new years in Nepal a time for celebration and for piety Hinduism is
celebration and for piety Hinduism is
celebration and for piety Hinduism is the main religion here and at this time
the main religion here and at this time
the main religion here and at this time of year the devout fill the streets
of year the devout fill the streets
of year the devout fill the streets where they asked for good fortune in the
where they asked for good fortune in the
where they asked for good fortune in the new year and the men endure elaborate
new year and the men endure elaborate
new year and the men endure elaborate tests of strength and endurance but the
tests of strength and endurance but the
tests of strength and endurance but the village of bow day demonstrates its
village of bow day demonstrates its
village of bow day demonstrates its religious devotion unlike any other
religious devotion unlike any other
religious devotion unlike any other there just one man will stand before the
there just one man will stand before the
there just one man will stand before the gods and undergo a painful trial his
gods and undergo a painful trial his
gods and undergo a painful trial his name is Krishna Chandra and with
name is Krishna Chandra and with
name is Krishna Chandra and with thousands watching he will allow a spike
thousands watching he will allow a spike
thousands watching he will allow a spike to be born into his tongue if his tongue
to be born into his tongue if his tongue
to be born into his tongue if his tongue does not bleed it is believed that gods
does not bleed it is believed that gods
does not bleed it is believed that gods will grant his village prosperity in the
will grant his village prosperity in the
will grant his village prosperity in the year ahead
year ahead
year ahead in Nepal the new year starts in April
in Nepal the new year starts in April
in Nepal the new year starts in April when fields have just been planted and
when fields have just been planted and
when fields have just been planted and people are praying for a good harvest in
people are praying for a good harvest in
people are praying for a good harvest in BO day that prayer comes in the form of
BO day that prayer comes in the form of
BO day that prayer comes in the form of a sacrifice according to legend the
a sacrifice according to legend the
a sacrifice according to legend the village of bow day began it’s unusual
village of bow day began it’s unusual
village of bow day began it’s unusual ceremony
ceremony
ceremony four centuries ago to mark the end of a
four centuries ago to mark the end of a
four centuries ago to mark the end of a very dark time a forest demon had been
very dark time a forest demon had been
very dark time a forest demon had been terrorizing the town when the villagers
terrorizing the town when the villagers
terrorizing the town when the villagers finally caught him they paraded him
finally caught him they paraded him
finally caught him they paraded him through the streets his tongue silenced
through the streets his tongue silenced
through the streets his tongue silenced by a metal spike ever since bow day has
by a metal spike ever since bow day has
by a metal spike ever since bow day has celebrated the new year by reenacting
celebrated the new year by reenacting
celebrated the new year by reenacting the demons fallen its tongue piercing
the demons fallen its tongue piercing
the demons fallen its tongue piercing day Krishna has not eaten in three days
day Krishna has not eaten in three days
day Krishna has not eaten in three days part of the preparation for his ordeal
part of the preparation for his ordeal
part of the preparation for his ordeal on his way to the ceremony
on his way to the ceremony
on his way to the ceremony Krishna stops to pray at every shrine
Krishna stops to pray at every shrine
Krishna stops to pray at every shrine and temple everywhere the gods have
and temple everywhere the gods have
and temple everywhere the gods have visited in the square the crowd begins
visited in the square the crowd begins
visited in the square the crowd begins to buzz with anticipation ASBO days
to buzz with anticipation ASBO days
to buzz with anticipation ASBO days mayor takes the stage once on the
mayor takes the stage once on the
mayor takes the stage once on the platform Krishna is greeted as if he
platform Krishna is greeted as if he
platform Krishna is greeted as if he himself were divine the blade has not
himself were divine the blade has not
himself were divine the blade has not been sterilized there’s no anaesthetic
been sterilized there’s no anaesthetic
been sterilized there’s no anaesthetic the priest
the priest
the priest Babu Kashi just dabs Krishna’s tongue
Babu Kashi just dabs Krishna’s tongue
Babu Kashi just dabs Krishna’s tongue with oil to lubricate it
his tongue does not bleed for the 11th
his tongue does not bleed for the 11th year in a row krishna has passed the
year in a row krishna has passed the
year in a row krishna has passed the most crucial test but his ordeal has
most crucial test but his ordeal has
most crucial test but his ordeal has only just begun
only just begun
only just begun now he must carry a heavy bamboo icon a
now he must carry a heavy bamboo icon a
now he must carry a heavy bamboo icon a symbol of the god Shiva through BOE days
symbol of the god Shiva through BOE days
symbol of the god Shiva through BOE days cobbled streets Krishna ends his walk at
cobbled streets Krishna ends his walk at
cobbled streets Krishna ends his walk at the town’s main temple just as he
the town’s main temple just as he
the town’s main temple just as he crosses the threshold
crosses the threshold
crosses the threshold Babu Kashi removes the spite from his
Babu Kashi removes the spite from his
Babu Kashi removes the spite from his tongue as a lasting testament to krsna’s
tongue as a lasting testament to krsna’s
tongue as a lasting testament to krsna’s and the town’s piety the spike is nailed
and the town’s piety the spike is nailed
and the town’s piety the spike is nailed to the temple wall Krishna is for you to
to the temple wall Krishna is for you to
to the temple wall Krishna is for you to head home to break his fast and for the
head home to break his fast and for the
head home to break his fast and for the priests bubble kanji and the rest of the
priests bubble kanji and the rest of the
priests bubble kanji and the rest of the villagers this painful ritual has once
villagers this painful ritual has once
villagers this painful ritual has once again
again
again served its purpose
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