Editorial photo #13843918 Human Interest

Rato Macchindranath: Pulled To The Last Spot, Nepal's Longest Chariot Festival Will Soon Be Over

Nepali devotees pull the chariot of Lord Rato Macchindranath, known as Nepal's red god, to its final destination for the year in Lalitpur, Nepal, on June 17, 2026. The 32-foot-tall chariot is brought to Jawalakhel, where it will be dismantled after the Bhoto Jatra procession. The Rato Macchindranath Chariot Festival, which spans weeks and is influenced by astrology, begins between late April and early June. According to the lunar calendar, it starts on the 4th day of the bright fortnight of Bachhala, the seventh month in the lunar Nepal Sambat calendar, although this year it did not align with the usual timing. The festival, also known as ''Bunga Dugh'' in Newari, meaning the God of Rain and Harvest, is the longest Jatra in Nepal, lasting for months based on astronomical calculations. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto)