Kathmandu Valley came alive today as lakhs of devotees gathered at Basantapur Durbar Square to celebrate the grand festival of Indra Jatra. The cultural and historical event saw President Ramchandra Paudel arriving at Hanuman Dhoka to take part in the festivities. After offering prayers to the goddesses, the President joined the devotees in pulling the chariots of live Ganesh, live Bhairav, and the living goddess Kumari through the streets of Kathmandu.

In his address, President Paudel emphasized the significance of Indra Jatra, noting that the festival is a tribute to God Indra for a bountiful harvest, symbolizing the connection between humans and nature. He further highlighted the importance of such traditional festivals in preserving ancient civilizations.

The festival, which will run until September 21, is celebrated to honor Indra, the God of rains and good harvest, and the living goddess Kumari. The celebrations include a chariot procession of Lord Ganesh and Bhairav across the city. The first day of the Ashwin month in the Bikram Samwat calendar is observed as a public holiday in the Kathmandu Valley to mark the occasion.

-Sweta Singh (Kathmandu)