LALITPUR, July 21: The traditional ritual of pulling of the chariot of the Rato Machchhindranath deity is to begin in Lalitpur from July 26.
Rato Machchhindranath is the deity of rain and good harvest. The chariot which is kept at Thatitol at local Lagankhel will be pulled from there all the way up to Jawalakhel via Kumaripati, said Baikuntha Acharya, the Acting Chief of the Guthi Sansthan, the office responsible for looking after and managing religious trusts, cultural and religious festivals and monuments.
In pictures: Chariot pulling of Rato Machhindranath
There is the tradition of displaying the gem-studded bhoto or vest of the Rato Machchhendranath to the general public on the fourth day the chariot is pulled to Jawalakhel.
Started since the reign of King Narendra Dev Malla in the medieval period of Nepal's history, the festival of the Rato Machchhindranath is the longest of such religio-cultural festivals celebrated in the Kathmandu Valley.
The chariot pulling starts from Pulchowk and the chariot is taken from there to Gabahal, Mangal Bazaar, Patan Sundhara, Mikhabahal, Lagankhel, Thtitol, Kumaripati and finally to Jawalakhel. RSS
