Nepal’s living Goddess Kumari , draped in her traditional red attire and crowned, was carried through the heart of Kathmandu on Sunday, joined by Ganesh and Bhairav, as the city marked the start of the Indra Jatra festival . Their appearance signals the arrival of the festive season across the Himalayan nation.
The three deities, each borne on separate chariots, were pulled through crowded lanes where thousands of devotees had gathered for hours, waiting for blessings and a rare glimpse. The spectacle, staged in Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square, once the royal palace before the unification of Nepal and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, remains one of the few occasions when the living goddess and gods are seen in public.
The square reverberated with the beat of drums and cries of joy as the chariots moved through the packed streets.
“As a photographer, the procession itself drags me up to here. Then, after the chariot procession of (Living deities) Kumari, Ganesh and Bhairav, who make this special public appearance once a year, where people flock here to pay obeisance to them. It can also be regarded as Kathmandu's largest procession, signalling the arrival of Dashain, the major festival; these features have been driving me up to here every year,” said Basanta Gautam, a professional photographer, speaking to ANI.
The festival, which runs for eight days beginning on Bhadra Shukla Chaturdashi of the Nepali month of Bhadra, sees the three deities paraded around the city in chariots. It begins with the raising of a sacred wooden pole, known as the Ya: Shi:, at Hanumandhoka in Basantapur Durbar Square. Traditional masked dances, folk dramas and processions including Nawadurga, Pulukisi, Lakhe and Dash Avatar fill the city with colour and excitement.
Indra Jatra falls on the fourth day of the waxing moon in Bhadra, according to the lunar calendar. The festival is rooted in legend, said to mark the triumph of the gods over demons to free Jayanta, the son of Lord Indra.
Stories tell of Lord Indra descending to earth in search of white flowers for his mother, only to be captured by Newars in the Kathmandu Valley. Once his mother revealed his divine identity, he was released and honoured with a procession – a tradition carried forward ever since. Indra, worshipped as the god of rain, remains at the heart of the celebrations, which are embraced by Newar communities following both Hindu and Buddhist traditions.
While Kathmandu is the centre of the celebration, Kavre and Dolakha districts also mark the festival with enthusiasm. The week-long revelry concludes tonight with the lowering of the Indradhwoj pole, followed by dramatic dances such as Lakhe Naach, Mahakali Naach and Pulukisi Naach – a vibrant finale to one of the grandest events in the Newar calendar.
The three deities, each borne on separate chariots, were pulled through crowded lanes where thousands of devotees had gathered for hours, waiting for blessings and a rare glimpse. The spectacle, staged in Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square, once the royal palace before the unification of Nepal and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, remains one of the few occasions when the living goddess and gods are seen in public.
The square reverberated with the beat of drums and cries of joy as the chariots moved through the packed streets.
“As a photographer, the procession itself drags me up to here. Then, after the chariot procession of (Living deities) Kumari, Ganesh and Bhairav, who make this special public appearance once a year, where people flock here to pay obeisance to them. It can also be regarded as Kathmandu's largest procession, signalling the arrival of Dashain, the major festival; these features have been driving me up to here every year,” said Basanta Gautam, a professional photographer, speaking to ANI.
The festival, which runs for eight days beginning on Bhadra Shukla Chaturdashi of the Nepali month of Bhadra, sees the three deities paraded around the city in chariots. It begins with the raising of a sacred wooden pole, known as the Ya: Shi:, at Hanumandhoka in Basantapur Durbar Square. Traditional masked dances, folk dramas and processions including Nawadurga, Pulukisi, Lakhe and Dash Avatar fill the city with colour and excitement.
Indra Jatra falls on the fourth day of the waxing moon in Bhadra, according to the lunar calendar. The festival is rooted in legend, said to mark the triumph of the gods over demons to free Jayanta, the son of Lord Indra.
Stories tell of Lord Indra descending to earth in search of white flowers for his mother, only to be captured by Newars in the Kathmandu Valley. Once his mother revealed his divine identity, he was released and honoured with a procession – a tradition carried forward ever since. Indra, worshipped as the god of rain, remains at the heart of the celebrations, which are embraced by Newar communities following both Hindu and Buddhist traditions.
While Kathmandu is the centre of the celebration, Kavre and Dolakha districts also mark the festival with enthusiasm. The week-long revelry concludes tonight with the lowering of the Indradhwoj pole, followed by dramatic dances such as Lakhe Naach, Mahakali Naach and Pulukisi Naach – a vibrant finale to one of the grandest events in the Newar calendar.
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