A delegation from the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Samyak Mahadan Main Organising Committee on Thursday formally invited President Ram Chandra Paudel to attend the Samyak Mahadan ceremony, presenting the official invitation to the head of state at a programme held at Shital Niwas. Acting Mayor Sunita Dangol handed over the invitation on behalf of the organising committee, marking an important preparatory step for one of the capital's most significant Buddhist religious celebrations. The delegation arrived at the President's official residence with special cultural traditions and musical bands, giving the occasion a distinctly festive and ceremonial character, as reported by Khabarhub.

A Ceremonial Call at Shital Niwas

The visit to Shital Niwas was organised as more than a routine official errand. The members of the delegation reached the President's residence in a procession accompanied by traditional musical bands, reflecting the reverence with which the Samyak Mahadan is regarded by the Newar Buddhist community of the Kathmandu Valley. The presence of the cultural ensembles and the observance of special traditions underscored that the invitation was being extended not merely as a formal protocol, but as an expression of religious devotion and civic pride.

According to Rato Pati, the delegation that called on President Paudel was a broad and representative one. It comprised:

  • Acting Mayor Sunita Dangol, who formally presented the invitation to the President at the programme
  • Buddhist religious leaders associated with the Samyak Mahadan tradition
  • People's representatives of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, who joined the delegation as elected members of the local government
  • Other distinguished guests invited to accompany the committee on the occasion

The inclusion of religious leaders alongside elected representatives highlighted the partnership between the metropolitan city and the Buddhist community in organising the festival. By bringing together civic authority and religious leadership in a single delegation, the organising committee signalled the shared responsibility it has assumed for the conduct of the ceremony.

Significance of Inviting the Head of State

The decision to invite President Paudel personally reflects the stature that the Samyak Mahadan holds within the capital's religious and cultural calendar. Invitations to the head of state for major religious festivals are traditionally seen as a mark of the event's national importance, and the delegation's visit to Shital Niwas placed the festival firmly within that framework of official recognition.

For Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the invitation also serves to connect the municipal government with the highest office of the country in the lead-up to the ceremony. Acting Mayor Dangol's role in presenting the invitation demonstrated the city's direct engagement with the organising process, while the presence of the metropolitan city's people's representatives reinforced the local government's institutional commitment to the event. The formal presentation at the President's residence thus functioned simultaneously as a religious courtesy, a civic act and a diplomatic gesture.

About the Samyak Mahadan Tradition

The Samyak Mahadan is regarded as one of the grandest religious ceremonies of the Newar Buddhist community, with the very name of the festival conveying the idea of a great and perfect offering. The ceremony centres on the practice of daan, or almsgiving, and is observed with elaborate rituals that have been passed down through generations in the Kathmandu Valley. Its organisation involves extensive preparation, with a main organising committee coordinating the religious rites, the gathering of devotees and the many ceremonial elements that accompany the event.

That a dedicated Kathmandu Metropolitan City Samyak Mahadan Main Organising Committee has been constituted for the festival indicates the scale of the undertaking and the central role the metropolitan city has taken in facilitating it. The committee's outreach, extending from the Buddhist religious leadership to the office of the President, illustrates how the preparation of the ceremony reaches across the religious, civic and national spheres.

Anticipation Builds Ahead of the Ceremony

With the formal invitation now delivered, attention turns towards the ceremony itself and the participation of the distinguished guests who have been called upon. The delegation's visit on Thursday, complete with musical bands and cultural traditions, has set the tone for the celebrations to come and drawn public attention to the preparations underway in the capital.

The presence of the President on the guest list adds considerable weight to the occasion, and the organising committee's decision to travel to Shital Niwas in person reflects the importance it attaches to his attendance. For the Newar Buddhist community and the wider public of Kathmandu, the exchange at the President's residence represents a moment of recognition for a festival that remains a cornerstone of the valley's living heritage. Further details about the ceremony's schedule and arrangements are expected to be announced by the organising committee as the event draws nearer.