INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Kathmandu, September 13
The chariot procession of the living goddess Kumari, lord Ganesha and lord Bhairav started in core city areas of
Kathmandu today.
On the occasion, President Bidhya Devi Bhandari visited Basantapur Durbar Square and attended the celebration of Indra
Jatra festival, marked by worshipping the living goddess
The president offered bheti to lord Ganesh and lord Bhairav, and received prasad from the priest.
Chariot procession is one of the most
important events during the Indra Jatra festival, which falls on Bhadra Shukla Chaturdashi as per Nepali calendar
The eight-day festival is celebrated to honour Indra, the king of heaven and god of rain and harvest, as per Hindu mythology
Indra Jatra represents culture, history and legends of Kathmandu valley
The chariot procession was accompanied by different traditional cultural pageants and dances.
The festival officially began on September
10 by erecting a ceremonial pole, Indradhoj Linga at Basantapur Durbar Square
The chariot procession of living goddess Kumari marks special importance during the festival
Chariots carrying Kumari, Ganesh and Bhairav are pulled through the southern part of the city
A large crowd gathered at Basantapur today to express reverence to goddess Kumari.
Family members of the deceased, who passed away in
the last one year, lit butter lamps and incense along the processional route
The chariot procession will continue till September 17, the final day of the festival.
Foreign dignitaries invited by Kathmandu Metropolitan
City attended the festival as special guests
Mayors, deputy mayors and office-bearers of civic bodies from 10 countries arrived to observe the festival.
Demonstrators nabbed
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Procession of chariots marks Indra Jatra festivities appeared first on The Himalayan Times.