Seto Macchindranath Jatra: Nepal’s Gravity Defying Chariot Festival

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Seto Macchindranath Jatra: Nepal’s Gravity Defying Chariot Festival

Devotees pull the chariot of Seto Macchindranath in Kathmandu, Nepal, on March 26, 2026. The annual chariot festival of Seto Machhindranath begins after the idol of Arya Avalokiteshvara is placed on a chariot prepared at Tri Dhara Pathshala and brought from Machhindrabahal. The festival, also known as Karunamaya and Arya Avalokiteshvara, honors the deity believed to bring rainfall and prosperity. As part of the tradition, the chariot is taken around the city so elderly residents of the Kathmandu Valley can receive blessings from the deity. The procession starts from Janabahal before the idol is placed on the chariot at Jamal for the city tour. The chariot passes through several parts of the city, including Ratna Park, Bhotahiti, Asan, Indra Chowk, Hanuman Dhoka, and other surrounding areas before concluding at Lagan Tole. According to tradition, the festival concludes after the chariot is taken three rounds around the house of Machhindranath's mother located in Lagan. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto)


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