Lumbini & the Buddha's Country · Ridi
Ridi Mela at Maghe Sankranti
रिडी मेला
A three-day bathing fair at Ridi, where the Ridi Khola meets the Kali Gandaki, starting on Maghe Sankranti in mid-January. Pilgrims bathe at dawn, worship at the Rishikesh temple and fill the old bazaar with stalls of chaku, yam and sesame sweets.
Maghe Sankranti, the first day of the Nepali month of Magh, marks the sun's turn northwards and the end of the coldest part of winter. Across Nepal families eat ghee, chaku, sesame laddu, yam and sweet potato. At Ridi, one of the holiest confluences in the western hills, it brings the biggest fair of the year.
The fair lasts three days, known as Jethi, Maili and Kanchhi Sankranti, the eldest, middle and youngest. Devotees believe that bathing in the Kali Gandaki on all three days and worshipping at the Rishikesh temple brings liberation. Before dawn the ghats are crowded with families stepping into the cold river and praying towards the rising sun.
By day the bazaar becomes a market for the whole region. Traders from Gulmi, Palpa, Syangja, Arghakhanchi and Baglung sell food, cloth, tools and household goods, and families picnic on the riverbank. It is loud, crowded and one of the best chances to see hill Nepal celebrating together.
Tips
- Stay in Tansen and leave by 4 am, or arrange a room in Ridi months in advance; lodges fill completely.
- Wear warm layers for the dawn bath and quick-drying clothes if you plan to step into the river.
- Keep valuables close and agree a meeting point with your group in the crowds.
Questions
When is the Ridi Mela?
The Ridi Mela begins on Maghe Sankranti, the first day of the Nepali month of Magh, which usually falls on 14 or 15 January, and lasts three days. Dates follow the Nepali calendar and shift slightly each year, so check current status before you travel and plan transport early.
Why do people bathe at Ridi on Maghe Sankranti?
Ridi is a confluence on the sacred Kali Gandaki, and Maghe Sankranti marks the sun's northward turn, an auspicious time for purification. Devotees believe bathing here over the three days of the fair and worshipping at the Rishikesh temple removes sins and helps the soul towards liberation.
What food is eaten at Maghe Sankranti?
Maghe Sankranti foods include chaku, a hard molasses toffee, sesame laddu, ghee, boiled yam called tarul, sweet potato and spinach. They are thought to warm the body in winter. At Ridi, stalls along the bazaar sell chaku, laddu and tarul by weight throughout the fair.
How do I get to Ridi for the mela?
Ridi is about 2 hours by road from Tansen. Extra buses run during the fair, but roads jam and parking fills early, so we recommend a private jeep leaving Tansen well before dawn, or staying in Ridi itself if you can book a lodge months in advance.