Continuous rain pushes back Bajura's Ananta fair to Asoj 15-16

Due to continuous rainfall, the date of the Ananta fair held every year in Bajura's district headquarters, Martadi, and surrounding areas has been postponed. The fair, which formally began Saturday and was to be held on Asoj 11 and 12, will now be held on Asoj 15 and 16.

The all-party meeting held Saturday under the chairmanship of Badimalika Municipality-8 Ward Chair Chandra Bahadur Thapa decided on the date change. The meeting also formed a seven-member fair management committee under Thapa's coordination, and said that action will be taken as per prevailing law against anyone who tries to disrupt the fair by selling, distributing or consuming alcohol during the event.

The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology's latest forecast has indicated a possibility of rain with thunder in the Himalayan and hilly regions of Sudurpashchim Province.

The Ananta fair, considered a major local festival after Dashain, is usually held for three to five days. According to local expert Sher Bahadur Rawal, it is celebrated to mark the Pandavas' victory over the Kauravas in the Mahabharata war. The fair features the Lakhe dance and the singing of "magal," along with discussions of the Pandavas' war skills and strategy.

Tradition holds that the fair begins on the day Sorha Shraddha begins. According to legend, the name "Ananta" comes from a corruption of the phrase meaning "end of injustice." During the fair, it is customary to recount tales of Bajura through devotional songs and "magal" folk songs. Rawal said the festival also serves as an occasion to meet relatives and form new friendships.