Nepal: Florists get busy plucking flowers as Tihar festival begins in Kathmandu

As the festival of flowers - Tihar started in Nepal, florist Bimala Tamang is busy plucking marigold and putting into the bucket as the demand for this flower is high. 61-year-old Bimala Tamang has been in the business of floriculture for over two decades which works as a source of income for her family expenses. This year’s production has gone up in comparison to the previous year as the untimely downpour wreaked havoc at the time of production. Tihar is a five-day festival celebrated in Nepal. It is also known as Festival of Lights and flowers as these two things are the most widely used items during the celebration. The slopes that lies around White Gumba in Kathmandu have turned golden with ornamental flower “Tagetes Erecta Linn“ commonly called Marigold in full bloom. Out of the 50 species within the Tagetes, these particular slopes host about 5 species which are of high demand during the festival of light or flowers. Facing the Kathmandu Valley, Ramkot and Ichangu Narayan are known for its