Public holiday for religious fair in Barahpokhari

Barahpokhari Rural Municipality and Jantedhunga Rural Municipality have announced two days public holiday for the religious fair to be held at Barahpokhari. Taking the opportunity of Haribodhani Ekadashi, the two rural municipalities have given two days public holiday on November 14 and 15 targeting the week-long Barahpokhari fair.

 Issuing a notice, the municipalities announced that a decision has been taken to give two days public holiday to promote the religious fair. The event site is located in the south of Diktel Bazaar, the main business hub of the district. Volunteers have been mobilized from both the municipalities and the Barahpokhari Development Committee to make the fair systematic.

A police team has been mobilized from Area Police Office Chisapani and Barahpokhari and Armed Police Force Gulm Chisapani to reduce criminal incidents at the fair in Barahpokhari, said District Security Committee Coordinator and Chief District Officer Phanindra Dahal. Revellers have also been asked to follow the health protocol considering the continued risk of coronavirus.

The religious fair at Barahpokhari attracts a large number of devotees, especially those who come in the name of their deceased relatives. Surrounded by dense jungle, the 330-meter-long and 210-meter-wide, naturally formed Barahpokhari is home to some of the world's rarest red fish.

Barahpokhari, located at an altitude of about 1,300 meters above sea level, hosts fairs on Haribodhani Ekadashi, Ram Navami, Shivaratri, Balachaturdashi and Maghe Sankranti. Visitors and devotees from all the ten local levels of the district, neighboring districts of Udayapur, Bhojpur, Dhankuta, Ilam, Okhaldhunga, Sunsari, Saptari, Siraha and also from India, China and Bhutan have been coming to attend the fair.

The number of domestic and foreign tourists has been increasing in Barahpokhari known both for its natural beauty and heritage of religious faith, said Barahpokhari Rural Municipality Chair Yubaraj Magar.

The federal government has also started the work of promotion of Barahpokhari by declaring it as one of the 100 tourist destinations of the country.