New Year’s in Nepal a time for
celebration and for piety Hinduism is
the main religion here and at this time
of year the devout fill the streets
where they ask for good fortune in the
new year and the men endure elaborate
tests of strength and endurance but the
village of boday demonstrates its
religious devotion unlike any other
they’re just one man will stand before
the gods and undergo a painful trial his
name is krishna chandra and with
thousands watching he will allow a spike
to be born into his tongue if his tongue
does not bleed it is believed that God’s
will grant his village prosperity in the
year ahead
in nepal the new year starts in April
when fields have just been planted and
people are praying for a good harvest in
BO day that prayer comes in the form of
a sacrifice according to legend the
village of boday began its unusual
ceremony for centuries ago to mark the
end of a very dark time a forest demon
had been terrorizing the town when the
villagers finally caught him they
paraded him through the streets his
tongue silenced by a metal spike ever
since boday has celebrated the new year
by reenacting the demons fall its tongue
piercing day krishna has not eaten in
three days part of the preparation for
his ordeal on his way to the ceremony
Krishna stops to pray at every shrine
and temple everywhere the gods have
visited in the square the crowd begins
to buzz with anticipation as boday’s
Mayer takes the stage once on the
platform Krishna is greeted as if he
himself were divine the blade has not
been sterilized there’s no anesthetic
the priest Babu kazi just dabs Krishna’s
tongue with oil to lubricate it
ah
his tongue does not bleed for the
eleventh year in a row Krishna has
passed the most crucial test
but his ordeal has only just begun now
he must carry a heavy bamboo icon a
symbol of the god Shiva through boday’s
cobbled streets Krishna ends his walk at
the town’s main temple just as he
crosses the threshold Babu kazi removes
the spike from his tongue as a lasting
testament to krishna’s and the town’s
piety the spike is nailed to the temple
wall Krishna is for you to head home to
break his fast and for the priests
public Ozzy and the rest of the
villagers this painful ritual has once
again served its purpose
celebration and for piety Hinduism is
the main religion here and at this time
of year the devout fill the streets
where they ask for good fortune in the
new year and the men endure elaborate
tests of strength and endurance but the
village of boday demonstrates its
religious devotion unlike any other
they’re just one man will stand before
the gods and undergo a painful trial his
name is krishna chandra and with
thousands watching he will allow a spike
to be born into his tongue if his tongue
does not bleed it is believed that God’s
will grant his village prosperity in the
year ahead
in nepal the new year starts in April
when fields have just been planted and
people are praying for a good harvest in
BO day that prayer comes in the form of
a sacrifice according to legend the
village of boday began its unusual
ceremony for centuries ago to mark the
end of a very dark time a forest demon
had been terrorizing the town when the
villagers finally caught him they
paraded him through the streets his
tongue silenced by a metal spike ever
since boday has celebrated the new year
by reenacting the demons fall its tongue
piercing day krishna has not eaten in
three days part of the preparation for
his ordeal on his way to the ceremony
Krishna stops to pray at every shrine
and temple everywhere the gods have
visited in the square the crowd begins
to buzz with anticipation as boday’s
Mayer takes the stage once on the
platform Krishna is greeted as if he
himself were divine the blade has not
been sterilized there’s no anesthetic
the priest Babu kazi just dabs Krishna’s
tongue with oil to lubricate it
ah
his tongue does not bleed for the
eleventh year in a row Krishna has
passed the most crucial test
but his ordeal has only just begun now
he must carry a heavy bamboo icon a
symbol of the god Shiva through boday’s
cobbled streets Krishna ends his walk at
the town’s main temple just as he
crosses the threshold Babu kazi removes
the spike from his tongue as a lasting
testament to krishna’s and the town’s
piety the spike is nailed to the temple
wall Krishna is for you to head home to
break his fast and for the priests
public Ozzy and the rest of the
villagers this painful ritual has once
again served its purpose
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