Ghode Jatra festival being observed

The festival showcased horse-riding skills, horse parades, equestrian jump, tent pegging, sword-and-apple, musical rider, vaulting exercises and fire jump, among other stunts.Ghode Jatra, an annual festival of the horse, is celebrated in the Kathmandu Valley on the new moon day of the Nepali month of Chaitra according to the lunar calendar.

The festival is celebrated by worshipping Hindu Goddess Bhadrakali and Kankeswari and the people of the Capital have been celebrating the festival since 14th century.

According to Hindu legend, Ghode Jatra festival was held to celebrate the victory over a demon named Tundi. The demon Tunde use to live over the meadow of Kathmandu Valley today known as Tundikhel.

Tundi used to terrorise the people of the Valley. After demon Tundi died the people rejoiced the death by dancing on his body with horses.

There is a strong belief in Nepalese society that the clamor of horses’ hooves on the day of Ghode Jatra at Tundikhel keeps the demon’s sprit at bay as it still threatens to ruin the city.