The annual “Bhoot Mela,” or Ghost Fair, was held on the banks of the Kamala River in Nepal on Friday, drawing thousands of attendees.
The river, which serves as a boundary between the Dhanusha and Siraha districts, was crowded with devotees performing rituals from early morning to mark Kartik Purnima.
According to traditional beliefs, bathing in the Kamala River on Kartik Shukla Purnima wards off evil spirits, appeases deities, and alleviates various afflictions. On this occasion, shamans conduct rituals to honour ancestral spirits and deities, giving the event its name, “Bhoot Mela.”
“Taking a bath in the Kamala River on Kartik Purnima is believed to purify the body. All the saints and shamans bathe on this day, making the water sacred. This is why people are encouraged to take dips in nearby rivers. It is believed to wash away all sins committed during one’s lifetime,” Bechan Das, a religious chanter from Dhanusha, told ANI while performing rituals.
The religious chanters sway their bodies and spin their heads to the rhythm of the ‘madal’, cymbals, drums, and ‘pipahi-barrels’. The day also serves as an oath ceremony for these performers, who claim supernatural powers to communicate with ghosts and resolve issues.
These performers are considered fully trained and fit to perform rituals only after taking a dip in the Kamala River. The annual fair attracts participants from Nepal’s Saptari, Mahottari, and Udayapur districts, as well as from Indian cities like Madhubani, Darbhanga, Samastipur, and Jaynagar.
After the ritual bath, devotees and religious performers collect pure water from the Kamala River to take home. Sprinkling this water around their homes is believed to purify the space. Many believe that bathing in the Kamala River on this day frees one from suffering, conflict, and sin.
“When Kartik Purnima approaches, we begin preparations. Fifteen days before the full moon, we set aside a ‘sarcous’ (sacred cloth) for the Kamala or Ganga bath–this can be at any chosen place. Two days before the full moon, we begin fasting, involving all family members. While fasting, we visit the location of the clan deity and perform rituals. On the full moon day, we arrive at the Kamala River with music and bands, then drink the sacred river water. It can also be from the Ganga River. If someone is unable to fast, they can eat fruits. While taking dips in the river, everyone carries the ‘sarcous’ with them,” explained Khusilal Yadav, another religious chanter from Sarlahi district.
On this day, new shamans also bathe in the river, believing it grants them spiritual power for their practices. Their initiation as shamans, or “Dhami,” is completed when the ‘Mooldhami’ (master shaman) bestows a mantra upon them.
Mithilanchal, the ancient city of Mithila, has upheld its faith in ‘Tantravidha’ (Tantrism) for centuries. Locally known as “Dhamijhakri,” a new apprentice dressed in a yellow ‘dhoti’ and ‘saree’ swings an earthen pot with a burning fire in one hand and a cane stick in the other, shouting loudly. These apprentices claim they have come to bathe in the Ganges to perfect their connection with the deity that has come to them.
