"enduring settlements."

#13858744

20 Jun 2026

Nepali devotees carry the palanquin of Rato Machhindranath while lighting haystacks and carrying straw torches during a procession welcoming the deity back to Bungamati, Lalitpur, on June 20, 2026, following the completion of Bhoto Jatra in Jawalakhel. The ritual marks the final return journey of the rain deity to his temple, with devotees lighting fires along the route--particularly near the Nakkhu bridge--as a symbolic gesture of devotion, purification, and protection, believed to ward off misfortune and guide the deity safely home after the extended chariot procession. The procession is part of one of the longest and most significant Newar festivals in the Kathmandu Valley, during which the towering wooden chariot of Rato Machhindranath is pulled through historic settlements including Pulchowk, Gabahal, Mangal Bazaar, Lagankhel, and Bungamati through the collective efforts of local guthis and community groups. The festival concludes with Bhoto Jatra, the ceremonial display of the sacred jewel-studded vest (bhoto), a ritual rooted in legend. According to oral tradition, serpent king Karkotak rewarded a farmer with the vest after he cured the queen's eye ailment using a herbal paste. When a dispute later arose over its ownership, the vest was entrusted to Machhindranath. Since then, it has been publicly displayed each year in the hope that its rightful owner will come forward. Despite centuries of tradition, no claimant has ever successfully proven ownership, reinforcing the bhoto's enduring mystery and sacred significance in Nepal's cultural heritage.

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#13633125

26 Apr 2026

Nyatapola Temple in Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Nepal, is seen on April 26, 2026, during the government-declared weekly holiday introduced for fuel-saving measures. The 17th-century five-storey pagoda-style temple, built in 1702 AD by King Bhupatindra Malla and dedicated to Goddess Siddhi Lakshmi, is one of the tallest and most refined examples of Newar architecture in the Kathmandu Valley. The structure rises above Taumadhi Square with its five-tiered roof and guardian stone figures at each level, symbolizing strength and protection. Located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the temple remains a major cultural and religious landmark, reflecting enduring heritage and traditional craftsmanship.

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