Kathmandu, Sept 23: Indra Jatra, one of Kathmandu’s major cultural festivals, formally began today with the ceremonial raising of a pole bearing Indra’s banner in front of Kal Bhairav at Basantpur Durbar Square.
The raising of the pole marks the start of the festival’s main events. Priests performed the prescribed rituals and prayers as traditional music played.
Indra Jatra is an important festival for the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley. It includes worship of Indra, Bhairav, Ganesh and the Kumari, as well as chariot processions. Devotees and visitors gather around Hanuman Dhoka to view the deities and their chariots.
During the festival, the chariots of the Kumari, Ganesh and Bhairav are taken from Hanuman Dhoka through neighbourhoods of Kathmandu. Cultural performances include the Lakhe and Pulukisi dances.
The festival has brought crowds to Hanuman Dhoka and the surrounding Basantapur area, with local residents and Nepali and foreign tourists arriving to watch the celebrations.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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