Nepal prepares to immerse in festivity with start of Rato Machindranath Jatra

Apr 23, 2023

Lalitpur (Nepal), Apr 23 (ANI): The festivity is back again in Nepal as, the Red God of the Himalayan nation on Friday ascended the sky-scrapping chariot which would tour around the city for months. The chariot festival of Rato Machindranath which rolls out unto the city depends highly on astrology. The Red God locally known as "Bunga Dugh" in Newa: fraternity which means "God of Rain and Harvest" is the longest Jatra in Nepal, running on for months. Clad in red coloured jackets, dozens of members from the Newa: community spend about two weeks preparing the sky-notching chariot, the biggest chariot built annually in the Himalayan Nation. The chariot constructed annually basically uses wooden beams, and thumped adjustments to the shrine sanctum without using a single nail. It takes about two weeks for the Newa: community to build it on and is given a final touch-up with decorative before the chairing of the lord in the chariot. Observed in the ancient town of Lalitpur, the sky-scrapping chariot goes around the city after four days of the ascension of God. After spending 4 days on the roadside constructed chariot, it is pulled to Ga:Bahal and rested for one day, after that it is pulled onto Sundhara and Mangalbazar where it is kept on for one day each. Then after it is pulled on further to Lagankhel where it is kept on for one day. During that time, a day has been separated for women only to pull on the chariot and take it to E: thiha and then making astronomical calculations it is pulled onto Jawalakhel. There is a belief that residents of Bhaktapur can pull the chariot to their place and keep the God for six months if the procession fails to take place before Dashain-the major fortnight festival observed in Nepal during the month of October.