Sindur Jatra
सिन्दूर जात्रा
Thimi's vivid vermilion festival on Baisakh 2, when palanquins of local deities circle Balkumari amid music, torchlight, and clouds of sindur.
Location
Thimi (Madhyapur Thimi), Bhaktapur
Duration
1 days
Month (Local)
Baisakh
Month (AD)
April
Next celebration
Apr 14, 2027
In 344 days
Highlights
Mass sindur showering of the Balkumari deity chariot. 32 deity palanquins converging from surrounding neighborhoods. Torch-bearer procession from neighboring communities. Simultaneous tongue-piercing ceremony in nearby Bode village.
Tips for Visitors
Thimi is 6 km east of Kathmandu along the Arniko Highway. Wear old clothes you do not mind staining permanently, and protect phones and cameras from powder. Expect the densest activity around Balkumari. If you plan to combine this with Bhaktapur's Biska celebrations, check timing carefully rather than assuming both peak at the same hour.
Sindur Jatra is one of the signature celebrations of Madhyapur Thimi in Bhaktapur district and forms part of the wider Biska festival season. It is observed on Baisakh 2, the second day of the Nepali New Year period, when residents gather for a large procession centered on Balkumari.
The best-known image of the festival is the throwing of bright orange-red sindur as participants dance through the streets to traditional music. Multiple reports describe 32 deity palanquins converging during the celebration, though some more recent local coverage notes that the number may vary in a given year. The festival is closely tied to Thimi's neighborhood-based ritual structure and has long been regarded as the town's biggest festival.
The procession circles the Balkumari temple precinct and fills the old streets with music, vermilion powder, torches, and dense crowds. Nearby Bode's tongue-piercing rite is part of the broader Biska period, but it should not be treated as the same event.
For visitors, Sindur Jatra is among the valley's most visually striking urban festivals, but it is also intensely physical. The powder, crowd movement, and ritual urgency are part of the experience.