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Nepalese Hindu devotees attend mass prayer during the first day of the month-long Madhav Narayan festival in Bhaktapur, Nepal, on 25 January 2024. The Madhav Narayan festival takes place for an entire month. It is devoted to religious fasting, holy bathing, and the study of the Swasthani book, a chapter or story read each evening by priests or heads of households to the gathered family. Thousands of married women and dozens of male devotees concluded their month-long fast at various temples for a better life and peace in the country. According to the Swasthani book, whoever takes the month-long Swasthani fast will have all their sins forgiven, and they will not experience bad days during their life. The festival is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the god of creation and destruction. (Photo by Narendra Shrestha/EPA)
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