Bode Celebrates Traditional Tongue-Piercing Festival

Bhaktapur. Since early this morning, locals in Madhyapur Thimi have been celebrating the Biska Jatra by playing with vermilion and parading deities. By midday, crowds began to swell in the Bode area.

Soon, the area around the south-facing rest house of Pancha Ganesh in Bode was packed. Crowds had gathered by 12:00 PM to witness the famous tongue-piercing festival of Madhyapur Thimi, held annually on Baisakh 2.

At 2:30 PM, attention shifted as a group of people arrived at the Pancha Ganesh temple area, playing bamboo clappers and forming a human chain. In the center was 29-year-old Sujan Bag Shrestha, who had arrived after visiting and worshipping at all the temples in Bode in preparation for the piercing.

The local residents of Bode cheered in celebration. Upon reaching the platform, Sujan was joined by Krishna Chandra Bag Shrestha, who has performed the piercing 12 times, and other traditional leaders. At exactly 3:00 PM, in front of thousands, Sujan's tongue was pierced with a 10-inch iron needle that had been soaked in oil for a month. Despite the pain, Sujan remained composed, waving to the cheering crowd.

Sujan then carried a heavy ceremonial torch, known as a 'Bhway', through the streets of Bode for about an hour, visiting various temples. The ritual concluded at the Mahalaxmi temple, where the needle was removed and driven into the temple wall. Sujan expressed his pride in continuing the cultural tradition, noting that he was inspired by his father's dedication to preserving the festival.

According to tradition, the person who undergoes the piercing fasts from the last day of Chaitra. After the ritual, soil from the Mahalaxmi temple is applied to the wound, which is believed to heal it without the need for medicine.

Legend suggests the ritual originated to ward off evil spirits that plagued Bode, with a tantric named Bhimdatta Karmacharya forcing a demon to undergo the piercing to protect the village. However, local resident Buddha Krishna disputes this, asserting that the festival is linked to the honor of the goddess Nil Barahi and that the person performing the ritual is a divine attendant, not a demon.