The Rato Machhindranath, worshipped as the God of Rain and Harvest, was taken to Bungamati in Lalitpur in the noon today.
Tradition has it that the deity is taken to Bungamati for six months before the onset of winter and the deity resides in Patan for another six months.
But due to the risks of the second wave of COVID-19 and the new variant of highly infectious Coronavirus being confirmed in the country, Rato Machhindranath has been brought to Bungamati at around 3 pm, informed Yagyaratna Shakya, Chairperson of the Battis Paneju Sangh.
The chariot of Rato Machhindranath was pulled and other rituals were also conducted in a symbolic manner this year in view of the rapidly surging COVID-19 cases in the country.
The deity will be housed in a temporary shelter in Bungamati, shared Shakya. The Rato Machhindranath Temple in Bungamati, which had sustained damages in the Gorkha Earthquake, is under the process of reconstruction.
The locals of Bungamati had jubilantly welcomed Rato Machhindranath idol while observing all the health safety precautions against COVID-19, said Shakya, adding that the priests of the Sangh will perform daily worship of the deity turn by turn.
Jyapu Samaj’s President Chandra Maharjan expressed his happiness for performing the rituals such as chariot procession and taking Rato Machhindranath to Bungamati amid the ongoing crisis.
Precautions were observed to prevent the infection of COVID-19while carrying out all the rituals related to Rato Machhindranath, according to the Samaj.
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