Rato Machhindranath chariot procession begins

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Apr. 22: Rato Machhindranath chariot procession, regarded as the biggest cultural and religious event of Patan, begins today, drawing an immense crowd of devotees.

The chariot built at Pulchowk will be taken to Gahbahal along with the playing of musical instruments. At Lagankhel, the chariot circumambulates the sacred Maju Sima tree at the centre of the bus park, which is regarded as a symbol of Lord Machhindranath’s mother.

After a few days at Lagankhel, the chariot is pulled by women to Thati, where it rests for weeks or even months until an auspicious date is determined to take it to Jawalakhel. The chariot passes through various places such as Mangal Bazaar, Sundhara, Lagankhel, and Gabahal before finally reaching Jawalakhel.

After arriving at Jawalakhel, the final celebration called the Bhoto Jatra, or the exhibition of the sacred vest of Lord Machhindranath, will be held.

The procession begins with the placement of the Machhindranath idol inside the sanctum of the chariot. 

Many people visit Patan to celebrate the festival and worship the idol of Machhindranath during the procession. Residents of Patan invite relatives to join in the celebrations, which conclude at Jawalakhel.During the month-long procession, women are allowed to pull the chariot on only one occasion, a day known as the “Women’s Festival.”

The chariot of Rato Machhindranath, the tallest in the country, is pulled using large ropes from both sides. According to historians, the festival was introduced by Narendra Deva, an ardent devotee of Rato Machhindranath, in 879 A.D.

The chariot stands about 50 feet tall, forming a towering structure that makes this four-wheeled chariot a fascinating sight.