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

Devotees are watching the chariot procession of Seto Macchindranath, the lord of rain and harvest, as it climbs the stairs of an overhead sky bridge in Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 16, 2024. The procession, which honors the god of rain, is also known as Jana Baha Dyah Jatra. A towering chariot of Seto Machindranath is being pulled 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. Once Yamraj, the God of Death, learned of the power of Swayambhunath and visited the holy temple. Upon his return from the temple, Yama was captured by King Yakshya Malla and his Guru, who demanded immortality. Unable to escape, Yama prayed to Arya Awalokiteshwor (Seto Machhindranath) for freedom. 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, people have been celebrating this three-day-long procession to honor the god. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto)

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