So, I thought I would write a little bit about Machendranath. Machendranath is a Hindu god who protects Kathmandu and has power over the rain - its been raining lots recently so I think Machendranath has been busy.
Anyways the last few weeks they have been building Machendranath a chariot near to my house. They do this every year. It isnt a small thing. I'd say its about 15 metres tall and the wheels alone are about 6ft high. The whole thing is made entirely of wood and vines - no nails and no pegs. Calls to modernise the process to make it safer and stronger are rejected. The charitot must be built as it has been for years, no matter if people die in the process (and die they do)...
Anyways the last few weeks they have been building Machendranath a chariot near to my house. They do this every year. It isnt a small thing. I'd say its about 15 metres tall and the wheels alone are about 6ft high. The whole thing is made entirely of wood and vines - no nails and no pegs. Calls to modernise the process to make it safer and stronger are rejected. The charitot must be built as it has been for years, no matter if people die in the process (and die they do)...
Photo 1: Chariot under construction - notice the men climbing up it - right to the top... no safety ropes here!
Photo 2: The wheels under construction - check out the vines holding it all together!
Every year when the chariot is complete, the image/statue/incarnation ??? of Machendranath is placed on the chariot and is pulled around Kathmandu for about 3 months, by a huge team of men.
We went to see it on the first day. I attach some rather dark photos of the experience. It was surreal. I can equate it to nothing in England... except that the chariot looks a little like a Christmas tree?!
Photo 3: Machendranath in the distance
Already the lean is prominant, men use guide ropes either side to try and keep the thing upright, and place sticks and wedges under the wheels to slow/stop it when it goes down a hill. Men are also perched precariously all the way up to the top - I think these are the men that helped build the thing. Health and Saftey Executive would have a field day... but should note that the men with guide ropes did wear flouresant jackets!
Photo 4: Machendranath falls onto a cunningly positioned building
So less than 1hr into a 3 month tour the chariot runs into trouble, and leans so far as that it is really only held up by the building next to it. The guide ropes dont work in such a narrow lane, and so the people controling the ropes have to go into houses, climb onto the roof, get the rope passed up and then pull with all their might, once the chariot is a little straighter the men pulling the thing forward pull and it moves about 10m and then falls into the next house and the process has to be repeated. I hope they fix the thing otherwise as it aint going anywhere fast.
Oh yes and if Machendranath falls into your house and causes thousands of rupies damage NO WORRIES this is actually a blessing... yes yes...
Meanwhile you can see the crowd (of men) dances.
Photo 5: Machendranath gets pulled up
Here you can see the men pulling on the guide ropes to straighten out the chariot!
And so the cycle continues... note that all the electricity wires have had to be removed from the chariot's path so that it can pass. The sky is dark and it later started to rain very heavily. I was rather worried about possible electrocution from the piles of cables on the ground and swinging in ones face in side alleys!
Photo 7: Crowds cheer the chariot onwards with cymbols, drumbs, chanting and alcohol...
As with many things in Nepal, really very few women in sight... obviously at home cooking diner.
We went to see it on the first day. I attach some rather dark photos of the experience. It was surreal. I can equate it to nothing in England... except that the chariot looks a little like a Christmas tree?!
Photo 3: Machendranath in the distance
Already the lean is prominant, men use guide ropes either side to try and keep the thing upright, and place sticks and wedges under the wheels to slow/stop it when it goes down a hill. Men are also perched precariously all the way up to the top - I think these are the men that helped build the thing. Health and Saftey Executive would have a field day... but should note that the men with guide ropes did wear flouresant jackets!
Photo 4: Machendranath falls onto a cunningly positioned building
So less than 1hr into a 3 month tour the chariot runs into trouble, and leans so far as that it is really only held up by the building next to it. The guide ropes dont work in such a narrow lane, and so the people controling the ropes have to go into houses, climb onto the roof, get the rope passed up and then pull with all their might, once the chariot is a little straighter the men pulling the thing forward pull and it moves about 10m and then falls into the next house and the process has to be repeated. I hope they fix the thing otherwise as it aint going anywhere fast.
Oh yes and if Machendranath falls into your house and causes thousands of rupies damage NO WORRIES this is actually a blessing... yes yes...
Meanwhile you can see the crowd (of men) dances.
Photo 5: Machendranath gets pulled up
Here you can see the men pulling on the guide ropes to straighten out the chariot!
And so the cycle continues... note that all the electricity wires have had to be removed from the chariot's path so that it can pass. The sky is dark and it later started to rain very heavily. I was rather worried about possible electrocution from the piles of cables on the ground and swinging in ones face in side alleys!
Photo 7: Crowds cheer the chariot onwards with cymbols, drumbs, chanting and alcohol...
As with many things in Nepal, really very few women in sight... obviously at home cooking diner.
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