Beldangi, Jhapa: A grand celebration of the 210th birth anniversary of Bhanu Bhakta Acharya was held in Beldangi, Bhutanese refugee camp by Literature Council of Bhutan (LCOB), Nepal Chapter, on Friday. The program commenced with the lighting of a lamp by the program chairperson, Dil Bhutani, and the chief guest, Champasingh Rai, along with offering a floral tribute to the image of poet Bhanubhakta Acharya.
Distinguished guests, attendees, and eminent personalities present at the event offered floral tributes to the image of Bhanu Bhakta.
Viren Magar, poet and writer of the book Dr. Bhumpa Rai presented a brief biography of Bhanubhakta Acharya, highlighting his significant contributions to the Nepali language and literature. He also emphasized the importance of Bhanubhakta’s contribution to the Nepali language by translating the Valmiki’s Ramayana into Nepali and inspiring further poetic compositions in Nepali.
Chief guest Champasingh Rai highlighted the water scarcity issue, particularly the complexities faced in providing drinking water to the refugees’ camp, and the need for timely solutions, along with sharing information about ongoing discussions with the Nepali government for the resolution of such problems. Special guest Purna Gurung mentioned that despite the majority of Bhutanese refugees being resettled in the third countries, there still remains unresolved issues.
During the program, Nar Bahadur Gurung, Tulsiram Adhikari, Padam Bahadur Magar, and Damber Kumari Kafle recited verses from the Ramayana. Special guest Yam Thulung, along with other prominent contributors Avilal Rai, Ritu Bardeva, Thiru Ghimire “Vikalp,” and Kewal Kshetri, presented their literary works. The program saw the enthusiastic presence of intellectual personalities, representatives of various organizations, notable literary figures, as well as youth and senior citizens.
Gangaram Lamitarae, the president of Literature Council of Bhutan, said: “We are losing our culture and values. The crisis is not only physical but also mental and emotional. Beldangi has been observing the struggle to preserve our language, culture, and civilization. Beldangi is not only a place for the revival of the Bhutanese refugees but also a pilgrimage and tourism. Therefore, I urge the resettled community to actively contribute and support Beldangi from time to time.”
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