KATHMANDU: President Ramchandra Paudel today visited the Gaddi Baithak at Hanumandhoka Durbar Square to observe the cultural and historical festival of Indrajatra.

The President had walked up to Gaddi Baithak, Basantapur Durbar from Juddha Salik at New Road. Since 2080 BS, he has been traveling on foot from Juddha Salik to Gaddi Baithak for observing the cultural festival.

Along with the President, other distinguished persons also reached the Gaddi Baithak on foot, Khila Karki, the press coordinator to the President, informed Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS).

Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut, Speaker Devraj Ghimire, Chairperson of the National Assembly Narayan Dahal, Deputy Prime Ministers Prakash Man Singh and Bishnu Prasad Paudel among ministers, Deputy Speaker Indira Rana, MPs, Provincial Assembly members, Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah, heads and representatives of diplomatic missions in Nepal, and local government representatives also observed the festival.

On the occasion, President Paudel gave permission for commencing the procession of Shri Ganesh, Shri Bhairav, and Shri Kumari by offering garlands and making monetary offerings to the chariots of these respective deities.

Then the chariot procession of Shri Ganesh, Shri Bhairav, and Shri Kumari was initiated.Today is the main day of the week-long Indrajatra festival, which began on Thursday morning with the raising of the Indradhwaj in the Hanumandhoka Palace area on the day of Bhadra Shukla Dwadashi as per the lunar calendar.

Today, the chariot procession will be conducted in Tallo Tole (the lower street), Rajendra Dahal, head of the Religious and Cultural Heritage Department of the Guthi Sansthan told RSS. According to him, the chariot festival will be held in Upper Tole (the upper street) on Sunday.

Only women will pull the chariot, also known as the Nanicha procession On September 11, coming Thursday.

On the same day in the evening, President Paudel will go to Hanumandhoka Durbar to receive ‘tika’ and ‘prasad’ from the living goddess, Kumari. After receiving tika and prasad, it is also a tradition for the head of state to exchange a sword with the Kumari.

The Indrajatra festival will conclude after the Indradhwaj, the ritualistic wooden pole, is pulled down on the night of September 11 at 10:32.

After the lowering of the Indradhwaj, the local residents have a tradition of dragging the wooden pole to the banks of the Bagmati River at Teku Dobhan to immerse it in the Bagmati River there, as informed by Dahal, the head of the Department of Religious and Cultural Heritage. According to him, there is a tradition of dragging the wooden pole to submerge it in the river.