TANAHUN: On the occasion of Bhanu Jayanti, a public holiday will be declared in Gandaki Province on Sunday.

The Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers of Gandaki Province has issued a notification informing that a public holiday has been declared in all government offices, educational institutions and public corporations in Gandaki on Asad 29, informed Bhanu Municipality Mayor Ananda Raj Tripathi.

Mayor Tripathi said that he was happy that the Gandaki government had published the notice regarding public holidays in the provincial gazette as per the decision.

Bhanu Jayanti is being celebrated in a week-long festival in the birthplace of the poet, Chundiramgha, under the joint initiative of Bhanu Municipality and Adikavi Bhanubhakta Janmasthal Bikas Samiti.

According to committee chairman Ram Kumar Shrestha, programs such as poetry competition, Ramayana recitation, blood donation, distribution of fruits to the sick, poetry evening, Prabhat Ferry and evening Deepawali have been organized. The main program to be held on Asad 29 will be hosted by Gandaki Province Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey, the committee has stated.

Similarly, the Bhanu Ghansi Memorial Park Conservation Committee located in Ghansikuwa, Byas Municipality-12, has organized a poetry recitation program related to the first poet Bhanu Bhanubhakta Acharya on Ashad 29. The decision to hold the program under the chief guestship of Byas Municipality Mayor Baikuntha Neupane, informed the committee chair Amrit Pantha.

Acharya, who was born on Asad 29, 1871 BS, passed away on Asoj 6, 1925 BS. Known as a representative poet of the early period of Nepali literature, Bhanubhakta is famous as the translator of Valmiki’s Ramayana. Adi Kavi Bhanubhakta Acharya, who is considered to be a poet of the early period in the world of Nepali literature, was born on Asad 29, 1871 BS in Chundibesi, Ramgha, Tanahun.

The literature of the first poet, who gave originality to the Nepali language, is equally popular in Nepali society to this day. In particular, he has been able to translate the Ramayana, written in Nepali Sanskrit, into the Nepali language and folk style and reach the masses of the society. In addition, the importance of Bhaktamala (1910), Vadhu Shiksha (1919), Prashnottaramala (1910) and Ramgita (1925) composed by him is equally popular even today.

Acharya, the first poet, has played a major role in conveying moral messages to society through his poems based on Eastern philosophy, religion and culture. Bhanubhakta, who was considered a shining star in the Nepali literary world, died in Ramgha, Tanahun in 1955 BS.

After Motiram Bhatta collected the manuscripts of Bhanubhakta’s works and published them in the form of a book, he became established in Nepali literature.