Ropai Jatra celebrated with much fanfare

By Our Correspondent,Dhankuta/Ilam Aug. 23: Govinda Rai of Dhankuta Municipality Ward-5 was seen wearing women’s attire on Wednesday, looking like a traditional Kirati woman. 

Rai was not the only one, other men from the area were also dressed in female attire. They were disguised as women to celebrate the Ropai Jatra the festival of the Newar community. 

In the jatra, people of the Newari community wear different types of clothing, with men typically wearing women’s attire and women dressing as men.

 While this festival is traditionally celebrated by the Newari community, people of other communities also participate with much enthusiasm.

One local, Govinda Rai celebrates this festival every year by wearing female attire. “We celebrate this festival to preserve age-old traditions and to show respect for each other’s culture,” said Rai. 

He also urged everyone to respect and help preserve each other’s art and culture.

The Newari people celebrate many types of festivals, but nowadays, other communities have also started to participate and enjoy their celebrations.

 Rijan Pokhrel, a resident of Dhankuta Municipality, Kopche, always participates in the Ropai Jatra, managing and coordinating it each year.

 Similarly, Dhan Kumar Rai, Ward Chairman of Dhankuta Municipality-5, along with locals Komal Rai, Dhan Bahadur Khadka, and others from various communities, participate in and celebrate this Newari festival annually.

The majority of Newari people live in the headquarters of Dhankuta. 

Along with the Newari people, Aathpahariya, Rai, Limbu, Chhetri, and Brahmin communities also reside in Dhankuta.

Like in Dhankuta, the people of Ilam Bazaar also marked Gaijatra on Thursday. 

The youth, both men and women, in large numbers participated in the Ropai Jatra held in the district headquarters in Ilam. 

However, people in neighbouring Deumai Municipality’s Mangalbare marked it on Wednesday. 

The practice has been that the Ropai Jatra is marked on the day weekly market day after the people complete paddy plantation. The weekly market takes place on Wednesdays in Mangalbare of Deumai and on Thursdays in the district headquarters. So the Jatra was marked on different days.