KATHMANDU (Xinhua) — Thousands of people from Nepal’s ethnic Newar community marched into the streets of the capital city on Friday to celebrate their New Year called “Nepal Sambat 1138.”
The indigenous social group of Newars, mainly from Kathmandu and nearby places – Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Kirtipur and Dhulikhel, celebrate the Nepal Sambat amid various programs and rallies. This New Year is marked annually on the 4th day of Nepal’s second biggest Hindu festival Tihar.
Dressed in traditional attire, people engaged themselves in playing traditional musical instruments, dancing and exchanging New Year greetings. Masked dance is also one of the major attractions of this celebration.
Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba attended the special function organized at Kathmandu Durbar Square on Friday morning and expressed New Year greetings to the people.
The government of Nepal recognized the Nepal Sambat calendar in 2007.
Nepal Sambat was initiated by a merchant named Shankhadhar Sakhwa 1138 years ago to relieve the Nepali people of debt. It is believed that his kindness had impressed the common people so much that people started commemorating the pay back of all their debts on this special day.
Sakhwa was recognized as a national luminary later in 1999.
