Having decided to visit our daughter Rachna and Jwaisaheb Vimal at Exton Pennsylvania in the United States of America this summer, my heart was full of joy over-pouring with thoughts of meeting my numerous relatives as well who followed the first to arrive in 1972 - Dr. Gopal  Bahadur Shrestha from our Kumhal Tole Birgunj family and proliferated there. Bhanij Sudeep in JNU Delhi added more to my joy informing that Gopaldai too is on his way from Birgunj to attend the marriage of our Bhanij Manish with Sneata Kachhepati on June 20, 2010 in Maryland. It was a great occasion for the happy family reunion to cherish forever!

Family first, thereafter what immediately came to my mind was the Newah Vijnana and the person behind it. Known for over a decade by his this Journal of Newah Studies from Portland Oregon since its inception, I had been longing to see him in person! It was, therefore, but natural for me to be eager to meet this man. He has been doing good work for quite some time promoting the Newar language, culture and tradition thus helping its preservation. It was not difficult for many of the Newar, who made this land of opportunity their home and now with third generation born and brought up here, to forget these particularly the language like those of us in Sikkim immediate neighboring Nepal. It was dedicated efforts of those few amongst them who had the vision to foresee the eminent likelihood and this danger lurking in our society. Struggling for their own survival in this foreign soil, they took the cudgels also to think of and spare a while for preserving and promoting our language and literature, art and culture, etc. nay the Newar ethos. Among such rare breeds belong this gem amongst us, Daya Ratna Shakya!

It was not very difficult either to find him out on landing here. I was invited to be the Special Guest in the 9th General Meeting and Convention of the Newah Organization of America (NOA) being held at Potomac Community Center in Maryland on May 30, 2010 and to speak on the Newars of Sikkim.  Daya's e-mail was there inviting me to be with his World Newah Organization (WNO) friends in the dinner night before at Tribhuvan Tuladhar's place in nearby Hay Market. This made my sister Nivedita and Jwaisaheb with Bhanij Vidit fetch me to Woodbridge in Virginia the previous evening. Regretted for not making it but the first thing next morning, courtesy my Jwaisaheb Bipin Karki, saw me there teleconferencing together with Bal Gopal Shrestha at the Oxford University in the United Kingdom. After sumptuous brunch with hospitality of Rashami Tuladhar, Tribhuvan was kind enough to drop me back enlightening me of the strides made by the NOA since its inception and his days as its president on the way.

For Daya I had brought the circa-2006 news-paper cutting with that carried an article Rahasyako Kuro Ek : Sandarbha – Gorkhe Khabar Kagat by Jaibir Khulal (Himalayan Darpan, Siliguri dated March 20, 2006) about his literary writings published as Sandarbha Sahitya : Kalimpong (1983 Upashak Prakashan Kalimpong). Daya is reported to have reproduced two articles from the Gorkhe Khabar Kagat Issue dated October 1, 1926. One of them was a gajal by Prashman Pradhan written on October 1, 1916 and another a Press Release dated August 27, 1926 issued for the Gorkha League, Dehra Dun by its Secretary J. B. Khatri. Tracing the history of Nepali news-paper publishing, he credited Motiram Bhatt being the first for his paper brought out in 1886 but there being no record in proof to this effect the Gorkhe Khaba Kagat published by the Christian Missionaries from the printing unit set up by them should be the first.  Followed by Sudhasagar of 1899 (BS 1955 Sawan) said to be the first from Nepal  mentioned in Nepali Sahityako Sankchipt Itihas by Dayaco-authored  with Prof. Mohan Raj Sharma placing the Gorkhe Khaba Kagat in the fourth place was not correct as it was senior by 154 days to the Gorkhapatra published by the Nepal Government only  from Jeth 3, BS 1958. Khulal also narrated that there was a sort of war of words between the two doyens of the the Nepali literary world when Paras Mani Pradhan started his Chandrika in 1918. The language used in it was found to be different from the one being used by Father Ganga Prasad Pradhan, who termed it as the 'Kashibashe Boli'' – Kashi or Benaras-based language. This should be the mother of present day Nepali language as it was based on Sanskrit instead. Paras Mani Pradhan's own brother Shesh Mani Pradhan praised Gorkhe Khabar Kagat in the Adarsh (January 1930) edited by him. The Gorkha Sevak published from Shillong in 1935 urged the two warring stalwarts not to wash their dirty linen in public. Khulal wished Dr. Daya Ratna Shakya settled in the USA since long, Nepali Sahitya Adhyayan Samiti or Upashak Brothers to clarify the source that would help unveil the mystery and intention so as to know the exact number of  Gorkhe Khabar Kagat published till date as Kamal Mani Dixit later claimed to have obtained  its 17 issues altogether for his Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya. The material reproduced by him was not from within the issues available. Some more issues could, therefore, be there than the available unless some motive otherwise in not disclosing it. My tribute to those warring Pradhans for making the history – we Newars still have the trait sometimes fighting ourselves or our own people but excel in our respective fields contributing to the cause wherever we are and  in whatever capacity!

Text of the Address in the Shankhadhar Sirpa Ceremony by Rajiva Shanker Shresta on New Year’s Day 2011 at Thimi, Nepal

Jwajwalappa!

It is a great pleasure to be invited in this august gathering of the celebrities, intellectuals and dignitaries including distinguished guests on this great occasion of handing over of the Shankhadhar Sirpa, an Award started in fond memory and honour of the Great National Vibhuti (Hero) Shankhadhar Sakhwa and express my deep gratitude for giving me this rare opportunity to stand before you all and address. I on behalf of myself and the Newars in Sikkim extend hearty felicitations and convey our New Year greetings and best wishes for good health, prosperity and long life to you all.

First of all, I take this opportunity to remember on this solemn day the Great Vibhuti Shankhadhar Sakhwa and many of our forefathers who have contributed immensely here and outside in Sikkim, Darjeeling and different parts of India by their hard labour and unfailing dedication to make the name of we the Newars a distinct identity the world over and offer our heartiest tributes in their fond memory and seek your permission to proceed further on.

Born and brought up by two mothers from amongst the first family to reach Sikkim, Taksari Chandrabir Newar and his son Rai Saheb Ratna Bahadur Pradhan of the Chandra Nursery, we from our Harishankerlal Ramshankerlal Nepali Kothi (Established 1887) Chaukhambha Banaras family had the great privilege to be blessed to be in Sikkim. Rai Saheb Hari Prasad Pradhan from Sikkim had the distinguished career as the First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in Nepal. Presently, our living legend Ambica Shrestha of Hotel Dwarikas, from Kalimpong is too a Sikkim daughter, we are proud of. I also mention here of Uday Sunder Shrestha from Darjeeling for his SPACES design magazine here. Besides these, we have many who have contributed to the floriculture here decades ago.

The spirit of joy and celebrations witnessed here during the celebrations of National festivities of Yomari Punhi and Jyapu Diwas recently reminded me of those seen earlier in Nhu Dan Bhintuna Rallies here. On arriving here my friend Maheswor Shrestha of NESOCA welcome me to the native land. On Yomari Punhi, when we reach to meet and seek the blessings from the eldest of my family to share the same descent, 91-year old uncle Deo Shanker Lal Shrestha and his 86-year old wife Indira Shrestha, we are overwhelmed by the love and affection showered on us by expressing his desire, “Whatever be the problem here of water and electricity, you come back to Nepal.” Same evening our Jwai Saheb Rajendra Shrestha visit us at our Tengal residence to hand over a copy of his recent book, Vishwaka Sanghiya Rajyaharu, Samvidhan Sabhaharu ra Nepalko Baato and thus add to our joy of delicious and nourishing Yomari his wife and our niece Anjali brought for us in the morning. Similarly, my relative Dipak Shrestha of Hetauda Wapau (already awarded by this Shankhadhar Sirpa) sparing his valuable time reach to accompany me in this function. Such opportunities of love, affection, respect and hospitality given to us make us firmly believe in the well cultured tradition of we the Newars to be still in the safe hands standing on a strong base.

What a wonderful way to be in Nepal Mandal on the New Year’s Day to usher in the Decade of the Newah People in the Nepal Tourism Year 2011 and to get the book Newah Bhaye Learner ready to launch within days after spending equal number in getting it done running from pillar to post virtually – at the cost of my health - courtesy power cuts. No matter and I were not allowing this to come on my way determined once we get the text from the US. We wished this book a New Year Release, but on receiving the matter things were not easy as made out - by the persons concerned I came across. Yet somehow the book was finally taking shape and getting ready for the delivery.  Rest assured, I went for a deep slumber while the people the world over were busy to enjoy the world ushering the New Year in on their television screen waiting for the power supply to return.

I had something more important to accomplish the New Year Day – keep the word to the organizers  who had been kind enough to accommodate me in on the forum rubbing shoulders with the Newah celebrities of the stature like that of Padma Ratna Tuladhar of the Nepal Bhasha Manka: Khala: chairing the Shankhdhar Sirpa function with his senior Laxman Rajbanshi, the Patron of the Newa: Deya Daboo and Chief of the Bakhan Daboo, were the members of the committee of the Shankhdhar Sirpa Samiti to speak Dr. Pushparaj Rajkarnikar, Chhatra Bahadur Kayastha and Nepal Samvat expert Jagdish Chandra Regmi while Tejeshwarbabu Gwang: absented. Tuladhar is kind enough to formally release the book and announce the launch of our new website www. newarsinsikkim.org   excuse himself after delivering his address when he makes a brief account of the Newars coming together first with the Chwasa Pasa in Calcutta  and thereafter. He also dwells on how this Shankhdhar Sirpa was conceptualized in a Gangtok hotel on Ganesh Ram Lachhi’s suggestion way back in 1997.They were with their Nepal Bhasha Mankah Khala people invited to Sikkim to present Newah Cultural Show on December 13 and 14 in the Community Hall as a part of the year-long celebrations of the 50 Years of India’s Independence. Just before the function, Tuladhar was mentioning about this visit and I told him that was still fresh in the minds of the people there and more so with both our websites make it immemorial carrying the pictures of the great occasion together. Some memories never fade but always fresh to cherish even years after!

Copies were ready as it got bound to finish burning mid night oil tells me Usha Shrestha, when I wish her Happy New Year next morning. Rajesh Sthapit, of Layout Graphic Studio with pre-press help, was right to suggest me the Commoner Press nearby. After the demise of her father who edited and published The Commoner for 40 long years, she has been running it as the printing unit for last seven years with her sister and Rajesh now joining after his studies completed in Australia. We feel proud thus associated to the concern which is a history of sort in the capital.

Laxman Rajbanshi accounts how Padma Ratna Tuladhar played key role in taking the Newars so far thus far though he were amongst five to start the Nepal Bhasha Mankah Khala in August 1979. It was an attempt of the Nepal Bhasha Mankah Khala to form and provide a national forum for the Newah people and on the second day of their First General Meeting held in Kathmandu that the  formation of the Newa: Dey Daboo was announced on the 2nd September 1995. He also narrates how things were not in our favour till the announcement of Shankhdhar Sakhwa as the National Vibhuti (Hero) and the Nepal Samvat as the National Calendar. Now the time has come to promote and preserve.  The research done for his paper The Newars – the Indegenous Population of the Kathmandu Valley in the Modern State of Nepal done by Dr. Bal Gopal Shrestha in 1998 gives a beautiful account that now needs to be updated for the benefit of the catch up with the progress thereafter.

Before the function starts, Ganesh Ram Lachhi, Chhyanje, the General Secretary of the Committee Shankhdhar Sirpa Samiti distributes the souvenir, Thukathan Palistha Jul, himself welcoming the guests comfortable in their seats.