Bhaktapur, April 8:

The nine-day Bisket jatra, the biggest festival of Bhaktapur that begins with the pulling of a chariot of Lord Bhairavnath on the premises of the five-storey Nyatapola temple is all set to kick off tomorrow.

Hundreds of locals from either sides of the Taumadi Tole begin the festival by pulling the three-storey pagoda-style chariot. Thousands of people, including foreigners, witness and enjoy festival that begins four days before the Nepali New Year Day and lasts till four days after it.

The branch office of Guthi Corporation, Bhaktapur, has already prepared two chariots to carry the idols of Lord Bhairavnath and goddess Bhadrakali to different parts of the city, specially in Ward No 11 and 12 of Bhaktapur. The chariot is made up of different varieties of woods, canes, and iron and bronze rods coated with gold at the top.

Ananta Prasad Dhaubhdel, a social worker at Taumadhi Tole, told The Himalayan Times that the use of iron nails and rods in the chariots began a few years ago to make the chariot stronger, as sometimes they break before the completion of the festival when younger people pull the chariots carelessly. He said the use of iron or bronze rods in the chariots is, however, prohibited traditionally.

Jai Prasad Regmi, chief of Bhaktapur office of the Guthi Corpartaiton, said the corporation provides Rs 1 million every year to organise the festival. Regmi said, “Every year we have to buy the canes needed for the chariots from India, which cost around Rs 4 lakh.”

“Though the festival begins tomorrow, it would not hamper the Constituent Assembly polls as the festival is not celebrated on April 10,” he said.

According to culture experts, the tradition of Bisket jatra began somewhere around 268 Nepal Era prior to the establishment of the Bhaktapur town.