Historical Tongue-Piercing Festival Concludes

Kathmandu: The traditional Yenya Punhi Mye Pwa Khnegu Jatra, popularly known as the tongue-piercing festival, was observed on Sunday evening in Madhyapur Thimi on the occasion of Ashwin Shukla Purnima and, for the first time in history, made its way to Bhaktapur city.

The ritual circumambulation began after paying homage to the deities at Dattatraya and Nawadurga. This year’s procession was carried out at the wish of the tongue-piercer, Birendrabhakta Gaju Shrestha, a cultural enthusiast from Balkumari, Madhyapur Thimi-4, who has been reviving the centuries-old ritual in recent years. As in the past, Shrestha pierced his tongue before the Digu Bhairav Temple, shouldered a large wooden-and-bamboo oil lamp, and walked through the city following traditional routes and rites.

Unlike the famous Bode festival, where only one participant pierces the tongue along a fixed route, the Thimi festival allows multiple participants and does not have a predetermined path. This year’s procession in Bhaktapur passed through several cultural and religious landmarks including Thasma Ganesh, Balkumari Shankhadhar Chowk, Barahi, Sallaghari, Siddhapokhari, Durbar Square, Sukuldhoka, Dattatraya Temple, Navadurga Dyoche, Taumadhi, Nyatapola Temple, Bhimsen Chowk, and finally concluded at Balkumari.

Shrestha has been performing the ritual since 2017 in an effort to revive the declining practice, repeating it again in 2022 and 2023. Last year, he carried out the ritual at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, while this year he chose Bhaktapur’s Dattatraya and Navadurga temples before leading the city-wide procession. “Madhyapur Thimi is a living repository of art and culture. By continuing this tradition, I want to preserve and promote Thimi’s identity to the world,” he said, adding that his temple visits reflect his personal devotion.

(RSS)