PM Koirala observes

Breaking the 238-year-old tradition of the shah dynasty, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala observed the final day of the traditional Rato Machhindranath Jatra (Bhoto Jatra) in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, on Sunday evening.

PM Koirala, as the acting head of state, participated in the jatra. Earlier, the king used to be the chief guest at the concluding ceremonies of the jatra.

A squad of Nepal Army (NA) presented guard of honour to the PM Koirala when he arrived at Jawalakhel to observe Bhoto Jatra. Speaker Subash Nemwang, Chief Justice Dilip Poudel, Home minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula and some ministers were also present there.

The Jatra also marked the end of even the “cultural right” of the king who has been stripped off all powers by the Interim Constitution.

Meanwhile, thousands of devotees had gathered in Jawlakhel to witness the historical event and to offer their prayers to the god Rato Machhindranath, the god is also known as a rain god.

This Jatra, the longest one in the country—concludes Sunday.

According to a myth, Nag Raja Karkotak of Taudaha had presented a jewel-studded bhoto to a local curer for treating his queen’s eyes. The curer lost the bhoto while working in his fields. Later, when he went to see the Machhindranath jatra he spotted a ghost wearing it and a scuffle ensued between the two over the bhoto.

The matter reached to the king Guna Kama Dev, even he could not reach a decision regarding its ownership due to lack of ample evidence and ordered the bhoto to be kept in the chariot of Machindranath until someone came up with evidence. Since then, the bhoto is displayed every year by the king with the hope that someone might prove his ownership of the bhoto.