Newari girl in Kathmandu participates in the ritual Ihi ‘marriage’ to the bel fruit, symbol of the Hindu god Shiva.

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Ihi (Bel bibaha) is a ceremony in Nepal in which pre-adolescent girls are 'married' to the bel fruit, which is a symbol of the god Shiva, ensuring that the girl becomes and remains fertile. It is believed that if the girl's husband dies later in her life, she is not considered a widow because she is married to Shiva, and so already has a husband that is believed to be still alive.

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Size: 4320px × 2868px
Location: Durbar Square, Kathmandu, Nepal
Photo credit: © Philip Game / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -continent, asia, asian, bel, belief, ceremony, costume, durbar, festival, girl, girls, ihi, kathmandu, marriage, mother, nepal, nepalese, nepali, newari, pre-pubescent, ritual, solemn, square, subcontinent, wedding