Gathemangal – Demon festival in Nepal

Ghantakarna festival is a Newar festival in Nepal. It is observed during the month of August and after rice plantation. This festival marks the beginning of several other festivals of Hindu and Buddhist in Kathmandu. Ghantakarna is also known with the name ‘Gathamuga’ and ‘Gathemangal’.

The festival features chasing away demons from homes in a symbolic manner. In the festival, Gatha Muga demons, made of wheat straw, are erect at every tole’s street. The straw demons are burnt outside of city or nearby river in the evening.

On this festival people, especially newars, visit to ritual places and temples to worship for peace. People worship ‘Bali’ made of cooked or beaten rice at their home and eat ‘Samyabaji’ as ‘Prasad’ to avoid the impacts of bad spirits. To avoid any effects from bad spirits, a three-legged iron nail is driven in on the doorway while burning incense.

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