Pokhara, 28 November| The 21st Lekhnath Mahotsav, often referred to as the ‘Festival of Festivals,’ is scheduled to take place from December 18 (Pus 3) to December 29 (Pus 14) at Talchok in Pokhara-27. The Lekhnath Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the organizer, announced the commencement of preparations for the grand event during a press conference held on Sunday. The festival is a joint initiative of the LCCI and the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), with the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, Gandaki Province, and the FNCCI Gandaki Province serving as co-organizers.
Januka Parajuli Adhikari, President of the LCCI and Chief Coordinator of the Mahotsav, stated at the conference that the primary objective of organizing the festival is to boost the morale of the private sector, which has been dampened following the ‘Gen Z’ movement, and to provide relief to disheartened industrialists, traders, buyers, sellers, and consumers amidst the challenging economic climate. She noted that the LCCI has been hosting the Lekhnath Mahotsav annually since 2061 B.S., having started with a modest orange exhibition in 2058 B.S., with the aim of promoting the Lekhnath area’s identity by bringing various ethnic and linguistic groups together. Furthermore, the festival serves as a platform for marketing locally produced goods and showcasing agricultural materials and products from women entrepreneurs.
Dhrubababu Bhattarai, Second Vice President of the LCCI and Publicity Coordinator for the 21st Lekhnath Mahotsav, informed the media that this year’s festival will feature a total of 335 stalls. The exhibition breakdown includes 6 auto display stalls, 8 educational rural technology stalls, 34 agricultural exhibits, 27 kitchen items, 8 machinery, 18 handicrafts, 122 garment and readymade, 34 general, 14 food and beverage, 10 dairy, 12 Nepali products, 15 food festival stalls, and 27 stalls under banks, financial institutions, and sponsors. Bhattarai mentioned that stall booking for LCCI members would open on December 8 (Mangsir 8), while for other entrepreneurs, it would commence on December 15 (Mangsir 15). LCCI members are eligible for a 20% discount on the stall rent and an additional Rs 2,000 subsidy for goods transportation. He emphasized that the event aims to revitalize the market by stimulating the national economy and facilitating supply chain management.
The Mahotsav will feature a wide range of attractions, including industrial trade fairs, handicrafts, daily consumer and food items, fancy goods, cosmetics, electrical equipment, furniture, kitchenware, educational, health, and sports materials, information technology, and communication devices, food festivals, automobile exhibitions, and information services from financial institutions. A special focus will be on the sale and exhibition of local products such as oranges, fish, honey, coffee, fresh vegetables, biodiversity products, and dairy items. This year’s added attractions include a tourism promotion program featuring a statue of Gautam Buddha, a Business Talk Show and Motivational Speech program, cultural and ethnic exhibitions, Jhaki Rallies, a special women’s program including Ratauli songs, educational exhibitions, school-level programs, TikTok and content creation competitions, pop concerts, and live bands, and performances of folk songs and comedy by nationally acclaimed artists.
Grihalaxmi Gas Company Pvt. Ltd. is the main sponsor of the event. Bhimraj Lamichhane, General Manager of the company, stated that the collaboration is intended not for profit, but to raise awareness among people about the safe use of LPG gas. Organizers anticipate that over 250,000 visitors will attend the fair, generating an expected economic transaction of approximately Rs 9 crore. With an estimated income of Rs 95 lakh and an expenditure of around Rs 85 lakh, the LCCI aims to save Rs 10 lakh, which will be utilized for initiatives in new entrepreneurship, skills development, industrial area construction, and tourism promotion. The entrance ticket prices have been set at Rs 50 for students, Rs 100 for the general public, and Rs 200 for the concert.
