Kathmandu, September 17:

The third day of the Indra Jatra festival was observed today on Bhadra Shukla Chaturdasi (the 14th day of the Lunar calendar). Devotees performed rituals and worshipped Lord Indra, the God of rain and productivity. The eight-day festival, which started on Thursday, commenced with the male members of Manandhar community dragging a long wooden pole, lingo, all the way from Naala to Hanuman Dhoka. This festival is also famous for the traditional mask dances that are performed by the males of Newar communities at Basantapur. The chariot processions of Kumari, Ganesha and Bhairav are taken around Kathmandu for three consecutive days. The festival concludes when the lingo is taken to Pachali Bhairav and immersed in the river.