Palpa’s Dhaka cloth weaves its way from festive gifts to tourist keepsakes

Bindu Dhakal of Tansen Municipality-1 bought several Dhaka products, including traditional caps, shawls, blouses and handbags, to give as gifts during Tihar. She also regularly sends Dhaka-made items to relatives as presents. This year, too, she chose products made from the traditional Palpali fabric for her brothers. “I always choose Dhaka products as gifts,” she said.

“In the past, there were mainly blouses, caps and shawls. Now, a much wider range of Dhaka products is available.” Tara Bahadur Pun Magar, who had travelled to Palpa from Baglung, also bought a variety of products made from Dhaka fabric. His purchases included caps, shawls, waistcoats, blouse fabric and handbags. He said he visits Tansen every year during Tihar to buy Dhaka products before travelling to Rupandehi, where his sister lives, to receive tika from her.

“Rather than spending time thinking about what to give my sisters, I simply take them products made from Dhaka,” he said. He also sends such gifts to friends living abroad and encourages visitors to Palpa to buy Dhaka products.