About Indra Jatra (Yenya Punhi)
Indra Jatra
is one of the popular festivals celebrated in Kathmandu. The festival of Indra
Jatra is commenced after towering a wooden pole (Lingo) at Hanumandhoka, Darbar
Square, Basantapur on the day of Bhadra Shukla Dwadasi according to religious
rituals. This wooden pole (Lingo) is 36 feet long and is specially selected and
brought from the Nala forest of Kavre district all the way to Kathmandu and the festival
falls in the early or mid of September. Different forms of dancing, singing,
chariot procession, and worshipping of gods and goddesses mark the festival of
Indra Jatra and the festival is celebrated for eight consecutive days.
Indra Jatra
is celebrated to worship Indra, the King of Heaven, and Lord of Rain and
Fertility by Hindus. It is a major traditional festival for the Newari
community and in Newar, Indra Jatra is also called Yenya Punhi.
Numerous
individuals accumulate to transcending a wooden pole (Lingo), the raising
function or opening of the Indrajatra celebration. After installing a wooden pole
(Lingo) is then known as, "Indradhwajotthan". Numerous local
individuals wearing masks perform diverse kinds of dance moves speaking to divine being goddesses and evil presences. Individuals also show images and
models of Indra, Bhairab, and different divinities.
Essential
interests of this festival are particular kinds of dances like Majipa Lakhey,
Pulukishi (Elephant move), Sawan Bhaku and Chariot of Kumari (Living Goddess),
Lord Ganesh, and Bhairab. Other than these, every evening performers move and play
out various distinctive music on the open street of the city and people
demonstrate various diverse divine of the city.
The chariot procession of
Living Goddess of Nepal Kumari, Bhairav, and Ganesh is taken out in this carnival to
the meantime in the principal road of Hanumandhoka to thank Indra, the King
of Heaven and Lord of Rain.
Then again,
there's a legend saying in the legendary occasions, when the war planning
amongst divine beings and evil spirits was going on, the Three Lords (Brahma,
Vishnu, and Maheshwor) sent Lord Indra as an emissary alongside an "Indra
Dhwaja" (triumph flag). In the war of divine beings and beasts, the divine
beings stood successful and the Indra Dhawja was adored, and the custom as far
back as proceeded. With a specific end goal to deliver joy and thriving, Indra
Dhwaja is introduced and revered according to the conventional styles.
As it's an
incredible custom, the revering and perception of the festival is done by the
President and the Prime Minister of the nation too.
Every year
Indra Jatra begins from the day of the Bhadra Dwadasi and ends at Ashwin
Krishna Chaturdasi as per the Nepali calendar.