International Conference on Rato Machchhindranath Begins in Guwahati

A delegation led by Lalitpur Metropolitan City Mayor Chiribabu Maharjan has arrived in Guwahati, India, to participate in an international conference dedicated to Rato Machchhindranath, the deity of rain and prosperity.

The event, organized by Guwahati University, Assam, aims to explore the historical, religious, and cultural significance of Rato Machchhindranath, also known as Buṅga Dyaḥ in Nepal Bhasa. Revered as Karunamaya, or the Compassionate One, the deity is associated with Bodhisattva Avalokiteswara and is believed to bring monsoon rains. The legend states that Rato Machchhindranath was brought to Kathmandu Valley from Kamaksha Kamaru in Assam approximately 1,400 years ago.

Mayor Maharjan is joined by Tourism and Culture Committee Coordinator Bikash Man Shrestha, Ward Chairpersons Rupendra Raj Shakya (Ward 6) and Rajendra Maharjan (Ward 19), as well as intangible heritage advisor Badan Lal Nyachyo and tourism advisor Dilendra Raj Shrestha, among other officials.

The conference will feature extensive discussions on the deity’s origins, mythology, and its enduring cultural importance, strengthening historical ties between Nepal and Assam.