Kathmandu returns to life as Dashain holiday ends
As Nepal's Dashain festival drew to a close on October 25, Kathmandu Valley saw large crowds of returning residents flooding back through major entry points, re-energizing a city that had grown quiet during the holiday week. Government offices were set to resume normal operations from Monday, hastening the return of workers and families. With shops reopening and traffic picking up across the valley, Kathmandu was quickly regaining its characteristic bustle.
🪔 Holiday ends, valley fills again
People who had left Kathmandu Valley to celebrate Dashain with family in their hometowns began returning in large numbers on October 25, as the festive holiday drew to a close. The resumption of regular government office operations from Monday accelerated the influx, with heavy movement of passengers and vehicles observed at all major entry points. Areas including Nagdhunga, Kalanki, Balaju, Koteshwor, and Balkhu saw especially dense traffic as returning travelers came in by bus and private vehicle. The New Bus Park area also reported a sharp rise in arriving passengers. Kathmandu Valley had grown unusually quiet during Dashain, as many residents departed to celebrate the festival with relatives in villages and hometowns across Nepal. This annual migration empties the capital of a substantial portion of its population for a week or more. With the holiday's end, daily activities and commerce began to resume their normal pace. Most shops and businesses reopened their doors, bringing renewed activity to commercial streets and market areas that had remained shuttered throughout the peak festival days. The return influx typically takes several days to fully normalize traffic and public transport throughout the valley. [1]
🤝 Valley stirs back to life after Dashain exodus
Travelers who had departed Kathmandu Valley to celebrate Dashain with family and relatives in their hometowns began streaming back on October 25, as the festival concluded. The growing volume of returnees brought a noticeable increase in vehicle traffic at the main entry points and road sections leading into the city. Increased movement of passengers and vehicles was clearly visible in the Kalanki area, one of the valley's major western entry points into the city. Passengers made their way back aboard public transport buses, contributing to rising traffic levels on major routes. The valley, which had been noticeably deserted for several days during the height of Dashain celebrations, was described as bustling with life and activity again with the arrival of returning travelers. The scale of the movement reflects the deep importance of Dashain as a family gathering occasion in Nepali culture, drawing residents back to ancestral homes across the country. Kathmandu typically loses a significant part of its population during the festival period before the city refills over the subsequent days. The trend of mass departure and return is a defining seasonal feature of life in the Nepali capital. The original report was published in Nepali and subsequently translated into English for wider readership. [9]
Sources: [1] OnlineKhabar English News · [9] Ratopati