The 9th Bhaktapur Industrial, Cultural, Tourism, Agriculture, and Trade Festival, held at Sallaghari Chaur on the occasion of the New Year and Bisket Jatra, concluded on Monday with transactions worth around Rs 400 million. The 12-day event attracted over 300,000 visitors.
Organized by Industrial Peace Nepal with the slogan ‘New Year, New Thought: Six Sources of Progress for Youth’ , the festival featured over 150 exhibition stalls focused on consumer interests, according to the organization's president, Sandeep Mahat.
Mahat said the festival saw high demand for daily essentials, food, kitchenware, clothing, footwear, agricultural tools, handicrafts, automobiles, mobile phones, and electronics. Discounts ranging from 20 to 50 percent were offered on various products.
Festival coordinator Deepak Thapa said the children’s section—featuring horse riding, a dragon break dance, a toy exhibition, and a circus—was especially popular. A local food festival also drew large crowds.
Awards for Artists and Performers
At the closing ceremony, renowned lyricist Subash Chandra Dhungel was honored with a Rs 5,000 cash prize by Suryabinayak Municipality Mayor Basudev Thapa.
Winners of the 10-day open dance competition were also awarded. Purnima BK secured first place and received Rs 30,000 along with a trophy and certificate. Ratish Giri and Sagar Lama received Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively for second and third place. The Siddhismriti Club was also recognized for its contributions.
Festival Ends on a Musical High
The final day featured the Bhaktapur Musical Evening , which turned Sallaghari Chaur into a live concert venue. Performances by popular artists including G Bob, Mr. D, Kamal Khatri, and folk singer Pratima Aryal energized the crowd. Mahat said the musical event was a grand finale to the industrial festival.
