By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, Sept. 25: Kathmandu is set to come alive on Friday as devotees and visitors gather at Basantapur to celebrate Indra Jatra, one of the Kathmandu Valley’s major traditional festivals.
The main celebration will take place around Hanumandhoka Durbar Square and Basantapur, featuring the chariot procession of the three living deities—Kumari, Ganesh and Bhairav—along with traditional Newari music, Lakhe dance and other cultural performances.
President Ramchandra Paudel is scheduled to visit Basantapur to observe the festivities, continuing the longstanding tradition of the Head of State attending the festival. Vice President, Speaker, ministers, lawmakers, provincial assembly members, people’s representatives and security officials are also expected to attend the celebration.
Traditional masked dances will add to the festivities. Mahakali Pyakha and Ramchandra Pyakha, which are brought from Bhaktapur every year, will be performed at Hanumandhoka in the evening to the accompaniment of traditional drums and other musical instruments.
Swet Bhairav will also be a major attraction during the festival. This year’s Indra Jatra will also mark the revival of the traditional Muali musical tradition, which local residents are reportedly performing again after nearly 25 years. The revival is expected to help preserve the community’s intangible cultural heritage and reconnect younger generations with the traditional music associated with the festival.
Gautam Shakya, President of the Indra Jatra Festival Management Committee, the trustees of Guthi Khala, the Indra Jatra Management Committee, Guthi Sansthan and various cultural groups have been working continuously to preserve and promote the festival and its traditions.
Indra Jatra is associated not only with the worship of Lord Indra but also with traditions and legends concerning Indra’s mother, the living deities, Majipat Lakhe and Bhairav. The festival is also observed in Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and Kirtipur, although the celebrations take different forms in each locality.
Indra Jatra begins annually on the fourth day of the waxing moon in the month of Bhadra. This year, the festival officially began on Thursday with the erection of the ceremonial Yansi pole in front of Hanumandhoka Palace. The festival is celebrated by both Hindus and Buddhists across the Kathmandu Valley.
Indra Jatra is regarded as one of Kathmandu’s oldest festivals, with its history tracing back to the 11th century. The Kumari Jatra was introduced later by Malla King Jaya Prakash Malla. The tradition of erecting the Indradhwaja is associated with the Shah period under King Pratap Singh Shah, son of King Prithvi Narayan Shah.
A large image of Akash Bhairav’s head is also displayed at Indra Chowk for eight days during the festival, facing the temple dedicated to the deity.
The Rising Nepal
