Green Bangles and Henna Sales Surge in Kathmandu as Shrawan Month Begins

Kathmandu. With the beginning of the month of Shrawan, the trade of green bangles and henna has increased in the federal capital Kathmandu. As urban women increasingly wear green bangles and yellow necklaces and apply henna on their hands after the start of Shrawan, the business of bangles and henna in the market has increased.

Hindus consider the month of Shrawan as the month of Lord Shiva. Hindu women and men worship Lord Shiva throughout the month of Shrawan. In Shrawan, women wear green bangles and yellow necklaces along with henna on their hands. Similarly, men wear yellow clothes.

Ahmad Musalman, who has been doing business of bangles and necklaces in Indrachowk, Kathmandu, says that the business of bangles and necklaces has increased in his shop recently. "In other times, the business was 8 to 10 thousand daily, but in the last two to four days, the business has been 20 to 25 thousand daily," he says.

Hasan Ansari, another businessman from the same area, says that people are crowding his shop to buy bangles and necklaces. "Our shop used to get a lot of customers during the wedding season, but customers are coming more than other times as Shrawan is about to start," says Ansari.

Before the start of Shrawan, customer traffic has increased in major markets of Kathmandu such as Asan, Indrachowk, and Bagbazar. The business of bangles and necklaces has increased in the market especially due to the religious and cultural tradition of married women wearing green bangles and necklaces in the month of Shrawan. Similarly, crowds of women applying henna can be seen from beauty parlors to the streets.

New designs of green bangles and necklaces and materials of various prices have been put on sale in various markets of the capital. Both domestic and imported bangles and necklaces are kept for sale keeping in mind the customer's choice.

Saraswati Dwadi, who came to Indrachowk from Gongabu to buy green bangles and necklaces, says that wearing green bangles and necklaces in the month of Shrawan preserves the cultural tradition. Similarly, in the month of Shrawan, people apply henna with family and friends, wear green clothes, and participate in religious activities.

Acharya Laxman Panthi, former executive director of the Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Vikas Samiti, says that based on the legend that Mother Parvati applied green bangles, necklaces, and henna on her hands to please Lord Mahadev and attain good fortune in Shrawan, women wear green bangles and yellow necklaces while fasting.

"Shrawan month is also a month related to green, this month there is more rain, plants grow, and women wear green bangles and necklaces for nature-friendly culture," he says. He added that the importance of bangles and necklaces is increasing as Teej approaches.

Acharya Panthi says that the culture of wearing bangles and necklaces is an imported culture from India. He says that in India, green bangles and yellow necklaces are worn in large quantities.