| Ghanta Karna | |
|---|---|
 Effigy of the demon | |
| Official name | Gathe Mangal |
| Observed by | Newar people |
| Type | Religious |
| Significance | Defeat of the demon Ghanta Karna |
| Frequency | Annual |
Ghanta Karna (also known as Ghanta Karna Chaturdasi and Gathe Mangal) is a Nepalese Newari festival celebrating the defeat of the mythical demon Ghanta-karna ("bell-ears") or "Gatha-Mungal" in local Newari language. According to the myth, the demon wore bell earrings in order to drown out the name of the god Shiva with their jingling. Attributed to him are acts of robbery, murder, and kidnapping of children. The festival takes place during the month of Shrawan (July/August).
References
- Shrestha, Sujan. "Gathe Mangal: A tradition to ward off evil spirits (with photos)". My Republica. Retrieved 2022-07-17.
- "My City | Photo blog from Nepali Times » Blog Archive » Demon festival". Retrieved 2022-07-17.
- Pandey, Rishikesh (2018). "Religion, Rainfall and Rice: Social-ecological Interpretation of Festivals in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal". QUEST: Studies on Religion & Culture in Asia. 3.