President Bhandari gifts gunyo-cholo to Balmandir girls
KATHMANDU: President Bidya Devi Bhandari presented gunyo-cholo to the girls sheltered at Balmandir, on the occasion of Laxmi Puja today.
Gunyo-cholo is the traditional Nepali dress worn by girls. It comprises two pieces of cloth. The Gunyo is a long patterned silk or cotton cloth worn like a saree while the cholo is similar to full blouse.
The Head-of-the-State gifted gunyoo-cholo to 43 girls between six to 16 years of age at a special ceremony organized at the President House, Shital Niwas. On the occasion, the President also performed Laxmi Puja amidst the chanting of vedic hymns.
In a brief conversation with the office-bearers of Bal Mandir at the function, President Bhandari said she felt very delighted to gift gunyo-cholo to the girls in keeping with Nepali culture and tradition, according to Bhesh Raj Adhikari, the private secretary to the President.
Each of the 43 girls was given a gunyo (red with patterns), a dhaka choli, a white patuki, black trousers, a pair of red velvet shoes, a dozen of red glass bangles and coloured threads to be tied in plaits.
The President took a group photo with the girls and also chatted with them on the occasion. The girls were also offered sweets.
The chiefs and representatives of various organizations working in the child protection sector, president of the parliament's committee on women, children and social welfare , Ranju Kumari Jha, joint-secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare, Radhika Aryal, among others, were present on the occasion.