Matane locals rejoice Bethi after three decades

By Radha Luitel,Phidim, July 24: Nepali traditional Naumati baja, five pairs of bullocks, 29 Ropahars (paddy planters) and 18 Bauses (workers who level the paddy planting field)! Matane of Fidim-5 was turned into a bustling place on Tuesday. 

The members of the Naumati team in the fields were playing musical instruments, while the onlookers were seen watching them from the edge of the terrace and enjoying it. Bauses had entered into the terrace field and were splashing mud to the ropahars while also dancing to the tune of Naumati baja. 

According to a local, Padam Prasad Chapagai, 93, there was a good gathering of the viewers as the Bethi was organised after 29 years in Phidim and Jorsal areas.

He said that this year Naumati baja was called from the Hatti Pokhari of Kummayak Rural Municipality to hold the Bethi.

According to him, there was a tradition of managing about 10 pairs of bullocks and conducting paddy plantation in the presence of hundreds of Bauses and Ropahars in Phidim, Jorsal, Pallotar, Tahari and Matane. 

Chapagain said that the Bethi was organised this year with the aim to protect and promote the tradition. About Rs. 30,000 was paid to the Naumati playing group while all the people from the villages were invited to the event. 

"In order to continue the tradition, I organized the Bethi with the money provided by the state as the social security allowance. 

From next year, I have asked my sons to organise it turn by turn so that we can have Bethi every year," Chapagai said.

Senior citizens, adults, youths and children also enthusiastically participated in the event organised in the lowland of Matane. 

Local Bishnu Devi Bhattarai said that the host family fed Ropahars and Bauses with lunch and snacks. Most of the young generation who reached to watch the event expressed their happiness that they had the opportunity to see the Bethi for the first time in their life.

Maya Ghimire of Phidim-4, a rice planter, commented that although she had heard about Bethi before, she got the opportunity to plant paddy in such a programme for the first time.

A large presence of people's representatives and journalists was also seen in Matane Beshi during the event. 

Chairman of Phidim Municipaly, Mitra Prasad Kafle, Deputy Chairman Radha Krishna Neupane and Member Sharada Angdembe also participated in the planting with Bethi and seemed busy to give energy to the farmers. Kafle commented that the Bethi organised by the Chapagai family will inspire the farmers to move forward in unity.