Indra Jatra begins (Pictures)

Nabin Babu Gurung

Kathmandu, Sept 15

The eight-day-long Indra Jatra festival began with the raising of Yosin or Lingo, a ceremonial wooden pole, at Hanuman Dhoka premises in Kathmandu Durbar Square on Sunday morning.

Known as Yenya in the Newari language, the festival is celebrated from the 12th day of the bright fortnight to the fourth day of the dark fortnight of Yanla, the 11th month in the lunar Nepal Era calendar.

The festival commences with the worship of Indra, the Hindu god of rain and good harvest, and raising of the wooden pole with the banner of Indra at Hanuman Dhoka. The pole is brought from a forest near Nala in Bhaktapur by people from the Manandhar clan.

The Kumari Jatra also coincides with Indra Jatra. During Kumari Jatra, chariot processions of the deities Ganesh, Bhairav and Kumari are taken around different parts of the city for three days.

Masked dances including Majipa Lakhey and Pulu Kisi and displays of various deities are other major attractions of the festival.