Form The Eyes of The Lens: Seto Machindranath Jatra

Seto Machhendra Nath or
White faced Arya Avalokiteshwara

Seto Machindranath Jatra

Seto Machindranath, also known as White Machindranath, Aryavalokitesvara, is a deity worshiped by the Hindus and Buddhists in Nepal. The temple of Seto Machindranath is located in Jana Bahal (also known as Machhindra Bahal). Seto Machindranath is worshipped by the Hindus as the god of rain and the Buddhists worship the deity as an aspect of Avalokiteshvara.

Every year the deity is placed in a chariot (also known as Rath) and the chariot is pulled around Kathmandu. This festival is known as Jana Baha Dyah Jatra. The deity is bathed and repainted every year as a ritual that symbolizes the changes occurring throughout our lives.

Main highlight of this event is that the living goddess Kumari attends this ritual.

During the festival, the image of the white faced Jana Bahal Dyah is removed from his temple at Jana Bahal and carried in a portable shrine to Durbar Marg from where the actual procession starts. There it is installed in the chariot built in the shape of a tower on wheels. The chariot is 48 ft high.

The chariot procession festival of Seto Machindranath is celebrated during the month of Chaitra. This is a three days long festival. The chariot of Seto Machindranath is pulled from place to place during these three days. Each day when the chariot has reached its destination a group of soldiers fire their rifles into the air.

On the first day the deity is brought to Jamal by the priests. Then it is pulled to Asan, Kathmandu via Ratna Park and Bhotahity. The next day it is pulled from Asan Kathmandu to Hanumandokha. Finally it is pulled to Lagan tole via Maruhity and Jaisideval to Machhendranath Temple. It is also believed that the temple of Machhendranath Temple is mother of Seto Machhendra Nath. During all three days people come and pay their respect to the god.

The three-day parade is one of the two great chariot festivals in Kathmandu, the other being Kumari Jatra or Indra Jatra during Yenya Puni. The date of the chariot procession of Jana Baha Dyah is changeable as it is celebrated according to the lunar calendar.

Similar chariot processions known as Bunga Dyah Jatra are celebrated in Lalitpur and Dolakha in April-May.