Editorial photo #11222997 Religion and Belief

Rato Machhindranath Chariot Ascension In Nepal

The idol of Lord Rato Machhindranath, also known as the ''Red God,'' is being taken out from Machhindrabahal as the procession to place the idol in the towering chariot officially begins in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 9, 2024. Nepal's ''Red God,'' commonly known as Rato Machhindranath, the lord of rain and harvest, is being placed atop a 32-foot-tall chariot that is set to tour around the city for weeks. The chariot procession of Rato Machhendranath, also known as ''Bunga Dugh'' in Newari, meaning the God of Rain and Harvest, is the longest Jatra in Nepal and can last for months, depending largely on astronomical observations. A 32-foot-tall chariot for Rato Machhendranath is constructed annually by the Newar community using wooden beams and precise adjustments to the shrine sanctum, all without using a single nail. It takes the community about a week to build it, and it is given a final touch-up with decorations before the idol of the lord is placed in the chariot. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto)