Bhat khanu bhayo? Translated, it means ‘Have you eaten rice?’ More than an invitation to a meal, it opens the door to a world where rice is not just food but much more. Picture a warm morning on a terrace in the Nepalese hills. The earthy smell of rotated soil and the pulsating beat of farmers’ hands as they plant seedlings make the essence of farming tangible. This is where life resides. This scene presents the Nepalese identity, and rice plays an essential role in that context.
Imagine a Nepali family seated at a dining table, eating dal bhat—rice, lentils, vegetables, and spicy pickles. This archetypical meal represents welcome, warmth, and companionship on a plate—comfort food—rice as social cement.
Sacred
Rice is one of the most eaten staples in Nepal. The Eastern Terai is the central hub for the rice milling industry, where three districts (Jhapa, Morang, and Sunsari) account for twenty per cent of all rice-producing areas.
Nepalese rice is cultivated in paddies in the southern plains or terraces in the hills and mountains. These cleverly crafted terraces may be hundreds of years old, passed on from father to son. Growing and harvesting rice is labour-intensive; it requires teamwork within the family and community.
At the beginning of the monsoon season, coinciding with the Ropain festival, also known as Dhan Ropne Diwas or Ashad or simply Rice Paddy Day, community members plant rice using their hands and feet. The workers’ songs and laughter transform work into play and the green fields into symbols of hope and renewal.
Farming food is a serious business. People can’t do without it. Hence, rice is a sacred component in sanctified rituals. From birth ceremonies to funeral rites, rice is a constant element in these events, as they align with life’s milestones.
In Nepal, weaning traditionally begins with the Rice Feeding Ceremony, called Pasni, when children receive their first meal. The ceremony is performed at five months for girls and six months for boys. During this time, the children receive blessings from their loved ones and may remember the taste of their first rice.
During the traditional marriage rite, rice is thrown at the couple to bestow fertility and fortune. During the festival of Dashain, rice flour is shaped into magnificent circles called Mandalas. In contrast, tika—a mixture of rice and vermillion—is smeared on the forehead as a symbol of blessing.
From birth ceremonies to funeral rites, rice is a constant element in these events, as they align with life’s milestones.
Symbol
Rice is vital for the families of Nepal, and they consider it a social asset that helps them feel protected. Maghe Sankranti, the harvest festival celebrated in Nepal, indicates that delicious new rice is ready, and it is time for celebrations and giving thanks. Seasonal recipes include rice dishes with authentic flavours that do not require fresh produce, indicating the seasonal availability of staple foods. Storing bags of rice is perceived as prudent, as it is wise to be prepared for the unpredictability of life.
Besides its cultural and religious importance, rice can be considered the brain, heart, and soul of Nepal’s economy. It offers livelihood, sustenance, and support to many individuals and drives the wheel of agriculture. Through this, rice sustains local markets and anchors Nepal to the broader economy, constantly at work to feed the nation in a manner that this grain, so often taken for granted, exemplifies.
In its simple existence, rice stands tall for Nepal, a country whose people refuse to bow down no matter the circumstance. It is an authentic relic and, simultaneously, a constant reality in a society with timeless traditions reflected throughout its existence. That is the story of Nepal wrapped in a grain of rice, signifying its strength and deep relationship with the community and the land.
Pratikshya Bhatta is a junior editor with Nepal Connect.
