The Dagaura Chaudhary community in Nepal’s Western Terai region is celebrating the traditional Atwari festival with great enthusiasm today. This age-old festival, celebrated by the Dagaura Chaudhary people in the districts of Dang, Banke, Bardia, Kailali, and Kanchanpur, promotes mutual goodwill, unity, and a deep sense of community. The festivities feature elaborate ceremonies, vibrant cultural performances, and a feast of indigenous delicacies.
Atwari is celebrated following the completion of monsoon farming and is marked by cultural programs held at the heart of the community’s settlements. Traditional foods, particularly those made from the Andi species of rice, take center stage in the festival’s feast. Other popular dishes consumed during the celebration include khurma, phulauri, khariya, ghongi, geta tina, acchi tina, and surik sikar, highlighting the community’s rich culinary heritage.
A special culinary tradition is the preparation of Agrasan, a dish reserved for daughters and sisters. On the second day of the two-day festival, this dish is ceremoniously offered to them, marking the festival’s conclusion.
The Atwari festival falls on the first Sunday of Bhadra Shuklapaksha following Shree Krishna Janmashtami and serves as a reflection of the Dagaura Chaudhary community’s vibrant cultural heritage. The community traces the origins of the festival to the Vedic era and celebrates it in honor of Bhima, one of the five Pandava brothers, during their time in exile following the Mahabharata war. Additionally, the festival marks the beginning of the reading of the Mahabharata epic, known as Badkimar, by the community.
In recognition of the cultural significance of Atwari, the Sudurpaschim Provincial Government has declared a public holiday today to allow for widespread celebration of this important festival.
