Nepal

Nepalis celebrate their official New Year mid-April welcoming the first of Baisakh, the first day of Bikram Samvat New Year. Or around mid-October when they celebrate Nepal Samvat New Year. Indigenous nationalities with Himalayan heritage celebrate several Lhosars as the beginning of their New Year. 

But all such rich traditions don’t stop them from celebrating the international New Year which is welcomed worldwide by the followers or the Anno Domini calendar, which started after the birth of Jesus Christ. Because the calendar is followed globally, it’s also called the Common Era. 

As the followers of the CE calendar welcomed 2023, Nepalis too have welcomed the New Year with much fervour. In Kathmandu, thousands of youngsters thronged the streets of Durbar Marg and Thamel to enjoy delicacies and musical a concert organised to welcome the New Year.

Similar celebrations were also held in Lakeside, Pokhara; Sauraha, Chitwan and other tourism hubs around the country. But most revellers didn't follow Covid safety rules such as masking up and social distancing despite warning of a possible new surge of Covid by health authorities.

Separately, members of Nepathya, a popular Nepali musical band, belted out popular Nepali songs as they wrapped their Nepal tour dubbed 'music for humanity'.  See photos of New Year celebrations and Nepathya concert in Kathmandu, captured by NepalMinute.com photographers: