Gunla Parva Celebration in Madhyapur Thimi, Bhaktapur

Locals of Madhyapur Thimi gather to celebrate Gunla Parva with traditional musical instruments, filling the streets with devotional tunes on July 26, 2025.

Gunla Parva is a month-long festival observed annually by the Buddhist Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley. It begins on Shravan Shukla Pratipada and continues until Bhadra Shukla Pratipada, according to the lunar calendar.

The festival is marked by the recitation of sacred scriptures, fasting, and pilgrimages to places of worship, all accompanied by devotional music played on traditional instruments.

Gunla, the tenth month of the Nepal Era (falling in August), is considered highly sacred and is dedicated to Lord Buddha. Celebrations take place across Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur, making it a significant spiritual event in Newar Buddhism.