Rato Machindranath Jatra is one of the oldest and most popular festivals celebrated in Nepal. It is most celebrated by the Newari population, held in Patan, Nepal. The Newaris also call it Bunga Dyah Jatra. This jatra is celebrated in April-May, Baisak (Nepali lunar calendar), and it is a month long festival.
This festival is dedicated to Machindranath, the god of compassion and rain in the Newari culture. Rato, meaning red, the color of the deity’s idol. The tall chariot is made for the deity to sit in while it is taken in procession around the streets of Lalitpur. His idol is brought from Khokhana and kept inside the chariot while hundreds of people gather in order to pull the chariot slowly through the city. The chariot is heavily decorated, which shows the respect for the deity and the skills of the craftsmen who built it. Alongside that, a smaller Chariot of Minnath is pulled along. Minnath is one of the most revered gods of the Newari community. People pulling the heavy chariot take multiple days to reach the destination where the Machindranath’s idol is kept in a temple. His idol is kept in the temple for 6 months, until it is taken back to Khokhana.
As the legend goes, during the time of Licchavi King Narendra Dev, a 12-year-long drought struck the Kathmandu Valley. The people suffered greatly due to this as crops withered away, people starved, and no rituals could bring back the rain. Desperate, the king went to an astrologer to find the cause of this catastrophe, and it was revealed that Gorakhnath had captured the Nagas (serpent deities who controlled rain). He did so as he was angry with the inhabitants of the valley, who did not give him food as they didn’t recognize him. Finding no other way to calm down Gorakhnath, his advisors suggested bringing Rato Machindranath (teacher of Gorakhnath), who was in Assam, to the valley. The King and a Newari farmer took on this task to bring the deity to Kathmandu from Assam. After their arduous journey, they were able to convince Rato Machindranath to go to the Valley. Gorakhnath, sensing that his teacher was there, stood up to pay his respects, setting the Nagas free, and so the rains returned. To honor him and show their piety, the people built a large chariot to pull the deity, blessing everyone. This has become an annual tradition in which devotees build a chariot for Rato Machindranath and pull it through the streets of Lalitpur.
People dance, sing traditional songs, show cultural performances, and worship in this period. This is a time when families gather to pray for the prosperity of the land they live in. They perform rituals and sing hymns, and play traditional instruments. They come as a community, reconnecting with each other, eating together, and celebrating the festival with great joy. The Lakheys dance to the tune of the music, and people offer them food, water, and alcohol. At the climax of the festival, Bhoto Jatra, another ritual is done. A bejeweled vest (bhoto) is shown to everyone from the chariot in all directions. High level officials like the prime minister come to attend this moment.
It is said that the vest was a sacred ornament given by the serpent king to a farmer who managed to cure his wife of an ailment. Later on, the farmer lost the vest, and it sparked a dispute between people over who the vest belonged to. King Narendra Dev, being aware of this issue, gave the vest to Rato Machindranath. Since then, every year, the vest is displayed to the crowd, symbolizing the unresolved conflict, and to find the true owner of the vest. Kumari, the living goddess, also comes to view this moment from her own place. This whole ritual represents fairness and accountability.
This festival shows the connection between the culture and its people, as everyone from farmers to government officials comes together to make this festival possible. It shows the rich religious and cultural moments of Nepali people, and their deep historical importance. It fosters the collectiveness of the people who come together to eat, drink, dance, have fun, and make bonds.
image source – Wikipedia