Bardiya, May 3 -- As joint families become increasingly rare in Nepal, a large Tharu household in Pattharbhojhi of Madhuwan Municipality-1, Bardiya, has drawn attention after splitting into nine separate homes, forming a new settlement.

For decades, this 59-member family lived under a single roof, sharing a kitchen, a common purse, and a collective destiny. However, following a mutual agreement reached during the last Maghi, Tharus' major festival that falls in mid-January, the family decided to separate. Despite the split, the bond remains visible in their labour. Instead of hiring external contractors, the family members and their relatives are working together to build all nine houses simultaneously.

"Earlier, we had one cook in the ...