Indra Jatra, one of the biggest festivals of Kathmandu Valley, was marked with great fanfare at Basantapur on Tuesday.
President Ram Chandra Paudel, Vice-president Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Chief Justice Bishowambhar Prasad Shrestha, Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire, Chief Justice Bishowambhar Prasad Shrestha and other dignitaries attended the celebrations on the third and main day of Indra Jatra.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Mayor Balen Shah did not attend the celebrations this year as he is currently in India. Deputy Mayor of KMC Sunita Dangol welcomed the guests in his absence.
Known as Yenya in the Newari language, the eight-day-long Indra Jatra is the biggest religious street festival in Kathmandu. It 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 Yosin, a ceremonial 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.
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, cultural and musical processions, and displays of various deities are other major attractions of the festival.
