Jawalakhel

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Jāwalākhel (Nepali: जावलाखेल) is a town in Lalitpur District in Nepal. It is located 2 km from the ancient city of Pātan. Jawalakhel is a satellite town of Patan, also known as Lalitpur, which was one of the three great capitals of Nepal until the 18th century.

Origin of the name

Jawalakhel means "rice throwing field" in Nepal Bhasa. The name is derived from the large open field at the town's center where cooked rice is offered during an annual religious festival. The field is the venue of Bhoto Jātrā, the festival of the display of the sacred vest, which is the most important cultural event held in Jawalakhel.

Highlights

Bhoto Jatra is the grand finale of the chariot festival of Bunga Dyah, the longest street celebration held in Patan. During the chariot festival which lasts over a month, two towering cars containing images of the deities Bunga Dyah (Machhendranath) and Chākuwā Dyah (Minnāth) are pulled through the streets of Lalitpur in stages.

The chariots are brought to Jawalakhel for the concluding ceremonies. During Bhoto Jatra, the holy garment "bhoto" is held up from the four sides of the chariot and shown to the enraptured throng that fills the large field.