Janai Purnima and Raksha Bandhan marked at Pashupati (Pictures)

Nabin Babu Gurung

Kathmandu, Aug 19

Hindus across the country are observing Janai Purnima and Raksha Bandhan on Monday.

Janai Purnima is celebrated every year on the full moon day of the month of Shrawan. Hindu men who wear the sacred thread called janai take a bath in a river or pond in the morning and change their janai.

On this day, devotees also wear a sacred thread called Raksha Bandhan, which is tied around the right wrist by a priest.

The day is also known as Rishi Tarpani.

Hindu devotees in Kathmandu visit the Pashupatinath Temple, Ashok Binayak at Basantapur and other temples to change their janai and tie the Raksha Bandhan.

People from the Newar community celebrate the day as Gunhi Punhi or Kwati Punhi. A traditional dish called kwati, which is a mixed soup of nine types of sprouted beans, is consumed on this day.

Here are some pictures taken at Pashupati on Monday.