LALITPUR, JANUARY 10

Lalitpur Metropolitan City has provided financial aid of Rs 5 million to the Kartik Naach Conservation Committee.

The amount will be used to set up a revolving fund for preservation of the age-old dance.

At a function held yesterday, LMC Mayor Chiribabu Maharjan handed over a cheque to the committee’s Chairperson Kiran Chitrakar.

Speaking on the occasion, Mayor Maharjan said this dance based on Bishnu Purana should be preserved as it provides entertainment while also uniting the people.

He also shared that an effort was being made to provide similar support for the promotion of Rudrayani Naach exhibited in Khokana and for the Harisiddhi Bhawani fair and dance in Harisiddhi.

Committee Chair Chitrakar said Kartik Naach was a national heritage and was a medium for preserving and promoting traditional culture.

Kartik Naach is performed at Kartik Dabali next to the Krishna temple in Patan every year. It is named after the month of Kartik in the lunar calendar as it is performed throughout the month of Kartik. The dance is believed to have been started by then King of Patan Siddhinarasingh Malla in 1641.