President Paudel to offer Dashain tika

      The time for offering Dashain tika by President has been set from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Nepal: President Ramchandra Paudel is to offer the Dashain tika to distinguished personalities and the general people on the occasion of the Bijaya Dashami festival.

                                 photo: President Ramchandra Paudel 

Different times have been allotted to offer the Dashain tika to those wishing to receive it from the head of state on Tuesday at the Office of the President, Sheetal Niwas.

According to Office Spokesperson Shailaja Regmi Bhattarai, the time for offering the Dashain tika by the President has been set from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Anyone wishing to take the Dashain tika from the President is requested to enter the office from gate number 1.

The Dashain festival, when revellers go on a spending spree, will be here in a month, and merchants have started stocking up for the busiest time of the year.

But the shopkeepers are not terribly excited about a sales boom during the festive season.

“It has been nearly two years since the market has shown little fervour during the festive season,” said Kumar Karki, president of the Federation of National Traders Nepal. “This year too we are not expecting bumper festive sales.”

Experts say businesses large and small face declines in sales and profits during economic slowdowns.

Despite the gradual easing of import trade across the northern border, traders are bringing fewer shipments from China than during pre-Covid times.

This year, Dashain begins on October 15.

Economists say the country’s economic activities expand greatly in September and October due to the occurrence of two major festivals Dashain and Tihar which a majority of Nepalis from different communities celebrate.

There is no authentic data, but economists say that 40-70 percent of market activities take place during Dashain, Tihar and Chhath.

"In view of the market situation, traders have placed fewer orders for readymade garments, bags and accessories," said Karki.

“The main factor for pushing customers away is an increase in the price of goods and a decline in people’s spending capacity.”

High bank interest, inflation, weaker currency, less demand and consumption of goods, and less capital spending by the government have been causing an economic slowdown in the country.

The supply of imported goods is smooth, and shipments have started arriving in the market, traders said.

Traders are not hopeful about Dashain sales as the price of all goods, including food items, have skyrocketed. Traders say that rentals too have gone up.

“As inflation has been biting globally, the price of imported goods has increased moderately,” said Ashok Kumar Shrestha, president of the Nepal Trans Himalayan Border Commerce Association.

“I cannot say now how high prices will increase. But they will be higher by a few percentage points compared to last year,” he said.

"Most traders are routing their imports via the Tatopani border point this year following the relaxation of travel restrictions," Shrestha said.

Sellers of mobile sets and consumer electronics are hopeful about better festive sales this year. Domestic dealers say that consumers are waiting for festive sales offers in mobiles and consumer electronic goods this year.

"The dealers are introducing festive themes for festive sales, especially for Dashain," said Bharat Bhattarai, president of the Federation of Nepal Mobile Traders.

“The implementation of the mobile device management system is expected to increase sales as people coming from abroad will not be bringing many mobile sets like before,” he said.

"The market is down, but the response to festive sales from customers has been good so far. The mood in the mobile market this festive season is like during pre-pandemic times,” he said.

Mobile dealers say that their shipments of cell phones for the festive season are en route and have not yet arrived. All mobile imports come from China and there are no hassles at the border points this year, they said.

“The economic situation is definitely not positive, and it is going to impact festive sales. But we are hopeful that sales will be satisfactory,” said Bishnu Gyawali, deputy general manager of CG Electronics.

"The company is introducing a festival scheme which is expected to boost sales," said Gyawali. “We are expecting good sales of TVs and refrigerators during Dashain and Tihar this year,” he said.

The automobile sector that faced a seven-month import ban last year is also expecting good business during the festive season this year.

“The situation is not positive for car sales due to high interest rates and complex bank financing, but we are hoping for business worth Rs20 billion during the festive season this year,” Sunil Rijal, vice-president of the Nepal Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA).

"The NADA auto show is making a comeback after four years, and it will help to increase sales, but business will not be like before the pandemic," he said.

"Sales of electric vehicles are expected to grow faster than gasoline-powered four-wheelers. Vehicles with small engine capacities are expected to sell very well," Rijal said.  

As Dashain begins, I find myself in a situation where I will be alone during the festival. My parents will be occupied with work, and my sister lives abroad, leaving me to spend the festival alone. This situation brings back familiar feelings of loneliness and resentment.

During my childhood, Dashain was often a lonely experience for me. Although, as Buddhists, we do not celebrate Dashain, I still longed for the warmth of family gatherings that my friends and peers experienced. I remember spending time idly and missing my parents.

As a child, I would struggle to deal with this feeling of loneliness. I remember being lethargic and irritable during the holidays. I would spend days in bed, doing nothing but watching TV or sleeping. Loneliness, I have realised, seems to manifest differently in different people. It can make us anxious, sad, impatient and even cause physical symptoms like headaches and muscle tightness.

And as a result, this feeling of loneliness made me resentful. I disliked my parents for not being there, and I hesitated to talk with them on the phone whenever they called. I held on to this resentment for quite a long time.

Looking back, I realised that my feelings of loneliness and resentment were caused by my tendency to compare myself to others. I constantly measured my situation against that of my peers, feeling inadequate and different. This habit of comparison not only affected how I celebrated festivals but also influenced my thoughts about how I should be in various aspects of my life. I recognised this as a flaw in my thinking.

Continuously focusing on what I was supposed to do was detrimental to my self-worth. It meant neglecting my own needs and desires. So, I decided to consider an alternative approach. Instead of adhering to how I “should” celebrate the festival, I chose to embrace how I “wanted” the festival to be—an enjoyable experience tailored to my preferences. I asked myself: What activities could bring me joy and pleasure? How could I truly savour the moment?

My mother recently shared something that resonated with me deeply. She emphasised the value of living in solitude and how it fosters maturity and grounds us. Living alone confronts us with our independence. Since no one else is around, we have to rely on ourselves to meet our needs. We are held accountable for ourselves rather than relying on others. This accountability teaches us to be more caring towards ourselves, nurturing our independence and autonomy.

In one instance, being alone led me to ponder: are there others going through the same experience? It seemed likely. Many Nepalis live abroad, away from their families. Not everyone can return home during holidays. During Dashain, my parents work, but we celebrate our own festival—Losar. There have been years when I couldn’t be home due to studies, and my family experienced a similar situation—being apart during festivals meant for togetherness and connection. This realisation filled me with empathy. I understood that my experience of solitude was shared by others, including my own family members.

Having learned this, I’ve decided to show gratitude to my loved ones. By appreciating what I have and expressing my thanks, I feel more connected and secure in my relationships. I plan to convey my gratitude through a short call or text, letting them know I remember and cherish our moments together, even though they are away.

Now as an adult, I embrace my solitude during the holidays, knowing I’m not alone in this experience. I’ve learned to let go of unrealistic expectations and use this time to care for myself. Simultaneously, I make a point to express my gratitude to others.

In the end, festivals aren’t just about the events themselves. They are about sharing joy with your loved ones. For those unable to be home, they provide an opportunity to show that despite the distance, our hearts are close. Expressing love is often more important than expecting others to understand our feelings. Let’s allow festivals to remain as moments of happiness, enjoyment and appreciation. 

The biggest festival of the Nepalis, Dashain, has formally commenced from today, this year. The ten-day festival is celebrated with fervor and enthusiasm amidst all the rituals associated with it.

With the beginning of the festival, the number of people leaving for their homes from the Kathmandu Valley has increased from today by 25,000 than on a normal day.

Director General of the Department of Transport Management Kashi Raj Dahal said with the number of people leaving the Valley at this rate, an average number of 85,000 people are expected to exit in a day. The number of people leaving the Valley few days back was 60,000 a day.

Most of the public and private schools and colleges have closed for the Dashain holidays from today.

Dahal added that some 1.3 million people have exited from the Valley since September 11, the day when the booking for bus tickets was opened. An additional 1.2 million people are expected to leave the Valley in the coming nine days.

Some 3,000 buses are said to leave Kathmandu daily for various destinations. An additional 500 buses have been pressed into service this time on the existing fleet of buses, the Department stated.

As many as 2.2 million people have left the Kathmandu Valley by road to be home in time and join their families for the Dasain celebration as of Saturday evening. 

The Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs stated today more than 2.2 million people have left for different destinations from the different exit points of the Kathmandu Valley today. 

President of the Federation Saroj Sitaula said the largest number of passengers leaving the Kathmandu Valley was recorded on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. He surmised the number will decrease from tomorrow. 

According to him, 250 thousand people left the Valley by bus today alone. The number was highest at 350 thousand on Friday. 

Sitaula said no untoward incident has been reported as of today and claimed that compared to the previous Dasain, this time around the passengers have had hassle-free travel. 

The Federation stated that around five thousand big and small vehicles are plying, carrying passengers to different destination targeting the Dasain festival. Duringnormal times, one thousand to 1,200 vehicles used to ferry passengers to and from Kathmandu Valley. 

Vehicles leave and enter the Kathmandu Valley from the Nagdhunga, Balkhu, Sankhu, Balaju and Tokha Chhahare points. RSS 

Hindus throughout the country on Thursday observed the eighth day of the ten-day long Bada Dasain festival as the Maha Ashtami by worshipping Goddess Durga Bhawani.

On this day, people offer special worship to the goddesses Mahakali, Mahalaxmi and Maha Saraswati. This day of the Dasain festival is considered a special day when Goddess Durga attained power.

On the occasion, people perform religious rituals at the Dasain Ghars and armouries and offer worship to goddess at various shrines by offering sacrifices of different animals. The people also read the Durga Saptashati scriptures.

Devotees throng various goddess shrines in the Kathmandu Valley from early morning today for offering worships and sacrificing goats and ducks.

Similarly, people throng the various goddess temples throughout the country today to offer worships, sacrificing goats, ducks and roosters.

Special Durgapuja worship and prayer ceremonies are held at the Dasain Ghars. People also worship the weapons, vehicles and machines.

People who do not sacrifice animals offer sacrifices of various vegetables and fruits in place of animals.

Also on this day, a special Kalaratri worship is held at midnight at the Dashain Ghar of Hanumandhoka in the capital city.

One sign that Dashain is in the air is the arrival of herds of bleating goats in the city. Buying a buck for sacrifice and feasting is one of the excitements of the festival for many Nepalis, but traders say sales this year are likely to be subdued like before as people have less money to spend.

Several livestock traders the Post spoke to said festival sales in Kathmandu Valley may reach around 50,000 animals, the same like last year. Before the Covid pandemic wrecked the economy, Dashain celebrators used to buy 80,000 goats.

“We expect goat demand to remain the same as during the last Dashain. This year, an economic slowdown and high inflation have eroded customers’ purchasing capacity,” said Gobinda Prasad Subedi, central president of the Nepal Commercial Goat Producers Federation.

“We are not expecting an increase in goat demand,” he said.

From next week, people will begin searching for their favourite goats in the market, depending on their budget. Animal sacrifices and feasting are the highlights of the festival. Ghatasthapana, the first day of the two-week-long festival falls on October 15 this year.

Goat prices had declined last year too. “Some traders were forced to return their unsold animals,” said Subedi. “This year, we are planning to supply goats depending on demand.”

Traders say domestic production will be sufficient to meet the requirement this year, and there will be no need to import goats. They said prices would be like last year. Live goats cost Rs600 to Rs700 per kg.

The Department of Livestock Service said it had been holding discussions about the market situation with suppliers, transporters, traders, consumers and Food Management and Trading Company.

“Goats will be supplied according to demand. Last year, around 51,000 goats were sold in one week. We are expecting the same level of sales this year,” said Chandra Dhakal, senior livestock development officer at the Department of Livestock Service.

Around 30,000 goats will be delivered at Kalanki Khasi Bazaar and another 20,000 will be delivered at different collection centres in the valley. As usual, the government agency has a fixed sales quota.

Sharmila Neupane Subedi, information officer at Food Management and Trading Company, said they plan to bring 2,000 goats and 1,000 mountain goats for Dashain.

"Goats will be supplied from Tulsipur and Hetauda while mountain goats will be brought from Rasuwa," she said. “We expect the goats to start arriving from Friday.”

The company will open sales from Ghatasthapana.

Private traders bring goats from Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Okhaldhunga, Bhojpur, Khotang, Hetauda, Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Kabhre and Makwanpur.

Dhakal said that goat production had increased in the Tarai districts of Morang, Bara, Tulsipur, Sunsari, Sarlahi, Rupandehi, Kapilvastu, Banke, Dang and Bardiya.

He said that nearly a dozen points had been identified in Kathmandu Valley to sell goats. “The health of the animals will be examined at all collection centres.”

Goat sales normally increase sharply during the four days before Phulpati.

According to the department, there are 10.82 million goats across the country, and 5 million goats are sold in the market annually.

The department said that around 500,000 goats are consumed in Kathmandu Valley annually.

“We provide import approval if the importers fulfil all the paper work,” said Dhakal. "Goats are not being imported legally this year."

According to Subedi, Food Management and Trading Company sold 1,615 goats and mountain goats last year. Live goats weighing 20-25 kg were sold at Rs560 per kg while goats weighing above 25 kg were sold at Rs570 per kg.

“There are fewer chances of goat prices increasing this Dashain. The price will be fixed on the basis of purchase price, transportation cost, other expenses and market rate,” said Subedi.

“We cannot say what the price will be until we buy the goats,” she said. "Also, the price is fixed by the primary purchase committee which is chaired by the chief district officer and includes farmers."

According to traders, live goats are currently being sold for Rs600 to Rs700 per kg.

Analysts say opportunist traders may try to take advantage of the festive fervour.

“If there is any hike in meat prices, we will inspect the market. We will also inspect the goat market once the supply starts,” said Ananda Raj Pokharel, information officer at the Department of Commerce Supplies and Consumer Protection.

"Goats are smuggled into the country across the southern border during Dashain, which hampers sales of domestic goats and hurts farmers," said traders.

“Goat production is sufficient in different parts of the country, but supply could be disrupted if there is no proper provision of transportation,” said Subedi.

The festival season begins next month, and traders worry they may miss out on the traditional shopping spree for lack of inventory because of the continuing import restrictions on consumer durables.

Dashain is a happy time for merchants as business takes off on a vertical trajectory. But this year, they may not have much cause to be happy.

Consumers too are concerned about their festival shopping as traders have said that imported goods will come with higher price tags because of global inflation.

The Dashain festival, which begins in late September this year, revitalises the country’s economy as money flows like water in the market.

Naresh Katuwal, immediate past president of the Nepal National Traders’ Federation, warned that the ongoing import restrictions could disrupt the supply chain.

“We don’t see adequate demand for consumer durables this year due to the government restrictions,” he said.

Last December, Nepal Rastra Bank rolled out a new policy making it mandatory for importers to keep 100 percent margin amount to open a letter of credit to import 10 types of listed goods, including automobiles.

The central bank has decided to discourage the import of these items considering that they are “non-essential”.

As potential importers have been relying on short-term credit to open letters of credit, the central bank's directives have become a cause of great distress for many of them.

Traders need to keep 100 percent margin amount to import goods like alcohol, tobacco, silver, furniture, sugar and foods that contain sweets, glucose, mineral water, energy drinks, cosmetics, shampoos, hair oils and colours, caps, footwear, umbrellas, and construction materials such as bricks, marble, tiles and ceramics, among others.

Motorcycle and scooter importers have to keep 50 percent margin amount, and importers of diesel-powered private automobiles also need to keep 50 percent margin amount compulsorily.

Most of the goods in the restricted list are those that sell the fastest during the Dashain festival, traders say.

"The government ban on imports has increased illicit trade across the open Nepal-India border, Katuwal said. “The ban on supply means shortage of goods. This will also increase prices.”

Most of the goods targeted for the festival market arrive through the Rasuwa and Tatopani check posts on the northern border with China.

"But these transit points are still not fully operational despite China’s repeated assurances to Nepal that it would allow easy passage for international trade," Katuwal said.

In the Kathmandu market, mid-range smartphones are already short. The government has banned imports of smartphones costing more than $300.

“This move has fuelled the grey market,” Sanjay Agrawal, vice-president of the Mobile Phone Importers' Association, told the Post in a recent interview.

Banks say they are facing a liquidity crisis as most of the country’s earnings are being spent on imports.

Nepal’s import bill hit a new record of Rs1.92 trillion in the last fiscal year, according to the Department of Customs.

As the world is facing hyperinflation, Nepal has not been left untouched.

“Prices will go up significantly due to added transport costs,” said Katuwal.

Traders say they are optimistic that the embargo will not last much longer; but on July 17, the government extended the restriction for another one and a half months till August 30.

The latest import restriction applies to mobile sets priced over $300 and motorcycles with a capacity over 150 cc.

The import ban has also raised concerns among Nepali traders who are in the process of stocking up on inventory for the Dashain and Tihar shopping season.

Merchants normally start importing stock two months in advance for Nepal's biggest festivals.

“Festival orders from traders have plunged by almost 50 percent after the government said they must keep 100 percent margin amount to open a letter of credit,” said Ashok Kumar Shrestha, president of the Nepal Trans Himalayan Border Commerce Association.

"Traders also slashed their import orders anticipating a drop in festival sales due to high inflation," he said.

"Rising interest rates, slowed economic activities due to a liquidity crunch, high transportation costs and import restrictions are going to put a damper on this year’s festival market. Festival sales are going to be less exciting than during the two years of the pandemic," Shrestha said.

“A prelude to the festival market can be observed right now with the subdued market activities on the eve of the Teej festival,” Shrestha said.

The import of products designated as luxury items has been disallowed since April 26.

Around 50 percent of the annual automobile sales take place during the Dashain and Tihar shopping season as dealers offer schemes and discounts, automobile traders said. Would-be bike buyers wait for the festive season to take advantage of the sales discounts, they said.

“But the ban which has been extended till August 30 will hit festive sales of automobiles,” Dhurba Thapa, president of the Nepal Automobile Dealers’ Association, told the Post in a recent interview.

The earlier decision to ban mobiles costing more than $600 had already impacted the market, said smartphone dealers, adding that the latest move would destroy the market and business confidence, especially during the festival shopping season when sales surge by more than half.