Kathmandu, 01 June: The sacred vest (Bhoto) of Rato Machhindranath, the deity of rain and prosperity, is being displayed today.
The Bhoto Jatra, which dates back nearly 800 years, was once known as the Jawalakhel Jatra. According to Kirtimadan Joshi, former member of the Nepal Panchang Determination Committee and long-time observer of the Bhoto Jatra rituals, the term “Jawalakhel” comes from the Newar words ja (rice) and wala (to offer), referring to the tradition of offering rice during the festival.
It is believed that the festival was originally conducted to offer food to spirits and supernatural beings.
The exact date when the Bhoto Jatra began is still unknown, according to Joshi. However, the journey of Machhindranath itself is believed to have started around 1,300 years ago.
According to legend, after the Machhindranath procession had already begun, the queen of Naga King Karkotak developed an eye ailment. In search of a healer, Karkotak mistook a farmer working in the fields for a physician and took him to the realm of the Nagas—Taudaha.
Frightened, the farmer prayed to Machhindranath, rubbed soil between his hands, and gave it to the Nagas as medicine in the form of mud. Miraculously, the queen’s eye disease was cured. As a reward, the farmer was gifted a jewel-studded vest (bhoto) and sent back to the human world.
The farmer then continued working in the fields, placing the bhoto on the edge of the field while he worked.
A spirit in human form came and took the bhoto. The farmer searched for it but could not find it. When he went to watch the Machhindranath festival, he saw that the bhoto he had received as a reward was worn by the spirit in human form, so he laid claim to it. When the spirit refused to return it, a dispute arose. Even King Karkotak of the Nagas was called to investigate. In the end, it was concluded that neither party could be the rightful owner of the bhoto, so the responsibility was given to Machhindranath.
Since then, a tradition has developed to display the bhoto after the chariot procession of Rato Machhindranath is complete, given to anyone who can provide official proof of ownership. It is believed that every year, on an auspicious date, the bhoto is shown to the public. According to legend, no one has ever been able to gather enough proof to claim the bhoto.
In recent times, representatives of the Guthi Sansthan in Lalitpur have been organizing the bhoto display ceremony in the presence of the head of state. On this occasion, the government has declared a public holiday in the Kathmandu Valley today.
