Anyone who is in Kathmandu during the first few days of spring can see horses roaming Kathmandu’s Parade Ground. The horses along with their riders from the Nepali Army prepare for the festival of Ghode Jatra after the winter is over in the Valley.
The festival, originally initiated to scare off evil spirits, has become an important part of the city’s cultural calendar. The formal programme at Tundikhel in the heart of Nepal’s capital sees competitions and celebrations in which horses play an important role. The entire programme is carried out in front of top functionaries and leaders of the state.
But many in the city and beyond would not know that there one more event that goes on in Lalitpur to commemorate the festival, and there’s just one rider and a horse that take part in it.
Although there isn’t any historical record on how the tradition began, locals believe that it was started around 400 years ago.
According to tradition, the lone horse festival is organised by the Bhimsen Guthi ( a community). It starts with the members of the guthi organising a ceremony to worship the horse and its rider.
The rider is taken to the ceremonial temple, and he is handed over the rein of the horse. According to folklore surrounding the 400-year-old tradition, on one of the occasions, the horse selected could only see with one eye.
Since then the name of the jatra (festival) became ‘kano’ Jatra.
The rider then comes out with his horse. According to tradition, a man who represents the king walks ahead of the horse.
Every year, hundreds of people from the city gather at the main square in Patan to get a glimpse of the horse, and follow in its footsteps around the city.
Away from the festival celebrations in Kathmandu, Lalitpur observes the jatra in its own way.
