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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 carried to the chariot from Macchindrabahal to Jamal 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 a 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, he visited the holy temple. Upon his return from the temple, Yama was captured 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 appeared immediately 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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