November 23, 2024 03:21 (IST)
Follow us:
Kolkata gets a chance to celebrate the Lepcha New Year
Kolkata, Dec 14 (IBNS): Kolkata got a chance to witness the New Year rituals of the Lepcha tribe from the Himalayan region of West Bengal at a colourful event organised at the Jorasanko Thakurbari.
Artists from Kalimpong presented a slew of music and dance performancesmarking the Lepcha New Year.
Prof. Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury, Vice Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati University and Chairman of West Bengal State Akademi of Dance Drama Music and Visual Arts inaugurated the celebrations.
"We are keen to highlight the different cultures prevalent in various parts of West Bengal, which is why we have taken this initiative," said Prof. Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury.
N.T Lepcha, Executive Member of the Cultural Cell, WBLLDB said, "We make idols to bid farewell to the previous year on the last day of the year. The following day, we celebrate the onset of the newyear when the eldest member in the family applies ‘tika’ (a paste made of sandalwood) to the foreheads of all family members."
"We mark the beginning of the new year by organizing ‘pickshut’, a traditional ceremony where fruits and vegetables are kept in a traditional sieve called, ‘nanglo’," said N.T Lepcha.
The Lepcha New Year celebrations continue for seven days and commemorate the triumph of the Lepchas over the devil, Laaso Mung Pono according to the Lepcha Folklore.
(Reporting by Meghna Dunbar)
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
Kolkata: St. Xavier's College wins Jefferson Debates 2024 Wed, Nov 20 2024
Kerala's Shaikh Hassan Khan scripts history by conquering the 7 Summits of the World Mon, Nov 18 2024
United States, India expand collaboration in education with launch of Women in STEMM Fellowship Mon, Nov 18 2024
Telangana governor Jishnu Dev Varma felicitated at music festival to honour Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali in Hyderabad Sun, Nov 17 2024
Kolkata: Rotary hosts World Polio Day with students in Gyan Manch Sat, Nov 16 2024