Indra Jatra, the biggest religious street festival in Kathmandu, began on Thursday with the erection of a Yosin or Lingo, a ceremonial wooden pole, at Hanuman Dhoka premises in Kathmandu Durbar Square.
Known as Yenya in the Newari language, the festival is celebrated for eight days 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.
The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm in places like Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Dhulikhel, and Dolakha.
This year, the main day of Indra Jatra falls on Saturday, September 6.
On that day, it is customary for the head of state to visit and pay respects to Ganesh, Bhairav, and Kumari.
The government has declared a public holiday in the Kathmandu Valley on that day.
