THE JATRAS OF NEPAL : IDENTITY OF THE NEWARS

 There are many customs all around the world but ..

What was the last time you heard of a magnificent festival where huge crowd of people move the deities around the city along with masked dances or a festival where demise of the past relatives is celebrated by cracking jokes ?

I am referring to the jatras of Nepal's Newari traditions. Jatras are the vibrant street festivals that have different customs such as masked Lakhe dances, chariot processions, traditional music and ancient rituals that remind us of the golden Licchavi era. These customs have a beautiful history and mythological folktales. Such customs are the beautiful and interesting blend of Hindu and Buddhist customs and rituals, where the prime example of Nepal's cultural and religious unity can clearly be witnessed.

These festivals of Newar community are majorly celebrated in the Kathmandu Valley since hundreds of years. There are many types of jatras for each occasions.Indra Jatra, Kumari Jatra, Rato Machindranath Jatra, Seto Machindranath Jatra, Ghode Jatra, Abhir Jatra, Bisket Jatra, Gai Jatra and many more are the Jatras celebrated in the Kathmandu valley including Bhaktapur, Lalitpur and off course Kathmandu itself .

These Jatras are not just street festivals they are also a part of our cultural identity not just for Newars but also for every Nepali. Our capital city is called the city of temples in Nepal but in my opinion

 I would like to call Kathmandu as the land of Jatras.

Many Jatras trace their roots to medieval Nepal, particularly the Licchavi (3rd–9th century) and Malla (12th–18th century) periods. Licchavi period is called the golden era of Nepali medieval history where as Malla period is called the golden age of Jatras. As kings of this dynasty contributed the most to promote the Jatras. 

In this era from ( 3rd– 18th century) Nepal was divided into different states and kingdoms such as Gurkha of Shah dynasty, Palpa of Sen dynasty and the Kathmandu Valley of Licchavi and Malla Dynasty. At this time only the Kathmandu Valley was called as Nepal. 

This was one of the most powerful kingdoms of that era as it was also a travel destination for many traders and travelers that traveled to Tibet. At that time Nepal kingdom was progressing in terms of art, architecture, economy, agriculture, trade and spirituality.The people started performing different rituals in to signify different purposes such as pleasing the gods,encouraging public participation, display of royal power, paying tributes to the past ancestors, displaying their victory and many other occasions.

The Bisket Jatra

is the Jatra where 50 feet long chariots of the deities Mahavira and Bhadrakali are taken all around the Valley

along with rituals like tug of war between the devotees and the tongue piercing rituals and much more. I is a chaotic and unique festival celebrated near the Nepali Bikram Samvat new year.

It has been celebrated since the rule of King Jayasthiti Malla (1382–1395) from 12th-14th century Malla Dynasty. 

Rato Machindranath Jatra

 

 is Another magnificent Jatra celebrated in this Valley since the 7th  century rule of King Narendra Dev from Licchavi Dynasty.

It was celebrated after the tantric sage Machindranath from Assam entered the valley ending the of 12 years of drought in the state. Machindranath was the master of the priest Gorakhnath. Machindranath is also concerned the reincarnation of Buddhist Bodhisattva of compassion Avalokiteshvara.

Gai Jatra 

A Jatra celebrated since the rule of King Pratap Malla (1641–1674) after he organised a great celebration after the death of his son Chakravartendra Malla. The Queen had drowned deep in the ocean of her grief so the king organised such celebration inviting the people to do sarcastic performances. By doing this he made his Queen remember that nothing is permanent and death is the inevitable truth of nature.

Gai literally refers to cow that means this can be called as the Jatra of cows as well. Cows are also worshiped in this celebration as they are considered to be the spiritual creatures that lead our dead ones to heaven.

From ancient rain-making rituals to medieval royal customs and modern cultural showcases, Jatras have evolved while preserving their essence. They are not just festivals, they are Nepal’s historical textbooks in motion, telling stories of faith, resilience, and unity.  

I am not a Newar but as a Nepali I feel proud to witness these festivals that remind us of our beautiful history, culture, art forms, folklore and unity. I strongly believe that ancient cultures as such should be protected and passed down to the future generations as they are the vital aspect of our identity.