Feature: young Nepalese girls observe one-month Swasthani fast undaunted by strict rules

Samita Duwal has been walking barefoot for 11 days and has even avoided wearing socks or slippers, in fact, the 24-year-old in this frigid weather has abstained from using many materialistic items for an entire month.

Samita dresses daily in a traditional red Kurtha Salwar and has a big red circle on her forehead known as tika. She has transformed herself into a sacred version of herself in recent days. Samita, who graduated not so long ago, decided to change her lifestyle for one month and commit to a lengthy fast observed by Hindus in Nepal called Swasthani.

"My mother used to observe the fasting in previous years, which sparked my interest. Fasting is not as difficult as people imagine it to be, perhaps due to the blessing of the goddess Swasthani," Samita told Xinhua on the banks of the Salinadi holy river.

The one-month long fasting of the Hindu Goddess Shree Swasthani starts in Nepal on the first day of the full moon in the month of Poush and lasts for 30 days. With the ability to take on 8 different forms, the goddess is regarded as holy deity of immense power.

On this occasion, Salinadi, a holy river some 20 kilometers away from the capital, turns into a religious hub. This year, there are 228 women observing the fast in Salinadi aged between 13 and 69 years old.

These women dressed in red, stay on the banks of the river for whole day and offer prayers and devotion to the four-handed Hindu goddess Swasthani.

There is a strong belief that every wish of the disciples will be fulfilled if the fasting is successful.

Most of the wishes are related to the prosperity of family members and children, whereas unmarried women observe the fast in hopes of finding an ideal husband. "There is a conviction that wishes made should not be shared. I am hopeful that Swasthani Maata will fulfill my wish soon," said a shy Samita.

Fasting has strict rules such as taking a holy dip in the river every morning, avoiding the use of soap or shampoos during bathing, keeping nails trimmed, avoiding sitting on chairs or sleeping in a bed, and not touching outsiders.

But the strict rules do not deter the young Nepalese girls from following this Hindu practice. On the contrary, they seem enthusiastic and cheerful to have continued the tradition.

"I wake up at 4 a.m. and take a dip in the holy river and offer prayers to the goddess for the whole day. I eat a vegetarian meal once a day with fruits, which give me the energy to stay strong and fresh. I wanted to observe the fast since my childhood and my dream is finally coming true this year," said 20-year-old Sukha Laxmi Shrestha from Nala, Bhaktapur, joyfully.

Though there are countless women fasting in Salinadi, thousands of women, including young girls, follow this month-long practice in their own households across the country.

Jeewan Man Singh, the vice chairman of Swasthani and Madhav Narayan fair management committee explained to Xinhua, "Generally, fifty to sixty thousand visitors come here every day. In total, I expect around 2.5 million to flock to the area for the ritual."

The fasting of the Goddess Swasthani ends on the day of the full moon in the Nepali month of Magh. Endite