Buddhi Krishna Bag Shrestha has taken up the mantle from Jujubhai Shrestha to have his tongue pierced, an age-old tradition observed during the Bisket Jatra. 

The tongue piercing festival is observed on Baisakh 2 (April 15) as part of the Bisket Jatra which marks the beginning of the Nepali New Year. 

Buddhi Krishna, 45, is a permanent residence of Bode Municipality-5.

With Buddhi Krishna offering to volunteer, Jujubhai, who has for the last eight years been the central figure of the Bisket Jatra during which he has an iron needle pierced through his tongue, is set to take a break which he wanted for the last two years. 

Buddhi Krishna drives an ambulance for Korea-Nepal Friendship Hospital in Thimi.

I have decided to succeed Jujubhai and I am taking this as an opportunity to do my part to preserve the age-old tradition of Bhaktapur, Buddhi Krishna told journalists at a press meet on Wednesday.

However, this is not the first time he is participating in the tongue piercing festival. Before Jujubhai, Buddhi Krishna had volunteered from 2005 to 2008. 

After that he had left for Korea as a migrant worker. 

Buddhi Krishna’s family is not new to tongue piercing though. His brother Krishna Chandra Bag Shrestha earlier had volunteered for 12 years. 

The  Thimi Municipality this time had declared Rs 44,000 for the festival.