The people of the indigenous Tharu community have come a long way from a modest history of farm slaves. They wanted to be freed from the cruel slavery.
The first day of the Nepali month of Magh is special to the community. On this day, they celebrate the post-harvest festival known as Maghi. The culturally significant festival also started moving forward as Tharus’ movement for their rights.
Tharu rights activists started grabbing the opportunity provided by the festival to lay plans for the freedom movement. That is why the community takes the day as the day of emancipation for Kamaiyas and Kamalaris, the end of bounded labor slavery systems.
As we used to be Kamaiya slaves, we celebrate the day as Kamaiya Mukti as it had paved the way for the abolishment of slavery, That is why this culturally significant festival is linked with their struggles for freedom.
On the day of Maghi festival on Monday, people of the Tharu community in Dang and other Tharu-majority areas in the western region celebrated the day with much fervor. They celebrated the day with traditional foods of different varieties and by getting involved in the Maghauta dance of the Tharu community.
The biggest festival of Tharu people was not only celebrated from the cultural perspective, but also as the day paving the way for their movement for freedom.