07/18/2026
This is a traditional festival of the Khas people.
This festival should not be reduced to merely being about “throwing away skin infections (Luto Falne).” Its deeper purpose and cultural significance need to be understood.
In essence, this festival is about identifying the medicinal herbs that grow around us and symbolically driving away evil spirits or negative energy.
On the day of Shrawan Sankranti (the first day of the Nepali month of Shrawan), people traditionally identify the medicinal plants growing in their surroundings. When we were children, we could recognize and collect around 30–35 different medicinal herbs. Today, sadly, we have forgotten many of them. These herbs naturally sprout during the month of Asar (mid-June to mid-July).
In the evening, a ritual was performed by worshipping Kandarak, the deity associated with medicinal herbs. A paste made from Tihire (a flowering medicinal herb) was applied to the hands. After lighting incense and offering prayers using 4–5 burning pine-wood torches brought from inside the house, people would strike a winnowing tray (Nanglo) while chanting, “Take the luto away!”, and symbolically drive away disease and negative forces by facing the four directions around the house.
Today, however, this rich tradition has largely been reduced to simply burning a few sticks of incense.
This festival can be of particular interest to students of Ayurveda, as it reflects traditional knowledge of medicinal plants and indigenous healing practices. Even today, the festival continues to be observed in parts of Gandaki and Karnali Provinces of Nepal.
