Rato Machhindranath Jatra is one of the longest chariots pulling festival of Patan with a plead of rain to fight drought. It is the oldest and longest festival celebrated in Patan. Someone decorates the chariots with chaplets and decorations. They make chariots with wood and bamboo in Pulchowk. When the construction is completed Lord Machhindranath’s statue is placed in the chariots. They pull the chariots starting from Pulchowk. With a route of Natole, Gabahal, Mangalbazaar, Sundhara, Langankhel, and Kumaripati. Hindus and Buddhists of the Newar community celebrate this festival. It takes place for more than one month. The festival ends at Jawalakhel by showing Bhoto (cloth). The head of the state of Nepal displays the Bhoto.
Rato Machhindranath Jatra history
The story behind Bhoto Jatra comes from a farmer who was gifted a Bhoto by the Karkotaka Nag for curing eye disease for his Queen. The farmer used to where Bhoto everywhere he goes and which cause the eyes of everybody.
One day ghost saw the farmer wearing Bhoto and secretly ghost began to follow the farmer everywhere he goes. One day farmer put aside the Bhoto to work at the farm the ghost stole and ran away. The farmer tries to chase the ghost but he was unable because the ghost was too quick. On the search for Bhoto, the farmer stumbled across the Rato Machhindra hoping the ghost was there too.
Luckily he finds the ghost wearing Bhoto among the crowd and there was a quarrel between the farmer and the ghost. The guards hold the fight and presented it to King. The King wanted to know both sides of the story of the ghost and farmers. The king gets confused about whose Bhoto it was, so the King decided it would be with the priest of Rato Macchindranath. So, they show the Bhoto o the last day of Machhindranath Jatra, which is the main reason.
