Suku bhwoe: Why is Kathmandu’s unique feast system losing its charm?

The Newa community, the natives of the Kathmandu valley, is known for its festivals and jatras. But this community is equally rich in food and culinary style too. Almost every month, there is a fest in a Newa neighbourhood for the purpose of getting together with family members, relatives and friends.

The Newa people have their own culture of eating, which distinguishes them from others. Suku bhwoe is one kind of feast and dining culture in which attendees eat by sitting on a sukul , a carpet made up of hay. However, this kind of feast is losing its charm these days as the sukul is being replaced by chairs and tables. But why?