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Chariot Procession Of Seto Macchindranath, Hindu God Of Rain And Harvest Starts In Nepal

The idol of Lord Macchindranath is being pictured inside the temple before it is taken out to tour around Kathmandu, following its ascension over a skyscraping chariot, in Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 16, 2024. The chariot procession, honoring the god of rain and also known as Jana Baha Dyah Jatra, involves pulling the skyscraping chariot of Seto Machindranath from place to place over the course of three days. Each day, when the chariot reaches its destination, a group of soldiers is firing their rifles into the air. According to myth, during the regime of Yakshya Malla, the King of Kantipur, people would bathe in a holy river and visit Swayambhunath, which was believed to grant the power to send people to heaven after death. When Yamraj, the God of Death, learned about the power of Swayambhunath and visited the holy temple, he was captured upon his return by King Yakshya Malla and his Guru, who possessed powers and demanded immortality. Unable to escape, Yama prayed to Arya Awalokiteshwor (Seto Machhindranath) to free him. The god heard his prayers and immediately appeared from the water, white in color with his eyes half-closed. He instructed the king to build a temple where the Kalmati and Bagmati rivers met and to organize a chariot procession so that the god could visit the people and bless them with contentment and long life. Since then, the three-day-long procession has been celebrated to honor the god. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto)

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