Bettiah: The five-day annual Tharu Festival began on the eve of Mahashivratri in Harnatand under the Bagaha subdivision of West Champaran district on Saturday.Organised every year on the High School premises at Harnatand, the festival plays a key role in preserving and promoting the Tharu community’s cultural heritage, traditions, folk arts and handicrafts. The event, held for over seven decades, was earlier known as the Bhujahawa Mela. In 1996, then Bagaha SDO Masood Hasan renamed it the Tharu Festival, giving it wider recognition.
Sharda Prasad, coordinator of the Tharu Festival Mela Committee, said the fair has drawn visitors from dozens of surrounding villages. People arrived in tractor-trolleys, bullock carts and other vehicles, while many from distant places are staying with relatives to take part in the festivities.Prasad, who has been attending the festival since childhood, described it as a vital platform for showcasing the community’s identity. Several stalls put up by tribal women are displaying handmade products and drawing large crowds.Maheshwar Kazi of Naurangiya village recalled that in earlier times, people would bring ‘Anandi’ bhuja and chokha from home. It was customary to eat bhuja-chokha after offering prayers to Lord Shiva, which gave the fair its earlier name, Bhujahawa. Families would share the meal with relatives, strengthening social bonds.The festival opened with traditional rituals, followed by performances of Tharu folk dances such as Jhumta and Jhumar. Organisers said separate committees have been formed to oversee security, cleanliness, cultural programmes and other arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the five-day event.
