KATHMANDU, Sept 18: Indra Jatra, one of the biggest festivals of the Newar community, is being celebrated in Kathmandu today. The festival is dedicated to the god of rain and king of heaven, Indra.
The Indra Jatra formally begins with the erection of a lingo (sacred wooden pole) at Hanumandhoka in Basantapur Durbar Square. The erected pole with the flag is called 'Indradhwojotthan'.
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The festival was postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hari Prasad Subedi, head of the Kathmandu office of the Guthi Sansthan, informed that the meeting of the concerned bodies has decided to conduct the festival this year with the minimum attendance following the health standards.
This festival is celebrated especially in the three districts of the Kathmandu Valley, and Dhulikhel and Dolakha. The annual traditional festival begins on the Bhadra Shukla Chaturdashi of Nepali month of Bhadra. It is an eight-day long festival.
The chariot processions of Shree Kumari, Shree Ganesh and Shree Bhairav is the major part of the festival. Majipa Lakhey, Pulukisi, Devi Naach etc are the major attractions of the festival.
