Nuwakot Prison looked a different place on Tuesday. It was full of activity when more than 150 prisoners set up the stage for the Tamangs’ New Year celebrations.

Tamang community members doing their time in the jail celebrated Sonam Losar. This was the first time the inmates had invited artistes to perform inside the prison with permission from the jailer.

Jailbirds keen to welcome the 2852nd new year had collected money to organise the programme. The jail administration had also encouraged them to organise the programme as it would cheer them up. “We hope the cultural programme will provide a musical therapy and help prisoners channel their energy into creativity,” said DSP Siddha Bikram Shah.

It would also give the inmates, who live in isolation with little motivation, a positive break.

Artistes Bilan Thapa, Nita Pun Magar, Shanti Sunwar, Sumitra Lama and Sita Thapa performed while Chief District Officer Umesh Kumar Dhakal watched as the chief guest. The programme lasted five hours till 4pm.

Celebration in Dhading

DHADING: Tamang community from Dhading district celebrated Sonam Losar, their new year, on Tuesday. The joyous crowd bade farewell to the sheep year and welcomed the monkey year with traditional dance and cultural programme. A large crowd, many of them clad in traditional Tamang attire, rallied on the occasion. Former Minister Buddhi Man Tamang, and lawmaker Khilman Pakhrin exchanged new year’s greetings with the jubilant crowd. Around 1,00,000 Tamang people reside in Dhading. (PR)