Month Long Fasting and River Rituals Begins in Nepal

Nepal has begun its annual Swasthani Brata Katha, a month-long Hindu festival marked by fasting, storytelling and ritual bathing.

Observed from Poush Shukla Purnima to Magh Shukla Purnima, the festival is especially significant for Hindu women, who worship the goddess Swasthani while listening to daily recitations of sacred mythological tales known as “Swasthani Brata Katha”.

The stories honor the goddess Swasthani, who aided goddess Sati during her trials after the death of her father, Daksha Prajapati.

Devotees believe that following the festival’s rituals brings prosperity, good fortune and spiritual purification.

In Kathmandu’s suburban Sankhu region, devotees gather at the Shalinadi River for ceremonial bathing, known as Magh Snan and worship of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.