Patan - Raato Matsyendranath Jatra Festival

The major festival in Buddhist Patan is the Raato Matsyendranath Jatra to which ritual ablutions, usually performed in late April, are a prelude. Raato Matsyendranath is transferred to a sacred water-vessel whilst his image is repainted and repaired. Then the god is drawn through the city in his chariot, accompanied by numerous other deities. The chariot halts each night for worship in a different part of the city. At the end of May the procession reaches Jawlakhel. The Bhoto Jatra (Bhote Tibetan) is the highlight of the entire festival.