Subject: Chariot Ritual
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Chariot Ritual (Sanskrit: bhimarata): the birthday celebration for an elder of Kathmandu, Nepal, upon reaching the age of 77 years, 7 months and 7 days.
Sanskrit: Chaitya
Tibetan: Chor ten
The Chariot Ritual is a special birthday celebration. It is practiced by both Hindus and Buddhists and celebrated when an elder of Kathmandu Valley reaches the age of 77 years, 7 months, 7 days, 7 hours and 7 minutes. To commemorate this day, the Buddhists are required to commission the construction of a stupa, an architectural reliquary mound. If unable to build a full sized stupa the family can sponsor a small three-dimensional metal sculpture, or a hammered metal relief sculpture, or lastly a painting.
Jeff Watt 7-2004 [updated 6-2017]
Essay: ICONS MARKING THE COMMUNAL PERFORMANCE OF BUDDHIST RITUALS by Alexander Von Rospatt.
See the article "The Bhimaratha Rite and Nepali Art" by Pratapaditya Pal.
