Kathmandu Valley · Patan
Rato Machhindranath Jatra
रातो मच्छिन्द्रनाथ जात्रा
The longest chariot festival in Nepal: Patan's rain god, Bunga Dyah, rides a towering chariot of wood and cane, about 60 ft tall, pulled through the city's streets over several weeks. It ends at Jawalakhel with the Bhoto Jatra, when a jewelled vest is held up to the crowd.
The festival honours Rato Machhindranath, the red Karunamaya, god of rain and harvest, who spends half of each year in Bungamati and half in Patan. In spring, after the god is bathed in a public ceremony, his chariot is built at Pulchowk by hereditary craftsmen, using timber, cane and rope, with a tall spire bound in green branches. It is about 60 ft high and takes weeks to build.
Then the chariot is pulled through Patan in stages, often over a month or more, via Gabahal, Sundhara and Lagankhel towards Jawalakhel. Hundreds of men haul on the ropes while the chariot sways above the crowds, and a smaller chariot of Minnath follows. Progress depends on the omens, the weather and the strength of the pullers, and the chariot sometimes stops for days.
At Jawalakhel comes the Bhoto Jatra. Legend tells of a dispute over a jewelled vest between a farmer and a serpent; the god has kept it ever since, and once a year an official holds it up from the chariot so its owner may claim it. The head of state traditionally attends. Afterwards the god is taken to Bungamati, and in every twelfth year the festival starts from there.
Tips
- Ask us for the current position of the chariot each day; it moves in stages and can pause for days.
- Keep well clear of the chariot wheels and ropes; the chariot is heavy and can swing without warning.
- Walk rather than drive in Patan during the festival, as roads round the chariot are closed.
Questions
When is the Rato Machhindranath festival?
It begins in the month of Baisakh, usually late April or May, and the chariot moves through Patan over several weeks. It ends at Jawalakhel with the Bhoto Jatra, which can fall in May or June. Dates follow the lunar calendar and astrologers' advice, so check current status before you travel.
How tall is the Rato Machhindranath chariot?
The main chariot stands about 60 ft, or roughly 18 m, high, with a tall spire of branches above the shrine. It is built each year at Pulchowk from timber, cane and rope by hereditary craftsmen. A smaller chariot carries Minnath, who travels with Rato Machhindranath.
What is Bhoto Jatra?
Bhoto Jatra is the final event of the festival at Jawalakhel, when an official holds up a jewelled vest, the bhoto, from the chariot for the crowd to see. Legend says the vest's ownership was disputed between a farmer and a serpent, and the god keeps it until its true owner claims it.
Can visitors help pull the Rato Machhindranath chariot?
The pulling is done mainly by local men organised by the festival's guthis, and the chariot is very heavy and can be dangerous. Visitors usually watch from the side. If locals invite you to join on the ropes at a quiet moment, follow their lead closely and stay away from the wheels.