KOHALPUR, June 21: A provincial-level cultural seminar was held in Lumbini Province, jointly organized by the Cultural Studies Center of Nepal Sanskrit University and Hamro Purnima Literary Foundation, Kohalpur.
The event, held at the Kohalpur Municipality Hall, was inaugurated by chief guest Prof. Dr. Sudan Kumar Paudel, Vice Chancellor of Nepal Sanskrit University. He said Nepal’s cultural heritage is a priceless national asset and programs like this are important for its protection and promotion. He also highlighted the potential of using modern technology to preserve and promote ancient cultures.
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Papers were presented and discussed on Tharu, Kusunda, Awadhi and Muslim cultures of Lumbini Province.
The first paper, titled “Nature and Environmental Awareness in Religious and Cultural Rituals of the Tharu Community,” was presented by Dr. Raj Kumar Tharu, associate professor at Mahendra Multiple Campus. Former minister and Tharu culture researcher Dr. Gopal Dahit commented on the paper, noting that Tharu rituals largely reflect respect for nature, as the community traditionally worships natural elements.
Researcher Uday Raj Ale presented a paper on the rare Kusunda culture, considered one of the world’s most endangered indigenous traditions. Dr. Pushkar Rijal of Mid-Western University and Bageshwori Multiple Campus commented on it, expressing concern over the rapid disappearance of the Kusunda cultural identity as the community shifts to rural lifestyles. He also noted that only one native speaker of the Kusunda language remains, calling it an alarming situation.
Jagat Ram Yadav presented the third paper titled “Folk Ballad Chanaini in Awadhi Folk Literature.” Dr. Govinda Acharya remarked that although the paper had some structural gaps, it contributed to introducing Awadhi folk traditions.
The fourth paper on “Muharram,” prepared by Arif Khan on Muslim culture, was commented on by Dr. Hari Prasad Timilsina of Mahendra Multiple Campus. He said the paper missed several important aspects of Muslim culture and added that Nepalgunj has a rich Urdu literary and cultural tradition.
Speakers at the program included Registrar Prof. Madhav Adhikari of Nepal Sanskrit University, Registrar of Lumbini Technical University Reg Bahadur Bhandari, literary scholar Prof. Dr. Krishna Prasad Ghimire, senior writer Sanat Regmi, campus chief Dan Bahadur Hamal of Bageshwori Multiple Campus, Vice Chancellor Dr. Indra Bhandari of Khajura Pragya Pratishthan, and Acting Chair Sumnitra Neupane of Kohalpur Vangmaya Pratishthan.
Former Kohalpur mayor Lut Bahadur Rawat and other public representatives also attended, along with officials from various literary, cultural and educational institutions in Lumbini Province, writers, and journalists.
Participants said the intellectual discussion held in Kohalpur was a matter of pride for Banke district. The program was chaired by Dr. Tikaram Udasi, director of the Cultural Studies Center of Nepal Sanskrit University, and moderated by Dr. Khopiram Wali Kshetri, vice president of Hamro Purnima Literary Foundation.
