Indra Jatra
इन्द्रजात्रा
Also known as: Yenyah (Newari), Kumari Jatra
The chariot procession festival of the Living Goddess Kumari and the gods Ganesh and Bhairab through the old streets of Kathmandu. Also celebrates Indra, the king of heaven and god of rain, and marks the end of the rice-planting season.
When
August–September
Gregorian (approximate — lunar dates shift yearly)
Nepali month
Bhadra
Bikram Sambat calendar
Duration
8 days
Tourist appeal
High
Newari · Kathmandu Valley
Indra Jatra is Kathmandu's biggest street festival. On the first day, a ceremonial pole (yosin) is erected at Basantapur Durbar Square and the giant mask of Seto (White) Bhairab is unveiled. For eight days, the living goddess Kumari, along with the boy deities Ganesh and Kumar, tours the city in towering wooden chariots pulled by devotees. The festival ends with the lowering of the pole.
Traditions & rituals
Erection of the ceremonial lingo (pole) at Basantapur
Kumari, Ganesh and Kumar chariots pulled through old Kathmandu
White Bhairab mask unveiled; devotees sip rice beer from his mouth
Daph and dhime band processions through the Newari tols
Living Goddess blesses the President and Prime Minister
Masked dance (lakhe nach) of the demon Lakhe
When does Indra Jatra fall this year?
Indra Jatra is observed in the Nepali month of Bhadra, which corresponds to roughly August–September 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) →Indra Jatra, answered
Common questions about the date, duration and meaning of Indra Jatra.
When is Indra Jatra celebrated?+
Indra Jatra falls in August–September — the Nepali month of Bhadra in the Bikram Sambat calendar. Because most Nepali festivals follow the lunar calendar, the exact Gregorian dates shift slightly each year.
How long does Indra Jatra last?+
Indra Jatra lasts 8 days.
What is the significance of Indra Jatra?+
The chariot procession festival of the Living Goddess Kumari and the gods Ganesh and Bhairab through the old streets of Kathmandu. Also celebrates Indra, the king of heaven and god of rain, and marks the end of the rice-planting season.
Who celebrates Indra Jatra and where?+
Indra 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 Indra Jatra are sourced from the Nepal Tourism Board and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.