PM proclaims Nepal Sambat as national calendar rooted in Nepali culture

Kathmandu: Nepal Sambat 1145 (the New Year of the Newari community, also known as Nhu da Ya bintuna in Nepal Bhasa) is being celebrated today.

Various events have been organized throughout the Kathmandu Valley and across the country to mark this occasion.

Nepal Sambat is celebrated not only by the Newar community but by all Nepalis, promoting a sense of unity among cultures as well as shared happiness and communal celebration.

Nepal Sambat is an indigenous calendar of Nepal.

Special programs were held in Basantapur, Thimi in Bhaktapur, and Mangal Bazaar in Lalitpur.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said the government would forward process to include Nepal Bhasa in school-level curriculum.

After garlanding the statue of the founder of Nepal Sambat and national luminary Shankhadhar Sakhwa at Sankhadhar Sakhwa chowk, Madhyapur Thimi, today, Prime Minister Oli underlined that he personally and from the position of Prime Minister was ready to protect language, culture and civilization.

At a programme organized by Shankhadhar Sakhwa Foundation, he mentioned that some genuine demands of the Foundation would be fulfilled gradually as per the capacity of the state.

“The Foundation has demanded to include Nepal Bhasa as the secondary level optional subject in curriculum. It can be include in curriculum as optional subject like Maithili, Bhojpuri but it cannot be announced here today without making any decision”, added PM Oli.

The Prime Minister shared that different initiatives are underway from government-level to protect Nepal Bhasa, stating that state media such as Radio Nepal ,Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) and Nepal Television disseminate and broadcast news in Nepal Bhasa promoting language preservation.

Saying Bhaktapur is considered as the living museum, he said the government was committed to preserving the historical arts and culture here.

Similarly, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, mentioned that Shankhadhar Sakhwa had given identity of patriotism and nationalism even that time.

Likewise, Mayor of Madhyapur Thimi Surendra Shrestha shared that the municipality is organizing Madhyapur festival in the Nepali month of Poush in order to spread historical arts, culture and tradition of the district in the world.

On the occasion, PM Oli honoured 63-year-old organisation, Nhyajya Khala Thimi and leader of Nepal Sambat and member of Language Commission, Suresh Kiram Manandhar, with Shankhadhar Samman.