Kaligandaki Mahamela attracting Indian religious tourists

By Radha Krishna Dumre

Walling, Oct. 31: Until a few months ago, vehicles with Indian number plates used to travel frequently along the Siddhartha Highway. 

This highway is the preferred route for most Indian tourists heading to Pokhara, the tourism capital of Nepal. However, in the months following the Gen – Z movement, vehicles with the Indian number plates have become a rare sight.

In recent weeks, Indian religious tourists have once again started traveling along this route.

 Their growing presence is due to the ongoing Uttargandaki Mahamela and Damodar Religious Festival being held on the banks of the Kaligandaki River. 

According to Chaitanya Krishna, the chairperson of the Kaligandaki Gyan Bigyan Pratisthan, religious tourists from various parts of India have been arriving to attend the fair. He said, “The number of devotees coming from India is increasing, and many have been contacting us saying they are on their way.”

The Mahamela has been taking place for the past three weeks at the confluence of the Kaligandaki River’s northward flow, located between Galyang Municipality–1 of Syangja and Rambha Rural Municipality–1 of Palpa. Devotees from different parts of Nepal as well as India have been visiting the site.

Devotees believe that visiting this holy land of Uttarbahini and having a divine glimpse of Shaligram Shila offer a golden opportunity to earn religious merit.

 Since this sacred place represents a confluence of religion, culture, and nature,  Kaligandaki Gyan Bigyan Pratisthan has been organising the fair with the aim of promoting and developing religious tourism in the region.

The Mahamela features spiritual discourses on the significance and glory of bathing in the Kaligandaki River, grand morning and evening Gandaki Aarati rituals every day, religious processions and cultural rallies, various school-level competitions, yoga, meditation, and spiritual training camps, as well as children’s moral education programmes.

 Renowned national-level devotional singers have also been performing bhajans daily during the festival.

The Mahamela, which began on October 7, will continue until November 5.