Prez, PM attend Indra Jatra function at Basantapur

President Ram Baran Yadav and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai attended a special function organised as part of Indra Jatra, the festival of rain and fertility, at Basantapur in Kathmandu Saturday evening.

Prime Minister Baburam Bhattrai, President Ram Baharan Yadav, Vice President...

Also attending the function were Vice President Paramananda Jha, Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi and senior government officials. The programme also marked the chariot procession of Living Goddess Kumari, Ganesh and Bhairav.

Indra Jatra is the biggest religious street festival in Kathmandu which is celebrated by offering prayers to lord Indra along with taking out chariot processions of the living goddess and performing masked dances of deities and demons commonly known as Lakhe Naach, Mahakali Naach, Lusiki Naach, and Dash Avatar.

Ganesh, Bhairav, and Kumari are ferried in separate chariots across the valley and Linga or pole is erected from which the banner of Indra is unfurled at Kathmandu Durbar Square.

The festival is believed to have been started by king Gunakamadeva to commemorate the founding of the city of Kathmandu in the 10th century. nepalnews.com