Over view :
Bisket Jatra festival is the week long festival marks the ancient solar New year calendar . The jatra commences after a special Tantric ritual in th Bhairab temple in Taumadhi Tole in Bhaktapur. Bhairav and Bhadrakali are then placed in large chariots (locally known as Rathas) and pulled through crowds of cheering onlookers. During the festival people replay a drama passed on over the centuries.The God Bhairav is the fierce form of Lord Shiva and Bhadrakali is the wrathful form of the Mother Goddess. On the first day of the street festival a large 25 ft Yoshin-Pole is placed into a hole and raised vertically in the air. Then the Gods are removed from their temples and placed in large wooden chariots. The chariots are pulled through the crowded streets by the people of Bhaktapur. On the last day of the festival the Bhairav Chariot is parked in Gahi Tole. At midnight the smaller Bhadrakali Chariot is repeatedly rammed against the Bhairav Chariot in a not very subtle display of their explosive copulation. It is destructive and a little bit dangerous for those standing close. A giant game of tug-of-war is performed between the east and west side of the city. It is said the side of town which wins the tug-of-war will be the most prosperous for the following year. This festival of Chariot is celebrated for fewdays and statues of the gods Bhairab and Bhadrakali, on two massive chariots , other gods and goddesses are also enthroned on palanquins and taken in a procession around the ancient town. The Chariots are pulled by ropes by groups of young Newar men. This festival draws the huge crowds and watching this festival of Tug of War is exhilarating .
Bisket Jatra is also celebrated in Balkumari Thimi and Bode with Jibro Chhedne (Tongue Piercing) Jatra and Sindoor Jatra respectively. The festivities conclude with several days of spiritual entrancement, dancing and merry-making.
Brief Itinerary :
Day 1 (13 April 19 ) : Arrival in Kathmandu (1300 m/4260 ft ) . PM: Half day Sightseeing . Overnight at the hotel in Bhaktapur
Day 2 (14 April 19 ): Observe Bisket Jatra and Nepali New Year in Bhaktapur
(Bhadgaon) . Overnight in Bhaktapur .
Day 3 (15 April 19 ) : Participation of 2nd day of Bisket Jatra festival .
Day 4 (16 April a19 ) :Bhaktapur – Panauti – Namobuddha and Dhulikhel . Over night at Dhulikhel
Day 5(17 April 19 ) : Dhulikhel – Kathmandu drive and visit historical UNESCO manuments covering Pashupatinath, Boudhanath , Swayambhunath and Patan . overnight in Kathmandu . Evening farewell dinner and overnight at the hotel .
Day 6 (18 April 19 ) : Departure !
Moring free until your departure. Later transfer to the airport in time to connect your international flight .
Detail Itinerary:
On Arrival in Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu you will be met and greeted by Global Asia Tours & Travel’s represenatative and transferred to your hotel in Bhaktapur. Check in at the hotel. PM explore Bhaktapur , the most interesting heritage city of Kathmamdu valley. Observe the preparation of Bisket Jatra . Interact with the locals visit the courtyards, temples and quiet brick paved streets . Overnight at the hotel .
Today from the morning itself there are various activities and the chariot procession will take place in the late afternoon where thousands of locals gather at Taumadhi Square to participate in the festival . A giant game of tug-of-war is performed between the east and west side of the city. It is said the side of town which wins the tug-of-war will be the most prosperous for the following year. This festival of Chariot is celebrated for fewdays and statues of the gods Bhairab and Bhadrakali, on two massive chariots , other gods and goddesses are also enthroned on palanquins and taken in a procession around the ancient town .During the festival, two wooden poles (lingos) are erected in two parts of the city. The Chariots are pulled by ropes by groups of young Newar men. This festival draws the huge crowds and watching this festival of Tug of War is exhilarating .
Observe various activities during 2nd day of Bisket Jatra. This festival is also celebrated in Thimi from early morning taking out chariots from different parts of the city. Overnight at the hotel in Bhaktapur.
Morning after breakfast we drive to another Newar town of Panauti situtated at the holy confluence of 3 streams known as Rosi , Punyamati and (Lilamati ) . Lilamati is considered the mystic river which is visible by the Tantrik Sages . Panauti is charming , as yet unspoiled . Some of the highlights we visit here are Indreaswar Temple which is rich in its architecture , we will also visit ghats, krishna temple , Brahmayani temple . Later we continue walk uphill to Namobuddha , the Tibetan buddhist Pilgrimage site. This place is very famous for spritiual visits, scenic beauty and incredible landscape. Later we walk down to Dhulikhel-ancient trade point/route between Nepal and Tibet . Some of the highlights here are old bazaar, Narayan Temple, Harisiddhi Temple and giant sculptor of Garuda . Overnight at Dhulikhel .
Morning breakfast and drive to Kathmamdu enroute visiting Pashupatinath , the Nepal’s most sacred hindu shrine dedicated to Lord shiva . It has aprasling collection of temples , ashrams, images, incriptions raised over the centureies along the banks of the sacred Bagmati river . The essense of Hindusism is condensed into a rich brew, as pilgrims, yogis,priestes and devotees worship shiva in his forms of Pashupati : Lord of the Beasts” and divine protector of Human beings. Dozens of crematoriums will also be at sight where Hindus perform the last rite and cremate the deceased . Later we continue our tour to Boudhanath , the 5th Century buddhisht Stupa which draws pilgrims all across the himalayas . With a diameter exceeding 100 meters and a wall to wall length roughtly equaling a football field, Boudha is among the largest stupa in the world. Set atop a triple –terraced plinth, it rises 36 meters above the base, dome, square Harmikas, sprite and pinnacle represent the 5 elements , the 13 tiers of the spire stand for th stages of enlightenement, umbrella atop is the symbol of royality . Brightly painted all seeing eyes in all the 4 directions are something very interesting . Our cultural journey for today will come to an end after visiting Swayambhunath the 2000 years old buddhist stupa situated a top of the hilloce overlooking the kathmandu valley . Swaymbhunath ( Monkey temple ) roots go back to the legendry origin of Kathmandu valley . Swyanbhu is self created flame out of Miraculus lotus. This place commands the good view of kathmandu valley . Overnight in Kathmandu. Evening farewell dinner and overnight at the hotel .
Moring free until your departure . Later transfer to the airport in time to connect your international flight .
Services include:
- All the required airport transfers
- Airconditioned vehicle for transfers and sightseeing
- Service of english speaking tour guide
- Twin share accomodations
- Daily breakfast
- Kathmandu –Bhaktpur -Panauti – Dhulikhel -Kathmanadu drive
- Entrance fees at the places of visit
- Sightseeing and excursions as per the program .
- Hiking from Panauti- Namobuddha – Dhulikhel
- Sunrise and sunset excursions in Dhulikhel
- Participation in Participation in the Bisket Jatra Festival
- All the government taxes and festival surcharges
Compliments:
Fresh flower garland on arrival, welcome drinks, service of tour officer , farewell dinner , 01 bottle of mineral water every day during sightseeing), farewell scarf on departure .
Services exclude :
- Travel insurance
- Visa fees /Passort fees
- International flight cost
- Emergency rescue
- Optional tours like Mountain flight , Cable car, rafting .
- Expenses of personal nature like drinks/barbills , internet, laundry, telephone, postage, tipping/gratuities
- Expenses arising from from flight delays, flight cancellations, bad weather , road blockade,landslides, riots,political reasons ,natural calamities, incidents beyond our control.
- Rooms/hotels upgrading
- Services other than included.
In case suddend change in festival dates and any expense arising from this reason .