KATHMANDU: Horse races, parades, acrobatic performances and other activities by the Nepali Army cavalry team at Tundikhel in Kathmandu marked the Ghode Jatra, a traditional festival, today.

The Nepali Army cavalry team performed different artistic stunts while riding on their horses.

A symbolic Ghode Jatra was organised in Lalitpur.

President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, CA Chairman Subhas Chandra Nembang, heads of constitutional bodies, ministers, government officials, dignitaries and ordinary people cheered the event at Tundikhel.

Nepali Army personal performed different stunts with their horses in the competition held on the occasion.

President Dr Yadav awarded prizes to Captain Rabi KC, winner of the Musical Ride competition and Jamadar Sunil KC, winner of the show Jump competition.

Similarly, Chief of Army Staff Gen Chhatra Man Singh Gurung awarded prizes to the riders securing first and second positions in the tangan ghoda daud and charger ghoda daud.

Altogether fourteen riders from seven groups were awarded.

According to Hindu mythology, there was a demon called Gurumapa in Kathmandu valley. Gurumapa used to kidnap children and devour them. However, the demon was killed in a horse stamping and was buried under a tree in the south-east corner of Tundikhel.

The demon's soul, kept on troubling people in various ways though. So residents of Kathmandu valley started celebrating Ghode Jatra festival to scare away the soul with stamping of horses and the tradition continues till date.

The government had announced a public holiday in Kathmandu Valley for the celebrations.

The annual festival is observed between mid-March and early April.