Bardibas festival sees less than expected visitors

By Our Correspondent,Bardibas, Mar. 31:The 4th Bardibas Festival 2023 has been completed. The festival, which started from March 17 with the slogan of 'Develop industry, business and art, protect literature and culture', concluded on Thursday.

Addressing the closing ceremony of the festival, Provincial Assembly member Sharda Thapa said that fair and festival are necessary to make the economy vibrant.

With the aim of promoting local identity and production, the Bardibas festival, which has become a 'brand' of Madhes province for the past four years, this time has the experience of businessmen hit by economic recession.

Balram Shrestha said that the number of visitors were less than expected this year.

According to him, 400,000 visitors were expected to attend the 15-day festival, but only 100,000 came.

On the one hand, the number of visitors is low, and on the other, those who visited did not purchase as expected.

Nisa Rumwa, who came from Pokhara to operate a snack shop during the festival, said that this time, even the cost of traveling was not raised.

There were 170 commercial stalls at the festival. But everyone's experience is similar to Rumwa.

Keshav Paudal, who operated a nursery stall, said that he felt that there was no money with the people.

Bishnu Bahadur Khadka, president of Bardibas Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the festival was organised with the aim of making the business activities of the area vibrant, which have been slowed down by the high interest of the banks and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Uttam Shrestha, General Secretary of Bardibas Chamber of Commerce and Industry, however, said that the festival should not be evaluated only from the point of view of business.

He claimed that the festival was successful in terms of identity and tourism.

The attraction of the festival was increased by new presentations such as religious, historical and touristic places and local products, photo exhibition, cultural programmes with ethnic costumes, educational stalls for students, handicrafts, among others.