Nepal scales back Hindu chariot festival amid virus surge

Policemen stand guard as Nepalese devotees pull a chariot during the Rato Machindranath chariot festival in Lalitpur, Nepal, Saturday, May 15, 2021. A truncated version of a Hindu chariot festival took place in Nepal's capital on Saturday amid strict COVID-19 restrictions, following an agreement between organizers and authorities that prevented a repeat of violent confrontations between police and protesters at last year's festival. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

A Nepalese woman and her daughter wearing face masks as a precaution against the coronavirus watch devotees pull a chariot during the Rato Machindranath chariot festival in Lalitpur, Nepal, Saturday, May 15, 2021. A truncated version of a Hindu chariot festival took place in Nepal's capital on Saturday amid strict COVID-19 restrictions, following an agreement between organizers and authorities that prevented a repeat of violent confrontations between police and protesters at last year's festival. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

Policemen stand guard as Nepalese devotees pull a chariot during the Rato Machindranath chariot festival in Lalitpur, Nepal, Saturday, May 15, 2021. A truncated version of a Hindu chariot festival took place in Nepal's capital on Saturday amid strict COVID-19 restrictions, following an agreement between organizers and authorities that prevented a repeat of violent confrontations between police and protesters at last year's festival. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

Nepalese devotees pull a chariot during the Rato Machindranath chariot festival in Lalitpur, Nepal, Saturday, May 15, 2021. A truncated version of a Hindu chariot festival took place in Nepal's capital on Saturday amid strict COVID-19 restrictions, following an agreement between organizers and authorities that prevented a repeat of violent confrontations between police and protesters at last year's festival. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)