After Dashain, Nepal is now gearing up for Tihar, one of its most popular festivals.
In view of the upcoming festival preparations, the Himalayan nation will be importing flowers and garlands worth Rs 110 million [937,000 USD].
According to the Floriculture Association Nepal (FAN) President Kumar Kasaju, Nepal is importing around 300,000 garlands with different sorts of flowers from India for Tihar.
Close to NPR 160 million [1.4 million USD] of flowers, flower garlands and vases are traded in the Kathmandu Valley during the first three days of Tihar. Flowers are imported from Bhaktapur’s Gundu, Kathmandu’s Ichangunarayan, Thankot and Nuvakot among others.
Kathmandu alone requires 1.5-1.7 million garlands for the fifth and most special day of the five-day festival called Bhaitika.