KATHMANDU:- The Paha Charhe festival, celebrated by the indigenous Newa community of the Kathmandu Valley, has begun.

During the festival, a masked dance is also performed at the Dabali in front of the Nyata (Naradevi) Temple in Kathmandu. The dance, which starts in the evening and continues throughout the night, is known as the Nyatamaru Ajima Pyakhan or the Swet Kali Dance.

In Nepal Bhasa, “Paha” means guest and “Charhe” refers to the fourteenth day of the lunar fortnight.

“The goddess is called Naradevi because she is the goddess who saves the people of the entire country,” he said. “At that time, Naradevi was in the form of a Shakti Peeth. During the time of Gunakamdev, while building the Kathmandu Valley, it was customary to place a triangular-shaped deity in the inner part.”