December 05, 2025 11:56 am (IST)

Make this your homepage

Events

'Mamata fooled Muslims': Humayun Kabir explodes after TMC suspends him over 'Babri Masjid-style mosque' demand; announces new party | Mosque in the middle of Kolkata airport? Centre confirms flight risks, BJP fires at Mamata | Sam Altman is betting big on India! OpenAI in advanced talks with Tata to build AI infrastructure | Government removes mandatory pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi App. Know all details | Calcutta HC overturns controversial Bengal job annulment — 32,000 teachers rejoice! | Bengal SIR shock: 1 lakh ‘deceased voters’ found in Kolkata North! | Massive twist in Bengal voter list: ‘Perfect’ 2,280 booths shrink to just 480 after probe! | ‘Red carpet for intruders?’: Supreme Court raps petitioner in Rohingya case | Sanchar Saathi app row: Scindia shuts down Congress' ‘snooping’ charge — here’s what he said | Layoff alert! Marketing giant Omnicom to slash 4,000 jobs and shut historic ad agencies after IPG takeover

Kolkata gets a chance to celebrate the Lepcha New Year

India Blooms News Service | @indiablooms | Dec 14, 2018, at 02:43 pm

#LepchaNewYear #Kalimpong #Kolkata #RabindraBharatiUniversity

Kolkata, Dec 14 (IBNS): Kolkata got a chance to witness the New Year rituals of the Lepcha tribe from the Himalayan region of West Bengal at a colourful event organised at the Jorasanko Thakurbari.

Artists from Kalimpong presented a slew of music and dance performancesmarking the Lepcha New Year.

Prof. Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury, Vice Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati University and Chairman of West Bengal State Akademi of Dance Drama Music and Visual Arts inaugurated the celebrations.

"We are keen to highlight the different cultures prevalent in various parts of West Bengal, which is why we have taken this initiative," said Prof. Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury.

N.T Lepcha, Executive Member of the Cultural Cell, WBLLDB said, "We make idols to bid farewell to the previous year on the last day of the year. The following day, we celebrate the onset of the newyear when the eldest member in the family applies ‘tika’ (a paste made of sandalwood) to the foreheads of all family members."

"We mark the beginning of the new year by organizing ‘pickshut’, a traditional ceremony where fruits and vegetables are kept in a traditional sieve called, ‘nanglo’," said N.T Lepcha.

The Lepcha New Year celebrations continue for seven days and commemorate the triumph of the Lepchas over the devil, Laaso Mung Pono according to the Lepcha Folklore.

(Reporting by Meghna Dunbar)

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.

India
International

Related Images

In Images: Kolkata Celebrates Jagadhatri Puja Oct 31, 2025, at 12:43 am

Darjipara Mitra Bari Gears Up for Its Centuries-Old Jagadhatri Puja in Kolkata Oct 30, 2025, at 01:16 am

In Images: Devotees in Kolkata bid farewell to Goddess Durga with sindoor khela and immersion on Vijayadashami Oct 03, 2025, at 12:19 am