Children, youths and elderly citizens put on saffron dresses while visiting the Pindeshwar Temple, a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Dharan-14, to make offerings.Not just the locals of Dharan, pilgrims from across the country visit the temple wearing shorts, T-shirts and pajamas of saffron color to take part in the annual Hindu pilgrimage, Bol Bam, which takes place in the month of Shrawan.
Most of the shops in the marketplace are selling saffron garments with the picture of Lord Shiva printed on it. The shopkeepers who sell such clothes look very busy.
"Saffron garments sell very well during the Bol Bom pilgrimage. Around 25,000 pilgrims in such clothes have made their offerings by seven in the morning," informed Bikash Banepali, member of Pindeshwar Babadham Committee.
Om Prakash Ram, a pilgrim from Inaruwa-7 of Sunsari district, who was at Pindeshwar to offer holy water from the Koshi River, said that he too purchased a saffron garment from Dharan market just to visit the Pindeshor Temple. "Seven other people who accompanied me did the same."
Around 200,000 pilgrims visit the temple each year to make offerings to Lord Shiva. Almost half of them purchase saffron clothes from Dharan itself.
According to shopkeepers, a saffron garment can fetch anything from 250 to 500 rupees.
"The sales of saffron-colored clothes is expected to reach at least 10.025 million rupees," said Upendra Chamling, member of Dang chapter of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
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