To live a bucolic life implies that one is abstained from discotheques and nightclubs. These amenities are generally linked with the urbanities, where people go for hangout. With the absence of these hangouts, urbane people might think that the “rustics” don’t have means of merry-making. But in fact, the pastoral conviviality is more vibrant and exuberant.
On the occasion of Chandi Purnima, at Phalante — 13 kilometers west from Hile, Dhankuta — an annual mela, i.e. fair could be witnessed. The Devi Than which is generally left abandoned in the other days is well decorated for the celebration and is much crowded. Besides the worshipping and sacrifices made in Devi Than, the place provides an avenue for local business. Preparation of local alcoholic beverages, made from barley, starts months ago, keeping the mela into consideration. Even the gentlemen and women seen sober in other times, don’t hesitate to booze it up for the day. Squabble for no reasons is a commonplace when everyone is inebriated.
Langurburja, a local gambling of six dices which is hardly played at other time, prospers in here. Even the parents do not bawl out when their children lose few bucks in such games; probably because they had also done so in their time. It seems it is the very time when children can have their queerish demands fulfilled. The mela is not just meant to get extravagant but it also provides some responsible children an opportunity to generate money.
“Selling chatpate, I earned Rs 3000 today itself,” a sixth grader Mandeep Sunuwar said, “I’ll use it to buy exercise books and other stationaries.”
These rural celebrations have also seen changes in recent years. Thirthaa Rai, who had been participating in the mela since her childhood remembers, “Young girls and boys used to dance together in traditional attire. Now you see, even I’m here in T-shirt and pants.” The cultural dohori songs, which used to be the major attraction of mela, are replaced by filmy numbers. She further remembers, “It used to be much more crowded as well.” Since almost all the youths in the village are working in the Gulf countries as migrant workers, the is seeing lesser and lesser participants each year.
