Every year, the festival of Bisket Jatra is celebrated in Bhaktapur around the Nepali New Year, commencing four days before the New Year and ending five days after. The nine-day festival is a cultural extravaganza, with the entire town of Bhaktapur joining in the rejoicing. However, for the past several years, something or the other has happened every year that put a dampener on the celebrations. In 2010, it was a routine harmless stone throwing that escalated into a brawl between two toles. In 2011, it was a wheel that dislocated and a lingo that broke, immediately giving rise to whispers of inauspicious omens. And in 2012, it finally culminated in the ultimate tragedy: the death of a festival watcher who was crushed by the wheels of the chariot. And in the ongoing Jatra of this year, with five more days to go before the festival ends, the chariot fell over sightseers in Taumadhi, causing three deaths and several injuries.
Because Bisket Jatra involves a tug of war between the eastern and western sides of town, it has traditionally involved elements of chaos, but only after the serious incidents this year were investigations made into the organizing of the Jatra. It was found that the chariot pullers were inebriated even though alcohol trade was strictly banned in the area at the time, and that the wheels had not been properly placed. Furthermore, the number of people riding the chariot was higher than its capacity. This indicates an urgent need to monitor various aspects of the festival to ensure the safety of people.
For the rest of the festival this year, and for the festivals in forthcoming years, it is up to the festival organizers to learn from mistakes and make sure that both the chariot and the chariot drivers are in perfect health before the festival begins. Also, steps must be taken to contain the crowd of festival watchers to the sides of the roads, so that those pulling the chariots have more chance of running to safety if an untoward incident happens. And for their own safety, the festival watchers, especially first timers, must take precautions and watch the festival from a safe distance.
Bisket Jatra is one of the many festivals unique to the Newar community of Kathmandu Valley. The valley has been a hub of both Hinduism and Buddhism for several centuries now, which is reflected in its unique festivals. Bisket Jatra celebrates, with Tantric rituals, Indra—a god almost forgotten by most Hindus, and Bhairab and Bhadrakali—who are important deities to both Buddhists and Hindus.
The deities and methods of worship are an example of the distinctive permutation of Hindu and Buddhist religious motifs in Kathmandu valley, which has interested many experts of culture, sociology and anthropology. Celebrated since the Lichhavi times, Bisket Jatra is a link to the ancient culture of the valley several centuries ago, and an event which makes all Nepali people proud of their rich heritage. It is a link that we must not lose, else we risk gradually losing our unique identity. Aggression has always been a part of Bisket Jatra, but precautions must be taken to contain it to manageable limits, and make the festival safe for both festival participants and watchers.
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