Bel Bibaha

• Photographer
  Keith Tsuji

A little girl prepares for the Bel Bibaha ceremony in Kathmandu, Nepal. Bel Bibaha, or Ihi, is a coming-of-age ceremony in Nepal's Newar community. Pre-adolescent girls symbolically marry a bel fruit (wood apple), representing the Hindu god Vishnu. This ensures the girl remains spiritually married to Vishnu, offering protection and sanctity, even if her human marriage later ends in widowhood. The ritual marks her transition to womanhood and celebrates her heritage through elaborate ceremonies, traditional attire, and community participation.