The indigenous Kirant community is celebrating Sakewa Udhauli festival by organizing a variety of programmes and exchanging joy and greetings on Friday.

Various clans belonging to the community - Rai, Limbu, Yakkha and Sunuwar - celebrated the festival.

In a message issued on the occasion of the great festival of the Kirant, President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav wished the Kiranti brothers and sisters at home and abroad peace, prosperity and good health on Friday. He said all the festivals and customs are the heritage handed down by our ancestors and the treasures of the nation.

The indigenous Kirant community celebrated Sakewa Udhauli festival by organising a variety of programmes and exchanging joy and greetings on Friday.

Kirant people from children to adults perform a special type of dance called "Sakela" in open fields during the festival. They dance in circles in the rhythm of songs and music.

The Kirant clans are observing the festival in the capital city including Dharan, Damak, Jhapa and other eastern cities where they make up the majority.

This festival gives a glimpse to the agricultural life-style of Kirat people, as it falls during the harvesting season. The other main festival celebrated by Kirats is 'Sakewa Uvhauli' which falls during the beginning of the plantation season. Each festival lasts for 15 days.

The government has announced public holiday today.

Likewise, Vice-President Parmanand Jha has expressed confidence that mutual goodwill, tolerance and fraternity would be developed among the Nepalis of other communities through the medium of this festival.

In a message, Vice-president Jha has also wished good health, peace, prosperity and progress among all Nepalis living at home and abroad and wished that this festival would encourage one and all to work for overall development of the country by internalizing the essence of national consensus and coordination.

Similarly, Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, on the same occasion, extended best wishes for peace, prosperity, unity and fraternity of the entire Kirant community on the occasion of their great festival of Udhauli.

The Prime Minister has wished for success of the festival and expressed the confidence that the festival would inspire to further deepen the existing fraternity among the Nepalis.

Stating that our country is an unparalleled meeting point of multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural features, Prime Minister Dr. Bhattarai said unity in diversity and tolerance are our identity.

Meanwhile, in a message of best wishes given on the occasion of the Jyapu Day, the Prime Minister wished for peace, unity and fraternity to the Jyapu Day celebrations.

The Prime Minister said that Nepal is a common garden of all castes and creeds with multiethnic, multilingual and multicultural characteristics and Jyapu Day is one of the major festivals of the people of Kathmandu valley and Newars living in other parts of the country.

Likewise, Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala has extended best wishes to the Kiranti community on the occasion of Udhauli.

Saying that the Kiranti sisters and brothers had crucial contribution in establishing democracy in the past, the Nepali Congress President has expressed confidence that the brothers and sister of Kirant community would remain further responsible for safeguarding democracy in the present complex political context.

Also, Newar community is observing Yomari Punhi festival across the country to worship Annapurna, the goddess of grains, for the rice harvest. Nepalnews.com