"exclude salt"

#13262592

1 February 2026

A fasting Nepali Hindu devotee performs rituals reflected on a river in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on February 1, 2026, on the last day of the month-long arduous fasting ritual of Madhav Narayan. Devotees who take on this fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Madhav Narayan starts from the full moon day of Poush (Ninth Month of Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of the religious sermons.

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#13262593

1 February 2026

Fasting Nepali Hindu devotees prepare to take a holy dip on the last day of the one-month-long arduous fasting ritual of Madhav Narayan in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on February 1, 2026. Devotees who undertake this fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Madhav Narayan starts from the full moon day of Poush (Ninth Month of Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of religious sermons.

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#13262598

1 February 2026

Fasting Nepali Hindu devotees prepare to take a holy dip on the last day of the one-month-long arduous fasting ritual of Madhav Narayan in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on February 1, 2026. Devotees who undertake this fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Madhav Narayan starts from the full moon day of Poush (Ninth Month of Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of religious sermons.

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#13262603

1 February 2026

Fasting Nepali Hindu devotees prepare to take a holy dip on the last day of the one-month-long arduous fasting ritual of Madhav Narayan in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on February 1, 2026. Devotees who undertake this fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Madhav Narayan starts from the full moon day of Poush (Ninth Month of Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of religious sermons.

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#13262604

1 February 2026

Fasting Nepali Hindu devotees prepare to take a holy dip on the last day of the one-month-long arduous fasting ritual of Madhav Narayan in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on February 1, 2026. Devotees who undertake this fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Madhav Narayan starts from the full moon day of Poush (Ninth Month of Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of religious sermons.

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#13262605

1 February 2026

A fasting Nepali Hindu devotee prepares to take a holy dip on the last day of the one-month-long arduous fasting ritual of Madhav Narayan in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on February 1, 2026. Devotees who undertake this fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Madhav Narayan starts from the full moon day of Poush (Ninth Month of Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of religious sermons.

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#13262606

1 February 2026

Fasting Nepali Hindu devotees prepare to take a holy dip on the last day of the one-month-long arduous fasting ritual of Madhav Narayan in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on February 1, 2026. Devotees who undertake this fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Madhav Narayan starts from the full moon day of Poush (Ninth Month of Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of religious sermons.

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#13262609

1 February 2026

A fasting Nepali Hindu devotee prepares to take a holy dip on the last day of the one-month-long arduous fasting ritual of Madhav Narayan in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on February 1, 2026. Devotees who undertake this fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Madhav Narayan starts from the full moon day of Poush (Ninth Month of Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of religious sermons.

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#13262611

1 February 2026

Fasting Nepali Hindu devotees stand around a fire as they take holy dips on the last day of the one-month-long arduous fasting ritual of Madhav Narayan in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on February 1, 2026. Devotees who undertake this fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Madhav Narayan starts from the full moon day of Poush (Ninth Month of Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of the religious sermons.

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#13262612

1 February 2026

Fasting Nepali Hindu devotees stand around a fire as they take holy dips on the last day of the one-month-long arduous fasting ritual of Madhav Narayan in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on February 1, 2026. Devotees who undertake this fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Madhav Narayan starts from the full moon day of Poush (Ninth Month of Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of the religious sermons.

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#13262613

1 February 2026

Fasting Nepali Hindu devotees perform the ritualistic roll-around tour of the city on the last day of the one-month-long arduous fasting ritual of Madhav Narayan in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on February 1, 2026. Devotees who take on this fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Madhav Narayan starts from the full moon day of Poush (Ninth Month of Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of the religious sermons.

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#11994395

29 January 2025

Nepali Hindu devotees undergoing Swosthani Brata Katha perform rituals on the embankments of the Bagmati River as they begin ''Pardes Yatra'' from Pashupati in Kathmandu, Nepal, on January 29, 2025. They travel about 13.5 kilometers on foot to Pashupatinath Temple as part of their first ''Pardes Yatra,'' which is a ritual performed during the month-long arduous Swosthani Brata (fasting). According to tradition, women undertaking the month-long Swosthani Brata travel to Narayan and Shiva temples inside and in other districts adjoining Kathmandu in groups. The fasting devotees, barefoot, reach Bajrayogini, Pashupatinath, Shesha Narayan of Pharping, Panauti, and Changunarayan, performing rituals. Devotees who fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas, among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Swosthani Brata Katha starts from the full moon day of Poush (9th Month of the Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of the religious sermons.

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#11994396

29 January 2025

Nepali Hindu devotees undergoing Swosthani Brata Katha perform rituals on the embankments of the Bagmati River as they begin ''Pardes Yatra'' from Pashupati in Kathmandu, Nepal, on January 29, 2025. They travel about 13.5 kilometers on foot to Pashupatinath Temple as part of their first ''Pardes Yatra,'' which is a ritual performed during the month-long arduous Swosthani Brata (fasting). According to tradition, women undertaking the month-long Swosthani Brata travel to Narayan and Shiva temples inside and in other districts adjoining Kathmandu in groups. The fasting devotees, barefoot, reach Bajrayogini, Pashupatinath, Shesha Narayan of Pharping, Panauti, and Changunarayan, performing rituals. Devotees who fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas, among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Swosthani Brata Katha starts from the full moon day of Poush (9th Month of the Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of the religious sermons.

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#11994397

29 January 2025

Nepali Hindu devotees undergoing Swosthani Brata Katha perform rituals on the embankments of the Bagmati River as they begin ''Pardes Yatra'' from Pashupati in Kathmandu, Nepal, on January 29, 2025. They travel about 13.5 kilometers on foot to Pashupatinath Temple as part of their first ''Pardes Yatra,'' which is a ritual performed during the month-long arduous Swosthani Brata (fasting). According to tradition, women undertaking the month-long Swosthani Brata travel to Narayan and Shiva temples inside and in other districts adjoining Kathmandu in groups. The fasting devotees, barefoot, reach Bajrayogini, Pashupatinath, Shesha Narayan of Pharping, Panauti, and Changunarayan, performing rituals. Devotees who fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas, among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Swosthani Brata Katha starts from the full moon day of Poush (9th Month of the Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of the religious sermons.

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#11994398

29 January 2025

Nepali Hindu devotees undergoing Swosthani Brata Katha perform rituals on the embankments of the Bagmati River as they begin ''Pardes Yatra'' from Pashupati in Kathmandu, Nepal, on January 29, 2025. They travel about 13.5 kilometers on foot to Pashupatinath Temple as part of their first ''Pardes Yatra,'' which is a ritual performed during the month-long arduous Swosthani Brata (fasting). According to tradition, women undertaking the month-long Swosthani Brata travel to Narayan and Shiva temples inside and in other districts adjoining Kathmandu in groups. The fasting devotees, barefoot, reach Bajrayogini, Pashupatinath, Shesha Narayan of Pharping, Panauti, and Changunarayan, performing rituals. Devotees who fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas, among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Swosthani Brata Katha starts from the full moon day of Poush (9th Month of the Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of the religious sermons.

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#11994399

29 January 2025

Nepali Hindu devotees undergoing Swosthani Brata Katha perform rituals on the embankments of the Bagmati River as they begin ''Pardes Yatra'' from Pashupati in Kathmandu, Nepal, on January 29, 2025. They travel about 13.5 kilometers on foot to Pashupatinath Temple as part of their first ''Pardes Yatra,'' which is a ritual performed during the month-long arduous Swosthani Brata (fasting). According to tradition, women undertaking the month-long Swosthani Brata travel to Narayan and Shiva temples inside and in other districts adjoining Kathmandu in groups. The fasting devotees, barefoot, reach Bajrayogini, Pashupatinath, Shesha Narayan of Pharping, Panauti, and Changunarayan, performing rituals. Devotees who fast for a month do not eat foods cooked by others, which also exclude salt and other spices. They only eat rice, beaten rice, sugar, ghee, sugar candy, molasses, spinach from Patan, and peas, among those considered sacred. The annual ritual of Swosthani Brata Katha starts from the full moon day of Poush (9th Month of the Lunar Calendar), initiating the recitation of the religious sermons.

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