Bisket Jatra:
Apratim Saha
Money Matters
Canon EOS5D mark III 24mm F/2.1 1/160s ISO1000
Kolkata, India
have good fortune throughout the
year.
Rahul Batra
[email protected]
bestseller one day.
Rahul is a culture
based writer who
left his engineering
job to pursue a
career in writing.
He wishes to write
a
psychological
N
The occasion has always been
enthusiastically participated. It’s
that time of the year when the entire
country rejoices the social activities
to welcome the New Year with new
hopes and aspirations
epal – a country
“Join a 9 day tour to
known
for
Bhaktapur with world
its
spectacular
A Brief History
renowned photographer
mountains
and
Apratim Saha.
scenic natural beauty Contact: +91 8900702900 or The festival’s origins
–
celebrates
its Email: aspworkshop@hotmail. go back to 5th century
com”
new year on the first
BC of Nepalese history.
day of Bikram Sambat
It is believed to have
calendar. For Nepalese
started by king Jagajyoti
people, New Year celebrations are Malla. Legend has it that any man
about representing their religious who would marry his beloved
devotion and enjoying the 9-day daughter, the princess, would have
event with joyful activities and a fate that may lead to a certain
participating in various tug-of-war death following their first night
events.
of marriage. It wasn’t until one
brave suitor bestowed with tantric
The event gives an opportunity powers decided to marry her and
to worship the God for 9 days stay awake for the duration of the
every year. The act of praying wedding night.
and worshipping is seen as very
important part of Nepalese people, Soon after his princess fell asleep, a
and they would do whatever it ferocious snake slithered out of the
takes to keep the God happy to princess nostrils. Acting quickly,
10
Vol.1
he drew his sword and severed the
head of the monstrous creature,
bringing tremendous joy and relief
to the denizens of the city. Since
then, the Nepalese celebrate the
event as Bisket Jatra festival.
Bisket Jatra at Bhaktapur
Situated 15 km east of the capital,
Kathmandu, the ancient city of
Bhaktapur is famous for its unique
architecture and statues. Every
April the city’s population swells as
thousands of devotees gather to
celebrate the Nepalese New Year in
a 9-day festival called Bisket Jatra.
The event heralds the start of the
Nepali New Year and is celebrated
with the great aplomb in the historic
city of Bhaktapur.
The event commences with the
pulling down of huge 25m lingo
(phallic symbol) which is erected
in the stone yoni (female genital
symbol) base. The pole is pulled
down, in an often-violent tug-
of-war between the eastern and
western residents of the city. As
the pole crashes to the ground, the