Mriga Naach

'Mriga' in Nepali translates to deer and "naach" translates to 'dance'. Therefore the literal translation is dance of the deer. The deer referred to in this particular festival is a barking deer. Woof woof! Sorry, that's not how a barking deer barks. Take to Youtube if that has generated some curiosity. Anyways, Mriga Naach is celebrated in the Gyasumdo region which comes at the beginning of the Annapurna Circuit trek. Gyasumdo region extends all the way up to Bhratang from Tal. It is in this region that Mriga Naach is celebrated. And if you are wondering, the deer does not dance. The priest is the one who dances with the deer on his shoulder all the while reciting prayers. Ultimately, the deer's heart is offered to the goddess Toan Devi. There is a story behind how the festival started. There was a Ghale king in Ngawal who decided to go to Gorkha along with his wife Toan Devi (so Toan Devi wasn't a goddess after all!). On the way their daughter felt severely ill and died (that escalated quickly, we know). Unable to bear the loss of their daughter they decided to return back to Ngawal (ruins of Ghale fort on the way to Ngawal is still visible). But the villagers of Tachai, seeing the distressed King and Queen offered them to stay in their village. Toan Devi first refused but the villagers persuaded her saying that she could wish for anything and the villagers would fulfill it. In the meantime they saw two deer dancing at Kroyecho ridge near Tachai village. The queen then told the villagers that she would only come to their village if they offered her a deer every year to which the villagers agreed. Since this very incident the tradition of offering deer caught on. Nowadays, Toan Devi is regarded as the goddess of prosperity and protector of bad omen. And to please her the deer is offered along with dancing and singing. Mriga Naach is celebrated on the third or fourth week of April every year.