KATHMANDU, AUGUST 13 A person dressed as a Lakhe performs a traditional fire-blowing ritual during the Mi Pwa Lakhe fire dance festival in Lalitpur, Nepal, on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. The Mi Pwa Lakhe, a traditional masked dance of Patan, is believed to ward off evil and protect the community. Photo by Skanda Gautam for The Himalayan Times