Rato Machindranath Jatra in Patan

Rato Machindranath Jatra is the longest and one of the most important festivals in Nepal — Patan's weeks-long chariot procession of the rain god Rato Machindranath, culminating in the famous Bhoto Jatra display. A towering, swaying wooden chariot, the tallest of its kind in the country, is hauled through the old streets of Patan to bring rain and a good harvest. It is a centrepiece of the Newari festivals and jatras of the Kathmandu Valley.

What the festival celebrates

The festival honours Rato Machindranath (also called Bunga Dyah), a red-faced deity worshipped as the god of rain and harvest by both Hindus and Buddhists. To Buddhists he is a form of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion; to Hindus he is linked with the rain. The chariot procession is held so that the monsoon arrives on time and the harvest is abundant — a vital concern in an agrarian valley.

When it falls

Rato Machindranath Jatra begins in spring, usually around April or May, and unfolds over several weeks — often more than a month — which makes it the longest festival in Nepal. The chariot is pulled in stages between neighbourhoods, with rest days between, so the exact route and timing change as the festival progresses. Dates follow the lunar calendar, so confirm before you travel and pair your trip with our best time to visit Nepal guide.

How and where it is celebrated

A huge chariot is built at Pulchowk in Patan from wood, bamboo and vines, with a spire reaching well over 15 metres. Teams of devotees drag it through Patan's narrow lanes in stages, halting at traditional resting points, until it reaches Jawalakhel for the finale. The deity's image is brought from its temple in Bungamati village, and once every twelve years the entire chariot journey starts from Bungamati instead of Patan in a special, larger celebration.

The grand climax is the Bhoto Jatra, when a sacred jewel-studded black vest (bhoto) is held up and shown to the crowd on all four sides of the chariot, a centuries-old ritual that settles a legendary dispute over the vest's rightful ownership.

What travellers will see

Expect the colossal chariot creaking and leaning over the rooftops as crowds haul it forward; tense moments when it sways or its great wheels jam in the lanes; offerings, music and incense along the route; and, at Jawalakhel, the formal Bhoto display before a packed field. The medieval setting of Patan's temples and courtyards makes it deeply atmospheric.

Tips for visitors

• Check the current chariot location locally, as it moves in stages over weeks rather than on a single fixed day.
• Go to Jawalakhel for the Bhoto Jatra finale if you want the single biggest crowd moment.
• Keep clear of the wheels and ropes — the chariot is enormous and can lurch suddenly.
• Be respectful around the deity and ritual objects; read our Nepal culture and etiquette guide before close-up photos.

Rato Machindranath is the spring counterpart in Patan to Kathmandu's Indra Jatra and Bhaktapur's Bisket Jatra, and it overlaps with the Newar feast day Sithi Nakha. See where it sits in the full festival calendar of Nepal.