Hindu devotees participate in Madhav Narayan festival in Nepal

Hundreds of Hindu devotees in Nepal took part in a mass holy bath ritualtodayin the famous Sali River situated in the ancient town of Sankhu to mark the first day of the month-long Madhav Narayan festival.
During the festival, devotees fast, chant hymns, meditate and take holy dips to pay tribute to Hindu Goddess Swasthani, who is supposed to bring good fortune to them.
They take only one meal a day without salt and take around the city of Sankhu barefoot worshipping at different Hindu temples.
During the month-long fasting, they also visit important temples such as Pashupatinath and Changu Narayan to pay tribute.

This time a total of 205 devotees are taking part in the month-long festival by observing Brata, during which they take only one meal a day without salt, said Daiba Shrestha, a local resident of Sankhu talking to PTI.
The worshippers also spend time studying the religious book of Swasthani, which relates to the lives of the Goddess and Hindu God Shiva.
While men pray for good fortune, married women pray for the well being and prosperity of their husbands and children, and unmarried women pray asking for suitable spouse.