Asar 15 in Nepali Calendar is a very special day, especially for the farmers in Nepal. The festival resembles the gratitude of farmers towards their work and the love towards their Nepali cuisine. Explore this unique festival in Nepal, also called the Farmers Festival in Nepal.
When is Asar 15 in 2023?
In 2023, Asar 15 is on Friday, 30th June.
There is a popular saying in Nepal- Mano Ropera Muri Falaune. This means that we plant a seed of around 1/2 kg and grow crops worth a quintal. Agronomy has been an integral part of Nepalese life. Asar 15 happens to be a celebration while we indulge in hardwork for livelihood and agronomy.
 |
| Ropars busy planting rice in mid hills of Nepal |
This article is about a unique and beautiful agro-festival celebrated in Nepal. It can be a great experience for international tourists to know and watch the Asar 15 festival in Nepal.
Not only do farmers celebrate the Asar 15 festival, but all people also celebrate the Ropai festivals with joy by eating Dahi Chiura and Playing Hilo in the field. A lot of agricultural activities are conducted on this day as National Paddy day.
ASAR 15 – Insights
Asar is the third month in Nepali Bikram Sambat Calendar after Baishak and Jestha. Asar is a monsoon season, in Nepal occurring rainfall due to the monsoon of the Bay of Bengal. Asar falls in June/July, the rainy season in Nepal.
Asar 15th is the mid-day of the Asar month. Asar is the month of cultivation in Nepal. Paddy Cultivation is done all over Nepal in the month of Asar. Lacking the proper irrigations to the cultivable lands, farmers ait for the rainfall for the cultivation of paddy. In Asar, fieldwork starts for paddy cultivation. Asar 15 is celebrated as the Farmers Festivals by the farmers themselves. The government of Nepal has also declared the Asar 15 as National Paddy Day.
Rice is the major dish in Nepal. It is the daily meal of every Nepali people. Paddy cultivation is the main source of Rice in Nepal. So, Farmers always pay gratitude towards the Paddy and their work and celebrate Asar 15 as the National Paddy Day and Dahi Chiura Festival. Asar 15 is also called the Ropai festival in Nepal.
Mythology Behind the Asar 15 festival
During the ancient days, people would plant crops, harvest, and consume for a living. Low harvests could lead them to starvation. So, to ensure the rich harvesting, they would pray to the god for more and more rainfall, so the cultivation would be higher and people wouldn’t face starvation and hunger. This later became a tradition and unique festival and evolved as the National Paddy Day in Nepal.
Till date, people believe that Asar 15 is the auspicious day for the Paddy Cultivation. They start the cultivation in Asar 15 and harvest in Mangsir, for the entire year. The festival is celebrated in the paddy fields and it is one of the great festivals in Nepal.
In 1966 AD, the united nation decided to celebrate the year as the year of rice with the slogan “freedom of Hunger”. Later Rice (Paddy) was declared the crop of the year by the United Nations. The Nepal government also decided to celebrate the Asar 15 as a National Paddy Day in Nepal.
Ropai Festival and Dahi Chiura Festival
You also hear people saying Asar 15 festival as Ropai Festival and Dahi Chiura Festival. Ropai is a typical Nepali word to say cultivation. When they cultivate crops in the field, the day is called Ropai Day. A lot of farmers gather together on Ropai day and they cultivate the paddy with great enjoyment. Ropai Day features male and female farmers singing and playing with the mud (Hilo), the soil ready for cultivation.
They even do singing and Dance with great excitement. In Nepal, we also do have a music franchise for the Ropai Days, called Asare Bhaka Songs which is a pure blending of arts in the daily life of farmers and traditions. Male Farmers usually plough the field and make it ready for cultivation, and female farmers do cultivate the crops. Male Farmers in Ropai are called Laathes whereas Female farmers are called Ropaars. The excitement also features the romance of the Lathes and Ropaars. Playing in the mud, and singing Asare Bhaka Songs are the major attractions of the Ropai Festival.
Asar 15 is also called Dahi Chiura Festival. Dahi Chiura is typical Nepali Cuisine for the Nepali. Dahi means the curd made from cow or Buffalo Milk and Chiura means the beaten rice in Nepali. This Nepali food is very popular and is said to be very energetic, to make farmers strong to work in the field for the Ropai. Dahi Chiura is the most popular dish lunch for the Nepali people. Asar 15 is also said as the day for eating Dahi Chiura.
Farmers also do raise cows and Buffaloes. So, they make organic curds in their home by putting milk in Theki (Typical Nepali Vessel). Beaten Rice is obtained when the cultivated paddy is boiled in water and beaten in Chiura Mill (Mill to beat Chiura). The food is hygienic, and energetic too. Dahi Chiura features banana and Mangoes. Dahi Chiura provides you with the energy to work during the Monsoon season. Not only farmers, everyone in Nepal eat Dahi Chiura on the very auspicious day as a respect for the farmers for their contribution.
Asar 15 and Tourism in Nepal
The Ropai rituals, the festival, and cultures are not only observed by the Nepali people. Many people from the world visit to explore and watch the unique rituals of Nepal. Asar 15, the Ropai festival has contributed to agriculture and agrotourism in Nepal.
Asar 15 should always be a preserved culture in Nepal, as no one can survive without the food in the world. Also, Farmers should be respected and paid for their hard work and contributions to feeding the entire nation or people.
Conclusions
Asar 15 is a very famous and popular festival in Nepal. It is a ritual more than a festival. This festival not only helps to encourage agriculture but also increases the agrotourism in-country and the bonding of farmers with the consumers. Visit the nearest farming fields to observe the Ropai activities and rituals.
Asar 15 festivals help everyone to recognize their roots and know their soil. In agricultural countries like Nepal, these kinds of festivals are cultural diversities and traditions. Thank you for reading this article. Happy Asar 15 to everyone.
Post a Comment