Kathmandu, September 21

Indra Jatra, one the biggest street festivals celebrated in Kathmandu valley, began with the erection of a sacred wooden pole (lingo) at Hanumandhoka in Basantapur Darbar Square today.

The lingo was erected at the auspicious time of 8:30am. The festival dedicated to god of rain Indra is celebrated for eight consecutive days and concludes with a number of ceremonies, including lakhe naach and pulu kisi procession. The lingo brought from Sallaghari in Bhaktapur is installed on the chariot in Hanumandhoka as part of the commencement of the festival.

The chariot procession is the major attraction of Indra Jatra, in which a big chariot of Kumari and two smaller chariots of Ganesh and Bhairab, are pulled along the core areas of the old city.

The chariots were pulled through a route starting from Kashthamandap, Chikmugal, Manipat, Jaisidewal, Jyabahal, Lagan, Bramha tole, Wande, Hyumat, Kohiti, Maru Twa and Kumari Ghar on the first day of the procession today.

On the second day, the chariots will be taken to Maru, Pyafal, Yatkha, Nardevi, Tengal, Nyokha, Bangemuda, Ason, Janabahal, Indra Chowk, Makhan, Hanumandhoka and Kumari Ghar. The chariots are taken through Maru, Pyafal, Yatkha, Nardevi, Kilagal, Indra Chowk, Makhan and Hanumandhoka before returning to Kumari Ghar on the concluding day of the festival.

More than 500 cops have been deployed to maintain law and order during the chariot procession, said Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu.