As Bada Dashain gets underway in Kathmandu, shoppers are crowding the city’s Asan and Indrachowk markets to buy festival essentials, new clothes, shoes and puja items. The busy bazaars are drawing customers from across the Kathmandu Valley and nearby areas, keeping shopkeepers occupied as the festive shopping rush gathers pace. Shoppers have also complained that prices have risen alongside the increase in demand, while crowds have been reported in other major shopping areas, including New Road.
Traditional markets fill with Dashain shoppers
Asan and Indrachowk have become busy destinations for people preparing for Dashain, Nepal’s major festival. Shoppers are visiting the markets for a broad range of goods, from items needed for festival observances to clothing and footwear. The mix of purchases reflects the different needs people are addressing as they get ready for the celebrations.
Customers are arriving not only from neighbourhoods in central Kathmandu but also from across the Valley and nearby places. Their presence has added to the bustle in the two market areas, with retailers attending to a steady flow of shoppers. The festive period has therefore brought increased activity for shops selling the goods people commonly seek before Dashain.
The rise in shoppers is not limited to Asan and Indrachowk. Similar crowds have been reported in New Road, another of Kathmandu’s main market areas. Taken together, the busy shopping districts point to a wider seasonal surge in retail activity across the city as people make their festival purchases.
Shoppers report higher prices
Along with the crowds, shoppers have raised concerns about prices. Customers say the cost of goods in the markets has risen during the festive rush. The reported concern applies to the shopping experience as people seek items for Dashain, although no specific products, price changes or comparisons were provided.
The available information does not identify how much prices have increased or whether the rise affects particular categories more than others. It does, however, show that some shoppers are noticing higher costs at the same time that demand and foot traffic have picked up. The concerns sit alongside the busy trade reported by shopkeepers during the season.
A seasonal rush across the city
Dashain preparations bring many kinds of shopping together: households are looking for festival essentials and puja items, while shoppers also seek new clothes and shoes. In Asan and Indrachowk, those purchases are contributing to crowded market streets and keeping retailers busy. New Road has also seen similar crowds, showing that the seasonal rush extends beyond the two traditional market centres.
The reported scenes offer a snapshot of Kathmandu’s markets as Bada Dashain gets underway. For shoppers, the immediate task is finding the goods they need amid busy bazaars and higher prices; for shopkeepers, the increased flow of customers is keeping business active. No figures were provided on the number of shoppers, sales or the scale of the price changes.
The account of the busy markets, including photographs, was published by Ratopati.
