Yenya: Kathmandu's Biggest Religious Festival

Yenya: Kathmandu's Biggest Religious Festival

Yenyā (Nepal Bhasa: येँयाः) known as Indrajatra( In Nepali language) is the biggest religious street festival in Kathmandu, Nepal. Yen means Kathmandu and Ya means festival in Newari.
This is eight day long festival. The celebration begins every year from 12th day of the bright fortnight to the 4th day of the dark fortnight of Yanlā (ञला), the eleventh month in the lunar Nepal Era calendar.

Yanla(Kumari jatra and Indra jatra)

The Fesistival consist of two events :

• Indra jatra : Celebration in honor of the deity Indra(God of Rain and the king of heave) is marked by masked dances of deities and demons, displays of sacred images.Indra Jatra was initiated during the Lichhavi Period (300 BC-1200 AD) by king Gunakamdev.
• Kumari jatra : The chariot procession of Living Goddess Kumari. In 1756 AD, the last Malla king of Kathmandu, Jaya Prakash Malla, started the Kumari Jatra, beginning on the third day of Indra Jatra, as a tribute to the goddess Taleju Bhawani.

Indrajatra:

Indrajatra is the festival to honour the Indra and Dagini(Mother of Indra) for the coming harvests.This is celbrated by displaying lord indra's statue at maru tole,  faces of dieties and dances of dieties and demons. 

Story Behind indra jatra

Indra, the lord of the heavens, was told by doctors that a Parijat flower was needed for the treatment of his dying mother, Dagini. Indra came to earth in search of the flower and found it in a tree in Kathmandu. Locals spied on the god in the act of plucking the flower and promptly seized him as a thief. Indra was tied to a pole and put on display at various places in the city for eight consecutive days, beginning with the Baman Duwadasi, according to the religious calendar, which usually falls in September-October. Later, when Dagini herself came to know of her son’s arrest, she too came down and pleaded for her son’s release. He was imprisoned until Dagini revealed his identity and his captors gladly released him.In return for his release Dagini promised to spread dew over the crops for the coming months and to take back with her to heaven all those who had died in the past year.

The Indra Jatra festival thus honors the recently deceased and pays homage to Indra and Dagini for the coming harvests.

Kumari Jatra:

Kumari Jatra is chariot festival of Kumari the Living goddess also known as "Kumari Salegu".This procession forming the climax of the Indra Jatra festival. Kumari  travels in a special chariot around old cities of kathmandu. 

Story behind kumari jatra:

There is a different myth behind the Kumari Jatra, which Jaya Prakash Malla initiated centuries after the Indra Jatra. It is said that the goddess Taleju Bhawani was the king’s political and social advisor and would give important tips to the king on good governance. However, during one of their meetings, the king, overwhelmed by desire, attempted to rape the goddess inside the Taleju Bhawani temple, prompting the goddess to disappear and vow never to appear before the king again. Worried by the goddess’ proclamation, the king begged her to reconsider her decision. Taking sympathy on the poor king, Taleju pledged to reside within the Kumari, a virgin girl from the city. Jaya Prakash Malla identified the right Kumari and built a palace for her in the Hanumandhoka area. In honour of Taleju Bhawani and the Kumari, he began a separate procession called the Kumari Jatra, which happened to fall on the third day of Indra Jatra.

Procession of Festival:

The festival begins with the carnival-like erection of the Yosin, called Yosin Thanegu (योसिं थनेगु).

A ceremonial pole about thirty six feet long is erected at first day which chosen with great care from the Nala forest in Kavre district east of Kathmandu.

Next event in evening of first day is Upāku Wanegu (उपाकु वनेगु). It is the really when  participants visit shrines holding lighted incense to honor deceased family members.

Mainly the staue of god indra with his outstretched hands bound with rope are exhibited on a tall platform at Maru near Durbar Square and at Indra Chok, Kathmandu.

Jatra is accompanied by the rare display of the deity like Akash Bhairab, Swet Bairab. Bhairab is the terrifying aspect of Lord Shiva.

Kumari jatra is chariot pulled procession of godess kumari start from 3rd day of Indra jatra.

Before procession start goat sacrificed to each wheel guarantee her safety, and elephant-headed Ganesh and Bhairab, the god of strength and action, escort her in the form of two young boys. At the Royal Palace the Living Goddess receives the homage of the king, himself a descendant of Vishnu.The chariots move off and the Kumari is greeted from the balcony of the old palace by the president (by the king in past).

The chariot is pulled for 3 days starting from 3rd day of Indrajatra:

1st day : This day is called kwoneya:.On this day,the chariots are pulled through the southern part of town.

2nd day: The day is called thaneya: On this day,the chariots are pulled  through northern part of town.

3rd day: The day is called nanichaya:.On this day, the chariots central section to Kumari Ghar. This day the women's team pulled the kumari chariot.

When Kumari greets the image of Bhairab on the way chariot procession and then, with loud musical accompaniment, homemade rice beer(thwo) starts to pour from Bhairab’s mouth! .Its called 

Thwo hyakegu(Special Part of Kumari jatra). Getting a sip of this beer is guaranteed to bring good fortune, but one lucky individual will also get the small fish that has been put into the beer – this brings especially good luck.

During Indra Jatra, there are a variety of performances including the dances of Sawa Bhakku Bhairav from Halchowk, Majipa Lakhey from Majipat, Devi Nach and Yeravat hathi (Pulukisi) from Naradevi, Mahakali and Kathi Maka Nach from Bhaktapur. All the dances take place around Hanuman Dhoka area. The Dasavatar or the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu is also staged on the open stages of the city called dabu every night. Indra’s elephant lumbers along a torchlight procession.

The yasin is pulled down signaling the end of Indra Jatra festival. It is taken to the confluence of Bagmati and Bishnumati in Teku to be put to rest.