Celebrating the Rato Machhindranath festival in Lalitpur

Devotees pull the chariot of Rato Machhindranath, the deity revered as the god of rain and compassion, during the annual Rato Machhindranath Jatra in Lalitpur. The festival begins on April 18–19, 2026, and concludes on June 20, 2026.

The chariot procession was established to celebrate the arrival of Bunga Dyah in Nepal and the end of a devastating drought. According to tradition, the festival began during the reign of King Narendra Deva (640–683 AD).

This centuries-old festival is one of the longest and most important chariot processions in Nepal, attracting thousands of devotees who pray for timely rainfall, prosperity, and a good harvest.

The chariot procession starts at Pulchok and passes through Gabahal, Mangal Bazar, Hakha, Sundhara, Chakrabahil, and Lagankhel before ending at Jawalakhel.

The procession concludes at the open grounds of Jawalakhel, located on the western side of Lalitpur. There, the festivities culminate with the Bhoto Jatra ceremony, during which a bhoto (a traditional Nepali vest) is displayed to the public.

After the Bhoto Jatra ceremony at Jawalakhel, the idol of Rato Machhindranath is taken back to Bungamati, where it remains for six months of the year. The festival officially ends on June 20, 2026.