Since 1944, in June 24th, is celebrated the day of Cusco and was agreed to evoke the Inti Raymi of the Inkas as the central ceremony of the festivals in Cusco. For obvious reasons it is not possible carry out in the original places neither with the same duration as time long ago. Nevertheless every year the staging performance for the different generations from Cusco young people that are in charge of the feast is gaining the communicative force, historical rigor and constitutes the alive message of identity and national integration.

The sun, the main God of the Inca civilization, was considered the creator of everything. It presided over the destinies of man and universe. The most splendid celebration made in Cusco was carried out to the King Sun. One had to adore and to offer sacrifices to the sun in order to avoid that in its long voyage trough the celestial space leaves the earth, its children and it returns offering heat and joy.

Thus, the Inti Raymi was born, the celebration of the sun, from the Qoricancha to the Haucaypata, in each solstice of winter, Cusco vibrated in a religious way, and the Inka and his parliament were prepared in purity and fast to worship the sun.

The Inka, sovereign of the Tahuantinsuyo preceded the central celebration with the sacrifice of the llama, and the Willaq Uma (principal priest), after opening the body of the animal saw in the vísceras and entrails the announcement of future events.

Immediately he concentrated rays of the sun, whose fire had to be kept by the virgins of the sun until the next year. While thousand of congregations who came from the four parts of the Tahuantinsuyo, with fervor and rejoicing, accompanied with songs and dances the services and offerings to their God; and the Inka princess offered the sacred bread (sankhu), the chicha with which the Inka initiated the toast to the sun, begging for prosperity, solidarity, wisdom, as well as better harvests for the town.

Ceremony in the Qoricancha (temple of the sun)

The Chasquis pututeros get into the Qoricancha´s garden and announce the beginning of the Inti Raymi, immediately make their appearance, the Harawis (musicians) to mark the march of the imperial army, the Aqllas, Ñustas, Qoya, t´ika t´akaqe and the real entourage.

After being stand in the apse of Qoricancha, the Inka greets to the God sun with a song and invites all the town to participate in the ceremony, immediately after the song, the Inka greets to the God Sun with a message, then invoking the population so that they participate in the ceremony. At the end of the message all the artists who represent the Inka Empire return to the Qoricancha temple to go later to the Plaza de Armas of Cusco

Intipampa

Following the rhythm of the music, the imperial army marks the time, as well as the Qoya, Aqllas, Ñustas, Pichaqkuna, T´ika t´akaq, waiting in the Intipamapa, for the exit of the Inca, in order to initiate to march till the Hauqaypata, by the streets Pampa del Castillo and Inti K´´iqllo (Loreto).

Hauyqapata

Four Chasquis located in the center of the Plaza de Armas announce the arrival of the Inca, entering with his entourage and imperial guard.
The son of the sun, in the heart of the city claims again the support of the tutelary Apus with who will go spiritually to Saqsayhuaman, main center of adoration.

Message to the sun

The Inca feels pleased by the concurrence of their people to who thanks with a glance. A total silence takes place meaning that everybody waits anxiously the sunrise, because it is supposed that not has dawn yet. The father sun get out and baths to the Inca with its first rays; as a grateful person he erects and makes the greeting to the sun or Intinapaykuy, the hymn to the sun is intoned. The representatives of the four suyos or regions (Qollasuyo, Antisuyo, Chinchaysuyu and Kuntisuyu), express their message and tribute to their father, the sun, showing the dances and products that brought like offerings.

Ceremony of the Chicha

The Inca takes in his hands a full gold glass from sacred chicha and offers to his father the sun, as a sign of filial love; as well as the Apus: Salkantay, Ausangati, Pachatusan, Huanacuri and Saqsayhuaman. Next the chicha is spilled to the Pachamama so that it arrives until the Qoricancha, then takes a silver glass, also full of chicha, offers to the sun and drinks it, after invites it to Willaq Uma and his entourage so that they share the same glass; simultaneously glasses full of chicha are served to Suyos delegations.

Rite of the Mosoq Willkanna (new Sacred Fire)

Three days before the celebration, the sacred fire of the prior Inti Raymi was extinguished in the borders of the Tahuantinsuyo, everybody hope that in this year the father Sun sends again its vivifying rays to light the new sacred fire.

The Inca uses a concave gold bracelet called Chipana, that oriented to the sun concentrates the rays on the recent ritual or Nina Kawsachiq previously prepared with carded cottons. ¡The awaited prodigy takes place!, the new sacred fire lighted and start the joy, as the God Sun has given the sign that renews its confidence and protection to its favorite son and its town.

The fire obtained is given to the Aqllas Willcaninas so that they feed and conserve it until the next year. The fire is also symbolically distributed to the four suyos so that they return with this valued gift to their origin regions.

Sacrifice of a Llama and auguries.

Returning to the ritual aspect, a llama is chosen and is leaded to the sacrifices table, the priest called Tarpuntay opens the entrails of the llama and extracts the heart and the lungs, in order to auguries and prognoses the life of the Tahuantinsuyo and its kings. If the heart and the lungs do not have injury and are still beating means it will be a good year.

Rite of the Sankhu (Sacred Bread)

The priests present to the Willaq Uma a full basket of Sankhu (bread) in roll form done of maize. The great priest blesses the Sankhu mixing it with the sacrificed llama blood, then ask the Inca eat a portion of the sacred food; and the priest as well, like the other members of the entourage and participants in the staging. Doing this they break the fast that remain all for three days, like preparation for the Inti Raymi.

The Inka full of joy tells his final message invoking his town that under the Sun god shelter, the people continue participating of the culture values of Tawantinsuyo, whose maximum expression is the reciprocity or Ayni.