Janakpur making preparations for Tihar, Chhath

BY DHIRENDRA SAH,Janakpurdham, Nov. 11: After celebrating  Dashain, people in Janakpur have started preparations for the Tihar and Chhath festivals. People and businessmen are now busy cleaning and decorating their houses and workplaces for the twin festivals. 

Parmeshwor Sah, a businessman in Janakpurdham, said that people started purchasing necessary goods for Tihar along with non-explosive firecrackers. 

Meanwhile, locals in Janakpurdham are also busy making clay oil lamps. Men are found making clay oil lamps and women are found selling those lamps in the nearby markets. 

Ramesh Pandit, a local, said despite the invention of modern electrical lamps and lights, people still preferred traditional clay lamps during Tihar. 

He said, “There is always a high demand for such lamps during Tihar festival.”  

Similarly, people have also started making artistic clay sculptures. Many craftsmen have been crafting sculptures day and night in the market areas. 

Balaram Khang, a craftsman, said that he had been making sculptures of Laxmi, Saraswoti, Ganesh, Hanuman, Shiva, Parvati and others every year for Tihar. 

Manoj Madhada said that preparations were being made to celebrate Tihar grandly in various public places, villages, towns and cities by collecting financial support and organising grand fairs and programmes.

Meanwhile, preparations for Chhath have also escalated. Markets are filled with bamboo materials required for Chhath such as koniya, dhakia, nanglo and others.  

Rakesh Chaudhary of Janakpurdham said that the erection of tents and cleaning and decoration of the areas near the ponds and rivers had also started.

Likewise, markets are also filled with marigold flowers as they are in high demand during Tihar and Chhath festivals. 

Flower trader Kajal Giri informed that they were stocking marigold from elsewhere since it was not grown in the area as per the demand. He said that 15,000 garlands of flowers had been stored in cold storage for Tihar and Chhath by importing them from Siliguri in East Bengal, India, including different other districts of  Madhes Province.