KANCHANPUR: Four municipalities in Kanchanpur have declared a public holiday today on the occasion of the Gangadashahara fair being held in Bhakunda, Belauri Municipality-5.
Belauri Municipality, Punarbas Municipality, and Beldandi Rural Municipality have each declared a one-day public holiday on Thursday. Laljhadi Rural Municipality has announced a two-day holiday for Thursday and Friday.
Potilal Chaudhary, Mayor of Belauri Municipality, said that the municipality has declared the holiday in observance of the annual Gangadashahara fair at Bhakunda, which is home to the prominent religious site, Naktababa (Kaleshwor Mahadev) Temple, located in Ward No. 5.
“Our goal is to develop the historic Naktababa area as a major religious tourism destination,” said Mayor Chaudhary. “Considering its religious and cultural significance, we declare a public holiday every year on the occasion of Ganga Dashahara.”
Lal Bahadur Chaudhary, Chairperson of Belauri Ward No. 5, noted that a large fair has been held at the Naktababa temple since ancient times.
“This area, known as Naktababa among the Rana community, hosts a grand fair every year on the day of Ganga Dashahara,” he said. “More than one hundred thousand devotees from Nepal and neighboring India attend the event.”
He added that the municipality is actively working to have the site recognized as a religious heritage location.
Visitors from Nepal’s Kanchanpur, Kailali, and Bardiya districts, as well as from Indian cities such as Khiri, Bareilly, Kanpur, and Lucknow, gather for the annual celebration.
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