Date: Saturday, May 31, 2025
Venue: Nepa-Dhuku Hall, Hotel Radisson Kathmandu

Program

6:00 PM Welcome by Social Science Baha Chair Nirmal Man Tuladhar
6:10 PM Welcome by AAS President Nancy Peluso
6:20 PM Keynote address ‘Reframing Global Asias: The Nepal Perspective’ by Pitamber Sharma, former professor of Geography, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
7:00 PM Q&A
7:15 PM Dance performance

Kumari Dance

The Kumari Dance, a form of the Chariya Dance, is a traditional ritual performance rooted in the Kathmandu Valley’s Newar culture. The five dancers refer to the five young virgin girls who divine feminine energy, often linked to the revered Kumari (living goddess) tradition. The dance symbolizes blessings and purity. Dancers wear vibrant red and gold attire with intricate jewelry, and perform graceful, symbolic mudras (gestures) accompanied by traditional musical troupe. The performance underscores cultural heritage, spiritual devotion and the veneration of female divinity in the Nepali society. Above all, the dance serves both cultural and religious purposes, invoking divine blessings and preserving heritage.

Artists: Reshu Maharjan, Lasata Maharjan, Prakriti Maharjan, Sulisma Nakarmi and Rikisha Shrestha

Director: Chandra Man Munikar, Senior Charya Nritya Guru, Vajra Kala Kunja