Kathmandu, Stakeholders have agreed to take Rato Machhindranath statue to Bungamati's Machhindranath Temple next Monday September 14. Traditional astrologers have set the date after measuring planetary object motions, reports Chandra Maharjan, Jyapu Samaj's chairperson, a local organization.
Locals earlier on Sunday had pulled the Machhindranath chariot as part of their annual cultural festival up to Sorhakhutte Pati. The activity, however, had only been conducted on a symbolic scale as the local administration had barred the public from gatherings to control the spread of the novel corona virus.
The activity follows a violent clash between local and police staff after the locals unilaterally tried to start the jatra on Thursday last week arguing that it was already too late to hold the annual festival that was initially scheduled to take place in April. Due to the Covid-19 spread in the city, the festival was repeatedly postponed but the locals had tried to pull the chariot despite the prohibitory order imposed to control the spread.
On Friday, the District Administration Office had placed a curfew in the city to prevent any incident that was untoward. Amid the curfew a kshama puja (worship, seeking forgiveness) had been performed by community leaders guarded by police.
The officials then decided to shorten the jatra 's daily procedure in view of the newly established situation and take the statue directly to Bungamati without keeping the important Bhoto Dekhaune Jatra.
