In Hungary, it’s time for the ‘watering of the girls’

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Every day on World Now, we choose a striking photo from around the globe. Today we were drawn to this shot from northeastern Hungary, where residents celebrate Easter with the ‘watering of the girls.’

Which, as you can see, is just what it sounds like: Men throw buckets of water at women. It’s a fertility ritual that reportedly goes back to the pre-Christianity tribal roots of Hungary.

These young women in the town of Mezokovesd, east of Budapest, are dressed in the traditional clothes of the Matyo minority, rehearsing for Easter celebrations, Agence France-Presse reported.

Hungary could probably use a little levity right now: Prime Minister Viktor Orban is facing increasing criticism for concentrating power in the Eastern European nation, tightening control over the media, judiciary and central bank. And its president, whose position is largely ceremonial, just stepped down over a plagiarism scandal centering on a decades-old doctoral dissertation, the Associated Press reported.

Spot an amazing photo from around the world? Please tweet it to us at @latimesworld.

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-- Emily Alpert in Los Angeles