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Nepali New Year
Balkumari Jatra
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These pictures were taken, and the sound recorded, in the space of 2 hours at a festival called Balkumari Jatra in the town of Thimi, about 25kms from Kathmandu. The festival starts on the first day of the New Year (13th April 2008) and lasts for two days (at least). Men arrive from the surrounding areas carrying palanquins with images of various Hindu gods. They carry these, often lurching from left to right (they are very heavy and the bearers are a little tipsy), around the temples while people throw red and orange powder everywhere. Accompanied by the crashing of cymbals and the beating of drums the ceremony reaches a crescendo when the men carrying Ganesh try to make a break for home and are pursued by the others. Add large quantities of alcohol into the mix and you have an intensely raucous occasion; one that you are unlikely to forget. Additionally, oil lamps are waved around at head height just to keep you on your toes.
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Nepali New Year
Bisket Jatra
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:: Sound recommended
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These pictures were taken, and the sound recorded, at a festival called Bisket Jatra in the town of Bhaktapur, about 20kms from Kathmandu. The festival starts on New Year's Eve (12th April 2008) and lasts for four days. A huge triple-roofed chariot is assembled from bits and pieces left in temples. The precarious structure is pulled around town by hundreds of people through the steep narrow streets before coming to rest by a giant 25 metre lingam which has been specially erected for the occasion. Erecting lingams and driving chariots is not for the faint-hearted and sadly each year a few people are killed. Sacrifices occur throughout the day, mainly chickens and the occasional buffalo and goat; the heads are left at altars and the rest is eaten during family feasts.
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