By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, June 13: The chariot procession of Rato Machhindranath, the deity of good harvest and rain, has become uncertain due to the prolonged lockdown enforced to prevent the COVID-19 outbreak.
Though the procession was scheduled to begin from April 24 to May 28, this century-old cultural festival of the Kathmandu Valley has been affected by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
The chariot procession of Rato Machhindranath has been postponed since last one and a half months. Because of this difficult time, the locals are unable to build the chariot to keep the idol of the deity.
As there is no place to keep the idol, the deity is being kept at Machhindranath Bahal.
To perform the daily rituals, the main priest of Rato Machhindranath has been staying at the premises of Guthi Sansthan of Machhindra Bahal since April 24.
Had the chariot procession begun on April 24, the festival would have been completed by May 28.
The locals were scheduled to begin the construction of the chariot from April 10 after offering a holy bath to the god of rain and prosperity on April 9. However, it could not happen.
The cost of the festival this year could increase due to the coronavirus pandemic, said Guthi Sansthan, Lalitpur.
Chief of Guthi Sansthan Rajan Bhuju said the government had not yet allocated any budget to conduct the chariot procession of Rato Machhindranath.
This year, the expenditure of the festival would definitely increase compared to the previous years, he added.
Bhuju said, “It will take at least 24 days to end the chariot procession if we will shorten the rituals. If it is continued for a long period, then the festival will be ended on the day of Fulpati in Dashain.”
The event could be organised once the situation returns to normalcy, he added.
The chariot procession of Rato Machhindranath was also held after the 2015 earthquake.
Police have been providing security round the clock to guard the idol of Rato Machhindranath.