Indra Jatra | Kumari - Virgin Goddess festival

Exactly a month after the Gai Jatra, is yet another important and colorful festival during which the main attraction is Kumari or the Living Goddess, an institution unique to only Nepal in the world. This festival takes place towards the end of September or early October when the monsoon have folded up. It is a week long festival. It may be described as a thanks giving week as people during this period worship Lord Indra, the God of rain, for having vanquished "VRITA"who had wrought havoc over the Valley by causing drought upon the land, and blessed the Kingdom with life giving water.
As per the legend, Lord Vishnu was pleased with Lord Indra's efforts and presented him with the "INDRA DWAJ"_A LONG POLE COVERED WITH SCENTED PINE BOUGHES. Though this festival is being observed in Nepal for centuries, it was only in 1756 A.D., during the reign of King Jay a Prakash Malla, that the concept of "Virgin Goddess" as well as the "Rath Yatra" (cart festival) was introduced.
It is said that a girl of "Bare" caste was said to have got possessed by the "Goddess Kumari". During this trance in which she was, she said that she was "the protector of Nepal Valley" This little girl was then hailed as LIVING GODDESS KUMARI"and people started worshiping ner. Ever since she has been worshiped. A beautiful house vith golden windows was specially built for her and that became her abode.

Both the Hindus and Buddhists participate in this festival which begins with the erection of a long wooden pole in front of the Hanuman Dhoka Royal Palace. The pole symbolises Indra and its ceremonial raising signals the start of the week long festival to propitiate the Rain God Indra. Hundreds of people gather at Kathmandu's Durbar ChowkXo see scores of men join in to pull the thick ropes tied round the pole brought from Bhaktapur and place it in position. Clapping rants the air as the pole takes its place and the Indra Jatra has begun.
On the occasion one can see various religious and legendary dances and dramas. The dancers wear freshly painted masks with bright colours and costumes of silk and ribbons. The belief has it that when the artist puts on the mask of either a demon or a deity they descend in the bodies of the dancers.
Thus entranced, the dancers dance with a sort of agility and gusto which normally would be beyond them. The main Durbar Chowk of the Hanuman Dhoka palace gets turned into a huge stage.

Among the dances which are presented are masked dances. During this the dancers wear various masks enacting various religious themes like Mahakali, Mahalaxmiand Dasha Avatar (ten incarnation of Lord Vishnu). The third day of the festival which is a day before the Full Moon day, thousands of people, including members of the diplomatic corps, foreign dignitaries, government officials, gather in Durbar Chowk Xo witness the start of the "JATRA" (PROCESSION) of the Living Goddess. There are military bands present and they keep on playing popular tunes.
To the accompaniment of cheers and music the beautiful little Living Goddess Kumari is ceremoniously brought out from her palace dressed in shimmering jewels and blood red silk sari and made to sit on a high ornate silver throne placed in a beautifully decorated grand chariot. The Living Goddess, who belongs to "Bare"caste, is accompanied by her attendants Ganesh and Bhairav  in separate smaller chariots. The two attendants aged around seven or eight years also belong to the "Bare"caste.
The three chariots procession starts and it pauses before the balcony of the old Palace. The King and Queen make their appearance on the balcony. The Goddess applies sacred Tika on on the forehead of the King and "blesses" him and thereby granting him the right to rule for the coming year.
The procession of the chariots of Kumari Goddess tour the city accompanied by bands, musicians, dancers and soldiers and hundreds of excitedly devoted followers for the next three days. There are throngs of people lining both sides of the road and the balconies and windows of the houses along the route are filled with people wanting to have a glimpse of the Living Goddess who sits stoically in the canopied chariots unmindful of the rice and vermilion powder, showered from the balconies and windows, which keep on falling on her and the chariot. At places surge of people makes it incumbent for the chariots to stop. People worship the Goddess with the offerings of flowers and vermilion.
In the afternoon of the last day, Indra Chowk is riot of colour when women from the city as well as nearby villages descend there dressed in vibrant red and and saffron coloured saris to witness Kumari go back to her palace.
There is music, there is dance and tunes of devotional music in the air as she is carried back.
The Kathmandu Valley's most colourful festival ends when on the last evening the ritual Indra Dwaj is ceremoniously taken down to the accompaniment of music chanting of sacred mantras and offerings of sacrifices. The pole is then taken to the Bagmati\\yer where a ritual submersion takes place. After the submersion, the pole is taken out and chopped into small pieces which feed the eternal flame at one of the temples of Lord Bhairav.