Asian Geographic - April 2018

nuptials, with the final one culminating in

union with a man.

For these little brides, Ihi is the first step.

Sitting in their father’s lap, they cradle

the consecrated bael fruit, or wood apple

(a representation of the Hindu god Vishnu,

chosen for its resistance to rot), and become

permanent wives of the immortal deity. Some

believe this practice originated from the 19th

century, when, fearing the lusty desires of men

from other tribes, Newari families sought a

way to protect their girls’ purity by having a

god claim it first.

Still prevalent today, the practice has

expanded to protecting women from the

stigma of widowhood. After the ceremony,

20th century

The caste system is

abolished in 1962, but

discrimination thrives

up till today

18th century

The Gorkha Kingdom

conquers the

Kathmandu Valley

and unifies Nepal

Joined in

matrimony

CHILDHOOD

ADOLESCENCE

ADULTHOOD

Age

5–11

Age

7–13

Age

Mid-20s

Husband: Vishnu

Husband: The Sun

Husband: Spouse

typically arranged

by the parents

A Newari Girl’s

Successive Spouses

the girls will carefully keep the fruit in pristine

condition for the rest of their lives.

The next marriage, called Bahra or Gufa,

must happen before a girl’s first menstruation,

typically around 13 years. She spends 12 days

isolated at home in a dark room, away from

men and sunlight, during which she receives

sex education from female relatives. On the

13th day, she is unveiled outdoors and wedded

to the Sun for protection against evil in a

female-only ceremony.

In the third and final marriage ceremony,

the mature Newari woman dons a red sari to

marry her flesh-and-blood partner in Ihipa, a

three-day party with friends and family, after

which she moves into her spouse’s home, all

her weddings finished at last. ag

1.3
MILLION
(5% of Nepal total)

नेपाल भाषा
Nepal Bhasa (Newari)

Hinduism and
Buddhism

POPULATION

LANGUAGE

RELIGIONS

newar:
the Original
inhabitants OF the
Kathmandu Valley