Tharu couple sustains livelihood through traditional attire business

Kanchanpur: For the past decade, Sushil Chaudhary of Jokhartal, Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City-7, Kailali, has been making a living by selling traditional Tharu attire.

He supplies dresses across Kanchanpur, including Pipladi, Belauri, Lalpur, Dekhtabhuli, Jai, Banjariya, Shantipur, and nearby areas. His products include traditional lehengas, cholyas, decorative fringes worn on headscarves, and dhotis for men. While sales remain modest most of the year, business surges significantly during major festivals like Dashain and Tihar, allowing him to earn between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000 monthly, with income tripling during festive seasons.

His wife, Rupa Chaudhary, designs and makes the attires after receiving six months of sewing training. Each lehenga or cholya takes three to five days to complete, crafted with intricate artistic designs and colorful fabrics such as sitara, kadota, goth, nefa, and tuna. A simple lehenga costs around Rs 3,500 to make and sells for Rs 4,500, while a buttawala lehenga costs Rs 6,500 to produce and sells for up to Rs 7,500. Cholyas and dhotis, made at around Rs 300 each, are sold for Rs 500 to Rs 700.

Apart from traditional clothing, Rupa also sews women’s wear such as suits, blouses, petticoats, and maxis. The couple has invested about Rs 1.2 million in their shop, which produces both traditional and modern garments. Alongside this business, Sushil also works as a plumber during his spare time.

Together, the couple earns roughly Rs 600,000 annually from the clothing business. However, Sushil notes that since lehengas and cholyas are only worn by Tharu women, sales are limited. To sustain their livelihood, they rely on sewing other ready-made garments. “The income from sewing and traditional clothing has barely covered the family’s household expenses,” he said.