Kathmandu, 6 Sep: The Indrajatra festival is being celebrated traditionally today by worshipping the god of rain and seasons, Indra.
This festival, which falls on the Chaturdadashi of Bhadra Shukla every year, is celebrated in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Dhulikhel, Dolakha and other places. This festival, which begins on the Dwadashi of Bhadra Shukla, is celebrated for eight days with various types of dances, chariot processions and worship of gods and goddesses.
On the day of Bhadra Shukla Dwadashi, the pole erected is called “Indradhwajotthaan”. At the base of the pole, worship of Bhairav is performed. The Indra Jatra festival is celebrated as a festival of victory after the defeat of enemies. It is also regarded as a festival of gaining power by worshipping the Indradhwaj and then showcasing that power.
Before this, according to tantric rituals, a goat is released into the Chitpol forest of Bhaktapur, and the tree touched by the goat is cut down on the day of Bhadra Shukla Dwitiiya. After cutting it, an auspicious time is observed to bring the pole into the valley. Once brought into the valley, it is kept at Bhotahiti for one night, and on Ekadashi, the pole for the Indradhwaj is ritually prepared.
During the Indrajatra festival, which is mainly celebrated on this day, there is a tradition of the President watching the chariot procession of Shri Ganesh, Shri Bhairav and Shri Kumari, who are living goddesses, at the Gaddi Samiti in Hanuman Dhoka. As long as the monarchy existed, it was a tradition for the king to watch the chariot procession of Shri Ganesh, Shri Bhairav and Shri Kumari.
Throughout the festival, which begins after the hoisting of the Indra flag, Bhakku dance, Mahakali dance, Lakhe dance, Dash avatar, and Pulukisi dances are performed, symbolizing the elephant Airawat, the vehicle of the god Indra.
“There is a tradition of ‘lowering the Indra flag’ on the eighth day after the hoisting of the flag, i.e. on the day of Ashwin Krishna Chauthi, ‘Indra flag is lowered’. ‘There is a tradition of lowering the flag on the night of Bharani Nakshatra,’ it is mentioned as ‘Bharanyam Nishi Patayet’,” said theologian Toyaraj Nepal.
On this occasion, devotees throng Indradaha in Daha chowk, west of the valley, to observe a night vigil and take a bath on Sunday, the full moon day of Bhadra Shukla, to celebrate the fair.
Ananta Chaturdashi
Anantanath (Lord Vishnu) is also worshipped on the Chaturdashi of the bright month of Bhadra. That is why this day is also called Ananta Chaturdashi. It is believed that tying a clean thread with the mantra Ananta on this day will bring good luck throughout the year.
Theological scholar Nepal said that since the Janai (Yagya Pabit) mantra was not available on the full moon day of Shravan Shukla, there is a classical tradition of chanting mantras today. The committee has stated that the fast of Ananta Chaturdashi should also be observed today. There is a religious tradition of going to Indradaha on the full moon day after celebrating Indra Jatra on Chaturdashi.
