Biska Jatra (Bhaktapur)
बिस्काः जात्रा
April 14, 2026 – April 22, 2026 · Baishakh 1, 2083 BS
Bhaktapur
Plan a trip around Biska Jatra (Bhaktapur)History & origin
Legend tells of a Bhaktapur princess cursed so that any man she married died on their wedding night, killed by two serpents that emerged from her nostrils as she slept. A prince who married her stayed awake and slew the serpents — their heads are said to be represented by the two long poles carried on the festival's chariots today, and the pole-raising ritual (yosin) re-enacts that victory.
How it’s celebrated
Two massive chariots carrying Bhairab and Bhadrakali are built and, over several days, hauled through Bhaktapur's streets by opposing neighborhoods in a boisterous tug-of-war that tests strength and local pride. The festival culminates with the raising of a roughly 25-meter wooden lingo (pole) at Bhaktapur's Taumadhi Square; when the pole falls, usually the next day, the new year officially begins. Nearby Thimi and other valley towns hold their own smaller chariot processions in the same style.
Tips for visitors
Bhaktapur's Bisket Jatra is one of the most dramatic public festivals in the Kathmandu Valley — expect huge crowds, chariot-pulling, and a communal, high-energy atmosphere in Bhaktapur Durbar Square.
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