RAJHA, July 17: On the occasion of Muharram, Chandbabu Rahi, a resident of Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City-11, has installed a 65-foot-tall Tajiya.

This year, Rahi bought the Tajiya from Alinagar, India, for around Rs 100,000. He mentioned that an additional Rs 60,000 was spent on transportation and installation to bring it to Nepalgunj.

At Ganeshpur Chowk in Nepalgunj, a tall Tajiya has been placed under the leadership of Bacha Rahi for the past seven years. This year too, a 60 to 70-foot-tall Tajiya has been installed, according to Rahi.

Like Rahi, other members of the Muslim community in Banke have also set up Tajiya at their homes. Chandbabu has been boasting about having the tallest Tajiya in Banke district for several years. He mentioned that he funds the Tajiya himself without relying on donations.

In Banke alone, it is estimated that more than Rs 500,000 is spent on Tajiya installations. The Tajiya established at home by the Muslim community are collectively taken to the nearby Karbala today for a ritual bath. In Nepalgunj, Muslims, Hindus, and people from other communities also place Tajiya in front of their houses for worship. On the last day of Muharram, people carry the Tajiya from their homes to the local Karbala and Muharram ends with the immersion of the Tajiyas in the local river.