How Did The Airawat Elephant Arrive In The Village Of Kathmandu They were making something out of bamboo lama-lama vata. Bata was heated in the fire. used to rotate. And kept adding.
A frame was formed. Bhata kept adding to it.
While connecting, sometimes the flow would leave space. And everyone was trying to get along. The damaged area was bound with wire. It would have been easier to stick to the shape.
After a long effort, something like a big boat was being built.
This is the scene seen at Bijyapu Chowk in Kilagal, Kathmandu a few years ago. Locals were engaged in making ‘Pulu Kisi’ i.e. white elephant’s body for Yenya Punhi (Indra Jatra). After being prepared, this white elephant is chewed throughout the Indra Jatra.
When we arrived the next morning, the scene was the same. The body of the elephant was not yet ready. He was engaged in local work. They were tying the strings tightly so that they could not be seen yesterday. Sometimes the elephant’s body was turned upside down, sometimes upside down. Sometimes right, left.
How did this Airavat elephant come to Kilagal?
According to legend, once Indra’s mother Bashundhara had to fast on Bhadra Saptami Tithi. For that, he needed Palja Swah (Parijat flower). It was not found in Indraloka.
She sent her son Indra to hell. Indra reaches Kathmandu in search of flowers. After seeing a flower in a farmer’s garden, he picks it. Farmers catch Indra as a thief. They keep it tied to the wall of the house.
In front of Hanumandho’s palace, the lingo (Yahsi) is officially started again. Owner Chandraman Maharjan said that Pulu Kisi will be shown on the same day.
On the first day of Kumari Rath Yatra, the head of state comes and visits Kumari. Pulu walks in front of someone’s chariot.
‘One dress costs 7/8 thousand rupees. During the week-long festival, it is difficult to maintain the tradition due to the problem of clothes,’ he said, ‘T-shirts should be made for the people who walk around the elephants. All of these have costs. Government support is not enough. Locals help to earn religion. The tradition is rooted in Zenten.’
According to Maharjan, Pulu Kisi was one of the dances that the king wanted to watch. If there was a delay in coming to the dance, they would bring the Bhardar to Kilagal to bring the dance. The government was important in this.
Indra’s mother Bashundhara needed the Parijat flower to fast. In the story of Bhaktapur, Indra himself does not go to pick flowers. He sends his son Jayant. They are caught stealing flowers from a farmer’s garden.
“Yam Dyacha” is raised in Toltol of Bhaktapur during Indra Jatra. This is to tie up the flower-stealing Jayant,’ said Dhaubhadel. That also means binding Indra.’
In Kathmandu, two people carry the bridge, but in Bhaktapur, four people carry it. A person is sitting inside their body. That person’s responsibility is to walk around ringing the bell of the elephant’s trunk.
Ansar of Dhaubhadel was a kingdom of demons at the time when Indra’s son was captured. Ringing this bell means going in search of a demon.
Demons (Mupatra) are also exorcised during Indrajatra in Bhaktapur. It has two ministers. There is a rule that if anyone sees a monster, they can trample it. Therefore, Indra Jatra is managed so that Pulu Kisi and Mupatra do not meet.