The festival marks the end of the monsoon season and beginning of autumn. More than hundred girls under the age of nine gathered for the tradition of worshiping young pre-pubescent girls as manifestations of the divine female energy. The ritual holds a strong religious significance in Newar community. It is a community affair held primarily to save small girls from diseases and bad luck in the years to come. Photo: A young Nepalese girl dressed as a Kumari or living Goddess, smiles for camera as she waits for Kumari puja at Hanuman Dhoka, Basantapur Durbar Square in Katmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, September 17, 2013. (Photo by Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo)

The Jeremy Scott Fall 2016 collection is modeled during Fashion Week in New York, Monday, February 15, 2016. (Photo by Richard Drew/AP Photo)

The Villarica volcano erupts near Pucon, Chile, early Tuesday, March 3, 2015. The Villarica volcano erupted Tuesday around 3 a.m. local time (06:00 GMT), according to the National Emergency Office, which issued a red alert and ordered evacuations. (Photo by Aton Chile/AP Photo)

Young Icelandic mares graze on a meadow in Wehrheim near Frankfurt, Germany, on a foggy Tuesday, September 26, 2023. (Photo by Michael Probst/AP Photo)

During a jungle survival program February 20, 2013 taught by Royal Thai Special Forces in Sannapit, Thailand, U.S. Marines learned to catch cobras and drink their fresh blood, not to mention eat forest insects and pull the heads off of chicken. The training was part of Operation Cobra Gold 13, the 32nd edition of international military exercises hosted by the Thai. According to a U.S. Marines press release, Cobra Gold is the largest exercise of its kind in Asia and incorporates troops from five other nations in addition to the U.S. and Thailand. The Daily Mail reports that the Marines were invited to experience the local custom of drinking cobra blood after being taught to catch and kill cobras in the wild. As CNN notes, Cobra blood is believed to be a panacea and aphrodiasic in parts of Southeast Asia. In Jakarta, vendors can earn over $100 a night selling shots of cobra blood mixed with liquor. (Photo by Pornchai Kittiwongsakul/AFP Photo)

Dancers pose after performing “El Macho Raton”, “El Toro Huaco” and “El Gueguense” traditional dances during San Sebastian festivity in Diriamba, province of Carazo, some 50 km south of Managua on January 19, 2016. Devotees of Saint Sebastian dance in traditional costumes between the cities of Diriamba and Dolores, which are some three kilometers away. (Photo by Inti Ocon/AFP Photo)

View of a damaged bridge at the Iguacu Falls on June 12, 2014, in Foz do Iguacu, Brazil, following the overflowing of the Parana river. In neighbouring Paraguay flooding has forced the evacuation of about 150,000 people in Paraguay's capital city Asuncion, authorities said. (Photo by Norberto Duarte/AFP Photo)

Revelers take a selfie during a Holi Festival in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 26, 2015. The festival is based on the Hindu spring festival Holi, also known as the festival of colours where participants colour each other with dry powder and coloured water. (Photo by Andres Kudacki/AP Photo)