KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 28

The Tharu community in Chitwan has demanded a public holiday during the Jitiya festival.

The 13th district convention of Tharu Kalyankari Sabha (Welfare Assembly), Chitwan issued the 'Bharatpur declaration', seeking public holidays for the 'Jitiya' and 'Yamosha (Priti Aunshi)' festivals.

Jitiya is a significant festival for Tharu women and this year, it falls on October 7. Though this year, the festival is observed on Saturday, an official weekly off, the community called for a public holiday on the occasion of Jitiya in the years to come.

Sabha Chitwan's president Lalit Chaudhary said the gathering urged the government to implement the Thaur development programmes at the local level for the improvements in economic, educational, cultural and social status of Tharu. They also urged political parties in the district to provide political leadership opportunities to the indigenous Tharu people.

In the Bagamati province, the Tharu language spoken in Chitwan constitutes over one percent of the total population and it should be recognized as an official language at both the provincial and local levels, the declaration stressed.