Novice Hindus undergo a ritualistic bath to mark the Janai Purnima festival (Sacred Thread Festival) during which devotees take holy baths and change their sacred thread, also known as Janai, for protection and purification, at the premises of the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 19, 2024. (Photo by Monika Malla/Reuters)





A worker pauses for a moment from sorting through recyclable goods at the Avni recycling plant on August 18, 2024 in Kathmandu, Nepal. Avni Ventures is a green social business based in Kathmandu that is pioneering the circular economy in Nepal through PET collection and recycling, green technology R&D, sustainability education, and consultancy services. As the largest responsible plastic waste collection and recycling network in Nepal, Avni has created a formal supply chain, supported waste entrepreneurs, and partnered with local governments to reduce CO2 emissions and eliminate child labor in the waste sector. The company is also the official recycling partner of the Mountain Clean Up Campaign, led and coordinated by the Nepali Army, in charge of sorting and processing the recyclable waste collected from Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain. (Photo by Mailee Osten-Tan/Getty Images)





A Hindu priest prepares Rakshyabandhan, sacred threads, on the embankment of the holy Basmati river flowing next to Pashupatinath temple, as a devotee offers prayers to mark the Janai Purnima festival, for protection and purification, in Kathmandu, Nepal, on August 19, 2024. (Photo by Monika Malla/Reuters)





A group of Nepalese students from a Hindu school attend a mass worship ceremony to mark the Janai Purnima Festival celebrations on the premises of Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, 19 August 2024. During Janai Purnima, also known as the Sacred Thread festival or Rakshya Bandhan festival, Hindu men, especially the Brahmans and Chettris, perform their annual change of Janai, sacred threads worn across the chest or tied around the wrist. Purified by mantras, the thread symbolizes protection, according to Hindu belief. The festival also marks the end of the monsoon season. (Photo by Narendra Shrestha/EPA)





A Nepalese student from a Hindu school attends a mass worship ceremony to mark the Janai Purnima Festival celebrations on the premises of Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, 19 August 2024. (Photo by Narendra Shrestha/EPA)





LGBTQ+ people and their supporters dance and rally during the annual pride parade, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, August 20, 2024. (Photo by Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo)





A participant has colors painted on face as LGBTQ+ people and their supporters rally during the annual pride parade, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, August 20, 2024. (Photo by Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo)





A man watches a participant poses for a photograph as LGBTQ+ people and their supporters rally during the annual pride parade, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, August 20, 2024. (Photo by Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo)





A participants dances as LGBTQ+ people and their supporters rally during the annual pride parade, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, August 20, 2024. (Photo by Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo)





LGBTQ+ people and their supporters rally during the annual pride parade, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, August 20, 2024. (Photo by Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo)





An injured woman is brought for treatment at a hospital, after a bus carrying Indian tourists fell into a river near Abukhaireni town about 75 miles west of the capital Kathmandu, Nepal, Friday, August 23, 2024. (Photo by Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo)





Devotees with lit oil lamps perform religious rituals while offering prayer to God Narayan during Krishna Janmashtami, or the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, in Bhaktapur, Nepal on August 26, 2024. (Photo by Amit Machamasi/ZUMA Press Wire/Rex Features/Shutterstock)





Nepalese devotees gather at the Bagmati River to commemorate their deceased fathers at the sacred shrine of Lord Shiva, Gokarneswor Shrine, near Kathmandu, Nepal, 02 September 2024. On Father's Day, sons and daughters show their gratitude to their fathers, bringing them presents, sweets and fruits. Those who no longer have a father, traditionally visit Gokarneswor Shrine where they conduct puja and offer “Pinda” – food for the departed soul and pray for his eternal peace. (Photo by Narendra Shrestha/EPA/EFE)





Nepalese devotees gather at the Bagmati River to commemorate their deceased fathers at the sacred shrine of Lord Shiva, Gokarneswor Shrine, near Kathmandu, Nepal, 02 September 2024. On Father's Day, sons and daughters show their gratitude to their fathers, bringing them presents, sweets and fruits. Those who no longer have a father, traditionally visit Gokarneswor Shrine where they conduct puja and offer “Pinda” – food for the departed soul and pray for his eternal peace. IPhoto by Narendra Shrestha/EPA)





Women dance after offering prayers to Hindu deity Shiva, as they mark “Teej” festival at Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu on September 6, 2024. (Photo by Prakash Mathema/AFP Photo)





Nepalese women dance at the Pashupatinath temple during Teej festival celebrations in Kathmandu, Nepal, Friday, September 6, 2024. (Photo by Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo)





Nepalese women rest at the Pashupatinath temple during Teej festival celebrations in Kathmandu, Nepal, Friday, September 6, 2024. (Photo by Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo)





A holy man dressed as a Hanuman, Hindu god, participates in a protest against secularism, demanding the reinstatement of Nepal as a Hindu state and the restoration of the monarchy near parliament building in Kathmandu, Nepal, Friday, September 13, 2024. (Photo by Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo)





People participate in a protest against secularism, demanding the reinstatement of Nepal as a Hindu state and the restoration of the monarchy near parliament building in Kathmandu, Nepal, Friday, September 13, 2024. (Photo by Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo)





Masked dancers perform a ritualistic dance at Kathmandu Durbar Square during the procession of erecting a sacred pole locally called “Ya: Shi”, marking the formal start of Indra Jatra dedicated to rain god Indra in Kathmandu, Nepal, on September 15, 2024. The festival lasts for eight days with singing, mask dancing, and other rituals. Indra Jatra festival falls on the fourth day of the waxing moon in the month of Bhadra as per the lunar calendar. Legends say that the Indra Jatra festival observes the victory of the gods over the demons to release Jayanta, the son of Lord Indra. Indra, the god of rain, is worshiped in this festival primarily celebrated by the Newar communities following both Hinduism and Buddhism. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto/Rex Features/Shutterstock)