Chariot Festival, Nepal Editorial Photo

This festival is celebrated at the start of the new year. Legend has it that this celebration is the `festival after the death of the serpent`. The most eventful places in the course of the festival are Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Thimi Balkumari. A huge chariot carrying a statue of the God Bhairava is pulled by hundreds of people to the Khalna Tole. Approximately a month earlier, the chariot is assembled near the Nyatapole temple five stair temple. The most spectacular event on Bhaktapur Durbar square is a huge tug-of-war between the eastern and western part of town. Each team tries to pull to their side but later the chariot heads toward Khalna Tole. In the evening of New Year, the Yoh si is pulled down as the New Year officially commences.