Indra Jatra: part 1

This week coincided with a massive eight day Newari festival, known as Indra Jatra. While I had read about this festival in advance and discussed it with friends, nothing can compare to actually experiencing the festival activities in person and becoming lost in the enormous crowd of spectators.  I went to Durbar Square this Saturday, on the third day of the festival, when the living goddess Kumari is placed in a chariot and paraded throughout the city. But Lonely planet didn't really make me understand how many different elements of this festival would take place in one day....

Below is the living goddess Kumari, who only comes outside three days per year and sits on this chariot (along with a number of other men apparently) and is pulled throughout the streets of Kathmandu.

Demon children stood nearby watching the goddess.

While an approx 50 member band played the National song...

After some ceremony and music in front of the President, tons of young men grabbed the ropes attached to the 4 wheeled chariots and pulled the Kumari along the streets. It was unbelievable. My two Nepali friends had me run with them ahead of the chariot so that we could turn and see her coming behind us. At times it was so crowded and we were being pushed at all sides.

Further ahead of the chariot, these men in white marched and played music to announce the Kumari's arrival.

 

Throughout the day and into the evening, there were many dancers (or Lakhes) that moved through the crowd and danced.

The dancing went late into the evening throughout Durbar Square, including this dance which happened after beer flooded out of the mouth of a God/Temple. I am attaching a short video below that I took with my blackberry  - the quality is not great but it will give you a sense of the music.

 

I saw Kumari the Living Goddess, Lord Ganesh and Bhairab, the competitive nature of pulling the three chariots throughout the streets of Kathmandu, the dancers and Lakhes who push their way through the crowd to perform, candles paraded down the streets, beer from the mouth of the temple which people fight for a chance to drink, the procession of people wearing white to mourn their deceased, etc. I won't even attempt to explain everything in this post, but for more information about Indra Jatra check this travel link.

In my next post, 'Indra Jatra: Part 2', I plan to share photos of the spectators - everyone from families, women, young children and exuberant young men.