Kartik Purnima at Barahakshetra
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On the full moon of Kartik, pilgrims from eastern Nepal, Bihar and West Bengal bathe at the Koshi–Koka confluence and worship Vishnu as Varaha — the biggest day of the year at Barahakshetra.
Kartik Purnima closes the holy month of Kartik and follows Vishnu's awakening from his four-month cosmic sleep. For a Vaishnava shrine like Barahakshetra, it is the high point of the year.
The mela
Pilgrims camp by the river, bathe at dawn in the cold, fast water of the Koshi and queue to worship at the Varaha temple. Stalls, music and religious discourses fill the riverbank. Many visitors come from India, for whom Barahakshetra is a major pilgrimage.
Tips
Expect heavy traffic on the Dharan–Chatara road. Go the day before, stay in Dharan or Chatara, and take care at the riverbank, where the current is strong.
Festival dates follow the lunar calendar. Dates shown are approximate — confirm with a Nepali calendar (patro) before you travel.