Watching Tongue Piercing during Sindoor Jatra

Hit Thapa (HBKham)

Watching a tongue piercing ceremony during a typical Newari festival known as Sindur Jatra (festival) in Madhyapur Thimi is something extraordinary event that a foreigner or visitor can enjoy during this festival celebrated by the Newar indigenous community inside Kathmandu valley, the capital city of Nepal.

The Newar community festival resembling almost like a Holi festival of Hindus in Nepal is the occasion when the people dance with merrymaking processions along the streets of Madhyapur Thimi when the people participating in this festival fully enjoy smearing their heads and bodies with sindoor (vermillion) or exchange their colors with one another during the festival.

This year in 2022, the festival was celebrated with great pomp and show on April 14 and 15 in this city where tongue piercing by many voluntarily was seen by the onlookers from the pavements of the roads and city.

The event is considered to be one of the great gala-making events when the whole city of Madhyapur city is smeared in vermillion and the local people dance, and exchange wishes to the tune of traditional musical vibrations.

The dancing people and people beating drums are so engrossed that at that moment that they know nothing about their surroundings.

The only restriction to taking part in the tongue piercing ceremony is that the person hailing from Newar’s Shrestha clan can only partake in this ceremony. Others cannot do it.

The person who wishes to get his tongue pierced during this Sindoor festival has to remain fasting for at least three days before the appointed day comes.

Usually, a needle is soaked in the oil for at least one month prior to happening of this festival.