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Gathemangal Celebration In Nepal

A man prepares clothing for the effigy of ''Ghantakarna'' while marking 'Gathemangal' in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on July 23, 2025. This festival, also known as Ghantakarna Chaturdasi, falls on Trayodashi (the third day) of the month of Shrawan (July/August) and is celebrated in memory of the mythical demon Ghantakarna's death. According to legends, the demon Ghantakarna terrorizes villagers by stealing children and women from the village and demands money and other gifts as ransom for their release. His body is painted in red, blue, and black, and he wears a pair of bells on his ears. He looks very scary, and every time he moves, the bells jingle. He gets his name from the bells on his ears, with Ghanta meaning 'bell' and Karna meaning 'ears'. The fear of the dreadful monster keeps people inside their homes most of the time. Even during the planting season, they do not dare to leave their homes. However, one day, a large number of frogs come to the village and begin to croak near Ghantakarna's place. He becomes furious, but the frogs do not stop. They croak even louder, and when he tries to catch them, they jump into the water. He also jumps into the water without realizing that it is a swamp and soon starts to drown. The frogs swarm around his head, and he drowns to death. In this way, the frogs save the village and the villagers from the demon. Effigies built at the turnings and roadways of the locality are later dragged and burned to ashes in areas far from residential areas, mostly at crossroads. This festival is also celebrated as a symbol of cleanliness, as the garbage inside and outside the house is cleaned and disposed of systematically. This festival is celebrated by cleaning the garbage, calling it a ghost to get rid of it, as it does not pay attention to sanitation during the planting period, and various insects cause grief at this time. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto)

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