Brisk businesses in Terai marketplaces with the start of Chhath festival

The great festival of the Mithilanchal, Chhath is being observed from Wednesday in terai districts of Nepal.

The festival bears a great significance on increasing the faith of the mankind on truth and non-violence as well as sympathy to all the living beings. This is the festival in which the sun is worshipped when it rises and sets.

The festival is celebrated after Dipawali. It is especially significant for married women. They observe a two-day fast and offer prayers while keeping almost three-quarters of their body immersed in water for two hours.

This festival is observed for four days. The first day is Arba Arbain or Nahan Khan. The devotees take fast by discarding meat, garlic and onion. The second day is Kharana meaning the reduction of sin. On the third day, the devotees go to the rivers and ponds singing folk and devotional songs. The fourth day is called Paran or Parwan.

Meanwhile, with the start of the Chhath festival the terai region of Nepal has found some respite from the daily bandh and violence that has crippled normal life there up till now, reports said. The main market centers in many terai districts in eastern Nepal, which used to wear a deserted look before due to strike enforced by one or other terai groups, have again started to look crowded and busy with people thronging there shopping for the festival.

Shopkeepers say business is picking up as people are busy buying fruits like bananas, sugar cane, citrus fruits including spices, condiments and coconuts which are used as offerings to god during the festival in large quantities.

The devotees abstain from what they call ‘impure foods’ like meat, fish including certain vegetables like onion and garlic during the entire festival.

Reports say that businessmen in main commercial hubs of eastern terai like Lahan, Golbazar, Mirchaiya, Siraha and Dhangadhi have reported increase in sales with the start of Chhath festival.

Similarly, people are thronging in large numbers in the main market centers of towns like Birgunj, Biratnagar, and Janakpur to shop for essential commodities for the festival. nepalnews.com ag Nov 14 07