Kathmandu, January 15 The Maghi festival (Maghe Sankranti) was observed throughout the country with great fervour with Tharus residing inside Kathmandu Valley thronging Khula Manch, where the community had organised special programmes to celebrate Maghi. Maghi is the biggest festival of Tharu people, which marks the community’s new year. Tharus, in their traditional attires, especially women, attended today’s special Maghi programme at Khula Manch where cultural shows, dances and songs were performed and various stalls of the traditional cuisine of the Tahrus were available. In addition to Tharus, people from other communities interested in Tharu culture and cuisine also visited Tundikhel in droves to enjoy the festival. In the morning, Tharus had taken out a cultural procession. Similarly, Tharu Kalyankari Sabha organised a special function at Dashrath Stadium to celebrate Maghi. Chhantyal and Magar communities too celebrated the Maghe Sankranti festival. Maghi or Maghe Sankranti festival is one of the most popular national festivals of Nepal and falls on the first day of the month of Magh (December 15) as per the Bikram Sambat calendar. From the month of Magh, the sun enters the southern hemisphere and the days gradually begin to grow longer and warmer. On the occasion, Hindus take a holy dip in rivers and feast on yam and sweet potatoes, and chaku and ghee after taking a bath early in the morning. Eating such foodstuffs keeps the body warm in the winter. Devotees thronged rivers in the Valley and Devghat of Chitwan, among other places, to take the holy dip. The government had declared a public holiday today to celebrate the festival.