Red Machhindranath Chariot Procession Successfully Concluded

5 Baisakh, Kathmandu — The chariot procession of Red Machhindranath, revered as the deity of rain and cooperation, was held on Saturday. Every year, on the day of Baisakh Shukla Paksha Pratipada, an auspicious time is chosen to ceremoniously place Machhindranath on the chariot. This year, since the date fell on Saturday, the procession was conducted accordingly. The festival is considered officially started once the idol of Machhindranath is moved from Lalitpur’s Ta Bahal to the chariot constructed at Pulchok and installed there.

There is a tradition of keeping Machhindranath’s idol at Ta Bahal in Patan for six months and in Bungamati for the other six months. Accordingly, the idol was placed at Ta Bahal temple last Mangsir. The chariot of Machhindranath is 32 haath long and 48 feet tall. After placing the idol on the chariot, it is pulled and installed at Pulchok for three days, after which the chariot procession continues the following day from Pulchok to Ga Bahal.

The established route of the chariot goes from Ga Bahal to Mangalbazar, then Sundhara, Lagankhel, and finally to Jawalakhel. Traditionally, the king used to conclude the festival by showing the sacred vestment (bhoto) at Jawalakhel; nowadays, the president also participates in this event. After the Bhoto festival concludes, the Machhindranath idol is placed back on the ancient artistic platform and ceremoniously taken with cultural music from Jawalakhel back to Machhindranath Bahal in Bungamati. The Red Machhindranath chariot festival, the longest in the valley, begins on Baisakh Shukla Paksha Pratipada and lasts until Asar Shukla Chauthi, spanning nearly two months.