For most Nepalis, the first day of Magh is Maghe Sankranti, the day the sun turns north and people eat sesame sweets, yam and ghee. For the Tharu of Bardia, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Banke and Dang, the same day begins Maghi, their new year and the largest festival of the year. Celebrations last several days, and Tharu people working elsewhere in Nepal and India travel home to join their families.
The festival begins with bathing in rivers at dawn and offerings to ancestors, followed by feasts that feature pork, fish, freshwater snails, dhikri rice dumplings and home-brewed rice drinks. Young people visit elders to receive blessings, and families settle debts and plans for the coming year. Traditionally, Maghi is also when villages choose their Badghar, the village headman, and agree on shared work such as irrigation and festivals.
Evenings bring dancing. Groups of young men and women in Tharu dress, with white or coloured skirts, beads and silver jewellery, perform circle dances to drums and songs, moving from house to house. In Thakurdwara near Bardia National Park and in Dhangadhi, public programmes add stage performances and fairs. January is cool and foggy in the Terai, but safari season is under way, so Maghi fits neatly into a Bardia trip.
Tips
- Plan a Bardia safari around 14–17 January to see Maghi in Tharu villages near the park.
- Bring warm layers; January mornings in the Terai are foggy and around 7–10 °C.
- Accept food and drink politely, but it is fine to decline alcohol with a smile.
Questions travellers ask
When is the Tharu Maghi festival?
Maghi starts on Magh 1 in the Nepali calendar, usually 14 or 15 January, the same day as Maghe Sankranti. Celebrations in Tharu villages last several days, sometimes up to a week. The government declares a public holiday in the Tharu-majority districts. Check current status before you travel for the exact date.
Where can I see Maghi celebrations?
In Tharu villages across Bardia, Banke, Kailali, Kanchanpur and Dang. Around Thakurdwara at Bardia National Park, lodges can arrange village visits during the festival. Dhangadhi holds larger public events with stage dances. Village celebrations are more personal and authentic, with house-to-house dancing.
What food is eaten at Maghi?
Pork, fish, freshwater snails and crab, dhikri rice-flour dumplings, sweet potatoes and yam, sesame sweets and home-brewed rice drinks. Families prepare food for days, and guests are offered generous helpings. Vegetarians can enjoy dhikri, yam, sesame laddoos and vegetable dishes.
Why is Maghi important to the Tharu?
Maghi is the Tharu new year, a time for family reunion, honouring ancestors, receiving blessings from elders and planning the year ahead. Traditionally, villages also choose their Badghar, the village headman, at Maghi. It is the main expression of Tharu identity and culture in the western Terai.
