Foreign tourists join Nepali festivals in Sauraha

Hotel operators in Sauraha, a tourist city in the Chitwan district of Nepal, invited foreign visitors to participate in the Bhai Tika festival.

Sher Bahadur Pariyar and Shirlal Pariyar, who run Hotel Park Side, organized the celebration by having tourists join their family in applying colorful tika and flower garlands. The brothers also applied these traditional decorations to an elephant named Puja Kali that they raise.

Wice and Alice, a couple from the Netherlands, took part in the ceremony after traveling through the Annapurna Circuit and other regions of Nepal. The couple expressed excitement about experiencing local traditions firsthand. Shirlal Pariyar explained the significance of the festival to the guests, who observed the interaction between the brothers and sisters during the event. The tourism entrepreneurs in Sauraha aim to move beyond just offering wildlife and nature views by integrating local culture into the visitor experience.

Ramshwar Shah, the chairman of Hotel Royal Tulip, stated that his establishment plans to involve guests in Nepali festivals starting next year. These efforts seek to promote Nepal's cultural identity to an international audience.