Praying for prosperity, Nepalese carry on ancient tradition

Months later, in February 2005, then-King Gyanendra seized absolute power, and the Himalayan nation was in the grip of political unrest, an escalating communist insurgency and a dwindling economy.

The 48-foot tall wooden chariot, which began its annual monthlong procession Sunday, is meant to please gods so they can provide for a generous rainfall, harvest and prosperity.

The Rato Machindra festival, in which Hindu and Buddhist devotees pull two thick ropes tied to the chariot though the narrow streets of Patan, a Kathmandu suburb, preludes the monsoon season in a nation where a majority of population still depend on farming.

The wooden wheels are painted with giant eyes, and the towering beams are tied together with canes and covered with green pine leaves.