LALITPUR. Why and when did Rato Machhindranath's rath yatra, which has been held for a long time in the valley, be celebrated? Are you curious about who will bring the Rath Yatra into vogue?
There is such an interesting legend about Machhindranath Rath Yatra. According to the legend, when the people of Kantipur did not give alms to Gorakhnath who came to beg, he made the rain snake his seat. After searching for a solution to the famine without rain for 12 years, Guru Machhindranath of Gorakhna was brought to Kantipur.
Accordingly, while carrying Machhindranath from Kamarukamakshe in Assam to Kantipur, farmer Lalit spent the night in Patan, believing that if he could keep Machhindranath in Patan, he would be able to live in the same place and bring happiness to the people of Patan. It was late at night and Guru persuaded Narendra Dev, the king of Bhaktapur, to stay in Patan today. After everyone was asleep, she went to the king of Patan and told him the whole story and tried to keep Machhindranath there. Accordingly, on the same night, the king of Patan and the king and master of Bhaktapur were besieged. When they found out that they were being held hostage, there was a dispute between the king of Bhaktapur and the king of Patan.
When no solution was found, a solution was found. It was agreed that whatever the Thakali decides, it will be acceptable. Manipulating that again, farmer Lalit put a little salt in the curd and ate it. Thakali was informed that there was salt in the curd only after eating it. Forced to straighten the salt, Thakali decided to keep Machhindranath in Patan.
When he found out that Machhindranath had been brought to Patan, Gorakhnath got up to visit his guru Machhindranath and the snakes in his seat went around. Then it rained and it rained again. In remembrance of this, Machhindranath's procession has been celebrated with grandeur every year. The people of Patan believe that the impact of the pilgrimage will ease any difficult situation. As the king of Bhaktapur and the guru of Kathmandu helped to bring Machhindranath to the valley, the people of Bhaktapur and Kathmandu also come and pull the chariot during the chariot journey. The people of Lalitpur are responsible for pulling the chariot from Sundhara to Lagankhel. They pull chariots in the name of farmer Lalit.
According to the senior citizens, all the three districts of the valley used to be involved in the procession. In the rath yatra starting from Pulchowk, it is the responsibility of the people of Bhaktapur to pull the chariot up to Gahbahal, while it is the responsibility of the people of Kathmandu to pull the chariot from Gahbahal to Sundhara. Devotees and Kathmanduites have stopped coming to pull the chariot for a long time. The people of Patan used to drag from Sundhara to Lagankhel. Jyapu Samaj Yal has been pulling chariots for a decade. The procession starts from Pulchowk and reaches Jawalakhel via Gahbahal, Mangalbazar, Thattitol and Lagankhel. On the fourth day of Jawalakhel, there is a procession to show Bhoto according to the site. It is believed that the procession ended after the completion of the show of hands before the head of state.
