Siraha, November 6
Festive excitement is growing in villages across the Tarai as Tihar and Chhath approach. Women are busy cleaning, plastering and decorating their homes to welcome the festivals.
Phulkumari Urau and Sunilkumari Urau of Bhaijitole Choharwa in Golbazar Municipality-8, Siraha, have been busy plastering their homes to give them a fresh look.
Similarly, Rekhadevi Mandal of Baghaha in Karjanha Municipality-11 is preparing for the festivals by plastering her mud house.
She is decorating the walls and courtyard by mixing soil with water and applying the mixture in the traditional way. According to Mandal, plastering mud houses is a longstanding tradition in her community.
“We are people who find joy in living close to the earth. Every year, we prepare for festivals this way. We brighten our homes by plastering them with mud. Only the wealthy can afford to build concrete houses,” she said.
Although the attraction towards modern concrete houses is growing, mud houses continue to hold their own significance and emotional value in rural Tarai communities. Despite being unable to afford concrete houses, many residents welcome the festive spirit by cleaning and decorating their modest mud homes.
Eighty-five-year-old Ramu Urau of Golbazar Municipality-8 also highlights the special bond between people and the earth.
“No matter how wealthy people become, they come from the earth and eventually return to it. So, even though financial constraints prevent us from living in concrete houses, we decorate our own modest homes during every festival,” he said.
Continuing a tradition passed down through generations, women in the Tarai are preparing to welcome the festivals by plastering their mud houses. Although lifestyles are changing with modernisation, the emotional connection to mud houses, local culture and traditional practices remains alive.
