Kathmandu. Raithane festival Sawane i.e. Cancer Sankranti, which is celebrated on 1st of July every year according to Solar month, is being celebrated traditionally by bathing, donating and worshiping all over the country. It is also known as Cancer Solstice as it is the first day when the Sun completes the Bhoga of Gemini and enters Cancer. In the Vedic Sanatana Hindu tradition, since this day the sun moves southward, the Dakshinayana is formally started, which is viewed with special importance from a religious point of view.

In Nepali society, this festival is also integrally connected with agriculture. Farmers who have been playing with mud in the paddy field for planting mano for the entire month of June, throw mud on this day to get rid of skin diseases and allergies caused by mud.

There is an ancient custom of collecting plants with medicinal properties such as Kag Bhalayo, Kukardino, Lutejhar, Paniamala, Lemon, Mango and Pear etc.