On Friday, members of the Newar community burned an effigy of the demon Ghantakarna during the Gatha Muga festival.

This traditional practice believed to ward off evil spirits, involves creating a human-sized effigy from straw, hay, and bamboo, shaped like a demon. The effigy is placed at a crossroads and burned at the end of the day.

The Gatha Muga festival is observed each year on Shrawan Krishna Chaturdashi, the 14th day of the waning moon in the month of Shrawan.

Here are some photos of the celebrations in Bhaktapur captured by the Post’s photojournalist Angad Dhakal.