Vatsaleshwori Jatra of Pashupati underway

Kathmandu, Apr, 7: Vatsaleshwori Jatra, one of the longest jatra celebrated in the Pashupati area started on Friday.  The Jatra is being held in the Pashupatinath area wishing for peace in the country.  

The Jatra is performed in Vatsaleshwori Temple four days after Dudu Chya Chya (invitation journey) by Amalkot Kachahari. 

Dudu Chya Chya means inviting Naxal Bhagawati, Naradevi and other goddesses to the Vatsaleshwori Jatra. On the day of Chaitra Krishna Ashtami, on April 2, the Bhattas of Pashupatinath invite the main deities of the valley and the locals to come and watch the Jatra. 

Rewati Raman Adhikari, the spokesperson for the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), said that the Khat (palanquin) of Vatsaleshwori is prepared on Friday evening after the main Bhatta of Pashupatinath gave vermilion (Sindor) to responsible authorities of Pashupati Bhandarkhal Tahabil. 

The festival is related to Deshodwar puja, Vatsaleshwori Jatra, Vajreshwari Jatra and Bhairava Jatra.

 Deshodwar puja is also performed in Vatsaleshwari Temple. Vajreshwari is worshipped after worshipping Vatsaleshwari on the same day. It is customary to divide the head of the he-buffalo sacrificed in Vatsaleshwari into eight parts in the Dabali in front of Bhimsen Temple.  

On the day of Chaitra Shukla Dwitiya on Saturday, Vatsaleshwori Jatra concludes with Sindoor Jatra. The palanquin of Vatsaleshwori is pulled playing the musical instruments towards Jayabageshwori, Nawalitole and Sifal ground and knocked on the wall of Bhadarkhal three times. 

After that, the palanquin is brought to the western main gate of Pashupatinath Temple. Later, the palanquin is kept in the Dabali in front of Jayabageshwori Temple and Pashupatinath’s main Bhatta performs a worship of Vatsaleshwori. Naxal Bhagawati is awaited before the khat of Vatsaleshwori and is taken to Mitrapark. Vatsaleshwori is worshipped as the sister of 

Naxal Bhagawati. 

A legend says that once Naxal Bhagawati visited the Pashupatinath area at the invitation of Pashupatinath. She asked Pashupatinath about Vastsaleshwori as she did not see her sister. Pashupatinath said that her sister had gone somewhere in a rage, then, Naxal Bhagawati went to Amalkot to meet her sister. This is why the khat is taken to Amalkot. 

The khat of Naxal Bhagawati is taken to Naxal and Vatsaleshwori is taken to Chandravinayak. 

The Jatra ends by distributing the Prasad (holy food) and performing a Sindoor Jatra (by throwing vermillion powder). 

The main festival of Vatsaleshwari Jatra is celebrated for six days from April 5 to April 10.