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Nepal: Bhoto Jatra Concludes Rato Machhindranath Jatra In Lalitpur

Newari women adorned in traditional Newari dress dance during Bhoto Jatra, the concluding ritual of the Rato Machhindranath Festival, in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, on June 20, 2026. The ceremony marks the formal end of the chariot procession honoring Rato Machhindranath, the rain deity revered by both Hindu and Buddhist communities across the Kathmandu Valley. The festival, one of Nepal's longest-running religious traditions, lasts from one to four months depending on lunar cycles and local rituals; historians trace its origins to roughly 1,300 years ago. Bhoto Jatra centers on the public display of a jewel-studded vest (bhoto). According to legend, the vest was given to a grateful farmer by serpent king Karkotak after the farmer cured the queen's eye ailment with a medicinal paste prepared at Taudaha; a later dispute over ownership placed the vest in Machhindranath's care. Each year the vest is shown from the chariot as an invitation for anyone with valid proof of ownership to come forward; no claimant has ever successfully proven ownership. (Photo by Safal Prakash Shrestha/NurPhoto)

Photo ID	#13862477
Date Taken	20 June 2026
Location	N/A
Photographer	Safal Prakash Shrestha/NurPhoto
Category	Human Interest
Copyright	© 2026 NurPhoto - Safal Prakash Shrestha/NurPhoto