Tharu community celebrates Atwari festival across western Nepal

Kailali: The Tharu community across the Terai region of western Nepal is celebrating the traditional Atwari festival today, with vibrant preparations taking place in villages and settlements.

Observed on the second Sunday after Shri Krishna Janmashtami, the festival is marked by the preparation of traditional dishes such as rice and roti, dried fish, khariya, sidra, and phulauri. Locals are also busy making duna and tapari for worship and preparing ‘Agrasan’ koseli, while houses and courtyards are cleaned for the occasion.

“In our settlements, family members gather to divide responsibilities for the festival,” said Ratiram Chaudhary, a Tharu leader from Kanari, Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City-15. Similarly, Tekraj Chaudhary of Kanari Tol said fishing and the collection of vegetables and spices are carried out throughout the day to prepare the Dar food. “Various dishes are made from Anadi rice, which we often search for or exchange in distant Tharu villages,” he added.

The two-day festival begins with devotees observing a half-day fast without water, followed by bathing and worship at nearby rivers, ponds, or lakes. Before eating, a portion of the prepared food and fruits is set aside for married daughters. Traditional offerings include Anadi rice roti, bananas, cucumbers, mangoes, dried fish, and fruits.

On the second day, devotees once again bathe and worship, lighting bonfires with incense and pine cones. Sweet dishes and traditional Tharu foods are then shared, with the first portion again reserved for married daughters as Agrasan or koseli.

Tharu leader Ratiram explained that the festival is observed in honor of Bhim, the younger Pandava, who, according to legend, helped Tharu King Dangisharan by defeating a demon during a time of crisis. “The Atwari festival is celebrated by worshipping Bhima and Suryadev, marking the day Bhima freed villagers from the terror of a demon,” he said.

Celebrated as a festival of family bonds and cultural heritage, Atwari is observed across Tharu settlements in Kailali, Kanchanpur, Banke, Bardiya, Surkhet, Dang, and other districts.