Lalitpur Metropolitan City-1 is set to kick off the Indra Jatra festival starting on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. As in previous years, the festival will commence with rituals and processions beginning from the Sankatamarg Temple premises, where Bhairav, Ganesh, and Kumari deities will be paraded through the local neighborhoods.
On the second day of the festival, traditional celebrations will include the Lakhe dance, and the procession will continue through the designated route, culminating in the conclusion of this year’s Indra Jatra.
The festival route includes the temple premises, Musingal Chowk, Gas Depot, Leeladhar, Kumari Temple, Nanicha Chowk, Amar Shishu, Ganeshthan Paradise, Manpower Sarvang Hospital, Bigmart, Threekhamba Chowk, Bhajanmandal, and Musingal Chowk, looping back to the temple premises.
While the worship of Indra as a deity of prosperity is traditionally observed in various districts, Lalitpur has reinvigorated this historic festival since last year. Nirmal Tandukhar, Ward Chairperson of Lalitpur Metropolitan City-1, shared that Indra Jatra is a historically significant festival with origins dating back to the 12th century. After a 40-year hiatus, the festival was reintroduced last year to preserve this traditional celebration, primarily celebrated by the Newar community.
The festival will feature musical performances with participation from traditional bands from Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur. Additionally, the festival organizers have planned for the deities to be honored at nine designated spots throughout the celebration.
