Buddha Krishna Bag Shrestha has pierced his tongue to maintain an age-old tradition observed during the Bisket Jatra.

Buddha Krishna, a permanent residence of Bode Municipality-5, took the mantle from Jujubhai Shrestha who took a break from piercing tongue after eight years. Tongue piercing, where, an iron needle is pierced through the tongue, is the central figure of Bisket Jatra.

This is not the first time Buddha Krishna is participating in the festival. He had volunteered from 2005 to 2008 to pierce his tongue after which he left for Korea as a migrant worker. Buddha Krishna’s family is not new to tongue piercing though. His brother Krishna Chandra Bag Shrestha earlier had volunteered for 12 years.

The tongue piercing festival is observed on Baisakh 2 (April 15) as part of the Bisket Jatra which marks the beginning of the Nepali New Year.

(Photos: Milan Adhikari, text: TKP Online Team)