Biska Jatra festival celebrated in Portugal

Lisbon (Portugal)- The Newar community in Portugal has celebrated Biska (Bisket) Jatra, a typical cultural festival celebrated by the community in Bhaktapur of Nepal.

The festival was celebrated organizing a special programme in the capital Lisbon on Tuesday under the aegis of the Newa: Khala Portugal, a community organisation based in Lisbon.

On the occasion of the festival, a special worship of Bhairav was performed as per the Newari tradition. The participants of the jatra were given ‘tika’, ‘dhwaja’ and ‘samaybaji’, a delicacy considered as the blessings of the deity Bhairav.

Nepali and Newari cuisines were showcased and offered. Similarly, cultural glimpses depicting Newari art and culture were also presented on the occasion. The event brought together the Newar community people at the same place and the festival was celebrated with people exchanging greetings on the occasion of Biska Jatra Nakha and the New Year 2082.

According to Khala coordinator Amrit Ratna Shakya, the Biska Jatra festival has been celebrated in foreign land by organizing a special programme with the objective of preserving and promoting the Newari customs, traditions, language, religion and culture.
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