Shree Swasthani Bratha Katha begins (photos)

KATHMANDU: The month-long Shree Swasthani Bratha Katha, an auspicious Hindu festival, commenced on Monday, coinciding with the first full moon of Poush, the ninth month of the Nepali calendar.

Devotees across Nepal are engaged in daily worship, storytelling, and fasting rituals dedicated to Goddess Shree Swasthani.

The festival, revered for its spiritual significance, involves reciting the tales of Goddess Swasthani, Lord Shiva, and other deities in Hindu households.

Women and men observe the tradition by taking holy baths at sacred rivers and initiating the month-long vrata (religious vow) with fervor.

In Sankhu, Kathmandu, thousands of devotees thronged the Sali Nadi, a sacred riverbank associated with the festival, to perform the ritual bath and worship ceremonies.

The Sali Nadi, located on the banks of the Manohara River, holds a central place in the Shree Swasthani Bratha Katha narrative, drawing large crowds each year.

For the next month, devotees will observe rigorous fasting, consuming only a single meal daily until the festival concludes on Magh Shukla Purnima, the next full moon day.

Goddess Sri Swasthani, the central deity of the festival, is depicted as a four-handed figure holding a Chakra, Trishul, Sword, and Lotus.

The deity is worshipped alongside the eight manifestations of divine power, known as Astha Matrika—Mahakali, Vaishnavi, Brahmi, Maheshwari, Kaumeshwari, Barahi, Indrayani, and Chamunda.

Devotees also honor Navaraj Brahman, Goma Brahmani, and Chandrawati, key figures in the Swasthani narrative.

Rituals and worship continue daily at various Hindu shrines across Nepal, with a significant focus on Shalinadi in Sankhu, Kathmandu.

This sacred site is intricately linked to the stories recited during the festival.

Devotees visit the riverbanks and nearby shrines to offer prayers and participate in the month-long celebration of faith and devotion.