KATHMANDU, Sept 18: Most office-goers in our country spend their day off on Saturday catching up on their social life. On Saturday, people from the Newari community residing in different parts of the Kathmandu Valley chose to discuss and promote Newari culture at Patan Museum.

For the love of their mother tongue and to promote the Newari literature, attendees at the Nepalbhasa Literature Festival, organized by Sandhya Prithana Pvt Ltd, Sandhya Times and Nepalbhasa Times, gathered at the Museum premises since 10 am. 

The fest had multiple interaction programs with different Newari littérateurs like Bhusan Prasad Shrestha, Sulochana Manandhar, Rojen Manandhar, Saru Bhakta Shrestha, Sneh Sayami, Jaleshwor Devi Shrestha and Shree Om Shrestha ‘Roden’.

As many as 22 talented writers recited their creations written in Newari language in forms of poems, songs, fiction stories and satires. Some expressed their views on the grim political situation of Nepal; some expressed the dire situation of Newari civilization, while others expressed obvious human nature through their writing.

Also in the event, writer Malla K Sundarya’s novel ‘The Poster’ and industrialist Basanta Chaudhary’s collection of poems, ‘Basanta’, which has been translated to Newari language, were launched. Along with them, other books and works of literature were also put on display at the Museum’s courtyard. 

In one of the parallel sessions, actor and author of ‘Maha ko Ma’ Madan Krishna Shrestha participated in a book signing event.

Similarly, the event also promoted Newari music. Singers Pabitra Kasa and Rita Maharjan sang some of their original Newari songs, while Kutumba’s performance became the highlight of the event. Kutumba left the audience spellbound the evening with their mesmerizing instrumental music performance. 

The Newari culture would be incomplete without Newari food, so the event also offered different Newari delicacies such as bara, woh, aloo tama, samaybaji and chatamari, among others.
Meanwhile, six of the audience also received door prizes, including t-shirts and mobile phones at the end of the program.