Bisket Jatra concludes in Bhaktapur as ceremonial poles are lowered

Bhaktapur. On the final day of the eight-night, nine-day Bisket Jatra, the armless ceremonial pole erected in front of the Talakwo Jyatha Ganesh Temple at Pottery Square, Bhaktapur, has been lowered. Every year on the last day of Chaitra, locals erect the armless pole at Talakwo in Kumaletol to mark the festival, and after performing rituals on the final day, the process of pulling the Bhairav chariot begins.

Ananda Karmacharya, Chief of the Guthi Sansthan office, stated that the pole erected at Talakwo on the last day of Chaitra was lowered today. He added that following the completion of afternoon prayers, the pulling of the Bhairav chariot will commence, marking the traditional conclusion of the festival.

According to the tradition of Bisket Jatra, the armless pole erected on the last day of Chaitra is lowered on the morning of Baisakh 5. Once the pole at Talakwo is lowered, the chariot is pulled from Gahiti after performing prayers to Bhairav and Bhadrakali.

Similarly, the pole erected in front of the Mahalaxmi Temple in Bode, Madhyapur Thimi, on Chaitra 30, the last day of the month, was also lowered at 10:00 AM today. Local resident Dil Krishna Prajapati noted that the tradition dictates the start of all festivities in Thimi once the pole is erected in front of the Mahalaxmi Temple, and with its lowering today, the festival has concluded.

Previously, the pole erected at Lyasinkhel in Bhelukhel on the last day of Chaitra was lowered on Baisakh 2.