Bisket Jatra
बिस्केट जात्रा
Bhaktapur's New Year chariot festival - one of the most dramatic festivals in Nepal. The chariot of god Bhairab is pulled by competing teams from upper and lower Bhaktapur, and a giant lingam pole (yoshi) is erected then pulled down.
When
April (Nepali New Year)
Gregorian (approximate — lunar dates shift yearly)
Nepali month
Chaitra / Baisakh
Bikram Sambat calendar
Duration
9 days
Tourist appeal
High
Newari · Kathmandu Valley
Bisket Jatra in Bhaktapur marks the Nepali New Year (Navabarsha) in a uniquely dramatic fashion. Two teams - upper Bhaktapur (Tole ko Tole) and lower Bhaktapur - compete to pull the chariot of Bhairab. The erection and subsequent toppling of a 25-metre pole symbolizes the death of two serpent demons. The festival spans nine days of chariot towing, music and revelry.
Traditions & rituals
Two-team tug-of-war with the chariot of Bhairab
25 m yoshi (lingam pole) erection and toppling
Tug-of-war to determine auspicious omens for the coming year
Water festival (Sindoor Jatra) with vermillion powder throwing
When does Bisket Jatra fall this year?
Bisket Jatra is observed in the Nepali months of Chaitra / Baisakh, which corresponds to roughly April (Nepali New Year) in the Gregorian calendar. Most Nepali festivals follow the lunar Bikram Sambat calendar, so the precise day moves each year. Use our converter to map any Bikram Sambat date to the Gregorian calendar.
Nepali date converter (BS ⇄ AD) →Bisket Jatra, answered
Common questions about the date, duration and meaning of Bisket Jatra.
When is Bisket Jatra celebrated?+
Bisket Jatra falls in April (Nepali New Year) — the Nepali months of Chaitra / Baisakh in the Bikram Sambat calendar. Because most Nepali festivals follow the lunar calendar, the exact Gregorian dates shift slightly each year.
How long does Bisket Jatra last?+
Bisket Jatra lasts 9 days.
What is the significance of Bisket Jatra?+
Bhaktapur's New Year chariot festival - one of the most dramatic festivals in Nepal. The chariot of god Bhairab is pulled by competing teams from upper and lower Bhaktapur, and a giant lingam pole (yoshi) is erected then pulled down.
Who celebrates Bisket Jatra and where?+
Bisket Jatra is primarily a Newari festival, celebrated mainly in the Kathmandu Valley.
Other festivals of Nepal
Sources & data note
Festival dates follow the lunar Bikram Sambat calendar and shift each Gregorian year; the approximate Gregorian months reflect the typical recent range. Cultural details on Bisket Jatra are sourced from the Nepal Tourism Board and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.