Tharu to promote cultural attire

By Santosh Dahit,Dang, Jan. 12: In fairs, festivals or cultural programmes, it is often women who wear cultural attire. But in recent times, Tharu men have also started wearing traditional attire in their fairs and festivals. 

The active participation of men alongside women has given new enthusiasm and energy to the campaign for preserving and promoting traditional Tharu attire.

The Maghi Special Programme organised by Namuna Buhyarthan and co-organised by Tharu Kalyankari Sabha Area no- 3, Matwa Mahasangh, Tulsipur, has become an exemplary event for the preservation of Tharu traditional dress, language, and culture. 

The organisers decision to make wearing traditional Tharu attire compulsory for participants created a strong impact.

Not only women, but Tharu men, chief guests, and distinguished guests also attended the programme dressed in traditional attire. 

The large number of men in traditional attire conveyed the message that Tharu clothing is no longer merely a formal identity but is becoming part of everyday practice and collective commitment.

According to Ramsharan Chaudhary, Chairman of Namuna Buhyarthan, this initiative was taken in view of the fact that the Tharu community’s traditional dress, language, and culture are gradually being pushed into obscurity. “It is not enough to talk about preserving culture in speeches, it must be practiced in daily life. That is why we started with ourselves,” he said.

 He added that people not speaking the Tharu language at home, not following traditional customs, and abandoning their own traditional dress have put their identity at risk, so a directive was issued to address this. After the directive, nearly 90 per cent of participants appeared in Tharu traditional attire, which greatly encouraged the organisers.

The chief guest, former Chief Minister of Lumbini Province Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary, also attended wearing traditional Tharu dress. In his address, he made it clear that the responsibility for preserving one’s own dress, art, and culture belongs to the community itself, not to others.

 “Our art, culture, and traditional dress are our identity. If we cannot preserve them ourselves, we cannot expect others to do it for us,” he said.

Churna Bahadur Chaudhary, Central Treasurer of the Tharu Kalyankari Sabha, said that the number of people wearing Tharu traditional dress has increased in recent times. 

What was once limited to women has now extended to men as well, which he described as a positive change. 

Bhuwan Chaudhary, a member of the Lumbini Province Planning Commission, expressed hope that this campaign, which began with traditional attire, would make a significant contribution to the long-term preservation of the Tharu language, art, and culture. 

“Preserving these is like protecting the nation’s treasures,” he said. “Local art, culture, and traditional dress are the government’s priceless jewels.”

The final scene showed guests, including former Lumbini Chief Minister Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary, seated on Tharu handcrafted khatoli, dressed in traditional Tharu attire.