- By Akansha Pandey
- Fri, 12 Sep 2025 11:47 AM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
Ongoing unrest in Nepal is severely impacting traders in Gorakhpur, who are facing the risk of substantial losses as goods worth lakhs of rupees, intended for the upcoming Dussehra festival, remain stranded. Due to transportation challenges and border disruptions that began earlier this week, crucial supplies of worship materials, fasting foods, and dry fruits are unable to reach markets in Nepal.
The trade of worship materials (pujan samagri) , for which Gorakhpur is a major supplier to Nepal during the festival season, has come to a near standstill.
Pawan Patwa, a wholesale seller in Pandey hata, explained the scale of the issue. "Every year during Dussehra, traders from Nepal and border regions purchase goods worth Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh from us. These include garlands, decorative scarves (chunri), idols, and worship kits," he said. "We sourced these items from Delhi, Kolkata and Varanasi a month ago based on anticipated demand, but with no offtake from traders, the goods are now just piled up in our warehouse."
Another wholesaler, Shriom Patwa, noted that traders from Nepal purchase goods worth over Rs 10 lakh from the Pandey hata market alone for Dussehra. "Our customers in Nepal have placed their orders, but they are now waiting for the situation to normalise, as transporting the goods is currently impossible," he stated.
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Losses Feared If Situation Doesn't Improve
The impact extends beyond religious items to festival-related foods. Anup Kishore Agarwal, president of the Chamber of Traders and a wholesaler of fasting foods (falaharisamagri), expressed his concern.
"Since the situation in Nepal changed on Monday, we haven't been able to dispatch any goods. We ordered Rs 30 lakh worth of items like sago crackers and potato crisps from Ahmedabad and Indore, as demand is very high during Dussehra," Agarwal said. "If the situation does not improve soon, we will face significant losses. We are in contact with our buyers, and their orders are ready. We are hopeful that if things return to normal in the next three to four days, they will be able to collect their consignments."
Dry Fruit Dispatches Halted, Some Movement Expected
The disruption has also affected the dry fruit trade. Gopal Jaiswal, a wholesale trader in Sahabganj Mandi, reported that dispatches to Nepali towns like Bhairahawa and Butwal were halted on Thursday.
"Some traders have placed orders for cashews worth about Rs 5 lakh. The goods are packed and ready, and we plan to dispatch them on Friday, after a four-day delay," he said, offering a slight glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty.
For now, traders across Gorakhpur are anxiously monitoring the situation, hoping for a swift return to normalcy so that business can resume before the peak festival season is lost.