People from the Newa community celebrated the first day of the Nepal Sambat New Year 1144 by organising various programmes.
People from the Newa community in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Laltpur, Tokha, Kritipur, Thimi, Thecho, Sankhu, and other towns in the Kathmandu Valley, and other places of the country and even in the USA, Australia rallies known as Bhintuna rally were organiced to mark the New Year’s Day as per Nepal Era. Participants donned traditional Newa attire and displayed various dances to the tunes of cultural musical instruments.
The new year’s day falls in middle of Tihar festival and on the same day Mha Puja also performed by the Newars with self worshipping. Mha Puja is an annual ritual performed by the Newars to celebrate one’s essence and to cleanse and empower the soul.
Amidst a programme organized to celebrate Nepal Sambat 1144, Prime Minister (PM) Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ said the role played by Shankhadhar Sakhwa, the legendary Nepali philanthropist and founder of Nepal Sambat, in Nepal’s history of social justice, was memorable.
Nepal Sambat, is the lunisolar calendar used Nepal. The calendar era began on 20 October 879 AD. This was used as official calendar in Nepal for centuries in the past appearing on coins, stone and copper plate inscriptions, royal decrees, chronicles, Hindu and Buddist manuscripts, legal documents and correspondence.
Sakhwa, received a big deal of sand turned to gold at that time. The fortune he found was utilized to clear debts of all the countrymen to the lenders. With permission from the then king he started a new calendar which is now called Nepal Sambat.
Born in Newar community, Sakhwa’s contribution to the entire nation and uniqueness was an inspiration for all, PM Dahal mentioned, adding the campaigner of the campaign of absolving the people of their debt had laid a notable foundation of social change in contemporary society.
He expressed the belief that Nepal Sambat would inspire all Nepalis to cooperate and unite and move ahead in the journey of prosperity, good governance and development.
PM Dahal has said that the Nepal Sambat calendar is not only of the Newars, but it is a unique calendar of Nepal and all the Nepalis.
He said so while addressing a programme of garlanding a statue of National Hero Shankhadhar Sakhwa who propounded the Nepal Sambat calendar, and of launching the original name of Madhyapur Thimion November 14 Tuesday.
“There was this misconception that the Nepal Sambat belonged only to the Newars. This is Nepal’s own indigenous calendar. It is the common calendar of all castes and communities. Nepalis should take pride in this calendar as it is a calendar of entire Nepal and Nepalis alone,” PM Dahal reiterated.
Stating that the Newar intellectuals played a major role in establishing the Nepal Sambat calendar, he said they waged a struggle also to get it recognized as the National Calendar. The PM described Nepal Sambat as the calendar based on social justice.
Recalling that he has taken many decisions inspired by Shankhadhar Sakhwa, the Primr Minister said, “The first republican government under my leadership had made the historic decision to recognize the Nepal Sambat as the National Calendar after the establishment of republic. At that time, I took a decision to absolve the loan of up to Rs 30,000 that the poor peasants of Nepal had taken. I took this decision inspired from Shankhadhar Sakhwa.”
He said the cabinet meeting held on Monday took the decision to bring into use the Nepal Sambat in all the government documents and works.” This decision has taken our national sovereignty and self-respect along with freedom, equality and social justice to a new height. It has made all of us proud,” PM Dahal added.
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati said the government led by Prime Minister Dahal should also take the leadership of the task of alleviating poverty from the country and achieving prosperity.
He described Shankhadhar Sakhwa as the ‘socialist cultural leader’, saying it was he who absolved the debt of poor farmers and set the culture of social justice and equality during his time.
Minister Kirati declared that the Ministry of Culture will set up a prize in the name of National Luminary Shankhadhar Sakhwa.
On the occasion, managing Editor of Nepal Samacharpatra national daily Direk Lal Shrestha and Saunak Ranjitkar who developed the Nepal Sambat app were felicitated on the occasion.
Similarly, musician Ram Krishna Duwal, social campaigner Ganesh Sayami and Narayan Kilambu were honoured with the Shankhadhar Medal.
Meanwhile, addressing another programme marking the Nepal Sambat 1144 New Year at Basantapur in Kathmandu, PM Dahal said that there should not be any inhibitions in celebrating the Nepal Sambat calendar as it is the common unique calendar of the whole nation.
The Nhudan National Celebration Committee had organized the programme.
The Prime Minister also assured on the occasion that any attempts from any side to discredit and undermine the Nepal Sambat calendar and undo its implementation would not be tolerated.
Committee chairman Prof Dr Naresh Man Bajracharya stressed that the government should be people-oriented and not power and party-oriented. It should take the people together, he reminded.
Also attending the programme were Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Kathmandu Metropolitan City mayor Balendra Shah, Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol, Janakabi Durga Lal Shrestha, Nepali Congress leaders Prakash Man Singh and Bhimsen Das Pradhan and CPN (UML) leader Krishna Gopal Shrestha, among other party leaders.
On the occasion, the Shankhadhar Sakhwa National Foundation, Thimi was conferred with a cash prize of Rs 25,000 and a Letter of Commendation for making notable contribution to study and research on the National Luminary Shankhadhar Sakhwa.
A message of best wishes sent by President Ram Chandra Paudel on the occasion of the Nepal Sambat New Year 1144 was read out.
A cultural rally accompanied by musicians playing the traditional musical instruments went through various thoroughfares of Kathmandu inner city in the morning today in celebration of the start of the New Year.
Similarly, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Mayor Balendra Shah has urged the adoption of Nepal Sambat as the national calendar.
Addressing a Nepal Sambat 1144 program in Kathmandu the otherday, Mayor Shah mentioned that KMC has been using Nepal Sambat in its documents from the beginning. He emphasized the importance of its nationwide usage and called on the government to play a leading role in officially adopting Nepal Sambat as the national calendar. He expressed confidence that it would be nationally recognized by the coming year. He stated, “There is an appeal to use Nepal Sambat as the national calendar. KMC has been incorporating it into its documents since its inception. With the Prime Minister also present here, there is an appeal for nationwide celebration. It is believed that by the next occurrence, Nepal Sambat will be embraced nationally.”
