Editorial photo #13903334 Human Interest
Nepal: Daily Life In Bungamati
The reconstructed Rato Machhindranath Temple is seen in Bungamati, Lalitpur, Nepal, on June 29, 2026. Dedicated to Rato Machhindranath, locally known as Bungadyo and revered as the deity of rain, harvest, and prosperity in the Kathmandu Valley, the historic Shikhar-style temple was rebuilt after being destroyed in the 7.8-magnitude Gorkha earthquake of April 2015, which severely damaged the historic Newar settlement of Bungamati and its cultural heritage. The nearly decade-long reconstruction combined traditional craftsmanship, archaeological documentation, and extensive collaboration among local communities, heritage experts, and government agencies. The idol of Rato Machhindranath, which had been housed in a temporary shrine since the earthquake, was ceremonially reinstalled inside the rebuilt temple in 2025 following the completion of major reconstruction works. Bungamati is regarded as the ancestral home of Rato Machhindranath and serves as the starting and ending point of the centuries-old Rato Machhindranath chariot festival, one of the Kathmandu Valley's most significant religious celebrations. Historians trace the tradition back more than 1,300 years, with the deity revered by both Hindu and Buddhist communities as a symbol of rainfall, agricultural abundance, and communal well-being. (Photo by Safal Prakash Shrestha/NurPhoto)
