KATHMANDU, APRIL 16

Thirty-year-old Sujan Bagha Shrestha pierced his tongue for the third time during the annual Tongue Piercing Festival held on Baisakh 2 in Bode, Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, Bhaktapur, on Tuesday.

The centuries-old ritual, observed every Nepali New Year, is a unique cultural tradition believed to ward off evil and bring prosperity to the community.

Photos: Rajesh Gurung for The Himalayan Times