President Ram Chandra Poudel attended the Indra Jatra celebrations at Hanuman Dhoka Durbar today. The President walked from Juddha Statue at New Road to the Gaddi Baithak. Since last year, President Poudel has been walking from Juddha Statue to Gaddi Baithak as part of this tradition.
Upon reaching Gaddi Baithak, President Poudel offered donations to the chariots of Lord Ganesh, Lord Bhairav, and Goddess Kumari, marking the commencement of the chariot procession. The event was attended by several high-ranking officials, including Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Chief Justice Bishwambhar Prasad Shrestha, Speaker Devraj Ghimire, and National Assembly Chair Narayan Dahal.
Other notable attendees included Deputy Prime Ministers Prakash Man Singh and Bishnu Prasad Poudel, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, and Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, alongside diplomats, members of parliament, provincial assembly members, local representatives, and distinguished personalities.
The main day of Indra Jatra began today after the raising of the Indra flag at Hanuman Dhoka Durbar on the auspicious day of Bhadra Shukla Dwadashi. According to Hari Prasad Subedi, head of the religious department of the Guthi Sansthan, the chariot procession will take place in the lower part of the city today, followed by a procession in the upper part of the city on Wednesday.
On Ashwin 5 (Saturday), the Naanicha Yatra will take place, where women will exclusively pull the chariots. That same day, in the afternoon, President Poudel will receive a tika and offerings from the living goddess Kumari, continuing the tradition of the head of state exchanging swords with Kumari.
The festival will conclude on the night of Ashwin 5 at 10:31 PM with the lowering of the Indra flag. Indra Jatra is believed to have started during the reign of King Pratap Malla, while the tradition of the chariot procession was introduced by King Gunakamdev. It is the longest festival celebrated in the Kathmandu Valley.
As part of the celebrations, various cultural performances, including Lakhe, Dashavatar, Mahakali, Ramchandra, and Pulukisi dances, were also showcased. The deity Indra worshipped as the god of rain and fertility, was honored with rituals and prayers throughout the event.
