Biska Jatra: Welcoming the new year
Summary
Biska Jatra is an eight-night, nine-day festival in the Kathmandu Valley celebrating the Nepali new year through communal rituals, chariot processions, and vibrant cultural practices.
Key Points
- Biska Jatra is celebrated over eight nights and nine days in Bhaktapur and surrounding towns to mark the Nepali new year.
- The festival includes raising a wooden pole with flags worshipped as Yoshin Dyo signifying the new year’s start.
- Communities pull wooden chariots carrying deities through city streets as part of shared devotional activities.
- Intense rituals like tongue piercing in Bode and throwing vermillion powder in Thimi are significant parts of the festival.
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