Rato Machendra

Just before the monsoons get going a god/idol by the name of Rato Machendra makes the rounds in K-du (he is considered responsible for bringing rains). He is housed in a chariot/cart and there is a giant tower (about 5 stories high) of sticks and branches built above him. Devotees pull him in the giant cart and also worship him. Every once in awhile the tower falls over which is considered a really bad omen (it happened a year ago as well the year before the king's family was murdered). I have heard, and this may not be true, but if you are killed by the tower of sticks when it falls on you it isn't such a bad way to die.

In one of our emails we mentioned a tooth-ache god/shrine. Here it is. Those are little bits of metal and coins that are nailed to it.

Spectators of Rato Machendra and a Colleen and Andrew fan. Can you spot him?

The streets were pretty busy with the festivities of worshipping Rato Machendra and on this auspicious day, a vest with lots of jewels is shown to the crowd. This is a vest that plays a central role in a story pertaining to Rato Machendra's life.

The cart. An old man is in the process of climbing to the top of it to do something (retrieve the vest?). Why such an old gentleman was the climber of this five story topply tower we didn't discover, but everyone seemed excited by his efforts and his eventual achievement.

The cart/tower from a distance. Ropes are to keep it more or less upright.

A quick video of the streets of K-du during this festival.

Some camera shy girls at a place we stayed in near Jumla. We went out west to connect with the clinic and look at land out there. We are plugging away at language study these days and are thankful that we managed to get out west for a bit before we started.

A beekeeper with his traditional log hives in Jumla. This guy had about 38 homemade hives.

The clinic where Colleen plans on working.

I am always amazed at how remote some villages are. This one is perched up on a bit of flat space on the side of a mountain. What the they do there for food, especially in the drought is hard to know.

We camped out one night to get away from the fleas and bedbugs in villagers' homes. Our shelter was pretty rickety but it held up and it was a good break from the bugs.

Some herder girls.

While we waited for a plane in a little town in the mountains we passed the time by befriending tailors (several) and buying some unwestern and more appropriate clothes for Colleen to wear.