Mythology
According to legend, Indra (Hindu god king of heaven), disguised as a farmer, descended to earth in search of parijat (Night jasmine), a white flower his mother Basundhara needed to perform a ritual. As he was plucking the flowers at Maruhiti, a sunken water spout at Maru, the people caught and bound him like a common thief. He was then put on display in the town square of Maru in Kathmandu. An image of Indra with his hands bound is put on display on a tall platform at Maru and other parts of the city during the festival.
His mother, worried about his extended absence, came looking for him. This part of the festival is known as the procession of Dagin (दागिं).
When the city folk realized they had captured Indra himself, they were appalled and immediately released him. Out of appreciation for his release, his mother promised to provide enough dew throughout the winter to ensure a rich crop. It is said that Kathmandu starts to experience foggy mornings from this festival onwards because of this boon.
Read more about this topic: Yenya
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