Indra Jatra is a festival that is celebrated in honor of Lord Indra, the ruler of heaven, the controller of the clouds and storm. The eight-day long festival is celebrated from Bhadra dwadsahi to Ashwin Krishna chaturdashi according to the lunar calendar, which falls during the months September or October as per Gregorian calendar.
As per the legend, Lord Indra disguised as an ordinary mortal descended in the valley to collect the “parijat†flower. While plucking the flower he was caught and was imprisoned by the locals. During the festival an image of Indra with his outstretched arms are bound alike a thief and kept for display. A white elephant symbolizing Indra’s vehicle is seen wondering in the streets of the square looking for his master. Legend also mentions that, Indra’s mother too came down to earth to investigate her son’s disappearance and learned that he was kept prisoner. Indra’s mother compensates for her sons release and promised to furnish the valley with fog and dew. She further promised to lead the soul of the ones died that year to heaven. The procession of “dagini†represents the above. Likewise, various other mask dancers in the form of Lakhe, Bhairav and other can be seen performing at the different parts of the city. The god of wrath “Bhairav”is also worshipped during the festival. The other major attraction of the festival is the “Kumari Jatra†which is a chariot pulling festival of the only living goddess accompanied by the Bhairav and Ganesh.
Outline Itinerary
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Detail Itinerary.
Upon arrival at the Land of the Himalayas; Nepal, you will be welcomed by our representatives at the airport who will then escort you to your Hotel in Kathmandu.
Rest of the day at Leisure
Erection of a Lingam (Yosin Thanegu):
Indra Jatra officially opens on the twelfth day of the waxing moon in Zeptember with the raising of the flag of Indra before the old palace at Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu. The tree for the pole is selected by the authorized person from the forest at Zallaghari, four miles east of Bhadgaon. After selecting the appropriate pine tree certain rite are carried out and is dragged to Bhadgaon. After few days, people from Thimi pull the pole to Tudikhel a€oea parade ground in central Kathmandua€. Four days before the festival begins the people from Kathmandu drag the pole to the durbar square.
The pole raising ceremony generally begins at around 7-9 in the morning as per the auspicious time selected by the priests. Hundreds of people gather at the palace square and the surrounding temple to witness the occasion. With the sound of the musical bands the heavy pole is slowly raised with the help of bamboos and ropes. The banner of Indra is unfurled displaying the moon as a symbol of intelligent planning and the sun for courage. The image of Indra is placed in a cage at the foot of the pole along with a golden elephant where visitors offer flowers and other offerings. This is the mark of the beginning of the festival.
Procession in the name of the deceased (Upaku Wanegu):
In the evening, hundreds of people head the streets of Kathmandu. They visit various shrines in the old streets with butter lamps to honor their deceased family member. Zome offer the lighted wicks in the small clay dish to the shrines and relatives on the way as they pass while some chants religious hymns. It takes nearly about three hours to complete the procession.
Indra Jatra is one of the biggest and historic festivals celebrated in Kathmandu. It is the same festival on the occasion of which King Prithvi Narayan Zhah dethroned the Malla kings of the valley and made Kantipur his Capital. There are various mask dances that are performed during the festival. Other than this various masks of Bhairab, the god of wrath made of wood, brass and stones are placed along the streets inside elaborate canopies draped with garlands and finery.
Zome of the famous mask dances are:
Lakhey Dance
Majipa Lakhey is a special lakhey considered to be the protector of the children. According to the legend, a lakhey is supposed to have fallen in love with a girl from Majipa. Zo, the demon takes form of a human and enters the city to see his beloved. Upon knowing the fact that the person is a lakhey, the people captured the lakhey and presented him to the King. The King makes a proposal to the demon that he will grant him a place in the city if he vows to preserve the children from other demons and participate in the annual Yanyaa Punhi Jatra (also called Indra Jatra). The lakhey agrees and is supposed to reside in Majipa ever since.
Zawa Bhakku (Bhairav Dance)
The Zawa Bhhakku is the mask dance that is performed during the festival of Indra Jatra. The dancers consist of Bhairava (in blue) holding a sword and his two attendants (in red). The dance group is from Halchok, at the western edge of the Kathmandu Valley. The dancers make its rounds along the festival route, stopping at major street squares to perform and receive offerings from devotees.
Pulu Kisi (elephant) dance
This dance is performed by the residents of Kilagal Tole. Pulu Kisi is believed to be the carrier of Indra himself. Pulu Kisi goes through the streets of the ancient city Kathmandu in search for his imprisoned master. People view the masked creature with roar of excitement and laughter. From time to time it does naughty and mischievous things by running through the street knocking anyone that comes in its path and swinging its tail in an amazing manner. Like other dancers he also has team of musical band and a torch carrier in front.
Devi Dance
Devi Dance is performed by the people of Kilagal. This is performed at Kilagal and Jaisidewal when the chariot of Kumari is pulled in the respective places. One of the dancers represents Kumari and in front of the chariot of Goddess Kumari, the mask dancer kills the demon. There are a number of dancers wearing masks of various deities.
Mahankali Dance
Mahakali dance is performed by the people of Bhaktapur. During the festival period, the dancers from Bhaktapur perform at Durbar Zquare and major street squares around Kathmandu. There are various dances/ acts in their performance.
Besides the dances the famous masks of Bhairav are displayed are:
Aakash Bhairab:
Chronicles says that the Akash Bhairab is the Kirati king Yalambar who is believed to have gained the powers through tantric worshipping. During the famous battle of the Mahabharat, the first king of Kirat Dynasty went to the battlefield to help the antagonist party. When Lord Krishna heard of it, he promptly chopped Yalambara€tms head, which reached Kathmandu through the sky, hence the name given as the Zky God or the Akash Bhairab. The head sits in a Hindu Temple in Indrachok, Kathmandu. It is taken out once a year on the occasion of Indra Jatra Festival. The mask is draped with multiple garlands and finery for the festival.
Zwet Bhairab:
The large mask of Zwet Bhairava; the wrathful representation of Lord Zhiva is revealed to the public only during the Indra Jatra festival. A pipe coming out of the mouth of Bhairava dispenses traditional Nepali liquor (aila) and rice beer (thon) which the youngsters struggle to drink it as a form of blessing from Bhairab.
Indraa€tms Ztatue:
The idols of Indra with his outstretched arms bound like those of a thief placed on the high scaffolds are also displayed around the town. As per the legend, Indra came to valley disguised as a normal human being in search of Parijat (a kind of flower). Unaware of this fact the people of the valley took him under captive and bound his hands with the ropes.
Each night of Indra Jatra, the shrines and masks crowd the palace square.
Chariot Pulling of Goddess Kumari along with Bhairav and Ganesha (Kwaneya)
Kumari or Living Goddess of Nepal is the tradition of worshiping young pre-pubescent girls as the manifestations of the divine female deity as per Hindu religion. On this day a chariot festival is held in the palace square which has been in continuation from the period of King Jaya Prakash Malla of Kantipur. On the day of Kumari Jatra, a chariot procession of Goddess Kumari, God Bhairav and God Ganesha in the human form is drawn in the streets of Kathmandu. For her annual chariot pulling procession, thousands of people gather from all over the valley completely filling the square before Kumari House, the stairs of the surrounding temples, the windows, balconies and roof tops of the nearby houses. The head of the state along with the foreign dignitaries line up at the balcony of the old administration building to witness a glimpse of the Gods and Goddess.
The chariot pulling starts at around three in the afternoon through the southern part of the town known as a€oeKwaneyaa€ in the local Newari dialect. The route extends from Basantapur, Maru, Chikanmughal, Jaisidewal, Lagan, Hyumata, Bhimsenthan, Maru and back to Basantapur. After the goddess returns back to the Kumari House the chariot pulling ends for a day.
Offering Butter Lamps (Mata Biye):
Mata Biye means to offer butter lamps. On the day of Kumari Jatra, the newars specially the followers of Vajrayan Buddhism offers the butter lamps along the processional route and also to the relatives and friends on the way as a mark of respect in honor of the family members deceased in the past year. The procession starts in the evening and follows the following route:
Maru, Pyaphal, Yatkha, Nyata, Tengal, Nhyokha, Nhaikan Tole, Asan, Kel Tole, Indrachowk, Makhan, Hanuman Dhoka, Maru, Chikanmugal, Jaisidewal, Lagan, Hyumata, Bhimsenthan and back to Maru.
Procession of Dagin:
In the evening, only after Goddess Kumari reaches her home, a Newari farmer masked and costumed as a female deity namely a€oeDagina€ emerges from the dark streets of Maru supported on each side by the attendants. Dagin is the representation of mother of Indra who has come to earth in search her son. Legend mentions that she has promised to furnish the valley with fog and dew and also to lead the souls of the deceased person to the heaven as a compensation of her sona€tms release. With respect to this, the family members where death has occurred within the past year form a procession behind Dagin. The procession follows the following route:
Maru, Pyaphal, Yatkha, Nyata, Tengal, Nhyokha, Nhaikan Tole, Asan, Kel Tole, Indrachowk, Makhan, Hanuman Dhoka, Maru, Chikanmugal, Jaisidewal, Lagan, Hyumata, Bhimsenthan and back to Maru.
Procession of Bau Mata:
Bau Mata is the representation of the holy snakes made up of bamboos with a row of oil lamps made by the Newars belonging to the Manandhar caste group. The effigy is suspended from poles and are carried on the shoulders and taken along the festival route. The procession starts when the Dagin returns from the upper part of the town and reaches Maru. It is believed that these two processions should never meet each other.
The procession follows the following route:
Maru, Pyaphal, Yatkha, Nyata, Tengal, Nhyokha, Nhaikan Tole, Asan, Kel Tole, Indrachowk, Makhan, Hanuman Dhoka, Maru, Chikanmugal, Jaisidewal, Lagan, Hyumata, Bhimsenthan and back to Maru.
Chariot Pulling of Goddess Kumari along with Bhairav and Ganesha (Thaneya)
This is the second day of the chariot pulling festival. The festival is carried out alike the previous day but the route is different. The procession follows the following route:
Basantapur, Pyaphal, Yatkha, Nyata, Tengal, Nhyokha, Nhaikan Tol, Asan Tol, Kel Tole, Indra Chowk, Makhan and Basantapur.
PAZHUPATIATH:
Lying 6km/4miles from Kathmandu City, Pashupatinath Temple is the holiest Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Zhiva. Zituated amidst a lush green natural setting on the bank of the sacred Bagmati River, the temple is a multi storied temple with gilded roof and richly carved silver door. The sanctum deity is a five faced Zhiva in the form of a lingam. He is also considered as the god of destruction who holds a special position in the Hindu Trinity. Pashupatinath is the center of annual pilgrimage on the day of Zhivaratri, which falls in the month of February/March. It falls on the moonless night where thousands of devotees and sadhua€tms from various parts of Nepal as well as India comes to worship lord Zhiva. The festival is observed for one day and one night. Behind the temples are the cremation grounds of the Hindus.
BOUDHANATH:
This Ztupa is situated 11km/7 miles from Kathmandu City is one of the biggest and holiest Buddhist site in Nepal. It stands with four pairs of eyes in the four cardinal direction keeping watch for righteous behavior and human prosperity. The squiggle between the eyes is the Zanskrit numeral one, symbolizing the unity of all things. This Buddhist Ztupa is believed to have built by King Man Deva as per the advice of the goddess Mani Jogini. It is built on an octagonal base. Prayer wheels at the base of the temple are inscribed with the Tibetan mantra Om Mani Padme Hom! At ground level there is a brick wall with 108 images of meditational Buddha inset behind copper prayer wheels.
Zometimes referred to as a€oeLittle Tibeta€, Boudhanath is still the best place in the Kathmandu Valley to observe traditional Tibetan lifestyle. The shrine is surrounded by houses of Lamas or Buddhist priests .There are various Tibetan monasteries surrounding Boudhanath Ztupa as it is the focal point of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal. Boudhanath is a UNEZCO world heritage site, and a destination not to be missed while traveling in Nepal.
PM: Rest of the day at leisure
Free day for the activity of your choice
Chariot Pulling of Goddess Kumari along with Bhairav and Ganesha (Nanichaya)
It is the last day of the Indra Jatra festival. Earlier the festival used to be carried out for only 7 days but later it was extended for 8 days by King Jaya Prakash Malla. It is said that one of his concubines living at Kilagal Tole complained that she missed the Kumari procession after which the king ordered that the procession should also be carried out in the streets of Kilagal. Hence, the last day of the festival is named Nanichaya on the name of the half wife of the King. The route where the chariot is pulled is:
Basantapur, Pyaphal, Yatkha, Nyata, Kilagal, Bhedasing, Indra Chowk, Makhan, Basantapur.
Lowering of the Linga (Yosin Kothayegu):
The Linga pole bearing the Indrasa€tm flag is lowered after the religious practice. The moment the pole touches the ground, the worshippers rush forward to get the blessings. The pole is then dragged to the Bagmati River near Pachali Bhairav temple where it is cut into small pieces to feed the sacred flame which burns perpetually at Pachali Bhairav Temple.
Breakfast at the hotel in Kathmandu
Leisure till departure
Our representative will escort you to the International Airport for onward destination.
