Why do we eat dahi chiura on Asar 15?

Many Kathmandu residents celebrate National Paddy Day despite not knowing its origins, as dahi-chiura vendors say the tradition is fading in the capital.

Asar 15 (June 29 this year) has been celebrated as ‘National Paddy Day’ or ‘Dhan Diwas’ in Nepal since 2004. Culturally, Asar, the third month of the Bikram Sambat calendar, which begins in mid-June, marks the start of Nepal’s monsoon season, ideal for rice planting. And eating dahi chiura , as everyone has grown up hearing, is an indispensable part of this day.