Although business is not as good as last year, we are optimistic that business will increase from the days of Dhan-Teras.
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Pradhuman Pandit, 30, of Sabyathawa, Birgunj Metropolitan City-23, has been living on a roadside in Ghantaghar, Birgunj for a week. He is currently busy with the business of selling pottery and other materials he has started in partnership with Ramesh Pandit, a resident of Suryaha, Pakahamainpur Rural Municipality, Parsa.
Bhinaj and Salo have set up shops together on the roadside. They take turns sleeping on the roadside at night. Some potters sleep under the open sky. Some put up plastic tents. Some potters have been living together on the roadside for almost two weeks to do business.
‘This year, we have brought goods worth around two lakhs to sell for Diwali and Chhath festivals,’ said Pradhuman. ‘If we leave them at night, there is a fear of theft and breakage.’
Although the business is not like last year, he is optimistic that business will increase from the day of Dhan Teras. ‘Currently, business is fragmented, but we hope to increase business from the day of Dhan Teras,’ he said. ‘We have a similar daily routine every year during Tihar and Chhath festivals.’
Nearby, I met another young potter, Vikas Kumar Prajapati. He has also been selling earthenware for a week. His father, Shubha Narayan, and brother, Ishwar, are also with him. ‘This is our ancestral profession,’ he said, ‘We make earthenware all year round, and business is good during Tihar and Chhath festivals.’
Most of the potters who have come to Birgunj to do business during Tihar and Chhath festivals are from Suryahaha in Pakahamainpur rural municipality. There is a large settlement of potters there and they are still carrying on their ancestral profession.
