Editorial photo #12683371 Human Interest
Rishi Panchami Celebration In Nepal
Fasting Nepali Hindu women perform a ritual in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 28, 2025, on the day of Rishi Panchami. Rishi Panchami marks the conclusion of the Teej festival. The festival is observed primarily by women who have reached menstruation age, as a day of purification and devotion. Fasting and worship are performed to honor the Sapta Rishis--the seven revered sages in Hindu mythology--with the belief that doing so absolves them of any sins believed to have been committed during their menstrual cycles. On this day, devotees wake up early and bathe in nearby rivers, ponds, streams, or lakes as part of the ritual. They cleanse their bodies using 365 stems of Apamarga (a medicinal plant), as well as cow dung, sacred soil, and ash. The fasting ritual involves a morning bath followed by prayer. Devotees then eat a single meal consisting of grains, wild fruits, kandamul (edible roots), vegetables, and guava before resuming their fast. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto)
