BUNGAMATI: As the country celebrates the Hindu festival of Dashain, the Newar community of Khokana in Lalitpur is observing its centuries-old Sikali Jatra.
Unlike most households across Nepal, Khokana residents neither sow jamara nor receive tika and blessings on Vijaya Dashami. For them, Sikali Jatra is the principal festival, celebrated with elaborate rituals and traditional dances.
The festival, rooted in the Swosthani legend, symbolizes the triumph of Goddess Mahalaxmi over the demon Mahishasura. During the celebrations, 46 deities, including Bhairav, Mahakali, and Birbhadra, are paraded around the settlement on palanquins. The main highlight is the Ashwamedha Yagya held at Sikali Ground, accompanied by ritual dances and musical performances.
Beginning on Ghatasthapana and lasting until Phulpati, the festival follows strict tantric traditions. Birbhadra and Mahakali are ritually installed, Bhairav is invoked, and guthi members host ceremonies in their respective community spaces. Each guthi worships its guardian deities, performs traditional dances, and upholds age-old rituals passed down through generations.
Photo: Nepal Photo Library
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