KATHMANDU: The scenes of couples taking photographs on the greenery, children playing in the open spaces, people eating and enjoying were soothing both to the eyes and mind on the lawns of Hyatt Regency, Bouddha on December 5. Yet more, varieties of colourful items in different stalls and people busy in selecting the items, bargaining and purchasing was a perfect combination of spending a day with the family. The AWON Christmas Bazaar was organised for a noble cause by a voluntary, non profit organisation Active Women of Nepal (AWON) with an aim to collect funds for scholarship for school children. Organised on the first Saturday of December, the Bazaar gave good feel to enjoy one’s Saturday.

The ambience gave a feel of bazaar but the only difference was that there was no hustle and bustle and people were freely strolling around and looking at the wide range of quality products, including Christmas items such as decorative ornaments, candles, handicrafts, pashminas, accessories, tapestries, antiques, foods and many more. Be it the felt items, candles, hand bags, shoes, or clothing all were equally attractive in the bazaar. Carpets, knitted dolls, cushions, paintings, books and other educational materials too were there within the same place for the shopaholics. There was a stall for the baby photography too.

Mannsi Agrawal, a photographer who had kept her stall in the bazaar expressed, “I feel that keeping a stall here will help me take my photography to the next level. It is an opportunity to come to the public with our services and products.”

Tulasa Thapa, who was there with her stall in one of the corners shared that, “It is good to see other’s products in the same space.”

Janet Fitzner, GM of Radisson Hotel, who was visiting the Bazaar shared, “It is nice to be here. There are different varieties of art work and it is nice to look at all of them. This Bazaar too is good for the children to have fun and stroll around.”

As per Baba Sarkar Shrestha, President of AWON, “This event is organised annually to give a platform to promote Nepali handicrafts and it is also a place for people to buy Christmas items.