Dr Rabin Man Shakya
Portland, March 28 (Nepal Oregon News): At a time when Newar culture, Nepal Bhasa, Nepal Sambat and Newar people are being constantly undermined and encroached by the state, the bold decision of the World Newah Organization in July 2017 to observe the last Saturday of March as the World Newah Day is very commendable and praiseworthy.
This year, the fourth World Newah Day was celebrated in the USA, the UK, Canada, Japan, Spain, Nepal and many other countries by various Newar organizations.
Likewise, because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, a virtual program was organized by Portland's Nritya Mandala Mahavihara (NMM) to mark the Fourth World Newah Day on Saturday, March 27, 2021.
Unlike traditional Nepalese programs that are presided over by an individual and graced by a chief guest, Portland's Fourth World Newah Day event was launched without any participants being given special status.
The emphasis of the Portland's World Newah Day program was focused on showcasing the rich Newar arts, culture, Newar Buddhism, Newar culinary, Newar music, dance, and poetry.
Portland's World Newah Day zoom event offered a wide spectrum in terms of participants: Newahs, Russians, Americans, Chinese and so on and in terms of age group: teenagers, adults and senior most persons having undergone the two jankos.
The virtual program of the NMM dedicated to the Fourth Worth Newah Day was participated by 50 people from USA, Canada and Hongkong.
The virtual World Newah Day program was a mixed literary, cultural and musical pot pourri of everything: poems, songs, Buddhist chanting, culinary show, charya dancing, talks etc.
The program, which kicked off with Newah national anthem presented by Prabin Tamrakar from the East Coast of the USA, was followed by a Buddhist Refuge Dance performed at Nritya Mandala Mahavihara by Prajwal Vajracharya, Joshua Proto, Anna Shustrova, Anastasia Roderick, Bobby Romansky and Aniruddha Vajracharya.
Similarly, a Mahankaal dance was also performed on the occasion at the Mahavihara by Prajwal, Joshua, Anna, Stacie and Bobby.
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| Refuge charya dance |
"Jaya Namo Shree" a Buddhist chanting was performed by Sangha member Joshua Proto at the Mahavihara while Gabriel Quitslund, also a Sangha member, chanted Dash Paramita "Dan Balen" during the World Newah Day event.
Prajwal Vajracharya of the NMM recited a poem "Hey Pasa Pi" underlining the need for preserving Newar arts and culture while Sangha member Naveena Shakya throwing light on Buddha's teachings read a poem entitled "My Three Friends: Shila, Samadhi and Prajna"
All the performances and presentations were amazing and awesome, but a dance on Vajravarahi performed by Dr Tina Ho and her team from Hong Kong Dance Mandala was the item that stole the show.
"Thaun Waila Kanhe Waila" was the song in Nepal Bhasa presented on the occasion by Shashindra Bajracharya from Eugene, Oregon along with his daughters Yasha playing a Nepal drum and Selina playing on guitar.
Octogenarian Newah ladies Amrit Bajracharya from Eugene and Devi Laxmi Maharjan from Portland also spoke on what they thought about being Newah in the USA. "Even in the USA, we are following the rituals, culture and tradition of Nepal," they said.
While Daya Shakya, former vice president and founder member of WNO shed light on the history of WNO, Season Shrestha, its president, spoke on the need to raise the Newar awareness.
Yagya Man Shakya, president of Newah Organization of America laid emphasis on the importance for preserving Newar culture and festivals while Dr Rabin Man Shakya, a journalist from Nepal Oregon News threw light on the pioneering journalists of Nepal Bhasa.
One of the interesting highlights of the program was a presentation on how to make Chatanmari by well-known chef Bikram Vaidya
Prof Dr Linda Iltis from Washington made an interesting presentation on Jala Pyakhan while Prof Dr Ter Ellingson during another presentation threw light on Nasa Dyah or Padma Nateshvara.
The Fourth World Newah Day program in the zoom was moderated by Daya Shakya.
(Nepal Oregon News reporter Rabin Man Shakya is a Newah journalist in America)
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