PHOTOS: Kshama Puja of Rato Machhindranath amid curfew in Patan

Published On: September 4, 2020 02:08 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, Sept 4: Locals have performed Kshama Puja (forgiveness worship) of Rato Machhindranath amid curfew orders in Patan on Friday.

The District Administration Office (DAO), Lalitpur has clamped curfew in Lalitpur (inside Ring Road) beginning 4 am Friday after a violent clash between locals and police personnel earlier on Thursday afternoon.

The Puja was offered to Rato Machhindranath in Pulchowk so that the chariot procession can be conducted in a short process.

The chariot will be drawn up to Bungmati following the completion of Puja rituals after confirming the appropriate time. The entire procession will be concluded by September 11.

Pulchowk area on Thursday wore a tense look after youths attacked police personnel on duty with bricks and stones as police stopped them from organizing the chariot-pulling procession of Rato Machhindranath. Police cited the prohibitive order issued by the local administration to contain the possible spread of the COVID-19.

Following the incident, the police held at least nine persons involved in brutally attacking police personnel on duty.

Here are some photos taken by Republica photojournalists Biajaya Rai and Monika Malla on Friday.