Lalitpur, Feb. 25 -- It was early, around 6 am, when Sabita Dhakwa joined the line in Nagbahal with her family to offer alms to 127 Dipankar statues. The line was quickly filling in, and unlike the usual quiet Patan

mornings, the bahal was buzzing. There were baskets full of packet jaki (rice) and mari (sweets) everywhere. And the elders had their pockets full of money to distribute to the many families and

representatives of bahals and bahis around Patan that had assembled with their deities.

This was exactly five years ago, but Dhakwa remembers details clearly because she spent the day before preparing for Samyak Mahadan, a centuries-old tradition that takes place only every five years. The sole purpose of the festival is to encourag...