“Even if we have COVID We Want Our Chariot Procession!” Understanding the Importance of Public Sentiment in Heritage Through the Conflict During the COVID-19 Chariot Procession

The chariot procession of Karunamaya – the god of compassion is one of the major festivals in the city of Patan and Bungamati which is five kilometers from Patan. Every year the chariot goes through the ancient city of Patan and every twelve years from Bungamati to Patan with the belief of good rain for a good harvest. Communities carry out the procession with fanfare, even people from other cities and villages participate during the procession. In 2020, during the time of COVID-19, the chariot was stranded on the street for several months without any certainty of procession. So one ordinary day local people started pulling chariots which led to conflict. This paper focusing on that event will try to understand the reasons and factors behind the conflict as well as underlying issues and the solutions brought by the mess.