Kathmandu Valley is also known as Nepal Mandal. Kathmandu Valley comprises three ancient cities: Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur. Throughout the year, Kathmandu Valley celebrates several festivals connected with nature and its dwellers. The valley is a central hub of culture and traditions followed for centuries. Within this blog article, I am going to cover the most interesting facts and unique festivals that have been celebrated for centuries. Let’s start with the month of Baisakh, as 1st day of Baisakh is a new year in Nepal. The famous Biska Jatra is celebrated for up to nine days, and the major attraction of this festival is the first day of the new year.
Biska Jatra
Biska Jatra is a popular festival celebrated in Bhaktapur Durbar Square during the Nepali New Year in April. The festival is nine days long and starts on the 4th day of the Nepali month of Baisakh according to the lunar calendar. The festival involves the erection of lingo to mark the beginning of this festival. Along with that, the chariots are pulled through the narrow alleys of Bhaktapur accompanied by music, dance, and an enthusiastic crowd cheering and supporting the events. The images of lord Bhairav and Bhadrakali are kept in the chariot and pulled around Durbar Square for the celebration and puja. The major activities of this festival are tug of war and Sindhur Jatra. Vermilion powder (Sindhur) is distributed to all the participants and devotees as blessings that make the surroundings entirely red color when light reflects which marks the completion of this festival for that year. Sindhur Jatra is celebrated in Thimi.
Bisket Jatra is celebrated in Bhaktapur, Thimi, Tokha, and other parts of Kathmandu Valley. The festival has a high level of historical and religious importance. This festival has been celebrating the victory of a prince over a vicious serpent that troubled the citizens. The festival iconizes the victory over evil which is celebrated with enjoyment. There are several attractions of Bisket Jatra namely the Chariot Procession, the tug of war, Sindhur Jatra, and the tongue piercing festival (Few of them are celebrated in Thimi).
Rato Machhindranath Jatra:
The vibrant and prestigious festival of Patan City is Rato Machhindranath Jatra. It is a month-long chariot procession held in Patan City. Rato Machhindranath is considered the deity of rain and fortune. The festival is celebrated to honor the deity Rato Machhindranath starts according to the lunar calendar, which means the date is changeable. The festival begins on the 4th day of the bright fortnight (Shukla paksha) of Bachhala, the seventh month of the Nepal Samwat calendar. The construction of a towering chariot symbolizes the beginning of the festival and is made of Wood, bamboo, and rope one month before the festival starts.
The Jatra starts on a sacred day following rituals performed by priests and devotees. The chariot is pulled into the inner part of Patan city through narrow alleys halting it into several Bahal and squares. There is music, masked dance, and traditional rituals while pulling a chariot. Devotees come from different corners of the valley to homage to lord Machhindranath. According to legendry myth, Machhindranath is believed as the god of rain and harvest, and his blessings bring good fortune and prosperity to the community.
Gai Jatra
Kathmandu Valley is highly dominated by Newari culture and traditions. Throughout the year, there are several festivals, and Jatra occur which are unique and wonderful to outsiders. Gai Jatra is another vibrant and colorful festival that shares both grief and joy. Gai Jatra is celebrated during August after the full moon day. Gai Jatra is also known as the “Festival of Cows,” which blends laughter, satire, and a deep sense of reverence for departed loved ones.
This annual festival blends laughter, satire, and a deep sense of reverence for departed loved ones. Gai Jatra holds immense cultural and emotional significance, offering a platform for both grief and joy. Join us as we delve into the heartwarming traditions and vibrant celebrations of Gai Jatra. The festival became popular during the reign of King Pratap Malla in the 17th century. The king was distressed by the loss of his young son and wanted to console his heartbroken queen. He ordered a procession of cows and people dressed in colorful costumes to remember the departed souls of the previous year. This marked the beginning of Gai Jatra as a festival of both remembrance and mirth.
Indra Jatra:
Indra Jatra is celebrated in September in Kathmandu Valley. Indra Jatra is dedicated to the king of heaven, who is the Hindu god of rain. The message of this festival is the end of the rainy season and the beginning of harvest time. Indra Jatra is eight days long festival starting from Bhadra Dwadashi, the 12th day of Shukla Paksha, and completed on the full moon day of Bhadra Purnima. The main attractions of this festival are chariot pulling, Kumari rath procession, gatherings of community around Kathmandu Valley, street show, masked dances, lingam display, and a series of religious ceremonies that create the atmosphere joyful and spiritual. The festival once again reminds us of the deep-rooted traditions of the Newari people and their practices to homage the deity. There are several stories behind Indra Jatra which I will cover in my coming blog article about the myth and mystery of Indra Jatra.
Besides these vibrant festivals, Dashain and Tihar are widely celebrated throughout the country. Within Kathmandu Valley, there are popular festivals celebrated in small towns like Tokha, Handigaon, Khokana, Bungmati, Harsiddhi, Thimi, Bode, and many others to follow within this list. They have their style, story, and belief. Kathmandu Valley holds several heritage sites, a few of them listed as UNESCO heritage sites such as the Durbar squares of Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur, and Swoyambhunath, Pashupatinath, Bouddhanath, and Changunarayan. Normally, festivals are celebrated on the premises of heritage sites since these sites also have some stories related to these festivals.
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