Valley mayors, deputy mayors invited in Shankhu’s Bajrayogini Mai Jatra

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Apr. 5: Shankharapur Municipality has invited all the mayors and deputy mayors of the municipalities of the Kathmandu Valley to observe the Bajrayogini Mai Jatra that begins  in Sankhu from April 6.  

Ramesh Napit, Mayor of Shankharapur Municipality, Basu Dev Khanal, chief administrative officer, and Radha Krishan Shrestha, ward chairman of ward no. 6 who is also spokesperson of the municipality, visited Kathmandu Metropolitan City and Lalitpur Metropolitan City on Monday to invite mayors Balen Shah and Chiri Babu Maharjan. 

Spokesperson Shrestha said, "The municipality has invited all the mayors and deputy mayors of the valley in the festival. To invite them, we visited Kathmandu and Lalitpur metropolis office on Monday. We also  visited other municipalities and invited mayors and deputy mayors to observe the Jatra on the main day of the festival that falls on April 9." 

He said that Shankharapur Municipality has initiated various plans to increase the number of the tourists in the ancient town of Sankhu. Shree Shree Shree Ugratara Bajrayogni Mai's Jatra is the oldest Jatra in the ancient town of Sankhu. It is observed for eight days. 

There is a tradition to mark the beginning of this festival on the day of Chaite Dashain by going around the city playing 'Naykhi Baja' and beating the cymbals. 

Since this day, the people of Sankhu city do not use leather materials, do not destroy old houses, do not collect money from moneylenders, do not ride elephants and horses.  

The two big idols of goddess Bajrayogini (yellow-face goddess) and Nibha: Dha:  (the ancient Swayambhu Chaitya or stupa), will be brought down to Sankhu from Bajrayogini temple in Manichud hill, keeping them in a palanquin to celebrate the annual Bajrayogini festival on Thursday.  Along with the two big idols, other two small idols-the lion-faced and tiger-faced images are brought on a separate palanquin playing the traditional instruments.

On the main day, people carry the palanquins of Bajarayogini, stupa, and other two small idols to the different parts of the ancient town.  The people from the Newar community of Sankhu and Tamang community of Bajrayogini jointly celebrate this festival. 

The Bajrayogini Temple is a famous Tantrik temple. It is also well-known as Bodhisattva temple. It is believed that the festival of Shree Shree Ugratara Bajrayogini Mai has begun since 1818 (Kaligat Sambat). Late King Shanka Dev and priest of Bajrayogini, Jog Dev Bajracharrya, were the two persons who had started the Bajrayogini festival.  Sankhu is famous for two traditional festivals---Salinadi fair and Bajrayogini Jatra.