The Holy Bathing of Seto Machhendranath

God seto Machhendranath is widely worshippded by hindu and Buddhist devotees of the Kathmandu valley who belive that he bestows the priceless gift of longevity. Especially upon children, and removes the cause of sterility in women; he is also called the God of pity and the Ocean of Compassion.

A festival commemmorating the holy bathing ceremony of seto Machhendranath is held at Kathmandu's Kel Tol temple at this time for a full week every year. The God's annual holy bath is a multiplw blesing, providing devotees the opportunity to deck his idol in splendid new robes and
allowing one and all another chance to celebrate.

According to legend, creation of the Seto Machhendranath image was commissioned by King Gunakamadev in the 9th century. It was later carride away by an invading king who, finding the image too burdensome, abandonde it in the Gandaki river between Kathmandu and pokhara. For the king's misdeed, he and his descendants of six generations were effected with horrible skin diseases. Finally having traced the cause of the illness, the royal family had the idol rescude from the fiver, secretly returned to its Kathmandu home, and buried in the mud near Rani Pokhari.

It was not until the reign of King Yaksha Malla in the 13th century that a Jyapu (valley farmer) discovered the image while gathering mud for his pots, and once again Seto Machhendranath assumed a prominent position in Kathmandu's religious life.