Makar Mela begins in Dhanushadham

By Bijay Kumar Sah

Dhalkebar, Jan. 15: The one-month Makar Mela at Dhanushadham began on Tuesday. The fair which takes place every year on Maghe Sankranti (the first day of the 10th month in the Nepali calendar) is the most famous festival in the region.

The fair at Dhanushadham, located about 19 kilometres northeast of Janakpurdham, attracts millions of devotees from Nepal and neighbouring India. According to the temple's priest, Swami Bharat Das, the number of visitors during the fair is much higher compared to other days.

At the Dhanushadham temple, devotees pray to Lord Shiva's Pinaka bow and it is believed that wishes made while praying here will come true. There is also a religious belief that during the Treta Yuga when King Janak organised the Sita Swoyambar for his daughter Janaki's marriage, the bow broke into three pieces, one fell in the sky, another in the underworld and the third at Dhanushadham.

A black stone marks the spot where the bow is said to have fallen and a Peepal tree, believed to be over 500 years old, now stands there. It is also believed that a snake resides under this tree. On the day of the new moon, at midnight, it is said that a snake with a jewel appears and the entire temple turns green.

After the construction of the Dhanush Baba temple at the location where the middle piece of the bow fell, the Makar Mela has been held in Magh every year. Devotees offer flowers and water to the pieces of the bow. 

Dhanushadham has remained a spiritual centre due to centuries-old public belief, and local youth are now working to promote it as a tourist destination. They have formed groups to clean and develop religious sites like Dhanush Sagar and Ban Ganga Sarovar, with the aim of turning the area into a major tourist attraction.

Meanwhile, a week-long Makar Mela has been organised along both banks of the Kanakai Mai River in Jhapa, targeting devotees who traditionally come for Makar Snan (bathing in the river). On the eastern bank, Kanakai Municipality, and the western bank, Shivasatakshi Municipality, have each launched the week-long fair in their respective areas. The fair will feature various food items, both locally and internationally produced clothing and exhibitions and sales of food items such as tarul (yam), chaku (cooked molasses) and others, said Kiran Mainali, the president of the Kanakai Maiweni Mela Organising Committee.