Holy baths and folk tales
A Hindu holy man, or sadhu, sits near a fire to keep warm on the first day of the Swasthani Brata Katha festival in Kathmandu.
The month-long celebrations begin with the full moon in January, and each day devotees donning traditional attire recite a chapter of a Hindu tale dedicated to the gods.
Devotees stand on the bank of River Saali in Sankhu during the first day of the festival.
A woman crosses the Triveni River in the early morning as she arrives to offer her prayers.
Devotees dip their heads in the water as they take a holy bath.
A devotee loses her balance as she crosses the river.
A woman dries her hair.
A man smiles as he gets ready to perform religious rituals.
A devotee holds a vessel filled with holy water.
A woman waits to perform rituals in the woods of Changu Narayan.
Women stand in the sun before performing religious rites.
People watch devotees performing rituals.
A holy man touches the Swasthani Brata Katha as he recites verses from the book.
A man offers prayers in the early morning.
A devotee stands near the fire to keep warm.
Devotees offer prayers by rolling on the street during the final day of the festival.
Devotees offer prayers as they stand on the bank of the Hanumante River.
Devotees pray on the last day of the festival.
