PM Koirala attends Indrajatra festival

In his capacity as acting head of state, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala attended the traditional Indrajatra festival in Basantapur on Tuesday.

He observed the chariot processions from the balcony in Hanumandhoka Durbar along with constitutional heads, ministers and senior officials.

Till last year, King and Queen used to attend the Indrajatra festival. But this year, the Prime Minister attended the festival breaking the 250-year-old tradition. He had similarly attended Bhotojatra and Krishna Janmasthami festivals in Lalitpur earlier this year.

Meanwhile, a small group of people chanted slogans supporting the King and against the PM's presence in Basantapur on Tuesday.

The Indrajatra festival had started from Tuesday (Bhadra Shukla Chaturdashi) by performing rites in front of the Kalbhairabh statue at Hanumandhoka in praise of Lord Indra, the God of rain and productivity. The festival will be celebrated by organising various religious ceremonies over a period of one week.

On the occasion, the chariot of the Living Goddess Kumari along with Sri Ganesh and Sri Bhairav are taken out at Basantapur Durbar Square of Kathmandu. The tradition of taking out the chariot of the Living Goddess Kumari dates back to the last Malla King of the Kathmandu valley 250 years ago.

Similarly, devotees light lamps and dance all through the night at Indrasthan of Dahachowk in the western suburb of Kathmandu and also take a holy dip at Indra Daha (pond).

Chariot pulling and puja (worship) of Lord Indra as well as enactment of 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu - in front of Kumarighar - are also carried out for eight days. nepalnews.com ag/sd Sep 25 07

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