South Asian News Network

Kaski, Sept. 30: A ‘Dashain Tourism and Cultural Festival’ will be organized in Pokhara with the aim of giving visitors a closer experience of Nepali culture and traditions. The festival, themed ‘Tika, Jamara and Kite Flying-Celebrating Dashain with Tourists in Pokhara,” will be held on October 25, the day of Kojagrat Purnima, at Barahi Ghat ground in Lakeside, according to event coordinator Uma Bhandari. Organized by the Women Tourism Entrepreneurs Forum (WOTEF), the festival seeks to take Dashain beyond a family celebration and and create an opportunity for domestic and international tourists to experience Nepali customs, food, culture and lifestyle. Tourists visiting Pokhara will be welcomed with tika and jamara (traditional paste made of vermillion and scared barely shoots). Visitors can also take part in a kite-flying competition. The festival will also feature traditional cultural performances representing different ethnic groups and communities. Visitors will also have an opportunity to taste traditional Nepali cuisines and explore local products, handicrafts, cultural items and tourism-related businesses. Pokhara Tourism Council Chairperson Hari Bhujel said linking Dashain with tourism would help promote both Pokhara’s cultural heritage and its tourism sector. WOTEF Founding Chairperson Jamuna Parajuli described the festival as an opportunity to showcase Pokhara’s culture and identity as part of its tourism experience. WOTEF Chairperson Mamata Neupane said the festival would allow visitors to experience not only Pokhara’s natural beauty but also its art, culture and traditions. —