BHAKTAPUR, NEPAL

Each year during the Madhav Narayan festival, Bhaktapur becomes a true city of holiness. One of the most remarkable sights during the sacred event is the procession of Hindu devotees offering up prayers by rolling on the ground.

The unusual practice involves the devotees slowly rolling their way down towards the river, sometimes stopping and waiting for the other ‘rollers’ to catch up. Observers clean the ground before the event, then watch and offer up burnt offerings as they roll their way through the streets.

Finally, when the devotees reach the river, they bathe and give more prayers, with some warming themselves by a fire after their holy dip. The idol of Madhav Narayan is also bathed in water during the festival.

As part of the month-long festivities, devotees sing songs, prostrate themselves in front of temples, burn butter lamps, recite holy scriptures dedicated to Hindu goddess Swasthani and Hindu god Lord Shiva and tell folk tales of the pair’s miraculous feats.

They also travel barefoot to various pilgrimage sites.

Fasting is a large component of the festival, with abstinence during the event said to date back to the 8th century. Both married and unmarried women fast in the hope of a prosperous life and conjugal happiness. On the final day of the festival, women stand on the banks of the Hanumante River and pray for the longevity of their husbands and the wellbeing of their families.

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Holi is an ancient Hindu religious festival, also known as the festival of colours or the festival of love. It is celebrated across India and Nepal and includes a symbolic carnival. mindfood.com/colour-fest