Festival · Bhaktapur, Nepal
Bisket Jatra, Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur's new-year festival runs for about nine days in mid-April. Huge chariots of Bhairav and Bhadrakali are hauled through the old town in a tug-of-war between its upper and lower halves, and a tall pole raised at Yoshin Khel is pulled down to mark the turn of the Nepali year.
Photo: Nrik kiran · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsBisket Jatra is Bhaktapur's festival, and it runs on the solar new year of the Bikram Sambat calendar, Nepal's official calendar, which begins on 1 Baisakh in mid-April. It starts in Taumadhi Square below the five-tiered Nyatapola temple, where the three-roofed chariot of Bhairav is assembled. Teams from the upper and lower halves of the town take the ropes at either end and pull against each other; whichever side wins drags the chariot into its own quarter, and that is read as good luck for the year.
Over the next days the chariots of Bhairav and the smaller one of his consort Bhadrakali move down towards the riverside ground at Yoshin Khel. There a tall wooden pole, the yosin, is raised with long banners. On the evening before New Year it is pulled down, again in a contest between the two halves of the town, and the year turns when it falls. The pulling is rough and fast and every year people are hurt, so watch from a distance.
Neighbouring Thimi and Bode hold their own new-year jatras at the same time, with portable shrines and red powder thrown in the streets. For visitors, Bisket Jatra is the best time to see Bhaktapur's Newar neighbourhoods acting as a community, with feasting in every house. It also fills the town's guesthouses. Dates follow the official calendar, so check current status before you travel.
Tips for the day
- Watch the tug-of-war from a temple plinth or rooftop on Taumadhi Square, never from the street in front of the wheels.
- Book a guesthouse inside the old town early; it is far easier than taxiing in from Kathmandu through festival traffic.
- Keep the Bhaktapur entry ticket with you; it is valid for several days if you register your passport at the ticket office.
Where it happens
Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur is the best-preserved of the three royal cities of the Kathmandu valley, 13 km east of Kathmandu at 1,401 m. Its five-roofed Nyatapola temple, potters' square and thick juju dhau curd make it worth a night, not a rushed half-day. SAARC visitors pay NPR 500 entry, other foreigners NPR 1,800.
Questions
About Bisket Jatra, Bhaktapur
When is Bisket Jatra in Bhaktapur?
It is tied to Nepali New Year, 1 Baisakh in the Bikram Sambat calendar, which usually falls on 13 or 14 April. The festival begins a few days earlier and lasts about nine days, with the pole felled on the eve of New Year. The chariot pulls run on set days, so check current status before you travel and plan two nights.
Is Bisket Jatra dangerous to watch?
The chariot pulling is rough, crowded and fast, and injuries happen most years among participants and people standing too close. Watching from steps, plinths or rooftops around Taumadhi Square is safe enough. Keep children back, do not stand in front of the wheels or on the downhill side, and leave when the crowd surges towards the ropes.
Can I do Bisket Jatra as a day trip from Kathmandu?
Yes, Bhaktapur is 15 km from Thamel, about an hour by taxi or local bus. But the most interesting pulls happen in the evening and traffic is heavy, so staying one or two nights in the old town is better. You then also see the morning rituals and the quieter neighbourhood feasts.
How much is the Bhaktapur entry fee during Bisket Jatra?
The normal heritage fee applies: NPR 500 for SAARC visitors, including Indians, and NPR 1,800 for other foreigners in recent years. Register your passport at the ticket office if you want to use the same ticket for more than one day. Fees change from time to time; check current status before you travel.