Indra Jatra is the honoring and famous street festival celebrated by both Hindus and Buddhists. It is celebrated each year Indra Jatra falls in September. It is considered the biggest festival in Nepal. Dramatic masked dancers mark the eight-day-long festival, and the striking of drums. and a devoted, exuberant crowd gathered at the Basantapur Durbar Square. Indra Jatra is also known as Lord of Rain. It is also called Yanja in the Nepali Language. Every day different festival is celebrated including Kumari Jatra and Bhairav Jatra. Bhairav Jatra is still unknown these days.
Indra Jatra Celebration
You will hear a noise of echoed cheering before brightly colored, carved, decorative chariots carrying Kumaris with firing for celebrating gunshots and poundings of drums. You will see the Kumari goddess perched high on her chariot, her hairstyle is decorated with flowers, her third eye is painted on her head with tika, and her red crimson dress.
The presentation of Kumari on Indra Jatra is to help his wife to overcome the death of their son. The idea behind the processions was to help her realize that many families in the city had also lost loved ones that year. When the parade did not help, he is said to have announced a reward for anyone who could make her laugh. Henceforth, ridiculous costumes.
Jokes and satirical performances were the norm. Many such parades can be seen today. As a magnificent and strangely humbling sight worth the heat of the day and busy crowd.
Alongside Indra Jatra is a festival also called Kumari Jatra. This festival is celebrated to honor the living Goddess, Kumari. It is believed to be incarnated by Kumari God, a wrathful manifestation of the Goddess Durga. The Jatra is distinguished by the thousand worshipper raths (chariots) carrying three 3 different versions of Kumari Goddess.
