Festival of Rato Machhendranath

When my colleges asked me the other day if I want to join them for this festival, they withheld to me an important information… the rest of Nepal was coming as well..

When I arrived to the spot, totally unprepared for what was about to happened, the whole scene looked very innocent, just few people around and some media waiting for an action. Considering the flexibility of nepali time, it took a while for things to get moving..

Hour later, out of a sudden EVERYONE was there.. My colleges disappeared and I was in a middle of this massive crowd that came out of a nowhere.. For about 15 minutes the situation was seriously out of my hands and I was thinking how in the world I let this happened...

I was no longer concerned about shooting, which doesn’t happen often, I just wanted to get out. I was standing on legs and other body parts that were not mine and was hoping that after I do get knock to the ground my camera and lenses will survive. I was in a river of people that was dragging me along to whom knows where in conditions reminding an oven - that’s how hot it is in here.

I got spit out by the crowd at one point, and thank God made it without any loss or breakage of equipment. I got enough of crowds for that day and found a roof to claim on, on the side of the road where the procession was headed to. It’s very impressive how welcoming are local people when it comes to access to their homes. It seems like anyone gladly opens up their apartment during a festival and lets strangers to use their balcony or their roof top, to watch the parade from.

I was able to breathe again, get some water and a fresh air (if there is anything that can be called that way in Kathmandu) and actually got to enjoy the biggest festival I’ve ever seen.
I found out afterwards that it was the God of rain - Rato Machhendranath - that was carried across the town in that huge chariot.

This festivity that already started a month ago, wasn’t quite over that day. It continued a couple days later, with attendance of Nepali President and the living Goddess of Patan, Kumari. (I will share in more depth later on.)

I certainly underestimated preparation for one of the most important annual celebrations in Nepal, to welcome the upcoming monsoon (rainy) season. Now I know..