"Happy Ghode Jatra" in Nepali is said as "घोडे जात्राको शुभकामना!" (Ghode Jaatраको shubhakaamanaa!) or "शुभ घोडे जात्रा!" (Shubha Ghode Jaatрaa!).

You can also offer wishes like "घोडे जात्राको भावनाले जित, सुरक्षा र आनन्द ल्याओस्!" meaning "May the spirit of Ghode Jatra bring victory, protection, and joy!" This captures the deeper significance of the festival beyond a simple greeting.

For a patriotic wish, say "राष्ट्रिय गर्वले भरेको घोडे जात्राको शुभकामना!" (Raashtriya garvaले bhari eko Ghode Jaatраको shubhakaamanaa!) — "Wishing you a Ghode Jatra filled with national pride!" — a sentiment widely shared among Nepalis on this festival day.

Ghode Jatra falls on Chaitra Krishna Amavasya — the new moon (Amavasya) of the dark fortnight of the Nepali month of Chaitra. This corresponds to March or early April in the Gregorian calendar, typically about 14-15 days after Fagu Purnima (Holi). The exact date shifts each year based on the lunar calendar.

Ghode Jatra is a public holiday in Nepal observed in Kathmandu. The main event is the grand military parade at Tundikhel, which is attended by the President of Nepal, senior government officials, military dignitaries, and thousands of spectators from across the Kathmandu Valley.

The celebration is concentrated in Kathmandu, where Ghode Jatra is the central civic festival of the Chaitra season. On the same day, the Newar community celebrates Paachare Jatra, a traditional street festival held across the neighborhoods of Kathmandu, making the day a rich blend of military, religious, and community celebration.

According to the ancient legend associated with Ghode Jatra, a fearsome demon named Tundi once terrorized the Kathmandu Valley. He caused great suffering to the people of the valley through his evil deeds. Eventually, the demon was defeated and his body was buried beneath the ground of Tundikhel, the central open plain of Kathmandu.

However, the people feared that the demon might rise again and resume his reign of terror. To prevent this, they began riding horses across the burial site, believing that the thundering of the horses' hooves would keep the demon trapped underground and unable to escape. This practice gave rise to the horse parade that remains the centerpiece of Ghode Jatra to this day.

The name Tundikhel itself is believed to derive from the name of the demon Tundi combined with "khel" (open ground). The legend reinforces the festival's purpose as a ritual of protection: by parading horses across Tundikhel each year, the people of Kathmandu symbolically renew the act of keeping evil suppressed and the city safe from harm.

The Ghode Jatra parade at Tundikhel is one of the most impressive military spectacles in Nepal. The event is organized by the Nepal Army and features cavalry displays, horseback riding exhibitions, equestrian acrobatics, military drills, and marching band performances. The event is presided over by the President of Nepal and attended by senior dignitaries, ambassadors, and thousands of spectators.

The highlight of the parade is the horse racing (ghoda dauda) — fast-paced horse races across the Tundikhel ground, which draws large crowds and forms the ceremonial core of the festival. The sound of galloping horses across the historic ground echoes the ancient tradition of riding over the demon Tundi's burial site to keep evil at bay.

In addition to the horse events, the parade typically includes displays of military strength and precision, such as guard of honor formations and acrobatic performances by Nepal Army soldiers. The entire event combines military pageantry with cultural and religious significance, making it unlike any other festival parade in South Asia.

Paachare Jatra is a traditional Newar street festival celebrated across the neighborhoods of Kathmandu on the same day as Ghode Jatra (Chaitra Amavasya). While Ghode Jatra is centered on the military parade at Tundikhel, Paachare Jatra is a community-based festival celebrated in the lanes and courtyards of Kathmandu's Newar neighborhoods.

During Paachare Jatra, the Newar community conducts processions, rituals, and musical performances in the streets of their localities. Traditional Newar music groups (Newa dapa) perform, and the festival has a strong local community character distinct from the grandeur of the Tundikhel parade. The two festivals together represent different aspects of Kathmandu's cultural identity: the civic-military and the community-religious.

The combination of Ghode Jatra and Paachare Jatra on the same day makes Chaitra Amavasya one of the most culturally layered festival days in the Kathmandu calendar — a day that simultaneously honors ancient mythology, military valor, civic pride, and Newar community traditions. Together, these festivals reflect the rich and complex cultural tapestry that defines Kathmandu's identity.