When is Bisket Jatra in 2027?
Bisket Jatra should run from about Saturday 10 April to Sunday 18 April 2027. No published list gives these exact days yet, so this is a projection. News On AIR says it formally starts four days before the Nepali New Year and runs for nine days, and Hamro Patro puts the New Year, 1 Baishakh 2084, on 14 April 2027.
In 2026, it began on Friday 10 April and ended around 18 April. In 2025, it was also reported as 10 to 18 April, by Nepal Traveller.
Wikipedia says this festival follows the solar calendar, unlike most Nepali festivals, so the dates barely move. Local schedules can still shift, so confirm with a current Nepali calendar close to your trip. There’s no 2026 date left.
What is Bisket Jatra?
Bisket Jatra, also spelled Biska Jatra, is a New Year festival held in Bhaktapur and nearby towns, and “jatra” means a festival or procession. Its centre is a pair of large wooden chariots carrying the deities Bhairab and Bhadrakali. Two sides of the old city fight to pull them.
News On AIR says it dates back to the Malla dynasty. Wikipedia says it began as a solar New Year celebration marked by a long banner on a wooden pole, and that Malla-era traditions added the chariots. Two folk legends about serpents are often told as well. Wikipedia treats those as folklore, not history.
What happens on each day?
Each of the nine days has its own events, and the schedule below is the one Onlinekhabar published in April 2026. We’ve added the projected 2027 dates in the first column.
| Day | Projected 2027 date | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 April | Thane (upper) and Kwone (lower) residents tug the Bhairab and Bhadrakali chariots, starting from Taumadhi Square |
| 2 | 11 April | Rest day |
| 3 | 12 April | A buffalo is sacrificed to Bhairavnath at Ga:hiti |
| 4 | 13 April | A tall pole, the Yosin Dyo, is raised at Lyasingkhel, and the chariots are taken there |
| 5 | 14 April (New Year) | Crowds at Chupinghat and Lyasingkhel. A cock is sacrificed to Betal, the pole is lowered, and the chariots collide at Ga:hiti in the Sangam Jatra |
| 6 | 15 April | Mahakali and Mahalaxmi processions |
| 7 | 16 April | Brahmayani and Maheshwari processions in Tachapal, and other local jatras |
| 8 | 17 April | Deities displayed for worship, in the Dyo Swaga Puja or Sagun Jatra |
| 9 | 18 April | Chhuma Ganesh procession in Chochhen and a final chariot tug-of-war |
Sources disagree on when the pole comes down. Onlinekhabar’s schedule mentions it on both day 5 and day 9. Nepal Traveller says New Year’s Day. News On AIR said the final day in 2026, and Wikipedia says the eve of New Year. Ask locally if this is the moment you want to see.
News On AIR says the three-storey pagoda-style chariot carries Bhairab. Wikipedia describes the pole as about 25 metres tall.
Where in the valley does it happen?
The main events are in Bhaktapur, especially around Taumadhi Square, where the five-tiered Nyatapola Temple stands. Wikipedia and Nepal Traveller also describe celebrations in towns that were once part of the Bhaktapur kingdom.
| Place | What’s reported |
|---|---|
| Taumadhi, Bhaktapur | The chariot pull starts here |
| Ga:hiti, Bhaktapur | Chariot rests, day 3 sacrifice, chariot collision on New Year’s Day |
| Lyasingkhel, Bhaktapur | The tall pole and the New Year crowds |
| Madhyapur Thimi | Sindoor Jatra, with palanquins of deities and vermilion powder |
| Bode | A devotee has his tongue pierced with an iron spike and carries fiery torches through the town |
Wikipedia also lists Nagadesh, Dhapasi, Tokha, Dhulikhel, Katunje, Gundu and Sanga. We didn’t confirm the day of the Thimi or Bode events, so check locally if you want to see them. For a broader look at the city, read our guide to Bhaktapur Durbar Square.
Who takes part?
Bhaktapur’s residents run this festival, and it’s rooted in the Newar community. Thane and Kwone, the upper and lower parts of the city, pull the chariot against each other. Musicians play traditional instruments, including the dhime, a large Newar drum. News On AIR adds madal, jhaal, damphu, turahi and panche baaja.
Visitors watch. We found no report of an organised visitor programme. For background on the Newar people and on the Malla kings, see our history of the Kathmandu Valley.
Is Bisket Jatra dangerous?
It can be, and you should take the risk seriously. The chariots are heavy, the lanes are narrow, the crowd is packed in tight, and the two sides do clash. These are the reports we found.
| Year | What was reported | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Clashes and stone-throwing until about 12.30 am on the first night. 11 injured, including four police | The Kathmandu Post |
| 2021 | 19 injured on the first day. Two people went under the wheels at about 7 pm, and there were stones at about 1 am | Onlinekhabar |
| 2022 | A 71-year-old man was crushed by a chariot wheel on the last day, and he died in hospital | Onlinekhabar |
These are all from Nepali press reports, and they don’t cover every year. We haven’t seen a safety notice for 2027.
How should visitors behave?
Stay well out of the path of the chariots, and leave before trouble starts. These are our suggestions, based on the reports above.
- Stay away from the wheels and ropes. Don’t stand in front of a moving chariot, or between it and a wall.
- Watch from a raised place only if the owner invites you, and check it’s safe. Don’t climb on temples.
- Leave at dusk on day 1. The reports above put the fighting in the night hours.
- Keep calm around sacrifices. They’re part of a religious ceremony. Don’t gawk or get close, and don’t film without clear permission.
- Ask before you photograph. Be especially careful at Bode, where a person is undergoing a painful ritual.
- Don’t join the rope unless locals clearly invite you. Some of the injured in 2021 were pulling the chariot.
How does it affect traffic and sightseeing?
Bhaktapur’s squares and lanes will be crowded, but we found no official road closure notice. Hamro Patro lists New Year’s Day as a holiday, so expect local crowds on 14 April. Expect chariots to block lanes at short notice.
The two days most likely to need planning are day 1 and day 5. Quieter days, such as day 2, may suit a normal visit to Bhaktapur’s squares, but we can’t promise that. Tell us your date when you ask about the Bhaktapur day tour and we’ll reply with a start time.
