In Nepal Bhasa there are 36 consonants and . The use of ङ and ञ was very common in the old form of language. However, in the new form, especially in writing, the use of these characters has diminished. The use of ण, त, थ, द, ध, न, श, ष, क्ष, त्र, ज्ञ is limited by the new grammar books to the loan words only.
Nepal Bhasa Bites: Pronunciation
Consonants
as in
DevnagariScript
ka
kennel
क
kha
Loch/cup
ख
ga
get
ग
gha
shanghai
घ
nga
finger
ङ
cha
church
च
chha
punch hard (said together)
छ
ja
jaw
ज
jha
vision
झ
yann
canyon
ञ
Consonants
as in
DevnagariScript
ta
ton
ट/ त
tha
thud
ठ/ थ
da
dug
ड/ द
dha
dharma
ढ/ ध
na
nut
ण/ न
pa
pup
प
pha
fun
फ
ba
bus
ब
bha
verse
भ
ma
mother
म
Consonants
as in
DevnagariScript
ya
yuppy
य
ra
run
र
la
love
ल
wa
won
व
sha
shun
श/ ष
sa
sun
स
ha
hug
ह
ksha
ox
क्ष
tra
truck
त्र
gya
gyoza
ज्ञ
If you spot any mistakes, please don’t hesitate to correct me. I greatly value your feedback and suggestions.
Welcome to Nepal Bhasa Bites! We’ll begin with pronunciation. The Nepal Bhasa alphabet consists of 14 vowels, similar to Nepali, plus 3 additional vowels unique to Nepal Bhasa. Contemporary Newar is typically written in the Devanagari script, which is what I’ll be using in Nepal Bhasa Bites.
Vowels
as in
Devnagari Script
a
err
अ
aa
are
आ
i
it
इ
ii
eat
ई
u
full
उ
uu
fool
ऊ
e
ten
ए
ai
height
ऐ
o
owe
ओ
au
ouch
औ
ah
awe
अः
Rarely used vowels
Vowels
Devnagari Script
ri
ऋ
rii
ॠ
ann
अं
Nepal Bhasa specific vowels
Vowels
Devnagari Script
ay
अय्
aay
आय्
ey
एय्
If you spot any mistakes, please don’t hesitate to correct me. I greatly value your feedback and suggestions.
I am starting a series of posts on learning Nepal Bhasa called Nepal Bhasa Bites.
Nepal Bhasa, also known as Newari, is the language of the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. The language has a rich history and deep cultural significance, reflecting the heritage and identity of the Newar community.
I cherished learning this language from my grandmother during my childhood. However, after moving to Australia, my proficiency in Nepal Bhasa has waned over the years due to a lack of practice. I’ve decided to compile some Nepal Bhasa resources here for anyone interested.
If you spot any mistakes, please don’t hesitate to correct me. I greatly value your feedback and suggestions.
I have a delightful and unique tradition when it comes to celebrating my kids’ birthdays: I celebrate them three times! Yes, you read that right—three times. And honestly, I feel like I have no other choice!
First up is their actual birth date. They get so excited about it that I can’t bear to skip a celebration. Their eyes light up with joy, and it’s such a heartwarming sight. So, we always do something special, even if it’s just a small family gathering.
Next, we throw a big birthday bash on the weekend. This is when friends and family join in on the fun. There are games, laughter, and of course, lots of cake. The house is filled with happy chaos, and it’s wonderful to see my kids revelling in all the attention and fun.
Lastly, we celebrate their Tithi birthday. Since we follow the Nepali calendar, our birthdays don’t always match up with the Gregorian calendar. The Tithi birthday is determined by the positions of the sun, moon, and planets. For this celebration, we embrace our cultural roots and have a traditional Nepali celebration with puja and sagun.
This year, for Chhora’s Tithi birthday, I wore a kurta and we performed a traditional puja. Chhora, who has been eagerly anticipating turning five, was thrilled to be a part of this beautiful tradition. We decorated the house, set up the puja area, and once everything was ready, Chhora sat down, eyes wide with curiosity and excitement.
I started with a puja for Lord Ganesh, followed by a special puja for Chhora. I explained each step to him as we went along. He listened intently, followed all the instructions, and didn’t complain or fidget even once! I was so proud of his patience and interest.
After the puja, Chhora received sagun and gifts, his face lighting up with happiness. He could hardly wait to dig into the cupcakes we had prepared. His joy was infectious, and it made all the effort worthwhile.
I truly hope that by celebrating in this way, we’re instilling a deep appreciation of our culture and traditions in our children. I want them to understand their roots and recognize how amazing and rich the Nepali culture is. Seeing Chhora so engaged and excited gives me hope that we’re on the right track!
It’s getting cold here in Sydney and it was raining on Saturday. We spent the afternoon at home, but on Sunday it was a beautiful sunny day, so we decided to enjoy a family outing.
Our first stop was a Nepali buffet brunch in Rockdale. Rockdale is like a mini Nepal in Sydney where you can find anything and everything that reminds you of Nepal. The suburb has become a hub for the Nepali community, offering a vibrant mix of cultural experiences. From a variety of authentic Nepali restaurants to grocery stores stocked with Nepali spices and ingredients, you can find everything you need to feel at home. There are also Nepali clothing boutiques with traditional and modern designs, jewellery shops with beautiful handcrafted pieces, and many more specialty stores. It’s common to hear Nepali spoken all around making you feel like you’ve been transported to Kathmandu.
We decided to go to a restaurant called Muglan for a buffet breakfast. I’ve been there once before for dinner, but this was our first time for brunch.
Their website mentioned these varieties on the menu: Jerry, Puri, Chana, Kerao, Mlah Khu, Roti, Egg, Fried Rice, Jimbu Potato, Finni, Samosa, Pakora, Nimkin, Halwa, Chowmein, Nuggets, Fries,Juice, Local Tea & more…
We arrived at the venue around 12, and there weren’t many people. I loved the decor. As my eyes moved towards the Dhaka wallpaper, I noticed many more Nepali decorations like the statue of Goddess Tara and traditional Thangka paintings.
The intricate designs and vibrant colours of the Dhaka wallpaper added a touch of Nepali authenticity to the space, making it feel warm and inviting. The clay lamps and the mirrors adorned with traditional motifs further enhanced the cultural ambiance.
Unfortunately, they didn’t have nuggets on the menu that day, so we decided to get the kids’ food from the à la carte menu. The kids got sausages and chicken wings while we indulged ourselves with the variety of food. I started with puri and aloo tarkari, followed by eggs, pakora, Nepali tea, halwa, and jerry.
The food was good with plenty of variety, but it was unfortunate that they didn’t refill Sel and samosa, which are my favourites. When asked, a nice Nepali waitress mentioned that some food items are not refilled once they’re finished. This was a bit disappointing, but the overall quality of the food made up for it.
After our meal, we took a stroll around Rockdale. The area was bustling with activity, and it was heartwarming to see so many families enjoying their Sunday. We visited a few shops, picking up some Nepali spices and snacks to take home. The kids were fascinated by the colourful displays of traditional clothing and jewellery.
Overall, we had a good family time there. I definitely would have preferred to have nuggets on the menu for the kids and the availability of samosa and Sel. Regardless, we had a good brunch and the kids loved their food too.
Have you been to Muglan for brunch? Share your experience!
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