Artists impersonated as Narsimha performed ‘Kartik Naach’ in Patan on Sunday. The dance festival ongoing at Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur for the past 12 days will conclude on Monday.

Photographer: Prakash Chandra Timilsena

The Kartik Naach depicts a story of how Lord Vishnu incarnated as a half-lion-half-human called Narsimha and killed Hiranya Kashyap to protect Prahlad, a devotee of Lord Vishnu.

According to historians, King Siddhi Narsimha Malla of Patan introduced this dance in Nepal Sambat 757 (17th century AD).