Bisket Jatra, Bhaktapur 2017

Bisket Jatra is an annual event in Bhaktapur, Dhapasi and Tokha in Nepal. This festival is celebrated at the start of the new year on the Bikram Sambat calendar, however, the festival it self is not related to Bikram Sambat. Legend has it that this celebration is the “festival after the death of the serpent”. Numerous areas of Bhaktapur city celebrate this festival according to their own ritual. The most eventful places in the course of the festival are Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Thimi Balkumari. A huge chariot carrying a statue of the God Bhairava is pulled by hundreds of people to the Khalna Tole. Approximately a month earlier, the chariot is assembled near the Nyatapole temple (five stair temple). The most spectacular event on Bhaktapur Durbar square is a huge tug-of-war between the eastern and western part of town. Each team tries to pull to their side but later the chariot heads toward Khalna Tole. A huge approximately 25 meters Yoh si (lingo) is erected in the stone called yoni (female genital) base. In the evening of New Year, the Yoh si is pulled down as the New Year officially commences.

Here are some photos of Bisket Jatra 2017  by Sunil Sharma.