Tharu homestay village Bhada festival set to begin from Poush 17

Dhangadhi: A five-day 'Tharu Homestay Village Bhada Festival' is scheduled to be held in Bhada village, Dhangadhi-16, from Poush 17, aiming to promote Tharu homestays. The festival will continue until Poush 21, according to Laxminarayan Chaudhary, Chairman of the Tharu Homestay Village Bhada Tourism Development and Management Committee, who announced the event at a press conference on Tuesday.

Chairman Chaudhary stated that preparations for the festival have been intensified. Organized annually to mark the operation of Tharu homestays in Bhada village, the festival highlights the traditions, costumes, art, culture, cuisine, and identity of the Tharu community, while promoting local homestays.

“Our aim is to promote Tharu community homestays,” he said. “The festival, which has been held continuously for 12 years, has given widespread recognition to Tharu village homestays both nationally and internationally. Visitors from different regions are coming here, with daily tourist numbers ranging from 15-20, sometimes reaching up to 76. We are very excited.”

Chairman Chaudhary also noted that homestay operations, which were stalled during the Covid-19 pandemic, are now flourishing again, and the festival will contribute to further development. Entry to the festival is free. Key attractions will include performances by local and national artists, Tharu dishes, visits to the Deuthan and Tharu Museum, an open volleyball tournament, handicrafts displays, and agricultural exhibitions. Organizers expect around 100,000 visitors during the festival.

The first Tharu homestay in Bhada village was launched on Poush 17, 2076, during Visit Nepal Year 2011. Starting with 17 houses, the homestay network has now expanded to 20 houses.