The Bathing Festival lasts for seven days during the seventh Tibetan month each year. This ancient tradition has been around for more than 800 years.

The people of Lhasa bathe in the river, wash clothes, and play by the riverside. They will also dry their quilts and  Tibetan rugs in the sun, as well as  have picnics.

Bajin, a 60-year-old Tibetan woman, is washing dharma instruments in the river. She believes that bathing in the river can get rid of illnesses and anxieties.

According to the traditional custom, the best time to bathe is when Venus rises at night. Tibetans believe that the river’s healing  power is  most effective at this time.

Today, the bathing time has become relatively flexible, with people flocking to the river to bathe from morning till night.