Ropain Festival
29/06/2011
Place of event: Throughout Nepal
This festival is celebrated on 15 of Asar (the third month of Bikram Sambat), marked as the longest day of the year. Hence, farmers tend to finish as much of their tasks as possible on this day. This year, it falls on 29th of June.
Farmers usually gather in their paddies and plant seedlings using their bare hands. They sing their traditional Ropain song while working and wrestle (in a symbolic manner, just for fun) in the muddy fields during breaks.
In the recent years, Pokhara Tourism Council has been organising a special event on this day for tourists as an effort to bring them closer to Pokhara locals and to popularise the city as a monsoon destination. You are cordially invited to join the celebrations, often carried out in the paddy fields near the Fewa Lake.
Unless you get involved, you would not believe how much fun you can have in the paddies learning and doing what the local farmers do. Your clothes may get muddy, but that will be worth it all! Besides, you will get to enjoy "Dahi Chiura" (mixture of curd and beaten rice), served as the treat of the day to the participants. Not to forget, dancing to the Panchebaja and Sarangi with the zealous and friendly locals will be a priceless experience.
Meet Rajendra Prasad Sapkota and Outdoor Himalayan Treks, we are your local connection in Pokhara. Starting as a young porter, Rajendra has all the local knowledge that will make your trip to Pokhara life changing. With us, visitors experience remote villages, meet local people, and gain insight into our culture. We support local villages, and have even built a local orphanage to house and educate displaced, and often outcast, children. We hope to bring you a journey that will be enriching, but will also help those in need in Pokhara.
