Celebrating Nepal’s Dashain festival

The 15-day festival commemorates slaying of a demon king by Hindu goddess Durga, marking victory of good over evil.

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Oct. 23, 2012

Nepalese children play on a bamboo swing at sunrise in Kathmandu during the ninth day of the 15-day Dashain festival.

Narendra Shrestha / European Pressphoto Agency

Oct. 23, 2012

Nepalese children gather to watch devotees drag a sacrificial water buffalo during the ninth day of the Dashain festival at Bhaktapur on the outskirts of Kathmandu. It is a regular practice during the festival to sacrifice animals to celebrate the goddess Durga.

Niranjan Shrestha / AP

Oct. 23, 2012

Nepalese devotees splash water on a water buffalo, unseen, as part of a ritual before sacrificing it during the ninth day of the Dashain festival at Bhaktapur on the outskirts of Kathmandu.

Niranjan Shrestha / AP

Oct. 17, 2012

Nepalese children play on a swing popularly known as "Dashain Ping" in Kathmandu on the second day of the Hindu festival of Dashain.

Prakash Mathema / AFP/Getty Images

Oct. 16, 2012

A man grabs a goat before buying it at a livestock market during the first day of Dashain, Hinduism’s biggest religious festival, in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters

Oct. 16, 2012

A goat is being weighed to fix its price at a livestock market during the first day of Dashain in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters

Oct. 19, 2012

A Nepalese boy leads his goat after buying it from a livestock market during the Hindu festival of Dashain in Kathmandu.

Prakash Mathema / AFP/Getty Images

Oct. 20, 2012

A Nepalese vendor displays colorful beads at the market during the 15-day Dashain festival in Kathmandu.

Narendra Shrestha / European Pressphoto Agency

Oct. 9, 2012

An artist puts the finishing touches on an idol of demon Mahishasura during preparations for the Dashain festival in Lalitpur, Nepal.

Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters

Oct. 16, 2012

A Nepalese soldier wearing "Guruju Paltan," a costume worn by Nepalese soldiers 240 years ago, plays the flute to begin Ghatasthapana, the first day of the Hindu festival Dashain, at Hanumandhoka Durbar Square in Kathmandu. During Dashain, Durga, a mother goddess of power and prosperity, is worshiped by offering animal sacrifices, especially goats. Dashain is considered the longest and the most auspicious festival for Nepalese people of all casts.

Narendra Shrestha / European Pressphoto Agency

Oct. 16, 2012

A Hindu priest wearing three rings with portraits of Shiva, the goddess of creation and destruction, talks on a cellphone during the Dashain festival in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Narendra Shrestha / European Pressphoto Agency

Oct. 16, 2012

Nepalese soldiers wearing "Guruju Paltan," costumes worn by Nepalese soldiers 240 years ago, prime a gun to fire it to symbolize the formal beginning of Ghatasthapana, the first day of the Hindu festival Dashain, at Hanumandhoka Durbar Square in Kathmandu.

Narendra Shrestha / European Pressphoto Agency

Oct. 21, 2012

Nepalese soldiers of the Rajdal artillery unit use century-old ceremonial cannons during the Dashain festival in Kathmandu.

Narendra Shrestha / European Pressphoto Agency

Oct. 23, 2012

A Nepalese boy watches as soldiers prepare to sacrifice a goat on the ninth day of the Hindu Dashain festival in Kathmandu.

Prakash Mathema / AFP/Getty Images

Oct. 23, 2012

Nepalese devotees carry offerings as they line up to worship at the goddess Durga temple in Kathmandu.

Narendra Shrestha / European Pressphoto Agency

Oct. 23, 2012

A Nepalese woman holds a plate containing a variety of items for performing a ritual before sacrificing a buffalo on the ninth day of the Dashain festival at Bhaktapur on the outskirts of Kathmandu.

Niranjan Shrestha / AP

Oct. 23, 2012

A Nepalese poultry vendor sells chickens for sacrifice on the ninth day of the Hindu Dashain festival in Kathmandu.

Prakash Mathema / AFP/Getty Images

Oct. 23, 2012

Nepalese gather to watch devotees drag a sacrificial water buffalo during the ninth day of the Dashain festival at Bhaktapur on the outskirts of Kathmandu.

Niranjan Shrestha / AP

Oct. 23, 2012

A man sacrifices a water buffalo to celebrate the Dashain festival in Kathmandu, Nepal.

/ Reuters

Oct. 16, 2012

A Nepalese youth plays on a swing during the first day of Dashain in Kathmandu.

Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters

Oct. 23, 2012

A young Nepalese girl looks at a camera as she arrives for Navami, the ninth day of the Dashain festival, outside a Hindu temple in Kathmandu.

Niranjan Shrestha / AP

Oct. 23, 2012

Nepalese devotees, with their shadows on the wall, line up to offer prayers outside the Taleju Hindu temple as it opens on Navami, the ninth day of Dashain festival, in Kathmandu. The Taleju temple remains closed all other days of the year.

Niranjan Shrestha / AP

Oct. 23, 2012

A Nepalese girl watches devotees drag a sacrificial water buffalo during the ninth day of the Dashain festival at Bhaktapur on the outskirts of Kathmandu.

Niranjan Shrestha / AP

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