Every year, as winter yields to spring, Tamang families across Canada gather to mark Lhochhar — the Tamang New Year rooted in the lunar calendar. In Brampton this past February, the Tamang Society of Canada brought together hundreds of community members for a day of prayer, traditional music, and shared meals that echoed the festivals of our homeland in Nepal.
The celebration began at dawn with ritual offerings at a local Buddhist temple, followed by the hoisting of colourful prayer flags that fluttered in the crisp Ontario air — a sight that moved many elders to tears of recognition and pride. Children dressed in traditional Tamang Gway performed the Damphu dance, a rhythm that has carried our identity across continents and generations.
What Lhochhar Means for Our Diaspora
For the Tamang diaspora, Lhochhar is more than a calendar event. It is a declaration that our culture travels with us. When second-generation children learn to fold Khapse (fried bread) beside their grandparents, they are not merely making a snack — they are receiving an inheritance.
“I had not heard the full Damphu beat since I left Sindhupalchok,” said one community elder. “Hearing it here in Canada, played by my grandchildren, was something I will carry for the rest of my life.”
Tamang Society of Canada plans to make Lochhar an annual flagship event. If you would like to volunteer or perform at next year’s celebration, get in touch with us.
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