you are \u2013 you\u2019re welcome to get involved in the festivities, provided you don\u2019t mind crowds.After taking a pause to catch my breath, I get chatting to Mano Dhaubhadel, a Nepali living in the US who recently lost his younger brother and has returned for the festival.\u201cThis is something you don\u2019t see anywhere else in the world,\u201d he told me. \u201cThe culture here is just magnificent, and it\u2019s there for everyone to enjoy, not just Newars. The best way to learn is to get involved.\u201dOf course, you can also attend the festival with a guide. I\u2019m joined by The Nanee\u2019s curator, Peepul Subedi, a priest and PhD student who is more than happy to explain the meaning behind the festival\u2019s various elements, and its importance.&#8221;The whole city comes together for this festival, and every household who has a family member who has passed away in the past year will take out this sort of structure,\u201d he tells me.\u201cIt represents the message that everyone has to die, and all of us are going through the same sort of sorrow \u2013 that&#8217;s life. We&#8217;re not celebrating death by dancing and singing, we are celebrating the fact that the departed soul is moving towards salvation.\u201dCelebrations in most of the valley last just a single day \u2013 here in Bhaktapur, the festival continues on for eight, with different dance performances throughout the city.The exact origins of Sa: Paru, which is also known as Gai Jatra, aren\u2019t precisely known, but historians believe that the tradition may have started in the 14th century.The name most commonly associated with the festival is King Pratap Malla, who is said to have expanded the festival to cheer up his wife following the death of their son Chakravartendra Malla with the inclusion of satirical elements, which today sees people don satirical masks of political figures like US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin.A reason to linger in BhaktapurTravel itineraries for tourists visiting Kathmandu often include a detour to Bhaktapur \u2013 but they typically only mention a visit to the Durbar Square, with its various temples and the 55 Window Palace.Similar to the cruise ship tourists who swarm cities in Europe for a few hours in the summer months, climbing back on board having contributed nothing to the local economy beyond the cost of an ice cream and a fridge magnet, these visitors will spend an hour or two in town before heading back to the capital.It\u2019s a real shame \u2013 not just for the locals, who fail to see the financial benefit, but for the tourists themselves, who miss out on the best Bhaktapur has to offer.Life is slower here, and the city is best experienced in the early mornings, when you\u2019ll see folks milling about, praying at the Hindu and Buddhist temples, or buying produce at the market.Aside from the Durbar Square, you can see ceramics drying under the sun at Pottery Square, give pottery a go yourself at one of the workshops, or pick out some pieces to add to your homeware collection.The Peacock Shop is another must visit, where the chatty owner is more than happy to talk, and walk you through the traditional Lokta paper making process.The Nanee was founded by Ajay and Shailaja Pradhanang with a view to encourage people to linger longer while enjoying the comforts of a luxury boutique hotel.\u201cBhaktapur is a living heritage site, and we wanted that to continue,\u201d Ajay tells me.\u201cWith The Nanee, we offer guests a small oasis in the beautiful city of Bhaktapur while ensuring that the community, which has done so much to preserve and conserve its heritage, benefits from their stay.\u201dExperiences offered by the hotel are in partnership with locals, like the morning walk with a housewife, or the evening dinner with an artisan.Aside from Sa: Paru, there are numerous festivals throughout the year, including the famed Bisket Jatra, celebrated for eight nights each April.A note on the recent floodsJust hours before landing in Kathmandu for the festival, a series of flash floods near the border with Tibet saw the loss of at least 1,369 lives, with some 5,000 people missing.Naturally, many people have cancelled or are thinking about cancelling their trips to Nepal as a result, which will have a serious impact on a tourism industry that is already dealing with the impact of the Iran war on flight routes to the country.Popular tourist spots like the Kathmandu Valley, as well as Mount Everest and other trekking trails, were unaffected by the tragedy, and your tourism dollars are more needed than ever.\u00a0Dianne Apen-Sadler was hosted by The Nanee during the Sa: Paru festival. You can reach out to the hotel directly to enquire about your potential stay in order to align your trip with one of Bhaktapur\u2019s many festivals. For more information about Bhaktapur, visit the official tourism board website.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/travel\/2026\/09\/19\/drums-dancing-and-definitely-no-tears-heres-why-you-need-to-experience-nepals-sa-paru-fest&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/16\/47\/1200x675_cmsv2_254f196f-216d-5e3e-81d1-c64480d57c6e-9911647.jpg&#8221;] Culture news Ed Sheeran set to resume tour after Macklemore dropping debacle World News Macron heading to Saint Pierre and Miquelon to meet with Carney Health news Who deserves a transplant? 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