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Photos Photos Life 10 Aug 2018 Nepal celebrates victory of good over evil through Ghantakarna festival

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Nepal celebrates victory of good over evil through Ghantakarna festival

Published : Aug 10, 2018, 9:42 am IST

Updated : Jul 6, 2019, 3:32 pm IST

The festival of Gathemangal is celebrated in the memory of mythical demon Ghantakarna’s death. (Photos: AP)

The festival of Gathemangal is celebrated in the memory of mythical demon Ghantakarna’s death. (Photos: AP)

Nepalese woman gather and prepare the material to make an effigy of demon Ghantakarna symbolizing demolition of evil during the Ghantakarna festival in Bhaktapur. According to the legend, a demon named Ghantakarna terrorized the villagers by stealing the children and women of the village. He used to demand money and other gifts from the villagers. His body was painted in red, blue and black and he wore a pair of bells on his ears. He looked very scary and every time he moved, the bells jingled. He got his name from the bells on his ears, i.e. Ghanta meaning ‘bell’ and Karna meaning ‘ears’.

Nepalese woman gather and prepare the material to make an effigy of demon Ghantakarna symbolizing demolition of evil during the Ghantakarna festival in Bhaktapur. According to the legend, a demon named Ghantakarna terrorized the villagers by stealing the children and women of the village. He used to demand money and other gifts from the villagers. His body was painted in red, blue and black and he wore a pair of bells on his ears. He looked very scary and every time he moved, the bells jingled. He got his name from the bells on his ears, i.e. Ghanta meaning ‘bell’ and Karna meaning ‘ears’.

Nepalese people gather to watch burning of effigy of demon Ghantakarna symbolizing demolition of evil during the Ghantakarna festival.

Nepalese people gather to watch burning of effigy of demon Ghantakarna symbolizing demolition of evil during the Ghantakarna festival.

Nepalese people prepare an effigy of demon Ghantakarna prior to burning it symbolizing demolition of evil. According to legend, one day, a large number of frogs came to the village and began to croak near Ghantakarna’s place. He became furious but the frogs did not stop. They croaked even louder and when he tried to catch them, they jumped into the water. He, too, jumped into the water without realizing that it was a swamp and soon started to drown. The frogs swarmed around his head and he drowned to death. In this way, the frogs saved the village and the villagers from the demon.

Nepalese people prepare an effigy of demon Ghantakarna prior to burning it symbolizing demolition of evil. According to legend, one day, a large number of frogs came to the village and began to croak near Ghantakarna’s place. He became furious but the frogs did not stop. They croaked even louder and when he tried to catch them, they jumped into the water. He, too, jumped into the water without realizing that it was a swamp and soon started to drown. The frogs swarmed around his head and he drowned to death. In this way, the frogs saved the village and the villagers from the demon.

Nepalese people burn an effigy of demon Ghantakarna symbolizing demolition of evil. The festival of Gathemangal or Ghantakarna Chaturdasi, like most of the Nepali festivals, is an example of the victory of good over evil.

Nepalese people burn an effigy of demon Ghantakarna symbolizing demolition of evil. The festival of Gathemangal or Ghantakarna Chaturdasi, like most of the Nepali festivals, is an example of the victory of good over evil.

A Nepalese woman swings her son over a burning effigy of demon Ghantakarna symbolizing demolition of evil during the Ghantakarna festival in Bhaktapur.