Rato Machhindranath chariot procession begins

Patan (Lalitpur), May 1: The Rath Yatra or chariot procession of Rato Machhindranath, revered by Hindus as the god of rain and prosperity, has begun today.

The Rath Yatra that began today from Pulchowk has reached Gawahaal. Along with Rato Machhindranath, the chariot of Minnath has also been brought to Gawahaal. The Rato Machhindranath chariot is made manually at Pulchowk, while it is customary to make the Minnath chariot at Tangal of Patan.

Considered to be the longest Jatra in Nepal, the chariot-pulling festival began on Monday with the Rato Machhindranath statue being carried in a chariot to Pulchowk. The Jatra formally begins after the Rato Machhindranath statue is carried in a chariot from the temple in Machhindrabahal and taken to various places in the city, including Gawahaal, Mangalbazar, Sundhara, Lagankhel, and Jawalakhel.

The chariot procession ends with the bhoto jatraa or the public display of a jewel-studded vest. The Machhindranath Rath Yatra is believed to have begun about 1,600 years ago and begins on the first day of the first lunar month of the month of Baishakh and continues for about two months until the fourth day of the month of Asar.