INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:

KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 4 Chariot Procession Management Taskforce and Jyapu Samaj performed Kshama Puja at Pulchowk, in Lalitpur,

today. Priests performing Kshama Puja, a religious repentance for failure to proceed ahead with the chariot procession of the Rain God Rato

Machhindranath amid curfew, at Pulchowk, Lalitpur, on Friday, September 4, 2020.Naresh Shrestha / THT The religious ceremony was held in the

presence of priests and concerned officials amid curfew clamped by the Lalitpur District Administration Office following a violent clash

between the locals and riot police on Thursday

A meeting of the taskforce and Jyapu Samaj had decided last night to perform the Kshama Puja to seek forgiveness for the sins that people

might have committed. They reached a consensus to complete all rituals of Rato Machhindranath from the same place where the irate youths had

pulled the chariot yesterday

The chariot is being guarded by security personnel. The clash had erupted after the police used force on hundreds of youths, who had

gathered in Pulchowk and started pulling the chariot of Rato Machhindranath, despite lsquo;repeated requests from the local administration

and police to avoid religious activities during the ongoing battle against the COVID pandemic

The event had been halted for the past one month due to the lockdown imposed by the government. Saroj Thapaliya, spokesperson for Guthi

Sansthan, said the taskforce, Jyapu Samaj and other stakeholders had reached an agreement with the authorities to perform the rituals

Priests will confirm the auspicious hour and day for taking the idol of Rato Machhindranath to Bungmati from Pulchowk on September 7

A member of the taskforce said the auspicious hour for lifting the idol from the chariot of the rain god might be scheduled for September

11. Malamash (Nepali month during which any auspicious work is not done as per the lunar calendar) begins from Asoj 2 (September 18) and

hence the idol should be taken to Bungmati, its destination, before the beginning of the lsquo;month of misery

Dashain festival begins after the end of Malamash

As per the legend, the chariot should be in place in its Bungmati-based temple for the celebration of Dashain. Guthi Sansthan has decided to

withhold Bhoto Jatra this year. It is also called the festival of displaying the Bhoto mdash; a jewel-studded vest mdash; of the rain god to

thousands of devotees in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, at the presence of the head of the state

It used to be celebrated on the fourth day of the chariot of Rato Machhindranath reaching Jawalakhel or the last day of the chariot

procession. The post Kshama Puja performed amid curfew a day after devotees clashed with cops at Pulchwok appeared first on The Himalayan

Times.