"Life-Style"

#13903326

29 Jun 2026

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.

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#13903327

29 Jun 2026

The idol of Rato Machhindranath is seen inside the reconstructed Rato Machhindranath Temple in Bungamati, Lalitpur, Nepal, on June 29, 2026. Revered locally as Bungadyo, Rato Machhindranath is worshipped by both Hindu and Buddhist communities as the deity of rain, harvest, prosperity, and communal well-being 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 centuries-old Newar settlement of Bungamati and its cultural heritage. The reconstruction took nearly a decade and combined traditional craftsmanship, archaeological documentation, and extensive collaboration among local communities, heritage experts, and government agencies. Following the completion of major reconstruction works, the idol, which had been housed in a temporary shrine since the earthquake, was ceremonially reinstalled inside the rebuilt temple in 2025. 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 important religious celebrations. Historians trace the tradition back more than 1,300 years, making the temple a significant symbol of Nepal's living cultural and religious heritage.

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#13903328

29 Jun 2026

The idol of Rato Machhindranath is seen inside the reconstructed Rato Machhindranath Temple in Bungamati, Lalitpur, Nepal, on June 29, 2026. Revered locally as Bungadyo, Rato Machhindranath is worshipped by both Hindu and Buddhist communities as the deity of rain, harvest, prosperity, and communal well-being 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 centuries-old Newar settlement of Bungamati and its cultural heritage. The reconstruction took nearly a decade and combined traditional craftsmanship, archaeological documentation, and extensive collaboration among local communities, heritage experts, and government agencies. Following the completion of major reconstruction works, the idol, which had been housed in a temporary shrine since the earthquake, was ceremonially reinstalled inside the rebuilt temple in 2025. 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 important religious celebrations. Historians trace the tradition back more than 1,300 years, making the temple a significant symbol of Nepal's living cultural and religious heritage.

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#13903329

29 Jun 2026

The idol of Rato Machhindranath is seen inside the reconstructed Rato Machhindranath Temple in Bungamati, Lalitpur, Nepal, on June 29, 2026. Revered locally as Bungadyo, Rato Machhindranath is worshipped by both Hindu and Buddhist communities as the deity of rain, harvest, prosperity, and communal well-being 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 centuries-old Newar settlement of Bungamati and its cultural heritage. The reconstruction took nearly a decade and combined traditional craftsmanship, archaeological documentation, and extensive collaboration among local communities, heritage experts, and government agencies. Following the completion of major reconstruction works, the idol, which had been housed in a temporary shrine since the earthquake, was ceremonially reinstalled inside the rebuilt temple in 2025. 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 important religious celebrations. Historians trace the tradition back more than 1,300 years, making the temple a significant symbol of Nepal's living cultural and religious heritage.

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#13903330

29 Jun 2026

The idol of Rato Machhindranath is seen inside the reconstructed Rato Machhindranath Temple in Bungamati, Lalitpur, Nepal, on June 29, 2026. Revered locally as Bungadyo, Rato Machhindranath is worshipped by both Hindu and Buddhist communities as the deity of rain, harvest, prosperity, and communal well-being 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 centuries-old Newar settlement of Bungamati and its cultural heritage. The reconstruction took nearly a decade and combined traditional craftsmanship, archaeological documentation, and extensive collaboration among local communities, heritage experts, and government agencies. Following the completion of major reconstruction works, the idol, which had been housed in a temporary shrine since the earthquake, was ceremonially reinstalled inside the rebuilt temple in 2025. 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 important religious celebrations. Historians trace the tradition back more than 1,300 years, making the temple a significant symbol of Nepal's living cultural and religious heritage.

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#13903331

29 Jun 2026

The idol of Rato Machhindranath is seen inside the reconstructed Rato Machhindranath Temple in Bungamati, Lalitpur, Nepal, on June 29, 2026. Revered locally as Bungadyo, Rato Machhindranath is worshipped by both Hindu and Buddhist communities as the deity of rain, harvest, prosperity, and communal well-being 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 centuries-old Newar settlement of Bungamati and its cultural heritage. The reconstruction took nearly a decade and combined traditional craftsmanship, archaeological documentation, and extensive collaboration among local communities, heritage experts, and government agencies. Following the completion of major reconstruction works, the idol, which had been housed in a temporary shrine since the earthquake, was ceremonially reinstalled inside the rebuilt temple in 2025. 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 important religious celebrations. Historians trace the tradition back more than 1,300 years, making the temple a significant symbol of Nepal's living cultural and religious heritage.

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#13903332

29 Jun 2026

The idol of Rato Machhindranath is seen inside the reconstructed Rato Machhindranath Temple in Bungamati, Lalitpur, Nepal, on June 29, 2026. Revered locally as Bungadyo, Rato Machhindranath is worshipped by both Hindu and Buddhist communities as the deity of rain, harvest, prosperity, and communal well-being 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 centuries-old Newar settlement of Bungamati and its cultural heritage. The reconstruction took nearly a decade and combined traditional craftsmanship, archaeological documentation, and extensive collaboration among local communities, heritage experts, and government agencies. Following the completion of major reconstruction works, the idol, which had been housed in a temporary shrine since the earthquake, was ceremonially reinstalled inside the rebuilt temple in 2025. 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 important religious celebrations. Historians trace the tradition back more than 1,300 years, making the temple a significant symbol of Nepal's living cultural and religious heritage.

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#13903334

29 Jun 2026

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.

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#13903333

29 Jun 2026

The idol of Hayagriva Bhairav is seen inside its temple in the Bungamati temple premises in Lalitpur, Nepal, on June 29, 2026. Hayagriva Bhairav is revered as a guardian deity in both Hindu and Vajrayana Buddhist traditions, worshipped as a protector figure associated with wisdom and strength. The deity is depicted in a wrathful form, combining attributes linked to Shiva with horse-headed iconography associated with Vishnu or Avalokitesvara traditions, reflecting the religious syncretism of the Kathmandu Valley. Locals of Bungamati regard Hayagriva Bhairav as a protective guardian of the settlement, often referred to as a ''Maharaja,'' believed to safeguard the community from misfortune. The temple, located within the historic Newar town, holds cultural significance and is linked to traditional rituals and community beliefs. According to local folklore, the deity is associated with protecting residents during times of invasion, reinforcing his role as a guardian figure in Bungamati's cultural memory.

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#13880736

25 Jun 2026

SHANGHAI, CHINA - JUNE 8: A wooden tourist cruise boat decorated with festive red ribbons and bows sits moored along a calm canal in Jinze Ancient Town, Qingpu District, Shanghai, China, on June 8, 2026.

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#13880735

25 Jun 2026

SHANGHAI, CHINA - JUNE 8: A view of a traditional green cast-iron China Post mailbox (Youzheng Xingang) on a street in Jinze Ancient Town, Qingpu District, Shanghai, China, on June 8, 2026.

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#13880720

25 Jun 2026

SHANGHAI, CHINA - JUNE 8: A traditional wooden awning boat floats moored near the riverbank, framed by blooming purple water canna flowers and historic white-walled residential buildings lining a canal in Jinze Ancient Town, Qingpu District, Shanghai, China, on June 8, 2026. This well-preserved water town on the city's outskirts retains its classic Jiangnan-style architecture and interconnected canal networks, illustrating the region's historic reliance on waterways for local trade, transport, and daily village life.

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#13880723

25 Jun 2026

SHANGHAI, CHINA - JUNE 8: A freshly prepared dish of yellow catfish in a golden, savory broth (Jintang Angciyu) is served in a white ceramic pot at a restaurant in Jinze Ancient Town, Qingpu District, Shanghai, China, on June 8, 2026. The traditional Chinese dish features tender pieces of catfish simmered with preserved mustard greens (suancai) and topped with sliced red and green chili peppers, garlic, and scallions.

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#13880733

25 Jun 2026

SHANGHAI, CHINA - JUNE 8: A traditional wooden awning boat floats moored along the stone banks of a canal, positioned in front of the historic three-arch Tianwangge Bridge in Jinze Ancient Town, Qingpu District, Shanghai, China, on June 8, 2026. Known as the "Town of Bridges," Jinze boasts a dense network of ancient waterways and well-preserved stone structures from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, showcasing classic Jiangnan water town architecture and a slower-paced rural lifestyle on the urban periphery of Shanghai.

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#13877878

24 Jun 2026

ZHANGJIAJIE, CHINA - JUNE 6: Detailed view of traditional Chinese Baijiu liquor bottles, featuring striking historical illustrations and prominent retro-style branding, on display inside a retail store in Yongding District, Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, China, on June 6, 2026. The clear glass bottles prominently showcase vintage propaganda-style artwork of working citizens alongside a large '1947' year stamp and handwritten retail price tags. These classic spirits reflect a widespread domestic consumer preference for nostalgia-driven product packaging and traditional alcoholic beverages in local commercial marketplaces.

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#13877131

24 Jun 2026

ZHANGJIAJIE, CHINA - JUNE 4: A whimsical, cartoon-styled tourist sightseeing monorail train seen alongside a paved walking path used by visitors inside the scenic Ten-Mile Gallery valley at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan Province, China, on June 4, 2026.

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