Atwari festival hit hard as Anadi rice disappears

Dhangadhi: The Tharu community’s traditional Atwari festival has been severely affected this year due to the destruction and shortage of Anadi (Undi) rice, a staple ingredient for the celebration.

Anadi rice, used to make a special bread considered essential for Atwari, has become increasingly scarce. As a result, many families have either skipped the festival altogether or celebrated without observing the traditional fast. Even farming households are struggling to manage, while non-farming families face an even greater challenge.

Kusum Chaudhary, a health worker, shared her difficulty in finding the rice. “I searched everywhere. Finally, I found one place, but since there was very little, they refused to sell it. How can we celebrate Atwari without Anadi rice?” she said.

This year, the two-day festival of the Tharu community in western Nepal began on Bhadra 8. It is customary to grind Anadi rice into flour, bake bread, eat it during the festival, and send the bread as gifts to married sisters. However, as availability declines, many families have been unable to follow the tradition.

Bhalmansa Kulbir Chaudhary of Dhangadhi Sub-metropolitan City-5 said that the festival is gradually changing. “No one cultivates Anadi rice in our area these days. Some have started celebrating Atwari in a modern way, while others don’t celebrate at all,” he remarked.

Anadi rice and Tharu potatoes are recognized as indigenous crops of the Terai in Far West Province. While interest in Tharu potatoes has slightly increased in recent years, Anadi rice cultivation has sharply declined. Some farmers grow it only in small quantities for personal use, replacing the rest with improved rice varieties.

According to farmer Khojram Chaudhary of Bhajani Municipality-5, Lalbojhi, low yield and late ripening are the main reasons behind farmers abandoning Anadi rice. “Its production is less than other rice varieties, and it ripens late. That’s why farmers are giving it up,” he explained.

The Agricultural Knowledge Center has emphasized that Anadi rice is not only a vital indigenous crop but also significant in terms of religious and nutritional value. However, the lack of government policy attention has led to its near disappearance in Tharu communities.

Tek Bahadur Bista, head of the Agricultural Knowledge Center, stressed the need for preservation. “The importance of Anadi rice must be explained to farmers, and its cultivation area must be expanded,” he said.

Budget Allocation for Conservation
The Knowledge Center has been allocated Rs 20 lakh in the current fiscal year to promote indigenous crops such as Anadi rice and Tharu potatoes, up from Rs 8 lakh last year. The funds will be used for seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, machinery, and training. With this support, Anadi rice cultivation has been carried out on four to five bighas of land in Kailari Rural Municipality, Kailali this year, according to Bista.