As the biggest and longest jatra of Patan, the Rato Machhindranath Jatra begins this year, it is important to recognise that it is not merely a celebration filled with fanfare, but a tradition designed by our ancestors to carry deeper meaning.
According to legend, the story of the jatra begins when Gorakhnath came to the Valley seeking alms. The residents, preoccupied with planting season, did not attend to him. Enraged, he meditated and trapped all the nagas (serpents associated with rain). As a result, the Valley experienced prolonged drought and famine.
To resolve this crisis, the king, along with a renowned tantric, devised a plan to bring Karunamaya—also known as Lokeshwor or Machhindranath—the guru of Gorakhnath. When the guru agreed, his life force was transferred into an idol, which was then taken in a chariot procession. Upon seeing his guru, Gorakhnath rose in reverence and released the nagas, bringing rain back to the Valley. This is why Rato Machhindranath is revered as the god of rain and provider of food.
Rato Machhindranath's chariot procession begins today
Closely tied to this story is one of the most powerful demonstrations of the Valley’s culture-based water management system: the Hiti system. Commonly known as dhunge dhara, stone spouts are only one component of this sophisticated system, which includes state canals (rajkulo), ponds (pokhari), underground aquifers, and distribution channels. Together, they ensured year-round water supply, enabled groundwater recharge, and reduced urban flooding.
Traditionally, before the chariot procession begins, all major ponds in and around Patan must be filled with water. Since the jatra takes place during the dry season, this requires functional state canals. This, in turn, ensures annual maintenance of the entire water system.
The route of the procession symbolises this interconnected system. It begins at Kamalpokhari in Pulchowk and first rests at Purnachandi Pukhu in Gabahal. The chariot then stops at Nuga Hiti (Sundhara, Patan), Langa Pukhu (Lagankhel), and finally near Jawalakhel Hiti and Pukhu. Water from these sources is used in daily rituals during the procession. This demonstrates that the jatra depends on a fully functional water infrastructure.
Because of its cultural and religious significance, maintaining this infrastructure is not seen as a mundane task but as a sacred duty. This fosters strong community ownership. Moreover, beyond annual upkeep, larger maintenance works are embedded in the festival cycle itself. Every 12 years, extensive restoration is carried out, symbolised by constructing a new chariot and pulling it from Bungamati to Lalitpur.
Importantly, this system also ensures intergenerational knowledge transfer. Young people learn where water comes from and why it matters through participation, not just textbooks.
However, modern urban development in Kathmandu has largely abandoned this integrated approach. The jatra is increasingly reduced to mere festivity. Ponds have been filled for construction, underground canals have been cut by roads, and recharge zones have been ignored in land-use planning. Water is now treated as a commodity delivered through pipes rather than as a system sustained by nature and culture. Consequently, groundwater levels are falling, and the city is becoming increasingly dependent on distant and costly sources.
Learning from our ancestors, Kathmandu must move towards a more sustainable water future. Immediate actions should include recognising traditional systems not just as heritage monuments but as vital components of urban water strategy. Protecting ponds to reduce urban flooding, mapping underground canals, promoting groundwater recharge, and safeguarding aquifers must become integral to development and land-use planning. Cultural practices linked to water must also be preserved alongside physical restoration, as they ensure long-term maintenance through social engagement.
Understanding that earlier societies managed scarcity through balance rather than extraction can help reshape today’s development mindset. As we celebrate the Rato Machhindranath Jatra this year, let us pause and reflect on the profound wisdom of our ancestors.
