Tihar is the second most important festival of the Nepal’s biggest festival season, after Dashain.

With the festival fast approaching, the government officials have already begun strict market monitoring activity to see that there is no malpractice in case of food items sold in the market.

The Department of Supplies Management (DoSM) and the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) have already begun making special inspections in the market.

These departments have been sending across market monitoring teams to check adulteration in the Kathmandu Valley and across other parts of the country.

“We have focused mainly on shops selling ghee, sweets, cooking oil, apparels and footwear,” says DoSM Director General Kumar Prasad Dahal.

As part of their inspection rounds, the officials have so far destroyed a large quantity of food items and sweets that were found with expiry date.

Rise in Demand for Earthenware

On account of Tihar and Chhath festivals, the sales demand for earthenware products such as diyos (butter lamps) and jars made of clay and ceramic is on rise in the villages of Mahottari District.

The demand for these products has resulted in creation of a specific market that sells only these clay and ceramic products.

“More than 20 new such shops have sprouted in the major junction and local market of Bardibas,” says Bhawanath Khatiwada, General Secretary of Bardibas Trade Association.

This appears as a good opportunity for the communities that hold expertise in making such natural products.

The sale and purchase of earthenware in Mahottari bazaar, during the Tihar and Chhath festivals alone, makes up business worth Rs 2.5 million, says the Mahottari Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Special Boost to Flower Market

Owing to the rise in demand for flowers such as marigold, globe amaranth and chrysanthemum during Tihar, the flower market usually demands on imports to meet the domestic demand.

However, it’s not the case for this Tihar.

 “Last year, we had met around 40 percent of demand for marigold during Tihar festival through imports. This year, import of marigold is expected to come down to almost 20 percent of the demand,” says Dilip Bade, senior vice president of Floriculture Association of Nepal (FAN).

Bade was confident about sufficient supply of such flowers during the festival. “We have already achieved self-sufficiency in chrysanthemum and globe amaranth,” he added.

Price of Dry Fruits to Remain Stable

The demand for dry fruits is usually at peaks during Tihar festival, as the Nepali Hindu women offer these delicious items to their brothers during the Bhai Tika festival.

Owing to the demand and to finish off the existing stock, not even an artificial price hike is expected in the market in terms of dry fruits sales.

“If dry fruits remain unsold, they will remain in stock of traders for a year. That is why I don’t think there will be artificial price hike. Customers will not have to pay more for dry fruits for the Bhai Tika festival,” says Devendra Bhakta Shrestha, Secretary, Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC).

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Nepal’s longest festival Dashain concluded yesterday with the celebration of Kojagrat Purnima among the country’s Hindu community.

Vijaya Dashami is the tenth and most auspicious day of the festival and marks the celebration of goddess’ victory over the demon Mahisasura.

Following the 10^th day, Nepalese continue the victory celebrations for the next five days and conclude the 15-long Dashain festival on the Kojagrat Purnima day.

This is also the final day for Nepalese receiving tika, jamara, prasad and blessings from their elders.

Jamara (barley sprouts), grown as part of the Dashain rituals, will be removed from the Dashain Ghar on this day and immersed in holy rivers.

Marking the Purnima night, the devotees remain awake throughout the night offering special prayers to Goddess Lakshmi for prosperity and wealth.

The Nepali Hindu community strongly believes that the Goddess Lakshmi roams around the earth on this special day and blesses those Ko-jagrat (meaning ‘who is awake’ in Nepali).

Dashain Concludes Welcoming Tihar

Concluding the 15-day long Dashain, the Kojagrat Purnima day also marks the beginning of preparations for the other two important festivals of the Nepal’s biggest festival season i.e. Tihar, the festival of lights, and Chhath.

Tihar falls two weeks after the concluding day of Dashain. This year, it is celebrated from October 19-21, 2017.

Chhath is another important festival of Nepal that is celebrated on October 25, 2017 in 2017.

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The most-awaited Nepal’s biggest festival season has set in creating a joyful environment across the country.

The special season, which began with the arrival of the 15-day long Bada Dashain on September 21, 2017, and will be followed by Tihar and Chhath, started witnessing a large number of Nepalese traveling to and from Nepal for their festival celebrations.

“The number of people returning home usually goes up during the festive season. Nepalese living abroad, a majority of migrant workers, return home for Dashain and Tihar festivals. This is a normal trend almost every year,” says Prakash Neupane, a Senior Immigration Officer at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).

According to TIA’s Online Immigration Database, around 34,690 Nepalese returned home from various foreign destinations between September 17 and September 23, 2017, while 24,175 Nepalese left the country during the same period. 

Around 4,921 Nepalese returned home on the very first day of Dashain on September 21, 2017. Surprisingly, the number increased to 15,626 by September 23, 2017 i.e. within two days after the festival beginning.

According to official data, 5,432 and 5,282 Nepalese passed through the TIA immigration office on September 22 and September 23, respectively.

Majority of these arrivals were seen from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Malaysia and the United Arab of Emirates.

Outbound Travelers Also on Rise

On the other side, the festival season is also witnessing a significant rise in the number of migrant workers leaving the country.

According to the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), 13,295 Nepali migrant workers applied for outbound travel between September 17 and September 24. 

The data covering the last seven days shows that 3,687 migrant workers have applied for work permits in Qatar, followed by UAE (2,979), Malaysia (2,759), Saudi Arabia (2,352) and Kuwait (629).

“This drop during this time of the year is normal. The number will go up once the festival is over,” says DoFE Spokesperson Adhikari.

CIAA Cautions Government on Services

Meanwhile, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) yesterday urged the Government of Nepal to ensure smooth delivery of services during the festivals.

CIAA directed the government officials and other consumer-based organisations to take possible measures in this regard.

Chief Deep Basnyat urged the officials to be alert with regard to issues concerning peace, security and food supply, and also suggested them to conduct regular market monitoring activity. He called on officials to work in coordination to address public grievances on time.

5,000 Security Personnel Deployed

The Metropolitan Police Office, Ranipokhari, Kathmandu has prepared to deploy around 5,000 police personnel in the Kathmandu Valley, to ensure peace and security during the festival season covering Dashain, Tihar and Chhath.

Besides Nepali police help desks, special security forces have also been deployed at hotels, bus points, across the Valley.

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After rounds of discussions with the Government of Nepal, the Nepali Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNNTE) has finally opened ticket bookings for those travelling to their hometowns for celebrating the country’s biggest festival, Dashain.

Thousands of Nepali citizens started waiting in queues at various bus ticket counters since early hours to book their tickets. Unfortunately, most of them were shocked to hear that tickets were already sold out.

Rajesh Khetan (55), who reached Gongabu Bus Park early in the morning, was surprised to see a long queue at the ticket counter. Even after a seven hour of wait, Khetan had to return with empty hands as he was told all the tickets to his hometown were already sold out.

“Even though it was raining, I got here at 3:00 AM. At 10:00 AM when my turn finally came I was unable to get a single ticket,” says Khetan.

“Having learnt a bitter lesson last year, I had arrived here at 3:30 AM. But it was no different this year as well,” says Krishna Chaudhary (35), who arrived at another counter at 3.30 AM to book tickets for his hometown.

FNNTE General Secretary Saroj Sitoula expected that passengers would get bus tickets easily this time, compared to previous year. However, things were in contrast at the Gongabu Bus Park, the main station from where most of the outbound buses from Kathmandu Valley leave to other places.

According to Sitoula, around 3-4 million people are likely to leave the Valley to their hometowns for Dashain festival celebrations to be held from September 21-20, 2017.

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Hindus of Nepal thronged to various temples today on the occasion of Krishna Janmastami or Krishna Jayanti, the birthday anniversary of Lord Krishna.

Some of the country’s Hindu temples have planned various programmes to mark the festival day.

Special arrangements were made at Hare Krishna Dham (HKD) in Budhanilkantha, informed HKD Treasurer Mahaprabhu Kripa Das. According to Das, tens of thousands of pilgrims arrived at the Budhanilkantha temple to take part in the Aarati programme organised by the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Nepal.

Das informed that this programme by ISCKON intends to raise consciousness through Lord Krishna’s Shreemad Bhagawad Geeta.

Free medical camps and food services were also planned at HKD.

On the eve, ISKCON Nepal is organizing various other programmes across the country, including devotional programmes in Bhairahawa, Butwal, Baglung, Birgunj, Biratnager Chitwan, Dharan, Gaur Mirchaiya and Pokhara.

ISCKON Nepal has also planned for various other devotional events that would last till late evening.

On the occasion of Krishna Janmastami, Nepali Hindus offer early morning prayers at various Krishna temples offering fruits, sweets and clothes to the deities. They observe fast throughout the day and celebrate the festival with activities like singing devotional songs, among others dedicated to Lord Krishna until midnight, believed to be the time of Lord Krishna’s birth.

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