KATHMANDU: The Gurung community is marking the ‘Tamu Lhosar’ as the New Year from today by bidding adieu to the old one. In the Gurung language, ‘Lho’ means class and ‘Sar’ means change, and change in class is called as ‘Tamu Lhosar’.

The members of Gurung community jovially mark the festival by organizing feasts and cultural programmes on Paush 15 as per the Gurung tradition. Tamu Lhosar is also associated with the rays of the sun.

The festival is marked on Paush 15 as the sunrays come early in the geography of Gurung settlements including Lamjung, Gorkha, Tanahun, Syangja, Manang, Kaski and Parbat of the Gandaki Province. The members of the Gurung community are organizing a special programme at Tundikhel in the capital city today.

On the occasion of the Tamu Lhosar, Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun has expressed best wishes towards Gurung community at home and abroad adding that such festivals help maintain social unity, goodwill and religious tolerance.

Vice President Pun has wished for happiness, peace and prosperity to all Tamu sisters and brothers at home and abroad.

Saying that national unity amid diversities is the feature of Nepalis, the Vice President has expressed the confidence that our unique religious and cultural festivals would further strengthen our national unity by maintaining social unity, goodwill and religious tolerance.