BHAKTAPUR, April 14: On the occasion of Bisket Jatra, a 55-foot-tall lingo (pole) was erected at Lyosingkhel, Bhaktpur on Friday. This ceremony is considered as the main attraction of eight nights and nine days long Bisket Jatra of Bhaktpur. Thousands of Jatra lovers from neighboring districts Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Kavrepalanchowk visit Bhaktpur to see this special ceremony.
Hari Prasad Subedi, head of Guthi Sansthan Branch Office at Suryabinayak in Bhaktapur, said: “The pole required for the Jatra was brought here about one month ago from lingo ban of Chitpol, Bhaktpur.” The pole was erected by the locals on Friday evening with the help of rope.
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On the occasion of Bisket Jatra, poles are concurrently erected at Kathmandu’s Tokha and Bhaktapur’s Pottery Square as well. But due to its height, Lyosinghkhel pole is the most popular. However, erecting the pole is an arduous task for the locals.
In earlier days, if the locals were unable to erect the pole, they would get help from Nepal Army, but with the population of the locals rising, they no longer have to get army’s help.
“I have heard that the army was asked for help to erect the pole, but now there is a huge numbers of the public involved, so they may not need external help,” said Subedi.
Every year, the pole is erected on the last day of the Nepali year (last day of the month Chaitra) at Lyoshingkhel. And the next day, on Baishakh 1st (Nepali New Year day), a fest is organized that is attended by thousands of people who gather to see the pole and worship it. The erected pole is demolished on the evening of Baishakh 1st.
To mark the festival, chariot of Lord Bhairab is brought from Gahiti, which is about half kilometer from Lyosinghkhel. It is believed that the chariot is brought so that Lord Bhairab can also observe the ceremony.
