Da Ugly Devil's Heaven

Along the New Year comes this festival that occurs in Thimi, Madhyapur, Bhaktapur called Bisket Jatra. It has been celebrated since the time of Lichhavi dynasty king, Shivadev. On the first day special worships are offered to the goddesses Nilbarahi and Kumari. On the last day of our Nepali year, Chaitra, a ritualistic pole symbolizing the Bisket Jatra is installed in the evening after the idol of the Nilbarahi deity is adorned with the brass-made ornaments. The same day chariot of Kumari is pulled and taken up to Lachhitol where there is a person who will be piercing his tongue as a part of the festival rituals. The firewood collected from the forest is burnt during the campfire held in front of that person. The person volunteering to have his tongue pierced observes a fasting after that. On the New Year’s day, the chariot of Mahalaxmi and Bhairab deities are brought to the Mahalaxmistan. Here too special worships are offered to the chariots at Bode, Thimi, and Nagadesh. Various Newari instruments are being played during these festivals. The festival runs throughout out the night with the torch held by the local people over there. All of the local take part in pulling the chariot of Kumari that night. The sound of Dhimya Baja just keeps the people wake up and the excitement is just awesome. They celebrate it whole day and night and start the New Year with full of joy, excitement, faith in god, and peace in their mind.