Bikram Baba Fair begins

The Bikram Baba Fair, which is celebrated every year on the occasion of Chaite Dashain, has started today. The Bikram Baba Fair was not held for the past two years due to the pandemic.

The fair has been formally inaugurated by the park administration, the Nepal Army deployed for the protection of the park, and the worship management committee worshiping at Bikram Baba's temple and flying doves. According to Arjun Bhujel, Chairman of the Kerunga Consumers' Committee, the pressure on devotees has increased since the fair, which was suspended for two years, started.

The Kerunga Consumers Committee and Patihani Consumers Committee will manage the worship at the Bikram Baba Fair which will be held till April 15, while the Ghailaghari Community Forest will manage the parking lot. Krishna Hari Sharma, the vice-chairman of Patihani Consumer Committee, said that the management work was done keeping in mind the pressure of devotees coming to Bikram Baba Mela.

He said that the pressure on devotees is expected to increase as the fair, which has not been held for two years, is about to take place. He said, "It is estimated that the number of devotees coming to attend the fair or worship this year will be 500,000." He informed that a 10-member committee has been formed for the management of the puja.

The time for worship at the temple is from 6 am to 5 pm. He said that the time has been fixed as wild animals will be active after 5 pm. Entrepreneurs who come to conduct the fair will be asked to close their business after 6 pm, said Lila Raj Bhushal, chairperson of Ghailaghari Community Forest. He informed that a 101-member basic management committee has been formed for the management of the fair.

The work of fair management has been done by forming eight sub-committees. He said, "We have decided to close the fair after 6 pm even though parking and fair have been arranged in the afternoon within the community forest area." Arrangements have been made to park the vehicles coming from Bharatpur and those coming from Madi outside the park. About two kilometers from the Rapti Bridge, Bikram Baba is worshiped inside the park. This worship is especially popular among the Tharus.

Although the Tharus has been worshiping Bikram Baba since time immemorial, in recent times all communities have been worshiping him. Bikram Baba is worshiped with the belief that having children and fulfilling one's aspirations including happiness will be fulfilled.