Sakela Ubhauli (Kirat Rai)
साकेला उभौली
May 1, 2026 · Baishakh Purnima, 2083 BS
Eastern hill districts (Kirat Rai communities)
Plan a trip around Sakela Ubhauli (Kirat Rai)History & origin
Rooted in the Kirat Mundhum — the Rai community's oral scripture and philosophical tradition — Sakela centers on Bhumi (Earth) and Paruhang (Sky/ancestral) worship, seeking their blessing for a good harvest and protection for the community. Ubhauli marks the seasonal movement associated with the sowing period, its counterpart Udhauli falling six lunar months later at harvest.
How it’s celebrated
The Rai community's Sili (Sakela) dance — a circular dance performed to drums (dhol) and cymbals (jhyamta), led by ritual specialists called Nakchhong — is danced through the night at open ground in Rai settlements, particularly across eastern hill districts. The dance sequence itself is understood to narrate the human relationship with nature and agriculture, danced collectively rather than performed for an audience.
Tips for visitors
Best experienced in the Rai heartland of Nepal's eastern hills (Khotang, Bhojpur, Dhankuta and surrounding districts) — the all-night Sili dance is a striking, deeply community-rooted tradition rather than a staged event.
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