Bhaktapur Festival Dances and Living Traditions
Discover the vibrant festival culture of Bhaktapur — home to Nepal's most spectacular Bisket Jatra New Year celebration, the Nava Durga masked dance cycle, the living goddess Kumari tradition, and the guthi social system that has kept these ancient customs alive.
- 1
Bisket Jatra Festival Ground
Learn about Bisket Jatra, Bhaktapur's spectacular New Year festival featuring a tug-of-war with a massive chariot and the erection of a 25-meter ceremonial pole — one of Nepal's most dramatic public celebrations.
- 2
Kumari House
Visit the residence of Bhaktapur's Kumari, the living virgin goddess, and learn about the tradition of selecting pre-pubescent girls as divine incarnations and the rituals of their daily life.
- 3
Nava Durga Temple
Explore the temple complex dedicated to the nine manifestations of Durga, home to the extraordinary Nava Durga dance cycle — masked performances that run through the entire agricultural year.
- 4
Lakhe Dance Performance Area
See where the Lakhe, a fearsome red-masked demon dancer, appears during major festivals — one of the most recognizable and beloved figures in Newari cultural celebrations.
- 5
Dhimay Drum Music Workshop
Hear the dhimay barrel drum and other traditional Newari instruments that provide the driving rhythmic accompaniment to religious processions, dances, and festival ceremonies.
- 6
Guthi Community Hall
Learn about the guthi system — the ancient Newari social institution that collectively organizes festivals, cremations, irrigation, and community welfare, functioning continuously in Bhaktapur to this day.