Youngsters in Nepal playing on a swing, popularly known as the "Dashain Ping", on the sixth day of the Hindu festival of Dashain in Lalitpur, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, yesterday.

People of all ages play on swings in towns and villages, while marking Dashain, in honour of the Hindu goddess of power, Durga.

The 15-day-long festival is the longest and most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by Nepalese Hindus all over the world.

Government offices and educational institutions are closed during the festival period.

Bamboo swings - called "ping" in Nepali - are constructed in many areas of the country as part of the celebrations.

These swings are constructed by community members using traditional methods and materials - ropes are made from a tough grass; supports are constructed of bamboo and the seats are usually made of wood.