Seto Machhindranath Rath Yatra which started from Wednesday will continue till Sunday. Every year from the day of Chaite Dashain which is, Chaitra Shukla Ashtami, the Rath Yatra of Seto Machhindranath starts.

The Seto Machhindranath was first pulled from Chitra 15 and rest in Chaitra 17 and is taken around whole Kathamandu in 3 days. At the frist day the Chariot was pulled from Teendhaaraa Paathsaala to Asan. The second day of the journey started from Asan and ended up at Hanumandhoka Durbar area. Likewise, today, the chariot will start from Hanuman Dhoka and rests at Lagan Chowk.

The lord Seto Machhindra Nath is taken around the whole city because of the prevailing belief among the citizens that whoever takes a blessing of the Seto Machhindranath will live long.

The temple of Seto Machindranath is located in Jana Bahal(also known as Machhindra Bahal) between Asan and Indra Chowk in central Kathmandu. The temple is believed to have been established around the 10th century.

According to the myth, Lord Seto Machhindranath appeared in a pond near present-day Ranipokhari, during the regime of Yaksha Malla. Having heard a lot about Swayambhunath and its mystical powers Yamaraj came to visit the holy place so he too could go to heaven one day. As he was returning back, the king, with help from his tantric priest, captured the god of death and demanded that he make him immortal in return for his freedom. Yamraj told  the king that he couldn’t give anyone that power. The king didn’t let him go.Yamraj summoned Lord Arya Awalokiteshwor (Seto Machindranath), a manifestation of Bodhisattva, to free him from the king.

The lord, white in colour, emerged from the water and told the king that neither Yamaraj nor he could grant him immortality. The lord also told him to build a temple where the Kalmati and Bagmati rivers met. “Anyonewho visits the temple will live a long life, that’s all I can do,” the lord is said to have told the king, who had no other option but to free Yamaraj.

Photo features: