KATHMANDU, Sept 26: The throng of frenzied shoppers rushing about Kathmandu’s market places is a clear indicator of the Dashain festival arriving. The footfall in main market areas of the Capital city before the exodus of those who’ve migrated to the Valley in search of better life creates a festive mood among shoppers as well as traders.
Hundreds of people migrate to Kathmandu every year for want of opportunities in other parts of the country. The roads are almost empty and the stutters shut for at least five days a year because the migrated ones leave for their hometown to celebrate the country’s one of the most prominent festivals, Dashain.
Shoppers flock to Kathmandu’s major commercial hubs ahead of Da...
The five-day holiday during the festival is a window period for many to visit places as well as families and unwind for a year-long work life. Thus, most try to shop and carry fancy gifts from Kathmandu for their loved ones before they leave for their hometown.
Besides, the additional allowances and bonuses provided to employees by various institutions for the festival add to the shoppers’ excitement for the holidays.
Though the crowded New Road and Durbar Marg, main market hubs of Kathmandu, show that the festival days are just around the corner, shoppers are of the view that the unmanaged mass only contribute to traffic jams and inconvenience.
Sushmita Dawadi, a shopper in New Road, said, “I almost had an argument with a lady because she was pushing my mother amid the crowd. I hadn’t noticed that the market areas are so jam packed during Dashain. It is a nightmare to reach your desired shop, and if you have your own vehicle, don’t even think of getting a parking space.”
However, it is almost impossible to kill the festive vibe despite the crowded shopping malls, roads and footpaths because the excitement for the forthcoming festival season is so strong that one can hardly deny that it’s Dashain time.
