Samyak Mahadan festivities underway in Patan [In Pictures]

KATHMANDU: Samyak Mahadan festivities are underway in Nagbahal of Lalitpur.

Celebrated every five years, Samyak Mahadan is an alms-giving festival celebrated by Newar Buddhist followers. According to historians, the festival has been celebrated regularly for more than 200 years.

On the first day of the festival, statues of Dipankar Buddha, Avalokiteshwar, Basundharadevi, and Aryatara from 18 different monasteries of Patan as well as from Chapagaun, Bungmati, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, and Bhaktapur were brought to Patan Durbar Square on Wednesday evening. A procession was then taken out to take these statues to the Nagbahal courtyard.

Locals have been worshiping these statues since early Thursday morning. According to the organizers, the statues will be taken back to their respective monasteries on Thursday evening.

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