Chinese merchants join Indian traders in Eastern Nepal’s Rudraksha boom

KHANDBARI, : After Indian traders, Chinese merchants have now begun traveling to Nepal in increasing numbers to purchase Rudraksha, sacred beads revered for their spiritual and healing properties. These beads, harvested from trees in the Khandbari region of Sankhuwasabha district, are fetching prices ranging from Rs 100 to as high as Rs 4 million (Nepali currency) per piece depending on rarity.

The growing international interest in Rudraksha has prompted Nepal’s tourism stakeholders and the national Tourism department to explore ways to integrate the trade into broader tourism promotion efforts.

“Tourists often buy Rudraksha malas as spiritual souvenirs, but what’s happening in Khandbari is on a different scale,” said Bhupendra Karki, a local Rudraksha trader. “These beads are now a major commercial and tourism attraction.”

Rudraksha beads with a single facet (or mukhi) are especially rare and are considered to have miraculous healing powers. In Khandbari, armed security guards are deployed 24/7 around trees bearing these rare seeds to prevent theft and ensure safety during harvesting season.

Karki recalled selling a 28-faced Rudraksha to Indian businessman Pawan Ahuja of Banaras for Rs 65 lakh two years ago, believed to be the rarest such bead found in Nepal in the past 90 years.

Now, Chinese buyers have joined the market. “They are particularly drawn to the aesthetic and therapeutic qualities of Rudraksha,” Karki said, adding that the beads are used in bracelets and other meditation accessories. According to him, there are about 15,000 Rudraksha trees in Khandbari alone, and Chinese merchants begin arriving just after the monsoon season to purchase the seeds.

Shiva Khatri, another trader, noted the dramatic price increase. “Beads that once sold for Rs 5 can now fetch up to Rs 2,000 each,” he said. “This season, more than 50 Chinese businessmen visited the district in search of five-faced Rudraksha.”

The peak trading season runs from March through August, and the price of each bead is determined by its size, weight, and number of natural lines or facets. Weekly trade in the Khandbari area is estimated to be worth several million rupees, with annual turnover exceeding Rs 1 billion, according to local traders.

Basudev Baral, a tourism entrepreneur from Dharan and coordinator of this year’s Visit Koshi Promotion Program, believes this growth of international interest will greatly benefit Nepal’s tourism industry.

“With the sale of Rudraksha, foreign merchants are not only drawn to the spiritual aspect, but also to our culture, traditions, and natural beauty, Beyond its religious value, Rudraksha trade is now a significant contributor to tourism promotion in Nepal,” Baral said.