The Yam Festival in Bahundangi, Ward No. 4 of Mechinagar Municipality, Jhapa, has become a major attraction during the Maghe Sankranti celebration. Visitors are drawn to the display of traditional and indigenous products from Nepal and India.
Organized by Mechinagar Municipality, the three-day festival aims to promote local foods like tarul (yam) and other rural products, according to Ward Chairman Arjun Karki. He shared that the event includes 35 exhibition stalls, four of which are from India, and is expected to generate transactions worth NPR 5 million over three days.
Raj Basu, a tourism promoter from West Bengal, India, emphasized the potential for rural tourism in Nepal, adding that festivals like this help market rural products from both countries.
The festival features various types of tarul, such as Simla tarul, ghar tarul, ban tarul, suthuni tarul, patale tarul, and pidalu. Unique dishes like steamed momos, pakodas, choila, pickles, and fried tarul snacks have also become highlights. Manjil Dewan, Secretary of Green Generation, mentioned that these stalls are attracting large crowds.
A special stall by the Elephant-Friendly Farmers Group of Bahundangi showcases local products like belchana (wood apple seeds), millet flour, tamarind pulp, moringa powder, kimbo wine, red banana plants, black pepper, betel nuts, bay leaves, said group chairman Deviprasad Acharya.
The Kusum Radi Pakhi Industry from Okhaldhunga has brought handwoven radi (woolen carpets) made from sheep’s wool, priced between NPR 3,500 and NPR 9,500, according to proprietor Bhaktabahadur Gurung. He shared that he has seen significant sales during past Tarul Festivals.
The Sawa Varieties enterprise in Mechinagar has displayed rare items linked to Indigenous cultural identity, such as binayo and chindo, made of bamboo. Nandamaya Limbu, the proprietor, stated that these items, including Rai tribe logos, are being sold for NPR 1,000 each.
The Himalayan Women’s Partnership Pickles and Food Industry has set up a stall with 13 varieties of pickles produced in Mechinagar-2, said manager Lila Rizal Khadka.
The festival showcases the rich cultural and agricultural heritage of the region, bringing together local and international traditions in a vibrant celebration.