Yak blood drinking festival in Mustang (Photo Feature)

By Amrit Prasad Paudel, Myagdi, July 23: Tourists have been visiting Gharpajhong Rural Municipality's Namakh lek and Thasang Rural Municipality's Marche Lek of Mustang district to participate in the Yak blood drinking festival. 

According to locals, this year the festival started on July 20 and will last on July 26. They said that within the festival season more than 100 people reach Jomsom and about 100 live at the high Leks to drink Yak blood daily.

Farmers have said that up to 35 glasses of blood can be taken out from a young Yak and sales at the rate of Rs 200 per glass. The festival is organised in the April-May and July-August seasons every year. 

Local of Thasang Rural Municipality, Naurikot Indra Singh Sherchan said that blood is taken out from Yak by an experienced and trained person called Amji. 

It has been said that drinking the fresh blood of Yak helps to cure diseases and maintain a healthy life.