The Arrano society, located in Donostia's Egia neighborhood, was the venue for the Nepali New Year celebration, marking the arrival of the year 2083. Approximately one hundred Nepali citizens, dressed in their traditional attire and residing in various parts of Gipuzkoa, gathered to welcome the new year with music, dance, and typical cuisine from their homeland.
The event was organized by Ashok Lama Rumba, president of the Donostiako Nepaliak Cultural Association, who settled in Donostia with his family in 2021. Lama Rumba expressed his hope for the continuity of this celebration in the future. This year's edition featured a special guest: the mountaineer from Bizkaia, Alex Txikon. Txikon was invited by Lama Rumba after they met two weeks prior at Mendietxe, the mountain museum Txikon is building in Azpeitia.
Txikon arrived in Donostia accompanied by Cheppal Sherpa, with whom he has ascended Himalayan peaks up to 30 times. Both are focused on the Mendietxe project and expressed their desire for the Nepali community to have a significant place in the future museum.
“"He is a person who loves our country and our mountains, and we welcome him as one of our own."
After wishing a happy and prosperous new year to those present and witnessing a traditional dance performed by Akriti, Ashok Rumba's 18-year-old daughter, the association's president thanked Alex Txikon for his presence and conveyed the support of the Gipuzkoan Nepali community for Txikon's Azpeitia project.
“"The first time I was in Nepal was in the year 2061 and now we are ushering in 2083. Since that day I have been there 50 times. I have visited 71 countries but nowhere have I been treated like in your country. I could not miss the opportunity to come to this great celebration. I am very excited to know that this community is here, in our home, and I hope that together we continue to move forward to make it grow."
The mountaineer, visibly moved, shared his deep connection with Nepal, expressing his love and admiration for the country and its people. He concluded his speech to widespread applause by stating that «the greatest thing about Nepal is not its mountains but its people, which is all of you».
The music, dance, and especially the Nepali food, prepared at the society itself, enlivened the evening until 8:15 PM local time, when midnight struck in Nepal, allowing those present to exchange the greeting 'Naya Barsha Ko Shubhkaamana'. Happy New Year to the entire Nepali community in Gipuzkoa.
