Changing Taste Of Teej

 Hey, have you turned into a veggie?' one of my friends asked while I moved away from the food stall at a 'Teej Dar' programme without picking up the pieces of roasted chicken, and rather filled an extra bowl with 'Kheer' (rice pudding). I grinned at her in response and said, while I continued being omnivorous, my taste buds were fed up with the same types of dishes served at almost every programmes organised in this city – from press meets and conferences to marriage receptions and Teej Dar. She threw a befuddled look at me and moved away with a plate full with delicacies. 

Teej probably has become the longest festival of Nepal with the artistes releasing Teej songs as early as two months before the festival and organisations and women groups organising Dar programme since a month before the big day. While almost every business or social organisation organises Dar programme according to their financial capability, frequency of familial feasts has shot up significantly, with most of them organising multiple Dar (combined with dance as well) before the night dedicated for it. 

The traditional concept of Dar has changed significantly. Major delicacies of it in the past included Kheer, ghee, items prepared from bamboo shoots, and varieties of pickles and vegetables. Meat of any kind was shunned during the Dar that was celebrated mostly one or two day before Teej. But the celebrations now have included almost every variety served by the hotels and party palaces which includes multiple non-veg items like roasted chicken, chicken chilly or Manchurian, mutton masala gravy, fish fries, tempuras, paneer items, rotis, and varieties of rice. 

There is no surprise. Whatever the organiser or the serving place, the items are same and they taste similar. It doesn't create any fun while munching or swallowing them, and it has become a ritual to attend such events and eat the same types of food. However, the congregation of women (sometimes men, too), sharing of feelings and dancing become paramount during such times and people care less about the foods or drinks being served. If the Dar is supported with liquor, very few care about the types of food as greater concentration goes to the drinks. 

Cultures change with time and festivals are no exceptions. We have seen multidimensional changes in Teej celebrations and other activities. New designs of clothes, jewelry and accessories, new varieties of foods and drinks and new methods of entertainment are welcome but the essence of the culture and festival should be preserved. Every festival in Nepal is celebrated with special types of dress, food, observance and communion. 

You don't eat the same food and observe the festival in the same way, so they are special. So, if you eat the same food items that are served in all types of lunches and dinners throughout the year during Dar, you fail to create or feel the vibes that the festival is supposed to create in and around you. And in the long run, there are chances that your affection towards the festival wanes gradually and you decide to stay at home rather than attending the programmes that offer you no innovation and add no additional flavours in your routine life. 

While personal health and economic management should be considered while celebrating the festivals, innovation in the traditional delicacies and including healthy food in the expansion of choice could help women, especially in the cities and towns, stay healthy. One must be conscious enough to maintain their health and economic wellbeing even beyond the festival time. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 10 September 2024.        

Economic Challenges Amidst Nepal's Festive Season

September to November is the festive peak season in Nepal, marked by celebrations of Teej, Jitiya, Dashain, Tihar, Chhath, and the commencement of the New Year according to Nepal Sambat. Nepal Sambat is one of the country's various calendars, along with Bikram Sambat and the Gregorian calendar. These festivals encompass the majority of Nepal's population, spanning from the southern plains to the hills and mountains. It's a time for families and relatives to come together, with Nepalis from around the world eagerly returning home to partake in these festivities.

This season also provides an extended vacation period for many. Students in schools and colleges enjoy holidays ranging from 15 days to a month, while government and private offices shut down for 5-7 days during Dashain and 3-5 days during Tihar. It's a popular time for Nepali youth and families to plan extended holiday trips or pilgrimages, as the monsoon season subsides and winter is yet to arrive. In the mid and upper hills, mornings and evenings carry a slight chill, while afternoons are warm. In the Tarai region, the weather becomes pleasantly cooler, with minimum temperatures hovering around 17-18 degrees Celsius.

Almost all workers – both from the public and private sector – get one month extra salary to celebrate the festivals which propels the consumer cultures among the people. People throng to the nearby markets to buy food items to new clothes, jewelries, consumer durables, electronics, gadgets and vehicles. And to their joy, most of the products launch offers for discount, prizes and rewards to their customers. Many of them have been waiting for Dashin to have a single-door refrigerator or a wide-screen television. Meanwhile, for many families, this is the time to repair their houses, making brief expansions in the house and offices such as constructing a boundary wall or having truss on the roof, painting and have in-house plumbing. This is the season of consumer spending a lot of money on goods and services. According to various estimates, of the every 100 rupees spent by the consumers in a year, about Rs. 40-45 is spent during these two or so months.

But, continuing the trend of the previous year, great festival season failed to instill hope in the market and economy. Troubled by the prolonged economic slowdown amidst the ban on various goods imposed by the government to save the depleting foreign exchange reserves in the last fiscal year and decreasing demand in the market, the business community has been waiting for this season to see a surge in business activities. But the demand didn't go up as expected. This contraction in demand has a serious repercussion not only on the trading of goods but also in the entire process of goods production.

A pathetic scenario could be seen at the industries and product plants - domestic production has been stunted for long and industries are operating at about 40 per cent of their capacity, recent survey conducted by the various industry associations at industrial corridors in Tarai. The stagnation and sluggishness in both public and private construction have led to a significant reduction in the output of construction materials, including cement, steel bars, pebbles, pre-fabricated materials, electrical items, and paints. Contractors face a dearth of business opportunities as the public lacks the financial means for construction. Public construction projects are also hampered by the escalating costs of construction materials, exacerbated by the government's failure to disburse payments, leading contractors to halt wage payments to their workers. This downturn in industrial production results in reduced consumption of raw materials and energy, leading to diminished employment prospects. In the worst-case scenario, businesses and industries may resort to layoffs, echoing the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. This confluence of factors contributes to increased youth migration and a shortage of skilled and semi-skilled labor within the country.

Yet, signs are still ominous with the government income and expenditure catching the unwanted rhythm of the previous Fiscal Year 2022/23 as the first quarter is nearing to its end, government expenditure has surpassed the total revenue mobilisation continuing the trend of the last year and indicating that the days to come wouldn't also be favourable for the economy. According to the report of the Financial Comptroller General Office (FCGO), the government has collected revenue of Rs. 221.6 billion by October 14, three days before the first quarter concludes. This is just 15.05 per cent of the annual revenue target of about Rs. 1472.5 billion announced in the budget by Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat. But the total expenditure in the same period has reached Rs. 268.1 billion creating a gap of more than Rs. 47 billion between the income and expenses. Meanwhile, the FCGO report shows that the mobilisation of development budget during the first three months has been just Rs. 14 billion (4.66 per cent of the annual target). The numbers were same last year with Rs. 217.2 billion income and Rs. 260.5 billion expenditure. Capital expenditure during the first three months of the last FY 2022/23 was Rs. 18.7 billion (4.94 per cent of the annual target).

The Government of Nepal has long begun to propagate that the macroeconomic indicators have become better just to prove that Nepali economy has almost recovered from the massive damage in the past one and a half years. But except foreign exchange reserve other indicators don't tell good stories while the foreign exchange would be instantly consumed if the imports catch the trend that of the FY 2021/22. It shows how vulnerable Nepali economy is. At this increasingly vulnerable situation, the high inflation rate has sent the price of dollars to all time high making all imported goods dear for lower-middle and middle class consumers and they have to think twice before buying any good of utility.

Meanwhile, the public and business are being challenged by the high bank interest rate which, contrary to the hopes as well as the industry estimates, has gone the other way. The average interest of the commercial bank by mid-September 2022 was 12.06 per cent but it has gone up to 12.23 per cent in mid-September 2023. According to the private sector, it is impossible to make business investment with the money purchased at this rate. While the business community has long been suggesting and demanding to bring the interest rates down, the rates will not go down until and unless the interest of fixed deposits at the banks are moderated.

While the domestic production is stagnant, labour productivity in Nepal is very poor – less than half compared to Bangladesh which is also a Least Developed Country (LDC) and graduating to a 'developing' status along with Nepal in 2026. Nepal's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per worker per hour worked was US$ 3.43 in 2021 while it was US$ 6.38 in Bangladesh, 8.47 in India and 9.46 in Bhutan. GDP of per hour work per worker was US$ 74.15 in Singapore two years ago and US$ 136.45 in Luxembourg. These statistics show that Nepal has a long way to go to increase the productivity of its work force.

The government and the central bank should work together to moderate the interest rates, increase the demand in the market and productivity of the industries, and primarily, tame the inflation at least to the government's projection of 6.5 per cent but has reached 8.2 per cent by mid-September 2023. Utilisation of the capital budget should be increased and private sector should be taken into confidence. Infrastructure development, human resource development, trade, tourism and investment promotion in foreign countries, and effective resource mobilisation should be given priority. Likewise, the political leaders should be talking about the economy and development instead of the arithmetic of power and politics.   

 Published in the Friday Supplement of The Rising Nepal on 20 October 2023. 

KTM City festive offer begins

Kathmandu, Oct. 6

Nepali clothing and sportswear brand, KTM City has extended its festive offer ‘Dashain Dhamaka’ sale till mid-November.

The offer was made public targeting the great festive season of Dashain and Tihar.

The Dashain Dhamaka sale, which offers free flights, travel and rides, has been extended till mid-November as per public demand, the company said in a statement on Friday.

The company said that the customers will get various discounts on all winter clothing.

“Customers can get special discounts on Dashain offers, including bus and plane tickets. Customers will get a buff or cap for shopping up to Rs. 2,000 and a towel for shopping up to Rs. 3,000,” read the statement.

It said that the customers can get a special promo coat of Pathao for buying goods up to Rs. 4000 in KTM City and a free ticket to Grassland Festival while buying goods up to Rs. 5000.

Similarly, the first 10 customers who buy goods worth Rs. 8,000 will get bus tickets to Jhapa, Butwal or Pokhara, while the first eight people buying goods worth Rs. 30,000 will get flight tickets to Jhapa, Butwal or Pokhara.

According to KTM City, wholesale customers who buy goods above Rs. 50,000 will get 15 per cent discount on their purchase.

The Dashain offer can be availed at nearby stores and online, the company said. 

Published in The Rising Nepal on 7 October 2023. 

Teej fair at WTC from today

Kathmandu, Aug. 22

Aiming at the approaching Teej festival, the DECC Nepal is organising a Teej fair at the United World Trade Centre (WTC) in Kathmandu from August 23 to August 27. 

DECC Nepal's Managing Director, Manoj Gurung, informed that the fourteenth edition of the fair, which has been organised for the past 13 years, will be promoted and managed by AS Events and Marketing.

There will be more than 100 stalls in the five-day fair, which is being organised for women to shop daily use items at a reasonable price in addition to all the items needed for Teej festival.

According to Gurung, all the stalls for the fair have been booked, and free stalls have been arranged for non-profit organisations. We will manage additional stalls if such organisations come in contact, he said. He stated that the fair aims to expand business and promote women entrepreneurs among others.

Anil Shrestha, Managing Director of AS Marketing, said that exhibitors and sellers from Nepal and neighboring countries will participate, and in the fair, cloth, cosmetics, bangles and other materials can be purchased under one roof at a cheaper price than the market price.  

Various companies and organisations will provide gift to the visitors of the fair. According to the DACC, shops and restaurants in the trade centre are offering heavy discount on their goods and services.

The fair will be conducted from 10am to 7pm, with day-to-day door prizes. Organisers expect over 20,000 people to attend the fair. 

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 23 August 2023.   

No Joy For Traders, Consumers

 Dashain is the largest shopping season of the year in Nepal. People go on a shopping spree to buy almost everything, from food, clothes, and consumer durables to vehicles.

This is the time when people buy new pairs of clothes for themselves and their families. Many make early plans to buy a car or electronic items during Dashain as the companies and distributors launch Dashain and Tihar campaigns where buyers can win a lottery, gift, or discount.

Employees get a bonus of a month's salary, while Nepali migrant workers send money to their families back home so that the festival can be celebrated with good food, better clothes, and complete rituals.

But this year's Dashain has not brought happiness for the traders or consumers so far. Wholesale as well as retail stores at the major shopping destinations in the Kathmandu Valley such as New Road, Durbarmarga, New Baneshwor, Kumaripati, and Kupondole, and provincial centres like Pokhara, Biratnagar, and Butwal are still waiting for customers. Traders are worried that the footfall in their stores has not been encouraging so far.

Niraj Rai, Chairperson of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) Commerce and Trade Facilitation Committee, estimates that trade and commercial activities will be down by about 40% compared to pre-pandemic Dashain shopping.

This is the festival that is celebrated by all classes and castes, and those who do not put tika on the 10th day of Dashain – known as Bijaya Dashami – use the occasion to shop, travel, and celebrate the vacation. 

"People generally buy clothes and gadgets for the whole year during Dashain. But the stagnant remittance inflow and liquidity shortage in the financial system have greatly affected the shopping of clothes and electronic goods, "said Rai.

Meanwhile, traders are facing hard times due to the cash crunch. Local wholesalers and traders mostly use the money from cooperatives to buy goods in the domestic market since the process of obtaining loans from the banks and financial institutions (BFIs) is tiresome and highly complex, as they think.

They loan the money from the cooperatives at higher interest rates for a short term and repay it immediately after selling the goods. But the recent crisis in cooperatives, basically propelled by the liquidity crisis in the BFIs and the recession in real estate business due to the government moratorium on land division, has left them high and dry. Thus, the means for the traders to conduct their trade have dried up.

One trader in the New Road area committed suicide recently as he couldn't repay his load but the lending institution continued to pressurise him to pay it.

Money now has been stuck at the banks, and traders are not used to taking money from them. So, they haven't collected or imported new goods for this festive season, "so since the traders don't have new clothes, for example, customers have a feeling that if there aren't new items in the market, why shop this time?"

Obstruction At Chinese Border

Dashain in Nepal is heavily reliant on low- to medium-priced goods imported from China.But this year, China shut the borders with Nepal – in Rasuwagadhi in Rasuwa and Tatopani in Sindhupalchok district – in August and September, causing hundreds of trucks and containers to stop at the other side of the border point. This is the time when the goods should have been distributed to the retail markets across the country, but we have been just receiving the goods from China, Abinash Bohra, former President of Morang Merchant's Association (MMA), said.

The Chinese border was opened for full operation only after the visit of Li Zhanshu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China on September 11–14. Generally, it takes about a month for commercial items to reach the retail shops from the border point.

Another factor influencing consumer purchasing behaviour is the loss of purchasing power as goods prices rise in both the domestic and international markets.Inflation has gone up in an unprecedented way across the country. And the Russian invasion of Ukraine has made the market and exchange rates more uncertain.

A Shopping Time

Dashain as a shopping occasion has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival in 2020 was celebrated amidst the fear of viruses, and minimum celebrations were held as many people couldn't be united with their families as they stuck in the cities or foreign countries due to quarantine policies and lockdown policies, while many were apprehensive that they would take the virus to their family and villages. 

That suppression, inculcated by the pandemic, burst out last year as people largely moved 

out of cities and houses. As a result, hotels and guest houses were at full occupancy and people had to wait to get tables for dinner in the restaurants.

Meanwhile, the pandemic disturbed the global supply chain, and prices of goods and services shot up.

The prices of petroleum fuel, steel and electronic goods, and food items went up significantly and are expected to remain at the same level or go further up by 5-7 percent, according to market analysts. Exactly at the same time, in Nepal, development projects and private construction as well as industrial setup were expedited in the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Remittance inflows increased, land prices rose, the stock market soared, and demand for luxury goods increased at an unprecedented rate.It created an external pressure on the economy as it had to manage the foreign currency equivalent of about Rs. 1 trillion.

To save the domestic economy from derailing due to external pressure and a liquidity crunch, the central bank, Nepal Rastra Bank, and the government used measures to control the imports of luxury goods with a ban on some products and a provision to maintain cash margin on some others while opening a letter of credit (LC).

Slide In Purchasing Power

Bohra of the MMA said that this Dashain is not likely to bring much happiness for the business community or consumers. Most of the activities and entertainment are linked to the purchasing power of people, which has gone down in the wake of massive inflation, "he said.

Stating that the festival has been transformed into entertainment, travel, and shopping from the traditional way of accepting Tika and getting blessings, Bohra said that people have been pressured to cut down on the entertainment and shopping activities due to high inflation and cash crunch.

He also claimed that the tight banking credit line had deterred many traders from obtaining loans to import goods and conduct business."Even after all the complex processes, one doesn't get the money required to complete the transaction," he maintained. According to Bohra, this condition will have a negative impact on domestic production of goods and services, affecting business and revenue collection.

Poor Market Monitoring

While businesspeople blame inflation, import restrictions, and a liquidity crunch for the current crisis and consumers' lack of shopping activity, consumer rights activists say unethical business practises are to blame.

Consumer rights activist, Madhav Timalsina, said that businesses still want to charge a high margin price to consumers even during difficult times. "If they had applied ethical business practices, the prices wouldn't have gone that up," he said.

Rights activists also said that the poor monitoring of the market by the responsible government agencies had also caused this mayhem. The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection, the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, and local governments have the liability of conducting market monitoring and controlling the price of goods.

According to Timalsina, it is sad that the government did not even care about the demand and supply of basic commodities during the festival season. "The price of meat and rice has already been hiked and consumers are worried. "There should be stronger coordination among the three levels of government to monitor the market," he said.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 30 September 2022. 

President, PM wish for peace, prosperity on Buddha Jayanti

Kathmandu, May 16

The nation is marking the 2566^th Buddha Jayanti by organising various programmes in Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha on Monday.

On the occasion of the 2566^th Buddha Jayanti, President Bidya Devi Bhandari has expressed best wishes for happiness, peace and prosperity to all Nepalis at home and abroad.

She has urged one and all to take the lead in building greater national unity by enhancing the spirit of mutual harmony, tolerance and brotherhood among religious, social and cultural diversity by embracing the timeless teachings and guidance of Gautama Buddha.

Since the birth of Gautama Buddha on the Baisakh Shukla Poornima (full moon day of Baisakh) is a triple coincidence of birth of Buddha, attainment of knowledge and Mahaparinirvana, this day is celebrated by the Buddhists around the world as a holy day of reverence and devotion to Gautama Buddha.

"Gautam Buddha guided the entire human civilisation towards peace and non-violence. He has a unique place as a seer who paves the way for the alleviation of human suffering by developing the knowledge gained from the experience and practice of life as a specific philosophy," said President Bhandari.

According to her, stakeholders need to pay special attention to the proper development and protection of Chaityas, Gumbas, Vihars and Buddhist cultural and archeological sites spread across the country.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of Ubhauli, the great festival of Kirant community, President Bhandari expressed best wishes for happiness, peace and prosperity to all Kirants.

With the onset of summer, Baisakh Shukla Poornima is celebrated as a time of migration as wild animals and livestock migrate from the valley to the mountains.

There is a tradition of worshiping the father and the land in order to celebrate the festival of Ubhauli, to get good crops, stay safe from diseases, droughts, floods and landslides.

"I would like to express my best wishes that this uplifting festival of the Kirant community will further strengthen the socio-cultural solidarity among all Nepalis and inspire us all to build a prosperous, egalitarian, and civilized society," said President Bhandari.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that life should be made happy and peaceful by putting into practice the teachings and messages given by Gautam Buddha.

In a message issued on the occasion of the 2566^th Buddha Jayanti on Monday, PM Deuba has urged one and all to work towards making the society prosperous by following the teachings of the Buddha.

Since the teachings of the Buddha are still relevant, useful and true for the human race, it is necessary to put into practice the teachings of the Buddha to make human life better, he said.

  Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 17 May 2022. 

Western Union launches ‘Cashsutsabh’ campaign

Kathmandu, Sept 19

On the occasion of the upcoming Dashain and Tihar festivals, Western Union, a cross-border, cross-currency money movement and paymentscompany, has launched ‘Cashsutsabh’ campaign.

The campaign offers customers in Nepal a chance to win cash prizes in a weekly draw between September 17, 2021, and November 11, 2021, or enter the Bumper Lucky Draw at the end of the promotion period.

To qualify for the promotion, customers in Nepal are required to receive money through any agent of Western Union during the promotion period which includes Annapurna Travel, CG Finco, Hulas Remittance, Maya Remit, Nabil Bank, Surya Remit and Digitek Remittance.

All qualifying transactions will be automatically entered into a weekly draw. Every week, five lucky customers will receive Rs. 20,000 each until November 11, 2021.

Additionally, all qualifying transactions during the promotion period will be automatically entered into the Bumper Lucky Draw.

 One lucky customer will have a chance to win Rs. 500,000. The winner of the Bumper Lucky Draw will be announced on November 22, 2021.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 20 September 2021. 

Indrajatra spirituality, energy leave foreigners enthralled

Kathmandu, Sept. 15

‘It’s spiritual. Nepal has all of it that Japan and other developed countries don’t have.’

Akemi Takano, Assistant Manger of Public Information and International Affairs Division at the Matsumoto City in Japan, said after observing the Indrajatra festival on Friday. 


Her colleague Makoto Sonehara, an officer from the same office, exclaimed, ‘It’s pure! I have nowhere seen like this.” 


This is the representative feeling of the foreign delegates who were invited to observe the Indrajatra festival, the first ever endeavour of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, organised to promote the religious, historical and cultural heritages in the valley. 


“People have turned into machines in the developed world and they have forgotten their laugh and spirituality. This visit reminded me that we are here to love the humanity,” said Sonehara. 


“I could feel the power of spirituality. People were dancing and everyone was involved in the programme,” he said while observing the Krishna Temple in Patan Durbar Square. Matsumoto has sister-city relations with the KMC for the last three decades. 


A young American student Haley Rose D’jay was immersed in the miniature statues at the Hiranyaverna Mahabihar, also known as the Golden Temple nearby the Patan Durbar Square, said it was a great feeling to witness people celebrating the colourful festival with so much faith. “It’s beautiful and at the same time, very inspiring,” she said. 


“I am surprised, where the people got so much energy from,” said Guo Chunjie, a representative from the Lanzhou City China. He appreciated the festival, living Goddess and arrangements. “I will recommend my friends to visit Nepal as soon as possible. I have collected contacts of local agencies and guides as well,” he said. 


Karma Dorji, Planning Officer of Thimpu city in Bhutan, said that he had heavenly feeling when observing the Goddess Kumari coming out from the temple for the procession. 


Mayor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation Sardar Avtar Singh appreciated the spiritual representation both in the heritages and people of the Kathmandu Valley. “I feel like observing more. I will come again soon with more leisure time to visit these amazing cities.”


The foreign guests visited Chandragiri Hills, Shwoyambhu stupa, Durbar Squares in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur.  


According to Mayor of the Capital city Bidya Sundar Shakya, the observation programme was organised to promote the heritages in the valley, and support the Visit Nepal Year 2020 and private sector tourism entrepreneurs in the country. 


“Live culture has vanished from many parts of the world, especially the developed countries. We wanted the guests to observe the Living Goddess Kumari and the chariot procession,” he said. “The programme also aimed at exhibiting our efforts in the post-quake reconstruction.”


Many foreigners still feel that Nepal was massively damaged in the devastating earthquake in 2015 and it is unsafe to travel to this country. The visiting delegates also said that before coming to Kathmandu, they had the same feeling and most of them doubted whether it was safe to travel to Nepal. 


Dorji said that when he visited the cities in the valley earlier, there was much devastation but most of it was managed this time. “It is amazing that Nepal has preserved historical palaces, temples and other heritages over the millennia,” he said. 


The KMC has established sister city relations with 15 cities around the world, and Indrajatra Observation Programme included representatives from 11 cities. 


Mayor of the Lalitpur Metropolis said that the city was seriously in heritage preservation as they were the live history of Nepali people, culture and traditions. The Kathmandu Valley has seven Unesco World Heritage Sites – Basantapur, Patan and Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Changu Narayan, Swayambhunath and Bouddhanath stupas, and Pashupatinath. 


“Do visit Nepal next year, during the Visit Nepal Year 2020, because once is not enough,” Maharjan urged the foreign delegates.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 16 September 2019. 

बजार निर्देशित दशैं

चाडको अर्थशास्त्र

नेपाली अर्थतन्त्रलाई चाडबाडले गति दिन्छन् । दशैंले नेपाली अर्थतन्त्रमै आशाको सञ्चार गर्छ । तीजले गहना र महिलाका कपडा तथा अन्य उपभोग्य वस्तुको बजारलाई चलायमान बनाउँछ भने तिहारले खाद्यान्न तथा उपहारका सामग्रीको बिक्री बढाउँछ । छठ, ल्होसार, इद, क्रिसमसदेखि होली र अक्षय तृतियाजस्ता चाडले समेत नेपाली बजारमा वस्तु तथा सेवाको माग ह्वात्तै बढाउँछन् । मुलुकका मुख्य बजारहरु मात्र होइन, छिमेकी भारतका सीमावर्तीबजारहरु समेत नेपाली चाडका बेला गुल्जार हुन्छन् ।

चाडले धार्मिक तथा साँस्कृति उत्पादनहरुको बजार उल्लेख्य रुपमा बढाउँछन् । तिहारमा दियो, मैनवत्ती तथा बिजुलीका चीमहरु, दाजुभाईलाई दिने मिठाईं तथा मसलाका सामग्रीको माग बढ्छ । काठमाडौंमा मनाइने इन्द्रजात्रा, गाइजात्रादेखि जाती विशेषले मनाउने ल्होसार, जितिया र क्षेत्रविशेषको गौराका लागि विशेष प्रकारका साँस्कृतिक सामग्री, पहिरन, खानाको आवश्यकता पर्छ । पछिल्ला वर्षहरुमा त्यस्ता वस्तुको आपूर्ति बजारले नै गरिरहेको छ ।

लाखे नाचका लागि चाहिने कपडा, मुखुन्डो, गाइजात्रामा चाहिने विशेष प्रकारको छाता, नेवारी भोजका लागि आवश्यक पर्ने दुना टपरीजस्ता सबै वस्तु बजारमा उपलब्ध छन् । पहिलेपहिले नागपञ्चमीमा नागको चित्र हातैले लेखर टाँसिन्थ्यो तर अहिले विभिन्न शैली र आकारका नागका फोटो बजारमै किन्न पाइन्छ । यस्ता साँस्कृतिक गतिविधि तथा चाडहरुले सिर्जनशील उद्योगलाई ठूलो सहयोग पुग्ने र स्थानीय तथा राष्ट्रियस्तरमा आर्थिक गतिविधि बढाउने संरक्षणविद अनिल चित्रकार बताउनु हुन्छ ।

दशैं हरेक हिसाबले नेपालको सबैभन्दा ठूलो चाड हो । कर्मचारीले सबैभन्दा लामो विदा, धेरै तलब र सुविधा यही अवसरमा पाउँछन् । घर बाहिर स्वदेश तथा विदेशमा रहेका नेपालीहरु सकेसम्म दशैंकै अवसर पारेर घर फर्किन्छन् र संभव भएसम्म आफ्ना हरेक आफन्त तथा साथीभाइलाई भेट्ने प्रयास गर्छन् ।

तर, बडा दशैं अब साँस्कृति तथा धार्मिक चाड मात्र रहेन । मुलुकको आर्थिक विकासले गति लिन थालेसँगै यो महापर्व बजारको पोल्टामा पुगिसकेको छ । नयाँ पुस्ताका लागि दशैं सपिङ, घुमफिर र मनोरञ्जनको पर्यायवाची जस्तै बनिसकेको छ । र, ती सबै गतिविधिलाई बजारले नियन्त्रण गर्छ । माग र आपूर्तिले निर्देशित गर्छ ।

बजारमा धेरै माग हुने खसी, फलफुल तथा तरकारी बेचेर किसानले आफ्नो दशैं खर्च जुटाउँछन् अनि त्यही पैसाले आफ्ना लागि आवश्यक लत्ताकपडा, विद्युतीय सामान, मिठाइँ आदि किन्छन् । यसरी माग र आपूर्तिको यो चक्रले बजारलाई जीवन्त बनाउन मद्दत गर्छ । उत्पादकहरुले धेरै उत्पादन गर्छन, आयातकर्ताले धेरै आयात गर्छन, व्यापारीहरुले धेरै ब्यापार गर्छन र उपभोक्ताले धेरै किनमेल गर्छन । उपभोक्ताको बढेको कमाइका कारणले मात्र यो संभव भएको हो । केन्द्रीय तथ्यांक विभागका अनुसार नेपालको कुल गार्हस्थ उत्पादनको ८५ प्रतिशत उपभोगमै सकिन्छ । २०७२ मा जीडीपीमा उपभोग खर्चको हिस्सा ९५ प्रतिशतभन्दा बढी थियो ।

बढेको कमाइ

दशैंमा सरकारी तथा निजीक्षेत्रका कर्मचारी सबैको आम्दानी बढ्छ । दशैंभत्तास्वरुप एक महिनाको तलब र अन्य सुविधासमेत गरी उनीहरुले अन्य समयको तुलनामा दोब्बरभन्दा बढी तलब बुझ्छन् । पुस्तक प्रकाशक जस्ता कतिपय निजी कम्पनीले पारिश्रमिक दशैंको अवसरमै दिने प्रचलन छ ।

व्यवसायी, कर्मचारी तथा कामदारको आम्दानी उल्लेख्य रुपमा बढ्नु र वस्तुहरुको मूल्यमा ठूलो छुटको घोषणा हुनुले बजारमा वर्षभरी अन्य अवसरमा नदेखिएको माहौल र रोमाञ्चकता सिर्जना गर्छ । मानिसको मनोविज्ञानमा गरिएका कतिपय अध्ययनले उनीहरु आफूले गरेको अतिरिक्त आम्दानी खर्च गर्दा अलि बढी नै उदार हुने देखाएका छन् । त्यसैले पनि दशैं माग र आपूर्तिको चाड हो ।

विदेशमा रहेका नेपालीहरुले पनि चाडबाडका बेलामा घरमा धेरै पैसा पठाउँछन् । दशैंमा आफ्नो परिवारले राम्रो लाओस अनि मीठो खाओस भनेर पनि उनीहरुले बढी पैसा पठाउने गर्छन् । नेपाल राष्ट्र बैंकका प्रवक्ता नारायणप्रसाद पौडेलका अनुसार दशैैंमा रेमिट्यान्स आप्रवाहमा २० प्रतिशत सम्मको बृद्धि हुने देखिन्छ । “विदेशमा रहेका नेपालीले धेरै पैसा पठाउने दुई अवस्थामा हो, डलरको भाउ बढ्दा र चाडका बेला । त्यसैले दशैंमा विदेशबाट नेपाल आउने रेमिट्यान्समा उल्लेख्य मात्रामा वृद्धि हुने गरेको छ,” उहाँ भन्नुहुन्छ ।

पौडेलको भनाइलाई आधार मान्ने हो भने यसपालि ठूलो चाडका बेलामा डलर, युरो लगायत विदेशी पैसाको भाउ समेत बढेकाले रेमिट्यान्स अझ धेरै बढ्ने देखिन्छ । नेपाल भित्रिने रेमिट्यान्सको करीब ८० प्रतिशत दैनिक उपभोग्य वस्तुमै खर्च हुने केन्द्रीय तथ्यांक विभागको जीवनस्तर सर्वेक्षणले देखाएको छ । त्यसपछि बचेको रकमको ठूलो हिस्सा ऋण तिर्नमा प्रयोग हुन्छ ।

अर्थशास्त्री जोन मेनर्ड किन्सले उपभोक्ताको मनोविज्ञानका बारेमा सिद्धान्त दिएका छन् जस अनुसार मानिसको आम्दानी बढ्दा र घट्दा उसको उपभोग पनि घट्बढ हुन्छ तर आम्दानी र उपभोगको वृद्धि वा कमीको दर भने बराबर हुँदैन । आम्दानीले खर्च निर्धारण गरे पनि मानिसले जहिले पनि पोहोर भन्दा अहिले बढी खर्च गर्छ भन्नुहुन्छ अर्थशास्त्री नवीन अधिकारी ।

नेपालीको खर्च

तथ्यांक विभागलको घरपरिवार सर्वेक्षण २०७२÷७३ का अनुसार गरेको नेपाली परिवारको औसत वार्षिक उपभोग रु. ३ लाख २२ हजार ७ सय ३० छ । त्यसको करीब ५४ प्रतिशत खाद्यान्नमा जान्छ । त्यसपछिको ठूलो हिस्सा करीब १३ प्रतिशत भाडाको छ भने ५ प्रतिशत ड्युरेबल्स (धेरै वर्षसम्म उपयोग गर्न सकिने फ्रिज, टिभीजस्ता सामान), ४ प्रतिशत शिक्षा, करीब ४ प्रतिशत मदिरा तथा सूर्तीजन्य पदार्थ, २ प्रतिशत बिजुली, पानीजस्ता पदार्थ र बाँकी १८ प्रतिशत साँस्कृतिक गतिविधि, स्वास्थ्य, बीमा, लुगा आदिमा खर्च हुने गरेको छ ।

त्यसो त धनी २० प्रतिशत परिवारको औसत वार्षिक उपभोग खर्च रु. ६ लाख १३ हजार छ भने गरीब २० प्रतिशतको रु. १ लाख ४६ हजार मात्रै छ । व्यक्तिगतरुपमा हेर्दा एक नेपालीले एक वर्षमा औसत रु. ७० हजार ६ सय ८० बराबरको बस्तु वा सेवा उपभोग गर्छ । त्यसमा पनि गाउँमा बस्नेले रु. ५२ हजार उपभोग गर्छन भने शहरीको रु. १ लाख १ हजार छ ।

सपिङ

धेरैका लागि दशैं सपिङको अवसर हो । लत्ताकपडादेखि गरगहना र कन्ज्युमर ड्युरेबल्स किन्नका लागि उपभोक्ताबीच तछाडमछाड हुने गरेको छ । टिभि र फ्रिज संभवत दशैंमा सबैभन्दा बढी किनिने वस्तु हुन् । कुलश्वरस्थित जनमैत्री बहुमुखी क्याम्पसकी शिक्षिका योगा गिरीले पनि दशैंमा सपिङको योजना बनाउनु भएको छ । “आफूलाई र घरमा चाहिने सामान दशैंको बेलामा किन्ने सोच छ । साथै छोरीका लागि पनि सपिङ गरिदिनु छ,” गिरी भन्नुहुन्छ । दशैंका बेलामा पाइने लामो विदाले पनि धेरैलाई आरामसँग किनमेल गर्ने फुर्सद हुन्छ । त्यसले पनि मानिसहरुको खर्च बढाउनमा भूमिका खेलेको छ ।

बजारमा गतिविधि बढ्नु र आमजनताले धेरै किनमेल गर्नु भनेको अर्थतन्त्र स्वस्थ रहनुको संकेत हो । युरोप अमेरिकामा पनि सपिङलाई अर्थतन्त्रको स्वास्थ्यसँग जोडेर हेरिन्छ । तर, हाम्रोजस्तो आयातले थिचेको अर्थतन्त्रमा यस्तो सपिङले त्यस्तो ठूलो देन दिंदैन किनकि सपिङका लागि वस्तुको जोहो गर्न ठूलो मात्रामा डलर र भारतीय रुपैयाँ खर्चिनु पर्छ । अर्थशास्त्री नवीन अधिकारीका अनुसार नेपालको आफ्ना उत्पादन ज्यादै थोरै छन् भने अन्न भित्र्याउने मुख्य सिजन पनि चाड सकिएपछि मात्र आउँछ जसले गर्दा खाद्यान्नदेखि अन्य अधिकांश सामान आयात गर्नु पर्छ । त्यसले मुलुकको विदेशी मुद्रा सञ्चितिमा प्रत्यक्ष नकारात्मक असर पार्छ ।

“उपभोग बढ्नु, बजारमा वस्तु तथा सेवाको आपूर्ति बढ्नु, पैसाको प्रवाह बढ्नु दशैंका सकारात्मक पक्ष हुन् । तर बजारमा नेपालका स्वदेशी वस्तुको आपूर्ति ज्यादै कम हुने हुँदा त्यसको बहुआयामिक प्रभाव कमै देखिन्छ,” अधिकारी भन्नुहुन्छ । यदि बजारमा स्वदेशी वस्तुको आपूर्ति बढ्ने हो भने त्यसले कच्चा पदार्थ आपूर्तिकर्ता, उत्पादक, वितरक, विक्रेता र उपभोक्ता सबैलाई फाइदा पुग्ने थियो ।

सामाजिक अर्थशास्त्र

दशैंको सामाजिक आर्थिक पाटो पनि उत्तिकै महत्वपूर्ण छ । आफूभन्दा मान्यजनका हातबाट टीका थाप्न जाँदा कोसेली लैजाने नेपालीहरुको पुरानो चलन हो । पहिलेपहिले त्यस्ता कोसेलीमा घरमै तयार गरिएका खानेकुरा तथा मिठाइँ हुन्थे । लाहुरेहरुले विदेशबाट ल्याएका सरसामान दिन्थे । तर, पछिल्ला वर्षहरुमा कोशेलीमा खानेकुरा बाहेकका उपहार समेत लैजाने चलन शुरु भएको छ भने मिठाईं पनि बजारबाटै किनेर लैजानेको संख्या बढ्दो छ । अहिलेको कोसेलीमा फलफुल, चकलेट तथा अन्य सामानले प्राथमिकता पाउन थालेका छन् ।

दक्षिणा दशैंको अर्को महत्वपूर्ण तत्व हो । दशैंमा नयाँ नोट नै दक्षिणामा दिने मानसिकताले बैंक तथा वित्तीय संस्थामा पैसा साट्नेको भीड लाग्छ । नेपाल राष्ट्र बैंकका अनुसार दशैंको अवसरमा मात्रै नोट आपूर्ति १० प्रतिशतले बढ्छ । दशैंको सामाजिक मूल्य नयाँ कपडामा पनि देखिन्छ । हिजोआज धेरैले आफूलाई चाहिँदा वा नचाहिँदा वर्षैभर कपडा किनिरहेका हुन्छन् तैपनि धेरै मानिसहरु दशैंमा एक जोर भए पनि नयाँ कपडा हाल्छन् । आफूलाई कुनै कपडा नकिने पनि आफ्ना छोराछोरीलाई जसरी पनि कपडा किनिदिने प्रचलन छ । नेपाल उद्योग वाणिज्य संघ काठमाडौंका सदस्य तथा खिचापोखरी ब्यापार संघका पूर्व अध्यक्ष राजेन्द्र शेरचन भन्नुहुन्छ, दशैंमा सबैभन्दा धेरै बिक्री हुने भनेकै बच्चाको लुगा हो ।

छुटैछुट

दशैं कमाउनेका लागि मात्र होइन, व्यापारी तथा व्यवसायीका लागि पनि सबैभन्दा ठूलो अवसर हो । जसरी आममानिसले धेरै कुराको जोहो दशैंको अवसरमा गर्ने सोच राखेको हुन्छ, त्यसरी नै व्यापारी तथा वस्तु वा सेवाका उत्पादकहरुले पनि यही बेलामा ठूलो मात्रामा कारोबार गर्ने लक्ष्य लिएका हुन्छन् । त्यसैले तीज सकिनासाथ बजारमा छुट दिने होडबाजी शुरु हुुन्छ । यो वर्ष पनि त्यो होडबाजी आक्रामकरुपमा चलेको छ । त्यसरी छुटका आक्रामक योजना ल्याउने मा टीभी, फ्रिजजस्ता कन्ज्युमर ड्युरेबल्स र सवारी साधनहरु सबैभन्दा अगाडि छन् ।

सामसुङले आफ्ना टीभी, वासिङ मेशिन, रेफ्रिजरेटर, ओभनलगायत उत्पादनमा ३५ प्रतिशतसम्म छुट घोषणा गरेको छ भने लक्की ड्र समेत गरेर विशेष उपहार योजना ल्याएको छ । सामसुङका फोन र ट्याब्लेटमा पनि छुट पाइन्छ । कोन्काले टीभी, वासिङ मेशिन, रेफ्रिजरेटर, ओभनलगायत उत्पादनमा ३५ प्रतिशतसम्म छुट र उपहार योजना ल्याएको छ भने कलर्सका उत्पादन ओभन, भ्यकुम क्लिनर, टीभी, हिटर, फ्यान, रेफ्रिजरेटर, वासिङ मेशिनमा छुट तथा बम्पर उपहार छन् ।

नेपाली ब्राण्ड सिजीका उत्पादनमा ३५ प्रतिशतसम्म छुट पाइन्छ भने साउण्ड सिष्टम, स्मार्ट वाच आदि उपहार पनि हात पर्छ । त्यसैगरी वेगा टिभी, सेन्सेइका टिभी तथा फ्रिजर र एलजीका विद्युतीय उत्पादनमा छुट तथा उपहारको व्यवस्था गरिएको छ । ब्यापारीहरुका अनुसार फुटबलको विश्वकप बाहेक टेलिभिजनको बढी बिक्री हुने समय दशैं नै हो । दशैं तिहारजस्ता चाडको अवधि करीब एक महिना मात्र भए पनि कन्ज्युमर ड्युरेबल्स, मोटरसाइकल र गाडिको बिक्री अंग्रेजी नयाँ वर्षसम्मै लम्बिन्छ ।

दशैं तिहारको समय मोटरसाइकल र कारका लागि हट सिजन हो । नाडा अटोमोबाइल एशोसिएशन अफ नेपालका अनुसार दशैंतिहारको करीब दुई महिनाको अवधिमा वर्षका अन्य १० महिनामा जत्ति नै सवारीको बिक्री हुने गरेको छ । पछिल्ला केही वर्ष यी दुई ठूला चाडका बेला करीब १ लाखको संख्यामा त मोटरसाइकल मात्रै बिक्छन् । अहिले बजाज, हिरो, यामाहाजस्ता चलेका मोटरसाइकल कम्पनीले नगद छुट, स्क्र्याच कार्डमार्फत रु. १ लाखसम्म छुट अनि लक्की ड्रबाट  बम्बर उपहार तथा सरप्राइज गिफ्टको योजना ल्याएका छन् ।  यस्तो छुट हरेक वर्ष दोहोरिन्छ ।

त्यसैगरी रेनो, फोर्ड, टाटा, मित्सुविसीलगायत कारले पनि फेस्टिफ अफर घोषणा गरेका छन् । उनीहरुले आईफोन उपहार, नगद छुट तथा बीमा सुविधा ल्याएको बताएका छन् । त्यसो त नेपाली बजारमा उपस्थित सबै सवारी साधनले दशैंतिहारमा विशेष योजना ल्याउने चलन जस्तै बनिसकेको छ ।

कार मात्र होइन ट्रक र ट्रयाक्टरमा पनि उपहार योजना आइसकेको छ । आयसरका मिनिट्रक तथा टिपरको खरीदमा दुबई भ्रमण, मलेसिया, सिंगापुर तथा बाली भ्रमण प्याकेज र आईफोन, स्मार्ट टिभी र फ्रिज उपहार पाइन्छ भने महिन्द्रा ट्रयाक्टरमा मोटरसाइकल बम्पर उपहार तथा हरेक खरीदमा ४३ इञ्च एलईडी टिभी वा नगद रु. १ लाख ५० हजार घोषणा गरिएको छ ।

छुटको यो लहरबाट हाउजिङ कम्पनी समेत अछुतो रहेनन् । दशैंको अवसरमा डाउनटाउन अपार्टमेण्टले फुल्ली फर्निस्ड अपार्टमेण्ट अफर गरेको छ भने सिभिल होम्स र सनसिटीले छुट योजना ल्याएका छन् । त्यस्तै सिमेण्टलगायत निर्माण सामग्री, पेण्ट्स कम्पनीहरुले पनि छुट तथा उपहार योजना सार्वजनिक गरिसकेका छन् ।
त्यसैगरी इण्टरनेट तथा केबल सेवा प्रदायकहरु पनि छुटको दौडमा सामेल भइसकेका छन् । मनी ट्रान्सफर कम्पनी आईएमईको दशैंमा २० लाख योजना ल्याएको छ भने मनिग्राम सिटी एक्सप्रेसलगायतले नगद उपहार तथा रिचार्जको सुविधा दिने भएका छन् । यो महाचाडमा रेष्टुराँले पनि मेन्यु मा छुट घोषणा गरिसकेका छन् ।
@ModDhakal

Published in Yubamanch Monthly in 2075 Kartik.