Editorial photo #12250581 Religion and Belief
Biska: Celebration, A Festival To Mark Arriving Nepali New Year
Nepali Hindu devotees prepare the chariot for the Biska Jatra celebration in Taumadhi Square in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on April 10, 2025. One of the popular religious festivals of the Kathmandu Valley, the festival starts with the ascension of Lord Bhairab onto a chariot built in front of the Nayatapola temple, the tallest temple in Nepal. The three-storey chariot made of wood in the pagoda style is pushed and pulled around the settlements with the statues of Bhairavnath and Betal as a part of this festival. Two groups of locals struggle to pull the chariot to either side amid a show of strength, a tradition followed for ages. This festival of cultural and historical importance is celebrated for nine days and eight nights. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto)