The biggest festival of Kathmandu Valley, Indra Jatra, began on Saturday with the worshipping of Indra, the King of Heaven, also known as the God of rains. Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah and other dignitaries visited Basantapur to observe the festival and offer prayers.
Chariots of living deities Kumari, Bhairav and Ganesh were also pulled at Hanumandhoka, Basantapur and other parts of Kathmandu. President Paudel amidst a special ceremony worshipped Goddess Kumari and received her blessings as per centuries old tradition.
The eight-day festivalstarts on Bhadra Shukla Chaturdashi as per the lunar calendar. On Thursday, two days before the festival, a wooden pole known as Indradhwoja with flags on its top, was erected in Hanumandhoka.
On Sunday, the second day of the festival, known as Yenya Punhi, the Newar community of Kathmandu enjoy a traditional feast consisting mainly of beaten rice, meat, egg, beans and bara, a kind of bread made of black lentil.
In addition to Kathmandu, the festival is also observed in Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Dhulikhel and Dolakha districts in central Nepal.
During the festival, various cultural items — including Mahakali dance, Lakhe dance, Pulukisi dance and Bhakku dance — are performed and Dasavatar is shown in the core areas
of Basantapur and Hanumandhoka complex. There is a legend behind the Indra Jatra festival.
