Rato Machindranath Jatra
rato machindranath jatra nepali रातो मच्छिन्द्रनाथको रथयात्रा also known buṅga dyaḥ jātrā newar बुंग द्यः जात्रा nepalese chariot festival held lalitpur nepal one greatest religious event city longest chariot festival celebrated country festival dedicated buṅga dyaḥ also venerated karunamaya newar करुणामय compassionate one aspect bodhisattva avalokiteśvara popularly believed bring monsoon rain also identified aspect hindu saint machhindranātha specifically referred rato machhindranath nepali rato meaning red reference colour deity image chariot festival held according lunar calendar date changeable begin th day bright fortnight bachhalā seventh month lunar nepal sambat calendar chariot procession instituted celebrate arrival bunga dyah nepal end devastating drought started narendra deva king ad preparation festival begin construction foot tall chariot pulchok western end lalitpur chariot complete image bunga dyah temple installed reveller drag chariot street lalitpur tour last month chariot bunga dyah accompanied journey similar smaller chariot chākuwā dyah चाकुवा द्यः route chariot procession start pulchok pass gabahal mangal bazar hakha sundhara chakrabahil lagankhel end jawalakhel per timehonored tradition chariot pulled exclusively woman stretch locality iti thati part chariot procession known yākah misāyā bhujyā याकः मिसाया भुज्या parade finish open ground jawalakhel situated western side lalitpur festivity conclude ceremony bhoto jatra display bhoto traditional nepalese vest barha barsa jatra happens every year chariot machhindranath constructed bungamati chariot pulled way bungamati bhaisepati nakkhu bhanimandal jhamsikhel pulchowk chariot pulled jhamsikhel near ideal model school pulchowk night chariot pulled town normal route bhoto jatra ceremony jawalakhel idol rato machhindranath taken back bungamati spends month year past year rainfall river dried find solution problem king bhaktapur kingdom time went swayambhu meet tantrik tantrik said guru gorakhnath angry meditating cushion mighty serpent whose duty prime reason rainfall valley unless serpent would free rainfall wouldnt happen valley possible teacher rato machhindranath visited king started searching teacher time found machhindranath reborn th son king sashi assam king bhaktapur tantrik kathmandu newar lalitpur went assam bring machhindranath back knew wouldn’t easy get back son daitya tried lot technique successful bringing back tantrik called bhairab asked bring back bhairab brought back guru gorakhnath stood quietly seeing teacher finally serpent free rain started raining valley king tantrik newar couldnt decide district machhindranath kept went lalitpur king find solution lalitpur king clever chose keep ratomachhindranath lalitpur day every year people celebrate festival lalitpur pray good rainfall bhoto jatra literally mean vest festival climax chariot procession bunga dyah jatra per nepal bhasa jatra considered pwaklo jatra pwaklo refers vest bhoto sleeve two chariot arrive jawalakhel astrologer choose auspicious date hold bhoto jatra festival appointed day presence head state government official climb chariot hold jewelstudded black vest four side chariot people gathered around look display reenactment event happened eon ago according legend jyapu newar farmer lost vest received gift serpent god karkotaka naga favour two legend favor one jyapu providing ayurvedic herb examining ill wife karkotaka naga healed another legend say jayapu frightened karkotaka naga asked herb cure ill wife jyapu didnt idea regarding herb gave khitidirts sweaty body healed one day farmer come jawalakhel watch chariot pulling festival saw someone wearing missing garment quarrel developed vest since neither party could prove ownership agreed undershirt would kept bunga dyah rightful owner come claim adequate proof since vest shown public annually call potential claimant step forward living goddess kumari patan also arrives jawalakhel observe bhoto jatra watch ceremony special rest house auspicious day bhoto jatra held determined astrologer date changeable vest showing held june festival chariot dismantled part stored time procession next year rato machhendranath taken temple nearby village bungamati also known first home rain god deity spends next six month temple locke john kerr karunamaya cult avalokitesvaramatsyendranath valley nepal kathmandu sahayogi prakashan research centre nepal asian study tribhuvan university