Tamu Lhosar Festival Celebrated Grandly in the European Country of Luxembourg

Luxembourg. The Tamu Lhosar festival, celebrated as the New Year by the Gurung community, has been concluded with great fanfare in the European country of Luxembourg. Organized by the Tamu Samaj Luxembourg on Thursday, the 'Tamu Lhosar-2610' special program saw a significant presence of individuals from various communities residing in Luxembourg.

Addressing the program, Santosh Gurung, President of Tamu Samaj Luxembourg, stated that it is a matter of pride to be able to organize such events to preserve one's traditions and culture on foreign soil. President Gurung mentioned that events like these, organized by them, help maintain mutual harmony between the Gurung and non-Gurung communities living in Luxembourg.

He further added that such festivals and celebrations prove to be milestones in informing the flower-like Nepali children growing up across the seven seas about their traditions and customs, and in exchanging culture.

Similarly, Chitra Gurung, Joint Secretary of Tamu Samaj Luxembourg, shared that they plan to celebrate the Tamu Lhosar festival in the coming years as a common platform to involve the entire Nepali community in Luxembourg and to bring out their inherent talents.

During the event, community leaders and representatives of various organizations related to the Nepali community in Luxembourg expressed their views, stating that such programs play a vital role in educating their descendants about culture and traditions.

Held at the hall of Kosheli Restaurant in Schengen, Luxembourg, the Tamu Samaj Luxembourg also honored Nepali elders and leaders active in various fields and communities within Luxembourg.

The program, which saw participation from three generations of Nepalis living in Luxembourg, featured musical performances alongside traditional Gurung attire. 

The event became even more interesting with various musical and entertaining performances presented by local talents from the Gurung and other communities. Tamu Samaj Luxembourg has been organizing special programs on the occasion of Tamu Lhosar since last year.

The core mantra of this year's Tamu Lhosar 2610 by Tamu Samaj Luxembourg—"If scriptures are lost, rituals are lost; if rituals are lost, culture is lost; if culture is lost, human existence itself is lost"—captured the special attention of the entire Nepali community in Luxembourg. 

Tamu Samaj Luxembourg organized this special program on Thursday in the context of Tamu Lhosar, which is celebrated every year on the 15th of Poush according to the Nepali calendar.

In the Gurung community, there is a tradition of celebrating this festival to mark the end of one year and the beginning of a new one according to the cycle of 12 animal signs. In this sequence, this year saw the farewell of the 'Sapri Lho' (Year of the Snake) and the welcome of the 'Ta Lho' (Year of the Horse).

On the occasion of Tamu Lhosar, members of the Gurung community gather with family members, relatives, and kin from far and wide, perform worship and cultural programs, exchange greetings, enjoy delicious food, and celebrate with singing and dancing.

According to historians, this festival is linked to nature worship, based on the belief that Poush 15 marks the longest night; as the day begins to lengthen after this night, the New Year is welcomed. This also reflects the unique identity of Gurung civilization and culture.