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The Avalokitesvara Chariot Festival

A Photo-featured Presentation
By: Kishor Bhai Bajracharya; Milan Shakya

Kishor Bhai Bajracharya Milan Shakya

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Background
The Chariot festival of Avalokitesvara is said to have begun during the reign of the Licchhavi King of
the Kathmandu Valley. His name was Narendra Deva whose empire was in the present day
Bhaktapur.

Narendra DevaBhaktapur

During his time, there was an acute drought that lasted for many years. The king didnt know how
to end the problem. So he consulted with the Bajracharya priest called Bandhudatta Acarya.

Bandhudatta

Contd.
.

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Background
The Buddhist Vajrayana priest Bandhudatta after receiving instruction from his guru Shantikara
Acarya concluded that if Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva set free the Nagas, there would be rainfall and
the people would be happy.
Bandhudatta Shantikara

Then the king, Vajracarya and the farmer went to Assam to fetch Avalokitesvara to Nepal. They
successfully brought him to the Kathmandu Valley.

Then the king established the Avalokitesvara Chariot festival in the seventh-eighth century.

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Photo-features

What follows next is the photo-features of Avalokitesvara Chariot festival with necessary captions.

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Padmapani LokesvaraAvalokitesvara who is holding lotus flower in his hand

Padmapani Lokesvara

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One of the two main temples of Padmapani Avalokitesvara at Bungamati

Bungamati

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One of the two main temples of Padmapani Avalokitesvara at Bungamati, Lalitpur

Bungamati

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One of the two main temples of Padmapani Avalokitesvara at Tahbahal, Lalitpur

Tahbahal

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Padmapani Avalokitesvara is being taken from his temple at Tahbahal, Lalitpuron a palanquin to the
chariot stationed at Pulchowk, Lalitpur
Pulchowk

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Padmapani Avalokitesvara is being enshrined into the main shrine in the Chariot on the auspicious
day. Four days after Avalokitesvara is enshrined, the Chariot will be towed by the local robust people
and taken at a temporary halt around the holy and important places of Lalitpur.
There is a great celebration for one month.

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Padmapani Avalokitesvara Chariot is pulled to Gahabal where it stops for a day. Now the chariot is
being pulled with tumultuous sounds of Newari drums, flutes, cymbals etc. In the picture, there is a
large crowd of people observing the chariot as it negotiates its way through the wide road of
Pulchowk to Gahabal. There is a feasting ceremony for two days for the people of Gahabahal,
Lalitpur.
Gahabal
Pulchowk Gahabal
Gahabahal

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Padmapani Avalokitesvara Chariot is pulled to Sundhara, Lalitpur where it stops for two days. Now
the chariot is being pulled with tumultuous sounds of Newari drums, flutes, cymbals etc. In the
picture, there is a large crowd of people observing the chariot as it negotiates its way through the
narrow road of Mangal Bazaar to Sundhara. There is a feasting ceremony for two days for the people
of Hakha and Sundhara, Lalitpur.
Sundhara
Mangal Bazaar Sundhara
Hakha Sundhara

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The two chariots of the two forms of Avalokitesvara, namely Padmapani Lokesvara and Jatadhari
Lokesvara are being pulled to Sundhara, Lalitpur where they stops for two days. Now the chariots
are being pulled with tumultuous sounds of Newari drums, flutes, cymbals etc. In the videoclip,
there is a large crowd of excited people observing the chariots as they negotiate their way through
the narrow road of Mangal Bazaar via Hakha tole enroute to Sundhara. There is a delightful feasting
ceremony for two days for the people of Hakha and Sundhara, Lalitpur.

Sundhara
Mangal Bazaar Hakha tole Sundhara Hakha
Sundhara

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Now the chariot is being pulled with tumultuous sounds of Newari drums, flutes, cymbals etc. In the
picture, there is a large crowd of people observing the chariot as it completes the 90 degree turns so
does the smaller chariot following it through the narrow turning way to make their way to
Jawalakhel. There is a feasting ceremony for two days for the people of Hakha and Sundhara,
Lalitpur. The relatively smaller and shorter chariot is also Avalokitesvara Chariot enshrining another
form of Avalokitesvara called Jatadhari Lokesvara.

Jawalakhel 90 Hakha Sundhara

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The robust people from local areas and other places gather to pull the chariot in an enthusiastic and
high spirit. They are empowered mentally by their chariot leader (Newari: Hawabihma) who
normally stands on the wooden log (Newari: Dhomaa) representing Karkotak Nagaraja.

Karkotak

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It is said that Padmapani Avalokitesvaras mother in his emanation lives in temple (covered by tree in
this photograph) in Lagankhel. Here in this picture, the Avalokitesvara in his chariot followed by
another Avalokitesvara called Jatadhari Lokesvara are circumambulating their mother (Yaksini) three
times before coming to a temporary halt at Lagankhel. At that time there will a great feast and
festival for the people of Lagankhel, Nakabahil, Nagabahal, Lalitpurand so on.
Lagankhel
Yaksini
LagankhelLagankhel Nakabahil Nagabahal

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The jewel studded cloth being shown by the government official of Nepal Government is believed to
be a vest belonging to Avalokitesvara. After it shown to the public including the president of Nepal,
Prime ministers of Nepal at Jawalakhel, the Chariot festival comes to its end. The image of
Avalokitesvara is taken out and taken on palanquin to Bungmati temple, Avalokitesvaras another
temple and the chariot is dismantled. The government of Nepal gives a public holiday on this
particular day.

Jawalakhel
Bungamati

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Normally every year the chariot is made and first towed from Pulchowk. But once every 12 year, the
chariot is made in the area behind Bungmati temple and towed with much hardship by local people
until it reaches Pulchowk via many difficult roads even wading across the Nakhu river. Then once it
reaches Pulchowk it is welcomed by the smaller chariot enshrining Jatadhari Lokesvara and both of
them resume the normal festivities lasting for a month.
Pulchowk Bungmati
Pulchowk Nakhu
Pulchowk

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This year, starting from May, 2015, the chariot festival begins from Bungmati after 12 years. There
will be a grand celebration in which hundred thousands of people take part in a non-sectarian and
jubilant mood.
Bungmati

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Conclusion
Nepal is a country where there are many festivals both Buddhist and Hindus around the year.
But the Avalokitesvara Chariot festival is by far the most fascinating, longest festival in Nepal
which holds all Nepalese Buddhists in solidarity and exemplifies their utmost devotion to the
Bodhisattva of great compassion, the Great Noble Avalokitesvara.

Bodhisattva Avalokitesvaras inconceivable deed is to benefit all sentient beings without

discriminating among Buddhists and Hindus. So the most lively and exemplary example of
this peaceful tolerance is that not only Nepalese Buddhists but the Hindus are also devoted to
Avalokitesvara, giving him another name Machhindra Nath and Mim Nath. So due to

Bodhisattva Avalokitesvaras immeasurable compassion, all Nepalese could live together in

solidarity without a sense of religious persecution at least during this festival.

Machhindra
Nath Mim Nath

Although this is the greatest festival of Nepal, still it is not getting the due attention from the
international arena as it certainly deserves. This festival if internationalized, very unique and
divine in itself, can bring all the people following Buddhas teachings together while
eliminating the sense of disparity in culture, language indigenous to different countries.