Haunting Traditions in Nepal: The Annual ‘Bhoot Mela’(Ghost Fair) Lights Up the Kamala River Banks

The annual "Bhoot Mela" (Ghost Fair) takes place on the Kamala River embankments in Nepal during Kartik Purnima, attracting thousands of devotees. Believed to ward off evil spirits, bathing in the river is a key ritual. Shamans conduct ceremonies for ancestral spirits, with chanters dancing and drumming to communicate with ghosts and solve problems. Devotees from Nepal and nearby Indian cities participate, collecting sacred water to purify their homes. New shamans also bathe in the river, seeking spiritual power. The event marks the culmination of a Dhami's spiritual initiation, completed when the Mooldhami recites a sacred mantra