In Benchen monastery in Kathmandu, Mahakala puja is performed every day in the afternoon. Groups of chosen monks also carry out the Guru Rinpoche Könchok Chidu and Dorje Drolo pujas daily. On days when there are no special long rituals, Green Tara puja is done in the morning.
Apart from that, longer, half-day pujas are held on the 8th, 10th, 15th, 25th, 29th and 30th day of each lunar month.
In addition, in each lunar month there is one drubchen, a long puja of a particular Yidam. Most of them are performed according to a fixed yearly schedule, while few can be different each year.
The birthday of H.E. Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche is celebrated on November 19 (Western - Gregorian calendar).
The following is the annual and bi-annual puja schedule as printed in the "Benchen Dawe Ozer Journal", the bulletin of Benchen Monastery in Kathmandu. The dates are given according to the Tibetan calendar based on Dharamsala tradition calculations. Dates may be changed due to significant reasons.
First month
1-3 Losar (Tibetan New Year) celebrations and beginning of a month-long holiday for the monks.
11-12 Kagyu Monlam prayers
Second month
6-10 White Tara puja (Drylkar Ngodrub Kuntsol) in the mornings and Tseringma puja (Milarepa's protector) in the afternoons
Third month
8-15 Kalachakra practice
23-25 Chod practice
Fourth month
3-5 Shing Kyong puja (special dharma protector of Benchen monastery)
Fifth month
9-15 Chakrasamvara practice
Sixth month
4-10 Hevajra practice
14th Beginning of yarne summer retreat, which lasts for one and a half months. This practice is closely connected to monastic life and vows. Monks in all Buddhist monasteries practise it. The tradition of summer retreat has been upheld unbrokenly since Buddha Shakyamuni's times. During that time, monks are not allowed to walk further from the monastery than 50 steps. They devote the entire time to studies and intensive meditation.
Seventh month
7-9 Recitations of prayers from "The Rain of Wisdom", collection of vajra songs of the Kagyu Gurus
21-25 Sarvavid Vairochana practice
30th - Yarne ends
Eight month
9-15 Gyalwa Gyamtso practice
Ninth month
4-10 Nine Deities of Hevajra practice
30th - Vajrakilaya drubchen starts
Tenth month
1-11 Vajrakilaya (Dorje Phurba) drubchen continues. Every other year Guru Rinpoche drubchen is performed. Both practices end with two days of lama dances in the monastery courtyard.
3-10 Guru Rinpoche drubchen. This puja is held on alternate years with the Vajra Kilaya puja. It concludes with two days of lama dances held in the courtyard.
13-15 Padma Vajra or Shitro (One Hundred Peaceful And Wrathful Deities of The Bardo). These pujas are held on alternate years.
Eleventh month
24-30 Dorje Drolo (wrathful aspect of Guru Rinpoche) or Four-armed Mahakala (Gynpo Chakshipa) practice. These pujas are held on alternate years.
Twelfth month
22-30 Gutor, annual great Mahakala ritual. It concludes with two days of lama dances.