Kathmandu, September 25

Indra Jatra, one the biggest street festivals celebrated in the Kathmandu Valley, began today.

The festival is celebrated for eight consecutive days and concludes with a number of ceremonies, including lakhe naach and pulu kisi procession. The lingo, a towering wooden structure brought all the way from Sallaghari in Bhaktapur, is installed on the chariot in Hanumandhoka as part of the commencement of the festival. The chariot carries statues of Lord Indra and goddess Kumari in avatars. Indra is worshipped as the god of rain and fertility by both Hindus and Buddhists.

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.

Debris of structures damaged or destroyed by the April 25 earthquake were removed to make way for the chariots.

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.

Police have beefed up security for the festival. A police official said more than 500 cops have been deployed to maintain law and order during the chariot procession.