Bhaktapur, Apr 13: Bhaktapur witnessed the culmination of its renowned Biscuit Jatra Lingo ceremony as the revered symbol of leadership was brought down this evening. Following intricate Tantric rituals, the Jatra concluded with the dignified lowering of the lingar. On the fourth day of the Bisket Jatra, which commenced with the raising of the lingo the previous evening at Lasinkhel in Bhelukhel, the community engaged in a day-long observance featuring Jatra, Puja, and Sacrifices.

Crafted using the Tantric method of Daskarma, the lingo, spanning 55 cubits in length and knee-wide, held immense significance. Prior to its descent, customary practices included affixing two flags symbolizing Nag and Nagini to the kokha (top) of the lingo, and employing eight ropes, representing Ashta Matrika, to lower it from the eight corners.

Dr. Purushottam Lochan Shrestha, a prominent historian and cultural expert, shed light on the significance of the flags adorning Lingo’s Kokha, known as Veerdhwaja, Vishwadhwaja, and Akashbhairavaka Dhwaja. Revered as the Shatruhanta Jatra, the Bisket Lingo Jatra of Bhaktapur is believed to bestow happiness, prosperity, and vanquish adversaries upon its spectators.

At the heart of the Bisket Jatra lies the lingo raising and falling festival, a tradition believed to have been initiated by the Malla kings. This festivity, spanning eight nights and nine days, incorporates rituals such as the Rath Jatra of Bhairavnath and Bhadrakali, alongside Tantric worship ceremonies.

Following the lingo’s descent, attention turned to the ceremonial procession of the chariots of Bhairavnath and Bhadrakali from Losingkhel to Gahhiti. Known as the Samagam Jatra of Bhairav and Bhadrakali Devdevi, this chariot race, locally termed Dyo Lwakigu, signifies a continuation of age-old traditions in Bhaktapur’s cultural tapestry.