SATV, Kathmandu, Jun. 18 - The chariot procession of Rato Machhindranath, revered as the god of rain, was pulled from Thati Tole to Jawalakhel on Wednesday. The chariots of Rato Machhindranath and Minnath had been stationed at Thati Tole in Lalitpur since April 30.

Khima Oli, Chief of Patan Guthi Sansthan, said that the chariot pulling had been halted at Thati Tole after passing through various locations in Lalitpur city, including Gabahal, Mangalbazaar, Sundhara, and Lagankhel.

Kirti Kiran Joshi and Purna Mangal Joshi, two astrologers, fixed the auspicious date for resuming the chariot procession of Rato Machhindranath and Minnath from Thati Tole to Jawalakhel.

Machhindranath’s astrologers, seated at Sorakhutte Pati in Mani Mandap, determined the auspicious day for pulling the chariot to Jawalakhel.

The chariots of Rato Machhindranath and Minnath had remained at rest since April 30, after they were pulled by women from Lagankhel to Thati Tole on the morning of that day.

Before reaching Thati Tole, the chariots passed through several areas, including Mangalbazaar, Sundhara, Lagankhel, and Gabahal.

The Bhoto Jatra will be held four days after the chariots reach at Jawalakhel, Oli said.

The annual chariot procession of Rato Machhindranath in Lalitpur is regarded as the oldest and longest-running jatra in the Kathmandu Valley.

This year's jatra will conclude with the Bhoto exhibition ceremony held in the presence of the head of state.

The procession begins with the placement of the idol of Machhindranath inside the sanctum of the chariot, which is mounted on four large wooden wheels. The chariot and its wheels are constructed at Pulchowk.

According to historians, the festival was introduced in 879 A.D. by Narendra Deva, an ardent devotee of Rato Machhindranath, also known as Karunamaya.

Standing about 50 feet tall, the chariot forms a towering structure, making this four-wheeled vehicle a fascinating sight.