STORY BEHIND TONGUE PIERCING FESTIVAL

 The tongue piercing festival of Bode is celebrated on the Nepali .N-idar month of Baisakh 2 every year. The festival symbolizes an of atonement, for a tantric in the old days had allegedly dishonored ldess Nilbarahi by taking hostage one of her best friends, a Khyak, host popular in Newari folklore. The story goes that there used to be mall settlement of Sankhakot near Nilbarahi Temple in the ancient a. The settlers of Sankhakot later moved to Bode after they were istantly haunted and harassed by spirits and wild animals. But the nace continued even in Bode, so they took their problem before a )ular tantric or Gubhaju in Newari, who went by the name Bhimdutt. To ,p away the spirits, Bhimdutt used a magical thread and bordered the le area. One day, a Khyak was ensnared on the thread, so Bhimdutt kied to punish the ghost by shaving its head, and piercing its tongue a needle. The torture did not end there. Bhimdutt made the Khyak arry a wooden pole, strapped a pair of Ghungroo (a belt consisting netallic bells) on its foot and paraded it throughout the town. The) Gubhaju did not listen to the Khyak's plea; he snubbed its every excuse. n when the ghost told him that it was a friend of goddess Nilbarahi. Khyak was kicked out from the town after it vowed never to retum. following night, goddess Nilbarahi appeared in Bhimdutt's dreams. goddess was angry at the tantric for disgracing her friend, Khyak. ,re the townsfolk and demanded that he make amends. From that onwards, it is said Bhimdutt and his descendants started piercing • tongue every year as an act of penitence.