Brampton, Canadian Newa Guthi recently celebrated “Yomarhi Punhi”, the post harvest festival popular among the Newah community of Nepal.
Welcoming the guests, Newa Guthi’s President Prakash Pradhan stressed the need of celebrating cultural and traditional events in diaspora. Executive member Dr. Krishna Kayastha recited a poem on the “Yomarhi Punhi” and its connection with the society. General Secretary Bimal Shrestha said that Guthi became able to conduct the program in person after two years hiatus caused by global pandemic of Covid-19.
Highlighting the significance of the “Yomarhi Punhi”, Vice President Uttam Makaju said that the festival has close connection environment, agriculture, nutritional food and social cohesiveness. Mr. Makaju also divulged about the “Matina Paru”, the Newah Valentine Day tradition practicing since time immemorial observed on the next day of the festival. Guthi’s Cultural Secretary Surendra Shrestha thanked all the guests for their participation and hoped to observe in grand manner next year.
After the formal program local artists performed songs on the fond memory of Nepal’s popular singer late Narayan Gopal Gurubacharya. At the program the women committee members demonstrated the procedure to make Yomarhi, a fig shaped steamed rice flour bread stuffed with molasses, sesame seed and spices.