Bhakka Diwas Celebrated Honouring a Terai Heritage Dish and Its Torchbearers

Kathmandu – Nepal today marked the 9th Bhakka Diwas, celebrating Bhakka, a traditional steamed rice delicacy of the Rajbanshi community from the Terai region. Deeply rooted in Terai lifestyle and morning food culture, Bhakka symbolizes simplicity, nutrition, and ethnic identity.

Traditionally prepared from coarse rice flour and gently steamed, Bhakka has long been consumed in eastern Terai districts such as Jhapa and Morang. Despite its rich cultural value, the dish remains relatively unfamiliar to a wider urban audience.

The journey of Bhakka from Terai to Kathmandu began nine years ago, when chef and entrepreneur Biwas Kafle established Bhakka House in Old Baneshwor. This initiative marked the first structured commercialization of Bhakka in the capital, introducing the ethnic dish to Kathmandu’s food scene. Chef Kafle’s effort helped Bhakka travel beyond its regional boundaries and gain recognition as a cultural food of Nepal.

On the occasion of the 9th Bhakka Diwas, Chef Biwas Kafle personally met and acknowledged women street vendors who sell Bhakka in different parts of Kathmandu during morning hours. He shared with them the significance of Bhakka Diwas and expressed gratitude for their role in keeping the tradition alive by serving the dish at street corners across the city.

Bhanse Laxman Prasad Bhandari, a long-time advocate of Nepali ethnic cuisine, has consistently supported and inspired Chef Biwas Kafle in promoting Bhakka. An R&D chef dedicated to ethnic and cultural staples of Nepal, Chef Laxman has been leading research, documentation, and awareness initiatives to preserve indigenous foods.

This year’s Bhakka Diwas was celebrated by Bhakka House with the support of Bhansalaya and under the “Aali Dekhi Thaali Samma” campaign initiated by Bhanse Laxman Prasad Bhandari, which focuses on promoting Nepali food heritage from farms to plates.

Even after nine years of its presence in Kathmandu, Bhakka largely remains known to communities familiar with Terai culture. However, continued efforts by Bhakka House, Chef Biwas Kafle, and Chef Laxman Bhandari signal a growing movement to recognize, research, and celebrate Nepal’s diverse ethnic foods—ensuring that dishes like Bhakka receive the place they deserve in the nation’s culinary identity.