Marrying the Sun God is a rite of passage for Nepal's girls

Atithi Shrestha squints at the sun as her mother removes the shawl draped over her head, so the child can gaze up at the Sun God, whom she is about to wed. For the past 12 days, the nine year-old has been locked in a dark room, away from the rays of the sun and from the eyes of men -- even those in the family.The coming-out ritual for pre-pubescent girls is called Barah, and is followed by the ethnic Newars

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