Monsoon Ragas 5 – Indra Jatra in Sikkim & Nepal
Indra Jatra as the name suggests is festival for Rain God Indra. Indra also happens to be the God of Heaven. This is yet another festival that is celebrated by Hindus and is most important events that goes for eight days. Though Nepal originated festival, it has its ground even in Sikkim.
Indra Jatra or “Yenya” is the biggest festival for the Nepalese “NEWAR” community in Sikkim and is celebrated with much fanfare throughout the state. Named after the Hindu God of Rain and also the King of Heaven, Lord Indra, the festival’s prime objective is to seek his blessings in the form of rains and showers.
Huge chariot processions accompanied with assorted drum beats, masked dance performances and a variety of classical dance performances are the essential elements of this vibrant festival that takes the streets of Gangtok in great wonder of its cultural harmony. Needless to say, for cultural aficionadas, sociologists and anthropologists, this is one of the best times to plan their trip to Sikkim and other parts of North East.
In Nepal
It is an eight-day long Indra Jatra festival falls in Kathmandu, the capital of Himalayan nation, Nepal. Usually celebrated in September and is one of the most exciting and revered festivals of the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley. It begins with the erection of a wooden pole made of pine at Basantapur Sqaure in front of the old Hanuman Dhoka Palace.
For the pole-raising ceremony, hundreds of spectators gather at the Palace Square and on the surrounding temples. The chariot of Kumari, the Living Goddess, is taken out in a procession through the main streets of Kathmandu.
Each night of Indra Jatra the shrines and ancient palace buildings around Kathmandu Durbar Square are aglow with oil wicks. Each night on the platform in front of the temple of the Living Goddess, there is an enactment depicting the ten earthly incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The large image of Akash Bhairab’s head is put on display out in the open directly facing his temple at Indra Chowk.
The festival of Indra Jatra ends with the lowering of the (lingam) pole bearing Indra’s flag amidst religious ceremonies.
Sikkim Festival History
It is believed that the festival dates back to the Vedic times when Lord Indra was imprisoned by the people of Kathmandu Valley, after having him caught stealing the rare and fragrant ‘Parijat Flowers’ from the valley for his mother. It is then when the people realized who he actually was, they released him and promised to dedicate one of the most colourful festivals to him, also in return requesting him to visit the valley every year, thereby blessing it with rains and prosperity.
Festivities
The festival’s most significant highlight is marked by a huge procession that is taken along the streets of Gangtok after performing various religious rituals at Bhanu Park. A number of masked dance performances including Pulu Kishi, Lakhey, Mahakali and Sawa Bhaku along the pageant provide for an enchanting sight to all the spectators.
One of the yet another much awaited events of the Indra Jatra Festival is the ‘Kumari Jatra’ where in the living Goddess ‘Kumari’, an incarnation of Goddess ‘Telaju’ is taken out on a procession in a chariot. People gather in huge numbers to have a glimpse of the Kumari, thereby receiving her blessings for a happy and blissful life.
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