Also known by the names Deepawali and Yamapanchak, Tihar is the second biggest Nepalese festival after Dashain and usually falls in the month of October or November every year.

Yamapanchak, meaning the five days of Yama, honors Yama Raj, the God of Death.

Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and luck is also widely worshiped during this period.

The festivals brings together the key aspects of nature- people, animals and colors. As part of the festive rituals, cows, crows, dogs and ox are worshiped across the country symbolizing the manifestation of various gods.

Day 1: Kag Tihar, The Day of Crows

Tihar festival begins with the worshiping of crow, which is considered as the messenger of death in Hindu tradition. Crows are considered to be the messengers of death and the belief is that by pleasing them, they would not bring any news of sorrow to the family.

On the day, Nepali Hindus offer different food items to crows early in the morning and pray for luck, as they believe crows bring in messages to houses at the start of the dawn.

Day 2: Kukur Tihar, The Day of Dogs

The second day of the festival is dedicated to dogs and is celebrated as Kukur (dog) Tihar.

On the Kukur Tihar day, the entire Nepali Hindu community worships dogs owing to their religious significance as the guard of Lord Yama, the god of death. It is also believed that dogs can lead the souls of the dead to heaven.

Dogs are offered special prayers with tika, garland and delicious foods.

Day 3: Gai Tihar, The Day of Cows

The third day of Tihar is called Gai Tihar and marks the worshiping of holy cows, which hold great significance in the Hindu tradition. On the day, cows and goddess Lakshmi are worshiped with great fervor as cows are considered to be a form of goddess Lakshmi.

People illuminate their homes with bright lights, candles & oil lamps and keep their doors and windows open to welcome prosperity. Additionally, people play cards and light fireworks.

Day 4: Goru Puja, The Day of Oxen

The fourth day of Tihar witnesses the worshiping of oxen and is celebrated as Goru Puja. Apart from Goru Puja, this auspicious day also marks three different pujas including Govardhan Puja and Mha Puja.

On this auspicious day, Vaishnavism followers perform the Govardhan Puja, where believers worship a Govardhan Parvat made of cow dung.

After worshiping animals for three days, the fourth day justifies the concept of worshiping the soul, which is common in all beings. The Newari community performs the Mha Puja and worship their own souls.

Day 5: Bhai Tika or Bhai Duj, the Day of Colors

This is the fifth and the concluding day of the 5-day long Tihar festival.

On this Bhai Tika day, sisters adorn the foreheads of their brothers with Paanch Rangi Tika, a combination of five different colors including yellow, green, red, blue and white, wishing them a long life and prosperity.

While sisters offer Shaguns (wishing good luck) of dry fruits such as hazelnut (Katus), walnuts, sweets and fruits, brothers in return give them gifts and money along with blessings of protection assurance for the rest of their life.

Visitors to Nepal during this time can enjoy the grand Tihar festival in Kathmandu with colorful night lighting and many cultural and religious celebrations. Rani Pokhari temple, which is open to the public only on the fifth day of Tihar each year, is another attraction. The five days of the Tihar festival provide a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the Nepalese hospitality and leave with memories that last a lifetime.

Government Announcement for Tihar

The Nepal Government has issued an announcement in view of the upcoming Tihar festival on October 27, 2019.

“Anyone found indulging in activities prohibited by this notice are subject to punishment as per the existing laws,” reads the notice.

The Home Affairs Ministry has requested Nepalis to avoid any misconduct or unethical practices during the Tihar celebrations. It has also asked people to refrain from burning firecrackers, participating in Deusi-Bhailo programs celebrated in the night and producing any vulgar songs during the event.

The government has already termed gambling, playing kauda and drinking as illegal and has asked people to refrain from the same.

Special security arrangements have been made for the peaceful celebrations of the festival and citizens have been asked to report to the police in case of any suspicious activity.

Govt. Announces Public Holiday for Kija Puja

The Nepal Government has declared a public holiday on October 30, 2019 for Kija Puja, celebrated a day after Bhai Tika.

The cabinet meeting on October 22, 2019 suggested that October 30, 2019 be announced as a public holiday. The Home Ministry has issued a press statement regarding the same.

Following this announcement, the holidays for Tihar will start on October 27, 2019 and end on October 30, 2019.

Tihar’s Most Sought Collectible – Dhaka Topi

As part of the Tihar festive preparations, Nepali women are buying gifts for their brothers for Bhai Tika. And during these season, the Dhaka Topi makes for an ideal Tihar gift that sisters present to their brothers.

The Dhaka fabric of Palpa and Terathum is mostly preferred to make the Dhaka topi – the traditional Nepali cap. It is the pride of Nepali men.

Tihar 2076 Greetings

Hello Readers,

Nepali Sansar wishes you a Shubh Tihar!

May the festival of lights and the victory of good over evil mark the beginning of many good things. May Goddess Lakshmi bless your homes with prosperity and good luck. We hope that this festival brings more joy and happiness to your family and loved ones.

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In line with the world nations, Muslim community in Nepal has also begun observing the fasting festival from May 05, 2019.

The month-long Ramadan festival in Nepal will continue till June 04, 2019.

During the fasting period of this holy festival, all the Muslim devotees will need to be pure in heart, heart, food habits, conversations and should stay away all negative deeds and earthly pleasures.

The devotees will only take a pre-dawn meal called Suhoor! Often their day meal also includes fruits, vegetables, etc.

During the month, all devotees engage in Namaaz prayers, read Quran, make spiritual discussions and participate in spiritual discourses, and more.

Finally, the devotees will break their fast on Eid al-Fitr, the three-day celebration that marks the breaking of the 30-day fasting custom.

The fasting will end in a traditional manner with a sip of water and dates in the sunset.

Nepali Sansar Wishes the Nepali Muslim Community, Happy Ramadan 2019!

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Nepal welcomes new year based on its Vedic calendar i.e. Bikram Sambat. Also celebrated as ‘Mesh Sankranti’ or ‘Baisakh Sankranti’, the Nepal New Year is marked when the Sun enters into Aries from Pisces as per the Vedic astrology.

Top government officials, diplomats and other higher officials extended their warm wishes to the citizens, while the public celebrated in their own way through exchange of greetings and sweets.

Like every year, 2076 BS also presents a list of important festivals like Dashain, Tihar, Teej, Chhath, Lhosar, Eid, among others celebrated round the year.

‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’

In a special address to the nation, President Bidya Devi Bhandari wished peace and prosperity to all Nepalis around the world.

“I am hopeful that international communities who love Nepal will cooperate to help us realize the motto of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’,” President Bidya Devi Bhandari said calling on the global Nepali community.

The President reiterated the government’s strong commitment to achieving the goal of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’.

Stating that 2075 BS has been successful for the nation in formulating new laws and strengthening working institutions, she said 2076 BS will help further in achieving sustainable peace and prosperity.

In his address, Vice-president Pun also expressed a strong hope that the country is making positive strides under the ‘Prosperous Nepal: Happy Nepali’ campaign.

Stating that 2075 BS formed a strong foundation for development, Pun said the country will see a further economic and social transformation in 2076 BS.

“We all should be faithful and work for the greater good of the country and national unity by introspecting our weakness of the past,” said the former Nepali King Gyanendra Shah wishing the public on New Year 2076 BS.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli

Marking the occasion, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli launched a special program to ensure social security for all senior Nepali citizens through health and insurance coverage.

“This government is sincere for the well-being of the senior citizens. I assure that the government would increase the social security allowances to senior citizens through the upcoming fiscal year budget,” said Oli, speaking at the program held to launch a national campaign for health insurance cover and opening of bank accounts for all Nepalis.

Stating that the government is committed to health insurance to all senior citizens, Oli added, “in the next couple of years, entire Nepal will be completely healthy. We are working towards this end.”

As part of the event, Oli distributed health insurance cards to some senior citizens.

Nepal New Year At a Glance

New Year is a public holiday in Nepal and holds high religious significance.

The country has 60 different ethnic groups and celebrates 9 different New Year days. But the Bikram Sambat New Year is officially considered as the ‘National New Year’ as a symbol of unity among the different linguistic, cultural and historically diverse communities of the country.

On the New Year Day, public visit temples to observe special prayers and make special offerings to the god.

Special processions are usually held across Kathmandu and other major cities with decorated arches and banners, public dressed in traditional clothing and some playing drums and cultural musical instruments.

A special program at Bhaktapur stands as the highlight of New Year Celebrations, where the chariot of Lord Bhairab is pulled by dozens of public as a tug of war among the pulling sides. Similar events can be seen in Timi or Bode.

Nepal New Year 2076 BS Celebrations

Arrival of the new year brought a joyful environment across the nation with a wide variety of programs held across the nation and hundreds flocking to tourism destinations to celebrate the holiday time.

Besides, there were also notable rush in business and sales across the country.

Here are some highlights of Nepali New Year 2076 Day:

Hundreds Visit Chitwan

Chitwan witnessed the delight of the Nepal 2076 New Year celebrations with hundreds of public, from different parts of the nation, arriving at the tourism destination.

With the New Year falling on the weekend, Chitwan’s special attraction i.e. elephant rides took the center stage for hundreds of tourists.

April 13, 2019 alone saw more than 500 elephant ride bookings.

“Normally, we get around 150 people a day but the number surges drastically during Dashain and Tihar as well as the New Year,” says Ruman Chaudhary, a staff of United Elephant Cooperatives.

Besides elephant rides, many took their short trips to the Chitwan National Park, nearby community forest, boat rides alongside the Rapti River and jeep ride around the conservation area.

“Both the weekend and New Year occurred at same time which also contributed to the surge in number of tourists,” said Ram Mani Khanal, General Secretary of the association.

Hotels around the area were fully booked and due to sudden rise in tourists, “some hotel owners had to turn back guests, citing the lack of rooms,” said Suman Ghimire, president of Regional Hotel Association, Sauraha.

Rush in Stock Market

The arrival of 2076 BS brought a new rush in the country’s stock market, pushing the Nepal Stock Exchange (NSE) 18.82 points further.

With the reported rise in investor buying, NSE closed at 1,184.02 points last week. Investor confidence cited the possibility of further market expansion in Q4 of the current fiscal year.

The rise also reflected in average daily turnover hitting the NPR 598.58 million mark from previous’ NPR 417.92 million.

“Most of the investors believe that there will be an ease in liquidity with the banks as the government offices typically speed up public spending with the arriving fiscal year end. Similarly, the investors might have been lured by the possibility that listed companies will announce fresh dividend at the start of the new fiscal year,” says a local stock broker.

A Grand Way in Colorado

The local Nepali community of Boulder City (northern Colorado) celebrated Nepali New Year in their unique way.

Boulder has been observing the Nepal New Year day as a ‘holiday’ or ‘Nepal Day’ every year since 2004.

On the arrival day of 2076 BS, Nepalis in the city organized a parade through downtown Boulder.

“We’re welcoming the whole year,” said Binaya Dhakal, General Secretary of the Rocky Mountain Friends of Nepal, the event sponsor.

Marking the day, the local Nepali community gathered at bandshell in Central Park in different attires to celebrate the joy.

“We like to remember our culture and teach our kids our culture,” said Dol Bhattarai, a resident of Arvada.

We want to show our pride to be Nepali. We’re all connected. It’s peace and love,” says another Nepali Sarita Shrestha, who left the country in 1988 for education in Boulder.

“It was great to experience the culture in Nepal, and the people are amazing. I’m just happy to be here to support the people here in the Colorado community,” says another participant part of celebrations.

The history of Nepali settlers in Colorado dates back to 1970s, the year that marked the arrival of Nepali immigrants to the region. Adding to that, the US Government called for resettlement of Nepali-speaking Bhutanese from refugee camps starting 2008.

The US 2010 Census recorded around 2,751 Nepali immigrants in Colorado.

List not exhaustive, the Nepal New Year 2076 BS has seen a wide range of celebrations all across locally and globally.

Nepali Sansar Wishes You the Prosperous New Year 2076 BS!

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The country is celebrating the festival on April 05, 2019 on a grand scale with a wide variety of events planned in the Kathmandu Valley.

On the occasion, horse parade or Aswa Yatra is organized at Tundikhel grounds, every year.

Besides the horse parade at Tundikhel, various other special events are held marking the day in the presence of top government officials.

Nepali Army also perform special activities and perform their skills as paratroopers drop down from planes flying close overhead.

Another key event part of the tradition is held at Bal Kumari in Patan, where a horse will be fed alcoholic spirits until its fully intoxicated and a Newari person (in traditional attire) equally drunk rides on it.

Then people start shouting around enraging the horse until it starts moving wildly.

Exciting? Direct visuals will be much more exciting!

Legend About Ghode Jatra

According to local legend, the festival has its origin in centuries-old history and was first observed celebrating the death of demon Tundi.

People believe that the demon lived on a meadow, which is today Tundikhel, threatening public life in Kathmandu, mostly the children.

Finally, the day came for the demon’s demise. Elated at this, public rejoiced by dancing on his body and riding horses.

That’s where the custom of horse parade began backed by a strong public belief that the horse parade at Tundikhel will keep the demon’s spirit away.

It is strongly believed that faster the horses run, the quicker the demon’s spirit will move away!

Another local legend says the festival also marks the beginning of New Year. The festival is celebrated on the Krishna Aunsi day (as per the lunar calendar) exactly before the Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, marking the start of the New Year.

The horse parade is organized as a grand welcome to the New Year.

Exactly a day before Ghode Jatra on Pichas Chaturdarshi (as per lunar calendar), Nepali Army Cavalry team also performs different artistic stunts riding on their horses.

As per English calendar, the festival falls in the mid of mid-March or early April, every year.

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The week-long festival began on March 14, 2018 with the traditional procedure of installing a chir (a bamboo pole) at the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square of Basantapur, Kathmandu.

Continuing from then, the annual festival has finally reached its final (main) day of celebrations i.e. March 20, 2019.

While hilly regions of the country celebrate on March 20, 2019, Terai region celebrates it on March 21, 2019.

On this special day named after demoness Holika, people from all walks of life play with colors and water as a mark of leaving negative thoughts in mind and bringing in new happiness.

Hindu devotees perform special prayers, cook delicious foods and share the same with their family, friends and relatives around.

Also known as Fagu Purnima, the Holi festival marks the beginning of spring season in Nepal.

Wishing the nation on this auspicious day, Nepal Government issued some directives to avoid any possible misconducts as part of celebrations.

“It is punishable by law to misbehave with and intimidate pedestrians and passers-by and throw water-filled balloons and plastic pouches or smear colorful powders on their faces forcefully on the pretext of Holi celebrations,” the government said in an official release.

Nepali Sansar wishes you happy Holi!

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Now, it’s the Nepal Festival 2018 time for the community, the event scheduled to be held in Aotea Square on November 17, 2018 under the theme ‘One Country, Many Stories’.

The event is going to speak the highlights of Nepal’s rich culture, heritage, customs & traditions, music, dance and ethnic attires, food and many more.

As every year, the Nepali community is planning the festival on a grand scale making it the first big outdoor event and more charming than previous editions.

“In the last few years, we have seen a spike in the number of visitors to the event and not just the Nepalese community but the Kiwi, Maori, Chinese and extended Indian community which led us to think and plan for a bigger venue,” says Dinesh Khadka, President of New Zealand Nepal Society.

More than 10,000 people are going to be participate in the event.

The event will begin with a cultural parade from Aotea Square to Customs Street, wherein, the performers in traditional Nepali attire, playing the Nepali folk and other instruments with variety posters invite the locals to the event.

The parade is followed by a main event.

“Every country has its story- in the form of art, food and culture and those are the three aspects of our country that we are trying to portray to the New Zealanders and that is the main essence of the Nepal Festival,” says Prayash Chhetri, Joint Secretary of New Zealand Nepal Society.

As a highlight, the event is going to feature a special performance by Nepal’s renowned international troupe Kutumba.

Around 50 dignitaries including Mayor Phil Goff, Minister for Ethnic Communities Jenny Salesa, Members of Parliament and Auckland Police District Commander Karyn Malthus, among others are going to attend the event.

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Also known by the names Deepawali and Yamapanchak, Tihar is the second biggest Nepalese festival after Dashain and usually falls in the month of October or November every year.

Yamapanchak, meaning the five days of Yama, honors Yama Raj, the God of Death.

Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and luck is also widely worshiped during this period.

The festivals brings together the key aspects of nature- people, animals and colors. As part of the festive rituals, cows, crows, dogs and ox are worshiped across the country symbolizing the manifestation of various gods.

Day 1: Kag Tihar, The Day of Crows

Tihar festival begins with the worshiping of crow, which is considered as the messenger of death in Hindu tradition. Crows are considered to be the messengers of death and the belief is that by pleasing them, they would not bring any news of sorrow to the family.

On the day, Nepali Hindus offer different food items to crows early in the morning and pray for luck, as they believe crows bring in messages to houses at the start of the dawn.

Day 2: Kukur Tihar, The Day of Dogs

The second day of the festival is dedicated to dogs and is celebrated as Kukur (dog) Tihar.

On the Kukur Tihar day, the entire Nepali Hindu community worships dogs owing to their religious significance as the guard of Lord Yama, the god of death. It is also believed that dogs can lead the souls of the dead to heaven.

Dogs are offered special prayers with tika, garland and delicious foods.

Day 3: Gai Tihar, The Day of Cows

The third day of Tihar is called Gai Tihar and marks the worshiping of holy cows, which hold great significance in the Hindu tradition. On the day, cows and goddess Lakshmi are worshiped with great fervor as cows are considered to be a form of goddess Lakshmi.

People illuminate their homes with bright lights, candles & oil lamps and keep their doors and windows open to welcome prosperity. Additionally, people play cards and light fireworks.

Day 4: Goru Puja, The Day of Oxen

The fourth day of Tihar witnesses the worshiping of oxen and is celebrated as Goru Puja. Apart from Goru Puja, this auspicious day also marks three different pujas including Govardhan Puja and Mha Puja.

On this auspicious day, Vaishnavism followers perform the Govardhan Puja, where believers worship a Govardhan Parvat made of cow dung.

After worshiping animals for three days, the fourth day justifies the concept of worshiping the soul, which is common in all beings. The Newari community performs the Mha Puja and worship their own souls.

Day 5: Bhai Tika or Bhai Duj, the Day of Colors

This is the fifth and the concluding day of the 5-day long Tihar festival.

On this day, sisters adorn the foreheads of their brothers with Paanch Rangi Tika, a combination of five different colors including yellow, green, red, blue and white, wishing them a long life and prosperity.

While sisters offer Shaguns (wishing good luck) of dry fruits such as hazelnut (Katus), walnuts, sweets and fruits, brothers in return give them gifts and money along with blessings of protection assurance for the rest of their life.

Visitors to Nepal during this time can enjoy the grand Tihar festival in Kathmandu with colorful night lighting and many cultural and religious celebrations. Rani Pokhari temple, which is open to the public only on the fifth day of Tihar each year, is another attraction. The five days of the Tihar festival provide a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the Nepalese hospitality and leave with memories that last a lifetime.

The post Nepal’s Biggest Festival Season: Tihar, A Festival of Humans, Birds, Animals and Colors appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Observed as a celebration of the victory of good over evil,  the 15-day Dashain festival falls in the new moon and continues until the full moon in the Hindu month of Ashvin.

As per the Gregorian calendar, Dashain usually falls in the month of September or October and is the time when many Nepalese expatriates return to Nepal to observe the festival in their homeland. During Dashain, Nepal Government offices and many businesses remain closed for 7 days, making it easier for tourists to experience their joy in the country.

A 15-day Dashain

As the longest annual festival of Nepal, Dashain or Navaratri Parba or Bada Dashain marks the start of Nepal’s biggest festival season.

Marking the beginning of this Navaratri festival, devotees today worship Goddess Mahakali, Mahalaxmi and Mahasaraswati at the Dashain Ghar.

During Navaratri, thousands of devotees visit various shrines of Goddess Durga including Shobha Bhagawati, Naxal Bhagawati, Guheswori, Maitidevi, Bhadrakali, Sankata, among others across the country. Ghatasthapana, Fulpati, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nawami and Vijayadashami form the key events of nine-night Navaratri and for the entire festival.

• Ghatasthapana – Ghatasthapana, which falls on Aswin Shukla Pratipada (the first day of the bright half of the lunar calendar in the month of Aswin), marks the beginning of Dashain. As part of this ritual, devotees make a holy pot called Kalash, which will last until the end and is key to the entire festival.On this day, Diyo, Kalash and Lord Ganesh are worshipped as per the Vedic tradition. Apart from that, maize and barley seeds are also sown in a jar with soil and cow dung for successful germination of Jamara (barley sprouts).
• Fulpati – On the Fulpati day, which falls on seventh day of the festival, the Kalash, which is filled with holy water, banana stalks, jamara, sugar cane and tied with red cloth, is carried by Brahmans on a decorated palanquin under a gold-tipped and embroidered umbrella.
• Maha Ashtami – The worship of Goddess Durga begins from the first day of the festival and turns intense on the Maha Ashtami day, wherein devotees offer sacrifices to Goddess Durga and Kali. The night of this day is called ‘Kal Ratri’, the dark night.
• Maha Nawami – Dashain is symbolized by the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahisasura. After nine days of fierce battle (representing Navaratri) with the demon, the Goddess finally kills Mahisasura on the Maha Nawami day. So, on this day, devotees offer slaughtered buffaloes as a sacrifice to the Goddess in the honor of her victory.
• Vijaya Dashami – Vijaya Dashami is the last major event of Dashain that continues for four consecutive days including the festival ending. This celebration marks the victory of good (Goddess Durga) over evil (demon). As a symbolism of nine-day intense battle between the Goddess and demon Mahisasura, devotees celebrate nine forms of Goddess on all the nine days of Navaratri.

 
The festival is also celebrated in remembrance of Lord Rama’s grand victory over demon-king Raavana. The fifteen days of celebration occurs during the bright lunar fortnight and ends on the Full Moon Day.

Celebrations in a Nutshell
On this auspicious day, people clean their homes and decorate them ornately as a gesture of invoking the divine mother to bless the family with fortune. Family members and relatives in different regions gather together for enjoying the reunion with their loved ones. Elders in the family mark the foreheads of the others with Tika, a combination of rice, red vermillion and yoghurt. Buying and wearing new clothes, flying kites, playing cards and playing on the swings and ferris wheels are some of the various customs indulged by kids and adults alike during this period.

Though Dashain is a very traditional Hindu festival, it is also observed by many Buddhists and people of other faiths. In comparative terms, Dashain festival is as significant to Nepalese as Christmas is to Westerners.

This period is also the peak tourist season, with clear skies and mild temperatures. By planning your trip to Nepal early, you can experience the great Nepalese culture and festivities with the local population.

Preparations on a Grand Scale
The 15 day-long Dashain is celebrated grandly across the country every year and a large number of Nepalese travel home during the festival time.

According to the transport department estimates, around 2-3 million people are expected to leave the Kathmandu Valley for the festival, annually. The Government has also planned big for the celebrations and announced Dashain receptions across the constituencies.

The festival welcomes high demand for animals such as goats and buffaloes that are slaughtered in huge numbers during the festival, as an offering to the goddess.

The post Nepal’s Biggest Festival Season: Celebrating Dashain! appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Biggest Festival Season, as the name suggests, is the major celebration time for Nepal when it celebrates its biggest/longest festivals, usually the September-November period. The country receives huge traction globally during this period.

Nepal All Set for Its Major Festivals

• Dashain (October 10 – October 24, 2018)
• Tihar (November 07-09, 2018)
• Chhath (November 13, 2018)

Dashain

• Most important festival for Nepalese that falls in the month of Kartik
• A 15-day long festival that glorifies the victory of good over evil
• Symbolized by Goddess Durga killing demon Mahisasura
• Marks the remembrance of Lord Rama’s victory over demon-king Raavana
• Celebration occurs during the bright lunar ght and ends on the Full Moon Day

Tihar: Festival of Lights

• Second most important Nepali festival after Dashain
• A 5-day celebration dedicated to different animals, Crow, Dog, Cow and Oxen are worshiped, followed by the overall worshiping of Goddess Lakshmi, the main deity
• Goddess Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth) is worshiped with oil lamps, candles and colorful lights lit in every house

Chhath

• A festival that falls on the 7^th day after Tihar
• Devotees observe fasts and make offerings to the Sun God by gathering at river banks
• Majorly celebrated in Terai region and in Rani Pokhari tank in central Kathmandu

Preparations on Pace

Public & Transport 

• Public movement during Dashain is considered as the largest annual migration in Nepal
• Nearly 2.5 million leave the Kathmandu Valley for their homes during Dashain, every year

 
Arrangements by Government 

• Major of educational and academic institutions announced holidays effective from October 10, 2018, while the government declared public holiday during October 16-20, 2018
• State-owned Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) allocated Rs 40.67 million to purchase the animals
• Government extended number of fair shops opened to ease the shopping of supply of daily essentials during Dashain and Tihar, and also directed officials to curb price hike on essential products
• Inspection officials directed to check food adulteration across the hotels and restaurants

 
High Rise Demand for Animals 

• More than 75,000 mountain goats, sheep and he-goats arranged for slaughter at the Kathmandu Valley, with more than 500 transported since a week
• Around 100,155 live goats worth Rs 771 million imported from India for Dashain during mid-August to mid-September 2018

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As part of shopping ahead of the country’s 15-day Dashain festival, Nepalis have reportedly started thronging across towns in the Indo-Nepal borders for festival shopping.

Buyers are showing a special interest in textiles, daily essentials and spices from the bordering Indian towns owing to their cheaper pricing compared to the Nepali market.

Though Indian markets sharing border with Nepal receive good number of Nepali buyers, the number goes to new high during the Dashain season.

According to Nepali entrepreneurs operating in the region, an estimated 300 individuals travel across the Indian border accounting to an estimated Rs 1 million spending daily.

“The closure of the Gauri Phanta market, which is situated a kilometer from the border, had cheered Nepali traders in Dhangadhi.  They don’t hesitate to travel even 30 km to the Palia market because the goods are cheaper,” says Rishi Poudel, a local trader in Dhangadhi. 

“Local consumers don’t shop in Dhangadhi. Dhangadhi has been attracting Indian shoppers as foreign goods are available in the Nepali markets,” says another trader Hem Chandra Ojha.

Local consumers from Nepal prefer Indian products majorly because of cheaper prices with almost 100% difference in pricing compared to Nepali markets.

“As prices of daily essentials commodities are relatively lower, almost all locals travel to the Indian market,” says Kabita Bista, a local customer.

Locals also argue that Nepali traders sell at higher prices during the festival season, forcing Nepalis to go for Indian markets.

“They don’t pay customs while importing goods. They charge high prices even though they import goods through informal channels,” says Ramesh Bhatta, another local of Dhangadhi.

Nepalis celebrate Dashain on a grand scale with even the Nepal Government making special festival arrangements to woo the public.

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