Nationwide Devotion Marks Rishi Tarpani as Pilgrims Gather Across Nepal
Nepal is celebrating Janai Purnima today, a multifaceted Hindu festival also recognized as Rishi Tarpani that highlights spiritual renewal, protection, and rich culinary traditions. Men wearing the sacred Janai thread undergo ritual shaving and bathing before replacing the cord to symbolize purity, while devotees receive protective yellow Raksha Bandhan wrist threads from Brahmin priests to ward off fear and illness. In tandem with these rites, the Newar community observes the day as Kwati Purnima by savoring Kwati, a traditional soup made from nine distinct varieties of sprouted beans. Meanwhile, in the Tarai region, the occasion coincides with Rakhi, where sisters tie vibrant protective bands around their brothers’ wrists to pray for their long life and health. Marking the national public holiday, thousands of pilgrims are flocking to major Shiva temples—including Pashupatinath in Kathmandu and Kumbheshwar in Lalitpur—as well as remote alpine lakes like Gosainkunda in Rasuwa and Triveni in Jumla to take sacred dips and offer prayers.
