Far from Nepal’s famous Himalayan trekking routes lies the Terai, a warm lowland region rich in wildlife, farmland, spiritual sites and cultural tradition. Here, the indigenous Tharu people welcome travellers into village life with a hospitality summed up by their saying Atithi devo bhava — “the guest is god.”
In the village of Bhada, near the Indian border, visitors can stay through Nepal’s Community Homestay Network, which connects travellers with local families and helps support rural women through tourism. One guest was welcomed into the home of Shyam Chaudhary, who taught her to prepare spicy fruit pickle before joining the community in the Auli festival — a lively celebration marking the end of the rice harvest.
Music filled the fields as villagers built a marigold-decorated bamboo figure, shared homemade dishes, and roasted field rat, a traditional ritual offering to protect future crops. Guests danced, drank local chhyang brewed from rice or butter-tree blossoms, and joined prayers led by the village priest.
For Bhada’s homestay hosts, sharing food, tradition and daily life has brought income and pride back to the community. As host Hariram Chaudhary put it, welcoming guests is both cultural duty and joy — a chance to show a part of Nepal few travellers ever see.
