Deepanjali Pradhan
(First published in PAU, Newa Journal, Gangtok, 2024)
After
hearing the word “Bhoto Jatra” people might think that the Newar people are
crazy for celebrating the festival of the vest. What is so important about the
vest? It is important to know what a bhoto jatra is and why it is celebrated.
Well, there are no such festivals in newa community which does not explain the
existence and the importance of any festivals, traditions, and rituals.
So here
goes the story for celebrating “Bhoto Jatra”. According to the legend, it is
said that “Once the wife of Karakal Nagraj had an eye disease which was not
getting cured even after doing so many medications. There lived a farmer
(Jyapu) who said that he can heal her eye problem and Nagraj let him try. Then
the farmer rubbed on his body with his hand and collected the dirt and put it
in the eyes of Nagraj’s wife. After which his wife was instantly cured, seeing
to which Nagraj was overjoyed and rewarded the farmer with invaluable “Bhoto”
out of generosity as a gift.
The
farmer was very happy and showed off his newly earned, priceless vest
everywhere, and drew a lot of attention from everyone. Unfortunately, one
afternoon when he was done with his fieldwork he opened the Bhoto and kept it
aside to clean himself. In the meantime the vest was stolen by a giant Lakhe
who refused to return it, running away from the village.
After a
long chase, the two reached the wide plains of Bhaktapur, where the Rato
Machindranath festival was taking place and people were pulling a chariot. The
argument between the two caught the attention of King Gunkampdev. He gave both
the parties a chance to present their side of the story to claim the bhoto.
Ultimately, he demanded that both the farmer and the Lakhe present the proof of
ownership. Until they could, the king decided that the vest would remain with
the priests of the Rato Machindranath chariot.
The
priests waited until the last day and kept displaying the vest for someone to
come and take possession. But nobody ever did. So, the priest at the
Machindranath chariot displayed the bhoto to the crowd for the final time
during the festival. “Who does this bhoto belong to?” he asked the crowd,
displaying it from all four corners of the chariot.
No one
came forward with any proof. And so, the tradition of Bhoto Jatra began, with
the display of the bhoto like this to the crowd every year, the priests waiting
for someone to come forth and claim the bhoto with concrete proof of ownership".
Even
today, the tradition continues and as the ceremony ends, the bhoto is packed
and handed to a representative of Patan for safekeeping, along with the image
of Rato Machindranath, awaiting its rightful owner to come forward, again.
Rato
Machindranath Jatra is marked as a reversed festival in the valley. Bhoto
Jatra, or Bhoto Dekhaauney Jatra, is celebrated to pay homage to the God of
Rain and good harvest, Rato Machhendranath. Known also as Bunga Dyah Jatra or
the Rato Machindranath Festival, celebrated locally among Newari communities,
this is a month-long festival, while the Bhoto Dekhaauney event happens on the
final day. Every year, the huge Chariot of Rato Machindranath is pulled around
the valley. Indeed yes, it is huge with a 32 hands long chariot linked with
four ends built from bamboo poles, completed after days of hard work in
Pulchowk, Lalitpur from where the journey of the chariot starts. A black
jewel-studded and decorated with various precious diamond vest (bhoto) is displayed
at a long chariot procession. It is believed Bhoto Dekhauney Jatra brings good
luck to all.
As per
the local people’s perspective and their knowledge it is said that the Bhoto
shown during the Jatra is a replica of the original Bhoto. The original Bhoto
is said to be on display at the museum in London. Indeed there is still
suspense on how the bhoto ended up at the museum.
