Markets abuzz with shoppers as Shrawan festivity runs high in Nepal but sales remain low

A crowd of shoppers is back into the streets of Kathmandu with the onset of the month of 'Shrawan' dedicated to Lord Shiva. The main market for sales of beads and bangles along with mehndi is again packed with an exceptional number on the early day of Shrawan.

According to Hindu belief, the fourth month of the Lunar Calendar marks the month devoted to Lord Shiva. Married and unmarried females this month go on fasting on Monday. The married ones keep fasting for a longer life for their husbands whereas the unmarried ones pray to Lord Shiva to get a match like him.

"During my childhood, I use to apply Tiuri (a plant which is processed to make a paste and applied on hands) but now am applying Mehendi. It is believed that the darker the impression of Mehendi is over the palms the stronger would be the love from husband," Chanda Pandey, a resident of Kathmandu who applied Mehendi over her palms told ANI.

Along with the fillings of Mehendi, demands for tri- coloured beads (red, green and yellow) are on the rise in Nepal's capital. The beads which are stitched in threads are brought from India, Pakistan, China and other countries.

But bead sellers and businesses are still struggling to get back into the pre-pandemic situation as the inflation runs high in the Himalayan Nation, an early warning of arriving recession.

"Sales have still remained low, the soaring price hike in every sector and service and approaching inflation is scaring people. The national reserve also is running low which has increased fear amongst the people to save more money than expend it. This has cost our business a lot," Abbas Alam, a bead seller at Indra Chowk of Kathmandu told ANI.

Businesses in and around Indra Chowk- the wholesale of beads and bangles had suffered a lot due to the COVID-19 pandemic as it was kept under lockdown but some situation was eased this year in the bead market after the restrictions were relaxed.

( With inputs from ANI )

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