100 gather in Kathmandu for holy bath on full moon

Kathmandu, April 22: Hundreds of Nepalese celebrated the annual Hindu festival of the full moon on Friday by bathing under holy water spouts on the outskirts of Kathmandu in a ritual believed to bring blessings for good health.

The devotees believe they will be protected from disease after the holy bath during the festival of Balaju Purnima, media report.

People showered at the 22 holy water spouts in the Balaju Water Garden, after which they will travel for around four hours to Nagarjun Hill to meditate.

The spouts are decorated with colourful images of makara, or mythical sea-creatures considered to be the guardians of gateways in Hindu culture.

Nepalese festivals follow the lunar calendar and occur nearly every week in the country, binding together the country's 100-plus diverse ethnic groups through shared celebrations stemming from shared recognition of Buddhist and Hindu deities.

IANS