Ramechhap, Oct. 19 -- Dashain is often remembered through familiar sights and sounds: kites in the sky, villagers swinging high on traditional swings, folk songs echoing through settlements and relatives gathering after long periods apart. But as migration, overseas employment and changing lifestyles reshape village life, many of these old customs are gradually fading. One tradition, however, continues to draw crowds across Ramechhap, from rural settlements to urban centres: the linge ping, a traditional swing associated with Dashain.

Children and young people returning from cities to celebrate the festival in their ancestral villages have been flocking to the swings. Their laughter and excitement have brought fresh life to village squar...