Shikali Jatra is celebrated in Khokana, a medieval Newari heritage village in the southern part of the Kathmandu Valley, by a section of the ethnic Newar community. Although the villagers practice Hindus, Dashain is not celebrated. They watch the colorful Shikali Jatra instead of Dashain. The five-day long festival is devoted to Shikali goddess also known as’ Ajima’ or goddess of the mother. Dancers wearing colorful attires during the festival perform masked dances following tantric rituals. The dancers depict the Hindu pantheon’s 14 deities and goddesses. A wooden chariot with Goddess Rudrayani’s idol is carried through the streets of the village, lastly resting on a grassy hill just outside the village in front of the Shikali Temple. The procession, led by Newar priests wearing their white ritual costumes, finds Khokana devotees and other parts of the Kathmandu Valley participating. Surrounding the temple are splendid views of the mountains of Chandragiri and Champadevi; Kirtipur and Chobar.
Although Khokana now appears to be just another sleepy farming village, it was once considered a contemporary neighborhood. During the reign of Chandra Shamshere Rana, it holds the distinction of being the first location in Nepal to get electricity in 1911 AD. The village is renowned for its mustard oil manufacturing and traditional oil pressers. It supplied mustard oil to the Kathmandu Valley as well as to the remainder of Nepal with its heyday Khokana. Its popularity diminished as the market flooded with oil generated at cheaper prices by businesses. The traditional oil mills that once were this village’s core and soul closed one by one and now only a handful are in service.
The well-paved Khokana roads, lined with traditional buildings, lead to Shree Rudrayani’s big three-tiered pagoda temple in the middle of the village. The temple is devoted to Lord Shiva’s female manifestation. The traditional pond known as’ De Pukhu’ is located near the temple, the venue for another distinctive festival in this village. Known as the’ Goat Festival,’ it is celebrated during the festivities of’ Gai Jatra’ and includes young people chasing a goat in the pond.
