Indra Jatra
The story of how Indra Jatra began, when Dakini secured the release of Indra, who had fallen under the charge of theft.
Indra Jatra
To pick parijat flowers in heaven for the worship of his mother Dakini (Vasundhara), Indra, king of the gods, assumed a human form and descended to the Maruhiti area of Kathmandu.
As he began picking flowers from the garden without asking, the people of Kathmandu took him for a thief, seized him, and bound his hands and feet and imprisoned him at Maruhiti.
When her son did not return, his mother Dakini came to Kathmandu and pleaded with the people to set Indra free. The people set two conditions: "May the souls of those who die throughout the year be allowed to go to heaven, and may the grain crops flourish."
Dakini accepted those conditions and promised to grant the Valley morning cold and mist.
In memory of Indra's release, the tradition began of displaying an image of Indra with his hands outstretched, hoisting the Indra flag, pulling the chariots of the living goddess Kumari, Ganesha and Bhairav, and celebrating 'Indra Jatra' in Kathmandu with great fanfare.
Note: These are traditional Nepali folk tales (kimbadanti), passed down orally through generations. They may or may not reflect actual historical events, but they are told and believed as part of Nepal's cultural heritage.
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