People from the Newa community on Wednesday welcomed the Nepal Sambat New Year 1143 by organising various programmes.

The National Luminary, Shankhadhar Sakhwa is credited with initiating the Nepal Sambat in 880 AD by freeing the poor from their debt during the reign of the Lichhavi dynasty king Raghav Dev.

Historian Dr Triratna Manandhar said that the Nepal Sambat calendar was recognised as the state calendar until the reign of King Prithvi Narayan Shah.

According to Manandhar, the Shaka Sambat calendar was in use before the Lichchhavi rule. "The Nepal Sambat is a unique calendar of Nepal as it has been named after the country's name," he said.

To mark the occasion, a ‘Bhintuna’ rally was organised at Basantapur Durbar Square area in the Capital to mark the beginning of the Newa new year.

The participants donned traditional Newa attire, displayed various dances while playing cultural musical instruments.

Here are some photos of the rally captured by Post’s photographer Elite Joshi.