Nepal celebrate "Ghode Jatra" with grandeur

Mar 30, 2025

Kathmandu (Nepal), March 30 (ANI): Nepal on Saturday celebrated "Ghode Jatra", the Horse Racing Day with special ceremony at the Army pavilion in Kathmandu attended by head of state along with other high-level officials. Organised annually by the Nepal Army Cavalry, the Ghode Jatra celebration in Kathmandu is attended by the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, and other high-level officials. "Ghode Jatra," which in Nepali means "Fair of Horses," is a traditional festival observed in Chaitra. It is held in the last month of the Nepali Bikram Sambat and has deep historical and cultural significance. Nepal annually mark Ghode Jatra on the day of Chaitra Krishna Aunsi as per the lunar calendar. In Nepali language, 'Ghode' refers to 'of horses', and 'Jatra' refers to a type of festival. So, combining these terms, Ghode Jatra is meant to be a festival of horses or a horse festival. It is believed to have originated after the death of a demon named Tundi, who terrorized the people living in what is now Tundikhel. According to legend, after Tundi's demise, people celebrated by racing horses over his body, symbolizing their triumph over evil. Similarly, the farmers of the valley sow the seeds of vegetable crops like beans and cucumber in their fields as a celebration of the Ghode Jatra, welcoming the Nepali New Year.