Grand cultural event turns New Road festive

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, May 17: A grand cultural festival organised by Ward No. 22 Office of Kathmandu Metropolitan City drew massive crowds to New Road and surrounding areas on Saturday, transforming the heart of the Capital into a vibrant hub of culture, music, heritage and commerce.

The ‘Grand Ward 22 Festival’ showcased the rich historical, social, religious and commercial identity of the locality through a wide range of programmes organised across New Road, Pyukha, Wotu, Sundhara, Te Bahal, Dharmapath, Khichapokhari and nearby areas.

Thousands of visitors, including locals, domestic tourists, shoppers and youths, participated in the day-long celebration, which featured cultural rallies, traditional music and dance performances, food festivals, exhibitions, literary events and live concerts.

According to Ward Chairperson Chini Kaji Maharjan, the festival was organised with the objective of preserving the ward’s cultural heritage while promoting local businesses and encouraging community participation.

“We wanted to bring together the historical, cultural and commercial aspects of Ward No. 22 through a common platform,” Maharjan said. “The festival has also helped promote local traditions and strengthen social harmony.”

The festival began at 7:30 am with a walkathon organised to raise awareness about cancer prevention. Various cultural programmes continued throughout the day in different parts of the ward.

One of the major attractions of the festival was the Dhime Baja competition held at Pyukha Tole. The festival also featured concerts by local artists, while renowned singer Deepak Bajracharya and the Rhythm Band, along with folk music ensemble Kutumba Band, entertained audiences with live performances in the evening.

More than 150 stalls displaying handicrafts, local products, ready-made garments, shoes, bags, mobile phones and electronic goods were set up across the festival area. Likewise, over 50 stalls offered traditional Newa cuisine and various other food items, attracting food enthusiasts throughout the day.

Children’s play zone, face-painting activities and entertainment programmes added to the festive mood and remained popular among families visiting the event.

A multilingual literary festival organised at Te Bahal brought together writers, poets and literary enthusiasts from different communities. Historical photo exhibitions, art displays and book exhibitions highlighting the history and culture of the area were also organised.

Similarly, blood donation programmes were conducted at six different locations as part of the festival’s social awareness initiatives. An online heritage hunt game was also introduced to encourage young people to learn more about the cultural and historical heritage sites within the ward.

Visitors expressed happiness over the lively atmosphere and diverse programmes organised during the festival.

“It feels like the entire New Road area has come alive today,” said Roshan Tuladhar, a visitor from Bhaktapur. “The festival beautifully reflects Newa culture while also creating opportunities for local businesses and artists.”

Another participant, Sushmita Shrestha, said the event provided a rare opportunity to experience traditional culture and modern entertainment together in one place.

Organisers estimated that around 400,000 people would participate in the festival. To manage the large number of visitors, parking arrangements were made at Dharahara, Civil Mall, CTC Mall, Kathmandu Mall and STC Mall.

Ward No. 22, one of the busiest commercial centres in Kathmandu, includes major areas such as New Road, Te Bahal, Sundhara, Khichapokhari, Pyukha and Gana Bahal. According to ward officials, around 8,000 wholesale and retail businesses currently operate within the ward.