The historic Rato Machhindranath Chariot Festival revered as a symbol of rain and good harvest, officially concluded today with the ceremonial release of a pair of sparrows and fish, symbolizing the end of the festival. According to local tradition, the release of these creatures serves as a message to Lord Indra in heaven, signaling the completion of the festival.
Kiran Sthapit, a local from Patan, explained the significance of the ritual. “It is believed that the end of the Rato Machhindranath festival must be communicated to Lord Indra in heaven. To send this message, we release a pair of sparrows into the sky and a pair of fish into the Saptapatal Pond, symbolically informing the heavens and the netherworld,” he said.
The ritual began early in the morning with a sacrifice ceremony at Batuk Bhairav Temple, where the sparrows were blessed with sacred rites before being released. This ritual marked the final step in the chariot festival’s conclusion.
The Rato Machhindranath Chariot Festival, which began on May 9th this year with the installation of the deity’s idol on the chariot in Pulchowk, officially ended on August 4th, the day the sacred Bhoto was displayed. As per tradition, the chariot was then taken to Bungamati, where the idol was placed in its designated resting place.
This festival, which has a history of over 1,600 years, is one of the most prominent in the Kathmandu Valley. It typically begins on the first day of the lunar month of Baisakh and continues until the fourth day of the lunar month of Asar, lasting nearly two months.
