Seto Machhendranath chariot pulling festival ends peacefully in Nepal
Rajneesh Bhandari
April 09, 2009
Last year the chariot fell down in Ratnapark, near Tudhikhel injuring 25 people. It is considered an ill omen if the chariot falls on the way during the pulling. It is believed that if such thing happens, the head of the state will face problems.
Chaitra Dahshami marks the start of the chariot festival. On the first day of the festival, the idol of Seto Machhindranath is placed in a special chariot built of cane and timber. The chariot is rolled with the help of huge wooden wheels. It took four days, this year, for the chariot to be pulled from Durbarmang to Lagan in Lalitpur. Hundreds of people joined the chariot pulling festival and thousands of people observed it.
On the first day the chariot was taken to Asan, Hanumandhoka on the second day and at Lagan in Lalitpur on the third day. At every stop people gather in crowds to pray the deity. They lighted lamps and placed offerings while the priests distributed prasad and tika. A huge procession of people pulled the chariot from one important location to the other. Vehicles were however barred in the area when the chariot was being pulled.
On the fourth day, the chariot was revolved around Lagan´s temple three times. The organizing committee is very happy to conclude the festival safely. Purna Ratna Bajracharya, the coordinator of the chariot making committee said, ´we have peacefully completed the pulling of chariot on Monday.´
The chariot was made very carefully this year´ Bajracharya said, ´Last year, one of the major reasons for the chariot to fall was the way it was improperly made. Woods used were not good.´ Bajracharya, who was also involved in the festival, stated that the bad condition of the road, the newly made sky bridge in Ratnapark, uncontrolled mass and ´bad omen´ to be the other reasons behind it.
If Bajrachaya´s words are to be believed, the 240 years old monarchy ended last year and former King had to leave his palace to live as a commoner. Likewise Indrajatra one of the famous festivals of Newar community was also affected.
But Satya Mohan Joshi, culture expert in Nepal says, ´In the old days people had such belief, but as we are in the modern age and media have flourished, I think the chariot injured 25 people last year, than anything thing.´
This year President Dr Ram Baran Yadav observed the festival for the first time as the head of the state. President Yadav went to Asan and worshipped Seto Machhendranth on the first day.
Satya Mohan Joshi said,´It is good that President Ram Baran Yadav participated in the festival. Previously Kings didn´t used to regularly visit Seto Machhendranath fesitival as they did during the Rato Machhendranath festival.´
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