- Prem Siwakoti, 20, lending hands before portrait of goddess Laxmi in New York City.
Oct 18: Resettled Bhutanese in different parts of United States of America (USA) have started observing Tihar, one of the greatest festivals of Nepali by performing Deusi songs, typical Nepali dance, among other programs.
Around 60 people in Bronx in New York City gathered in one of the apartments of resettled Bhutanese to perform Deusi song. They jointly performed prayers to goddess Laxmi and rocked the floor for about three hours with typical Nepali songs.
Tika Ram Acharya from Manchester in New Hampshire informed BNS over telephone that around 200 Bhutanese gathered at Universal Centre to mark the festival.
According to Acharya, various cultural shows were performed during the function, which was attended by people of different age groups from three to 85 years old. The centre also noticed typical dances with Deusi songs, Sangini dances, among others.
The program in Manchester was jointly organized by high school graduates—both fresher and former student that includes Bishnu Niroula, Bhola Pathak, Govinda Adhikari and Lal Khadka.
Acharya further informed BNS that local community people, mainly from education department, representatives of resettlement agencies, among others attended the program.
In the initiative of Group of Bhutanese Youth in Oregon (GoBYO), an estimated 60 Bhutanese gathered in the apartment of Som Subedi to mark the festival. Deusi songs, typical Nepali dances and some other cultural shows were major attractions of the program.
Subedi, a founder member of GoBYO, informed BNS over telephone that the amount collected from Deusi songs will serve as reservation funds for the group to launch other programs in the days to come.
Click here to watch a You Tube video how Subedi received Tika from his sister.
Busy schedules of Bhutanese resettled in USA has affected to timely celebration of the festival. Reports are pouring in stating that in some States, people have started receiving Tika on forehead from their sisters while in some states.
Yam Mainali from Regina city in Canada informed BNS that Bhutanese in Canada also marked the festival beginning yesterday.
In Regina, according to Mainali, people performed Laxmi Puja in their own apartments. They are planning to receive Tika tomorrow.
According to Shiva Chamlagai, people in Cincinnati in Ohio marked the festival beginning yesterday by performing Deusi songs. Children, youths and adults were grouped to knock the door of resettled Bhutanese to perform Deusi songs.
Chamlagai further informed BNS that youths were seen making long distance walks to reach out to people to knock the door for Deusi songs.
Bimala Gurung from Tucson in Arizona informed BNS that youths there were planning to play Deusi songs today to mark the festival.
According to Lok Kafle, all 52 resettled Bhutanese in Anchorage in Alaska marked the festival today amidst a special function.
In an unique attempt to mark the festival, people in Anchorage played Deusi songs, performed Laxmi Puja and received Tika today on the same day.
Representatives of resettlement agencies, locals, among others attended the function. Meanwhile, people were served with traditional Nepali food stuffs.
According to our correspondent TN Mishra in California, Bhutanese there observed Tihar organizing ‘Deusi Bhailo Saanz’.
The program organized by Bhutanese Community Support Organization in America (BASCO) was attended by around 150 Bhutanese. The program was organised in Buena Vesta United Methodist Church in Alameda.
Text and photos by TP Mishra in New York City with inputs from other correspondents in different States of USA.
