The village assembly 'Dewani', held on the occasion of Maghi, reviews the income and expenditure for the year and elects a new Bhalmansa (village head), Barghar, Chowkidar, and Guruwa for the coming year.
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As the Tharu community's new year and biggest cultural festival, Maghi, approaches, the hustle and bustle in the settlements of Kanchanpur has increased significantly.
With the arrival of Maghi, both men and women have become busy from morning to evening in Tharu villages. Some are gathering firewood, while others are collecting sal and maluka leaves from the forest. Women are busy sitting in their courtyards and making duna-taparis made of leaves.
'Duna-tapari is the custom of serving food to guests during Maghi,' said Banika Durga Chaudhary of Krishnapur Municipality-2, 'This reflects the intimate relationship of the Tharu community with nature.'
According to her, the original dishes of the Tharu community are at the center of the Maghi festival, and it is customary for the women of the house to serve these dishes in duna-taparis made by tying leaves. She said that preparations for making 'Dhikri', 'Anadiko Bhaat', 'Sungurko Masu' and 'Jaand', which are considered mandatory during Maghi, are now in the final stages.
'For Maghi, women are busy soaking, cooking and storing uncooked rice in their homes,' said Bharat Bahadur Chaudhary, a former village headman of Shuklaphanta Municipality-2. 'The men of the house are busy raising pigs.' According to him, some women and men are also involved in fishing in rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. He says that these preparations, which are being made with the participation of children and the elderly, will strengthen the sense of community in the village.
Before evening, the rhythm of the Madal has started to be heard in the village squares and open courtyards. The practice of the Maghauta dance has made the atmosphere of the village more lively. Kaluram Dagaura of Shuklaphanta Municipality-7 said, 'Young women are busy practicing the dance to be performed during Maghi, while senior citizens are seen sitting and telling stories and experiences of past Maghi.'
Since it is customary to call married girls and boys their families during the Maghi festival, they have started being invited. In welcoming the festival, the mud houses of the Tharu settlements have been painted and tidied up, while the concrete houses have been painted. The courtyards have been cleaned, the barns have been repaired. A collective cleaning campaign has been launched in the common areas, temples and roads of the village, informed Barghar Raju Chaudhary of Shuklaphanta Municipality-3.
Preparations for special cultural programs and festivals for Maghi are also underway in the Tharu-dominated areas of Shuklaphanta, Bedkot, Krishnapur and Belauri municipalities of Kanchanpur. The Maghi festival is considered a festival to forget enmity and forge friendship.
'The tradition of settling old disputes on Maghi, improving mutual relations and starting the new year with positive thinking is deep in Tharu society,' said Badghar Suresh Chaudhary of Jonapur village. According to him, Maghi is not just a festival limited to food and fun, it is a symbol of the identity, culture and social unity of the Tharu community. One of the most important aspects of Maghi is the election of a new village leadership. The village assembly 'Dewani', held on the occasion of Maghi, reviews the income and expenditure for the year and elects a new Bhalmansa (village head), Barghar, Chowkidar and Guruwa for the coming year.
