Bishu festival fervor grips far-west districts

Kailali / Apr 14:The Bishu festival which is celebrated as the beginning of the New Year is being observed with much fervor and enthusiasm in the districts of the far-west region today.

The women homemakers are busy cooking various food items and sweets like Nisause, Rot, and Mada for the festivities.

Likewise, the married women are preparing to pay a visit to their parental homes with gifts as part of the festivities. The people from the region who are in India in course of employment have started arriving to celebrate Bishu festival together with their family members.

There is the custom of eating ‘gatani dubka’, a local food item, at each house in the morning on the New Year’s Day.

One of the unique characteristics of this festival is that brother-in-law and sister-in-law hit each other with neetle soaked in water as a fun and custom. It is believed that hitting each other with neetle foliage soaked in water on the body like this helps prevent skin diseases. People also enjoy a pudding of rice grains soaked in curd.

The festival is believed to commemorate the birthday of Bikramaditya, an ancient Hindu emperor and his valour. RSS