Yak Blood Drinking Ceremony

This is one festival that may offend some of the readers. We are guessing you are already curious about this festival just by the title. This is the Vampire diaries of the Himalayas. So basically, the Yak blood drinking festival is where the Thakali people pierce the neck of a Yak and drink its blood. It really is that straightforward. The yak blood is believed to contain magical powers because it feeds on medicinal herbs such as Yarsagumba, jatamasi, paanchaule etc. Magical powers are just an exaggeration. What it really does is cure gastritis, acidity, jaundice, muscle sprain, body swelling etc. Well, it is magic to some. A part of Yak's neck is pierced for the blood to gush out and a tumbler is placed under to collect the blood. This blood is then drunk in turns. If you want to drink, a glass of yak blood will cost around Rs. 60-100. But the people who conduct this festival aren't as brutal and heartless as you may think. They don't kill the yak. They let the wound heal and the yaks are up and running again. The festival is bloody nonetheless and so if anyone is offended by these activities and can't withstand it, you should stay away. It is a bloody festival! This is a two-week ceremony that takes place twice a year in Mustang district. The first one is in Baishakh (April/ May) at Sekong lake and Nupsang Kharka in Kobang and a second one is in Shrawan (July/ August) at Marche and Muli in Kobang, Phache in Tukuche and Alubari in Marpha.