A baba is standing meditating in the holi Salinadi river during the one month Swasthani festival in the village of Sankhu.
Category: festivals
Sankhu, Swosthani festival
Women performing rituals during the month long Swosthani festival in the village of Sankhu. Most of them are dressed in red for this occasion.
Swasthani festival in Sankhu
Women all dressed in red are throwing rice during a ritual during the Swasthani festival in Sankhu.
Woman and child during Swosthani festival in Sankhu
Woman performing a ritual during the Swosthani festival on the banks of the holy Sali Nadi river in Sankhu while her child is watching.
Dashain Swing
People having fun with a swing (Ping) along the banks of the Vishnumati River in Kathmandu
Children playing with a Dashain swing near a village along the road from Nagarkot to Sankhu in Kathmandu valley.
Bamboo swings are constructed in many parts of Nepal as a way of celebration. They are called ‘ping’ in Nepali.
A ping will be constructed a week before Ghatasthapana and dismantled after the festival of Tihar. They are especially famous with children, but adults are also seen playing on the swings.
Tika, Vijaya Dashami, Dashain
Nepali boy and girl buying bananas at Ason chowk. They have a tika on their forehead, given by their parents on the occassion of Vijaya Dashami, Dashain festival.
Tika and jamara
(Dashain) Tika is made of rice grains mixed with red vermillion powder into a paste form by mixing curd. The result is put on the forehead as auspicious mark and blessings.
Similarly, Jamara is the seedlings of barley grown at specially anointed altar at home that is put behind the ears as the auspicious item of goddess Nawa Durga Bhawani.
It is customary for the Hindus to receive Tika and Jamara from their seniors on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami.
Car being worshipped during Maha Navami
Car being worshipped with navapatrika (nine plants- banana, dadim (Pomegranate), dhanko bala (rich stalk), haledo (turmeric plant), manabriksha, kachuki, belpatra (wood apple), ashok, and jayanti) on Maha Nawami, the ninth and one of the main days of Dashain festival.
The same applies to this motor cycle
Patan Durbar Square Dashain festival
Crowded Patan Durbar Square during festivities on the occassion of Dashain festival in Nepal
Of course this picture has been taken before the 2015 earthquakes which destroyed a lot a beautiful historic buildings.
Sky full of kites – Dashain
Kites fill the air above Kathmandu
During the Dashain festival many children (and adults as well) can be seen flying kites. Kite flying is a popular activity around Dashain.
One reason for flying kites is the believe that kites send a message to Indra (god of rain) to stop the rain. It is also believed that kites bring prosperity to the family, are a way to contact your ancestors or guide souls to heaven.
Besides that it is a good and funny way to pass the time during the holidays.
Crowd gathering for the Indra Jatra festival at Durbar Square in Kathmandu
Large crowds gathering at Durbar Square in Kathmandu for the Indra Jatra festival and the blessing of the king by Kumari, the living goddess.
