Ghode Jatra in Patan, Nepal: The Production of Cultural Performance

Speakers: G.M Srivishal & Mrinalini B.R and Suresh Man Lakhe

About Authors

G.M Srivishal & Mrinalini B.R : We are currently pursuing a Master’s degree in
Architectural History and Research from CEPT University. Having completed our Bachelors
in architecture, we pursued careers as architects in India before a shared interest in
research and heritage led us to meet at CEPT. As part of our final semester we have been
researching performative cultures in Lalitpur (Patan) for the last few months with Stefanie
Lotter as our guide. The project is in association with Heritage as Placemaking, Patan
Museum, Baakhan Nyane Waa and Galli Maps.

Suresh Man Lakhe : He has been the museum officer at the Patan Museum, Lalitpur, since 2007. Having pursued his Master’s Degree in Nepalese History, Culture and Archaeology,
Tribhuvan University, he shares a keen interest in the documentation and preservation of
Nepal’s intangible heritage. He is a researcher of museums, tangible and intangible cultures
as well as presenting papers in national and intentional conferences.

Brief

Key words: Ghode Jatra; Newah community; Performative culture; Public scholarship; Visual
anthropology; and intangible heritage.
The Jyapu class of the Newah community is recognised as an agrarian sector of Nepal’s
endogamous society. Within this class, the Chhyo Guthi (also called Bhimsen guthi now),
meaning ‘servant group’, is believed to have been responsible for tending to the royal
livestock in Patan (Yala), Nepal, since the Malla period. This group celebrates Ghode Jatra,
or the lone horse festival of Patan, which is observed on the last new moon of Chaithra, an
auspicious day when the Newah also celebrate several other performative cultures, such as
Pahachare, Balkumari Jatra, and Chamunda Jatra.

Through empirical research, this project documents the festival’s layered production,
analysing its spatial and social dimensions. These include the claiming of spaces for
performance, hierarchical structures within the Guthi system, religious practices and rituals,
preparations for the horse and its ceremonial ride, hierarchical food practices, and the use of
specific utensils and artefacts in communal feasting. The study explores how performative
culture allows participants to temporarily claim spaces of public importance, transforming the mundane into a spectacle.

The documentation is disseminated through an exhibition at Patan Museum in two phases:
before and after Ghode Jatra 2025. The second phase incorporates a storytelling session
with a Guthiyar, alongside interactive exhibits, drawings, photographs, interview excerpts,
and a ten-minute documentary film.

The project further branches into two areas: Mrinalini B R examines the festival’s gendered
roles through visual anthropology, negotiating space and identity within the community, while G M Srivishal conceptualises its production as a board game, translating its performative structure into an interactive experience.

By integrating research, exhibition, visual anthropology, and participatory engagement, this
project offers a multidimensional approach to the study and proliferation of performances
such as Ghode Jatra, positioning it within broader discussions on performative culture and
intangible heritage.