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#13072742
8 December 2025
A woman and a young person hold hands and walk away from the camera on a wet cobblestone street lined with parked cars, with the young person carrying a scarf in the German national colors (black, red, and yellow), in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria, Germany, on December 7, 2025.
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Toddler ‘Aryatara Shakya’ Is Anointed As “Kumari” The Living Goddess After Undergoing Ancient Ritual
30 September 2025
#12812398
30 September 2025
Two-and-a-half-year-old Aryatara Shakya, in red regalia, is escorted to the Taleju Bhawani Temple in Kathmandu Durbar Square, Nepal, on September 30, 2025, to formally anoint her as the new Royal Kumari, the living goddess of Nepal. Nepal has a unique tradition of worshipping the ''Kumari,'' the living goddess, who is appointed at certain intervals following a strict selection process. A young Newar girl with no blemishes is chosen to represent the Goddess Kumari as an incarnation of Goddess Taleju, the tutelary deity of the Malla dynasty and the Shah dynasty, which inherited the tradition. The young candidates from the Shakya caste among the Newars, many as young as four years old, must go through an extremely strict selection process before one of them is chosen to represent the Goddess. She must remain calm and show no signs of fear even when put through scary tests. Once chosen, she has to live within the Kumari Ghar (Kumari's House), her feet must never touch the ground, and she leaves her residence only during certain festivals. She remains a Living Goddess until any form of bleeding occurs, which is usually when she reaches puberty. The Living Goddess is worshipped with great reverence, and even the Shah Kings follow the tradition of receiving tika and blessings from her. Dating back to the 17th century, the practice is institutionalized by a Malla king. Legend has it that King Jaya Prakash Malla, under the influence of alcohol while playing a game with the visiting Goddess Taleju in the form of a human, starts lusting after her. This offends the goddess, and she orders the king to make an oath that he will select a virgin girl within whom she will always reside. The tradition continues to this day. The Malla dynasty is ousted by King Prithvi Narayan Shah, but the tradition of revering the Goddess Kumari is continued by the conquerors. Until 2008, the Shah King goes to the Kumari to receive tika on his forehead, which symbolizes the empowering.
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Toddler ‘Aryatara Shakya’ Is Anointed As “Kumari” The Living Goddess After Undergoing Ancient Ritual
30 September 2025
#12812399
30 September 2025
Two-and-a-half-year-old Aryatara Shakya, in red regalia, is escorted to the Taleju Bhawani Temple in Kathmandu Durbar Square, Nepal, on September 30, 2025, to formally anoint her as the new Royal Kumari, the living goddess of Nepal. Nepal has a unique tradition of worshipping the ''Kumari,'' the living goddess, who is appointed at certain intervals following a strict selection process. A young Newar girl with no blemishes is chosen to represent the Goddess Kumari as an incarnation of Goddess Taleju, the tutelary deity of the Malla dynasty and the Shah dynasty, which inherited the tradition. The young candidates from the Shakya caste among the Newars, many as young as four years old, must go through an extremely strict selection process before one of them is chosen to represent the Goddess. She must remain calm and show no signs of fear even when put through scary tests. Once chosen, she has to live within the Kumari Ghar (Kumari's House), her feet must never touch the ground, and she leaves her residence only during certain festivals. She remains a Living Goddess until any form of bleeding occurs, which is usually when she reaches puberty. The Living Goddess is worshipped with great reverence, and even the Shah Kings follow the tradition of receiving tika and blessings from her. Dating back to the 17th century, the practice is institutionalized by a Malla king. Legend has it that King Jaya Prakash Malla, under the influence of alcohol while playing a game with the visiting Goddess Taleju in the form of a human, starts lusting after her. This offends the goddess, and she orders the king to make an oath that he will select a virgin girl within whom she will always reside. The tradition continues to this day. The Malla dynasty is ousted by King Prithvi Narayan Shah, but the tradition of revering the Goddess Kumari is continued by the conquerors. Until 2008, the Shah King goes to the Kumari to receive tika on his forehead, which symbolizes the empowering.
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#12577872
23 July 2025
People set fire to the effigy of ''Ghantakarna'' at a crossroad while celebrating ''Gathemangal'' in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on July 23, 2025. This festival, which falls on Trayodashi (the third day) of the month of Shrawan (July/August), is also known as Ghantakarna Chaturdasi 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 this 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 burnt to ashes in areas far from residential areas, mostly at crossroads. This festival is also celebrated as a symbol of cleanliness, even though the garbage inside and outside the house is cleaned and disposed of in a systematic manner. 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.
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#12577873
23 July 2025
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.
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#12577874
23 July 2025
People prepare the parts for the effigy of ''Ghantakarna'' using hay-straws in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on July 23, 2025. Falling on Trayodashi (the third day) of the month of Shrawan (July/August), Ghantakarna Chaturdasi 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, too, 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 burnt to ashes in areas that lie far from the residential areas, mostly at the crossroads. This festival is also celebrated as a symbol of cleanliness, even though the garbage inside and outside the house is cleaned and disposed of in a systematic manner. 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.
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#12577875
23 July 2025
A woman buys metal rings on the day of 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 this 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 burnt to ashes in areas far from residential areas, mostly at crossroads. This festival is also celebrated as a symbol of cleanliness, even though the garbage inside and outside the house is cleaned and disposed of in a systematic manner. 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.
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#12577876
23 July 2025
Men prepare clothing for the effigy of ''Ghantakarna'' while marking 'Gathemangal' in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on July 23, 2025. Falling on Trayodashi (the third day) of the month of Shrawan (July/August), which is also known as Ghantakarna Chaturdasi, this festival 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 that lie far from the residential areas, mostly at the crossroads. This festival is also celebrated as a symbol of cleanliness, even though the garbage inside and outside the house is cleaned and disposed of in a systematic manner. 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.
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#12577877
23 July 2025
A woman buys metal rings on the day of 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 this 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 burnt to ashes in areas far from residential areas, mostly at crossroads. This festival is also celebrated as a symbol of cleanliness, even though the garbage inside and outside the house is cleaned and disposed of in a systematic manner. 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.
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#12577878
23 July 2025
People prepare the parts for the effigy of ''Ghantakarna'' using hay-straws in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on July 23, 2025. Falling on Trayodashi (the third day) of the month of Shrawan (July/August), Ghantakarna Chaturdasi 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, too, 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 burnt to ashes in areas that lie far from the residential areas, mostly at the crossroads. This festival is also celebrated as a symbol of cleanliness, even though the garbage inside and outside the house is cleaned and disposed of in a systematic manner. 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.
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#12577879
23 July 2025
An effigy of ''Ghantakarna'' is erected at crossroads to mark '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 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 this 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 the crossroads. This festival is also celebrated as a symbol of cleanliness, with garbage inside and outside the house cleaned and disposed of systematically. The festival involves 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.
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#12577880
23 July 2025
People carry the effigy of ''Ghantakarna'' to the crossroads to set it on fire while celebrating ''Gathemangal'' in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on July 23, 2025. This festival, which falls on Trayodashi (the third day) of the month of Shrawan (July/August), is also known as Ghantakarna Chaturdasi 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 this 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 burnt to ashes in areas far from the residential areas, mostly at the crossroads. This festival is also celebrated as a symbol of cleanliness, even though the garbage inside and outside the house is cleaned and disposed of in a systematic manner. 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.
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#12577881
23 July 2025
People set fire to the effigy of ''Ghantakarna'' at a crossroad while celebrating ''Gathemangal'' in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on July 23, 2025. This festival, which falls on Trayodashi (the third day) of the month of Shrawan (July/August), is also known as Ghantakarna Chaturdasi 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 this 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 burnt to ashes in areas far from residential areas, mostly at crossroads. This festival is also celebrated as a symbol of cleanliness, even though the garbage inside and outside the house is cleaned and disposed of in a systematic manner. 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.
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#12577882
23 July 2025
People set fire to the effigy of ''Ghantakarna'' at a crossroad while celebrating ''Gathemangal'' in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on July 23, 2025. This festival, which falls on Trayodashi (the third day) of the month of Shrawan (July/August), is also known as Ghantakarna Chaturdasi 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 this 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 burnt to ashes in areas far from residential areas, mostly at crossroads. This festival is also celebrated as a symbol of cleanliness, even though the garbage inside and outside the house is cleaned and disposed of in a systematic manner. 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.
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#12577883
23 July 2025
People set fire to the effigy of ''Ghantakarna'' at a crossroad while celebrating ''Gathemangal'' in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on July 23, 2025. This festival, which falls on Trayodashi (the third day) of the month of Shrawan (July/August), is also known as Ghantakarna Chaturdasi 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 this 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 burnt to ashes in areas far from residential areas, mostly at crossroads. This festival is also celebrated as a symbol of cleanliness, even though the garbage inside and outside the house is cleaned and disposed of in a systematic manner. 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.
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#12577884
23 July 2025
People set fire to the effigy of ''Ghantakarna'' at a crossroad while celebrating ''Gathemangal'' in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on July 23, 2025. This festival, which falls on Trayodashi (the third day) of the month of Shrawan (July/August), is also known as Ghantakarna Chaturdasi 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 this 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 burnt to ashes in areas far from residential areas, mostly at crossroads. This festival is also celebrated as a symbol of cleanliness, even though the garbage inside and outside the house is cleaned and disposed of in a systematic manner. 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.
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