Sikkimese Newars to study mother tongue in TU

Kathmandu, November 5:

While the charm of Newari language is on wane in Kathmandu, six Newars from Sikkim have arrived in the capital today to study their language.

Six Newar students from the Indian state of Sikkim are trying to join the Tribhuvan University to acquire degrees in Newari language, with a mission to take back academic and practical knowledge of their mother language to their hometown where people hardly understand use it.

Four aspirant Newari language students — two boys and two girls — are joining the Patan Multiple Campus to pursue Masters Degree, while two other girls have sought admission in Padma Kanya Collage in the Bachelors’ level.

“We are in search of our identity. We lately understood the value of our mother language and culture and now we want to study the language by enrolling in the university,” said Prajwala Pradhan, one among them, talking to The Himalayan Times.

With special programmes to promote local languages, the Sikkim government has made a provision to teach Newari language in some government schools and has allocated five seats for Newari teachers.

A resident from Milli of Southern Sikkim Prajwala Pradhan said she has chosen the study of Newari language as her career. Prajwala, Harimaya Pradhan, Chudamani Pradhan and Ashok Pradhan will study MA while Bina Pradhan and Babita Pradhan are studing BA.

Prof Prem Shanti Tuladhar, a Newari language professor in Padma Kanya Campus, said that thirst for cultural identity brought them here.

“It is their quest for identity which have driven them here. They have also found opportunity of winning a government job. That is why we say government policies matter,” she said.