Kathmandu, Sept. 21 -- Nepali traders fear this Dashain season could bring one of the worst business slumps in decades, as natural disasters and political unrest have combined to disrupt imports and weaken consumer confidence.

Dashain, the country's biggest festival, begins on Monday with Ghatasthapana, the first of the 15-day celebrations.

Normally, the period leading up to Dashain is marked by packed marketplaces and record sales of garments, footwear, electronics, and household goods. But this year is a little different, with the supply pipeline collapsing.

For nearly two months, hundreds of containers loaded with festival-targeted goods have been stuck in Tibet after landslides and floods severed Nepal's vital trade routes with Chi...