After UK settlement right was given to former Gurkhas to settle in the UK, many have decided to make UK their home. This has rapidly increased the Gurkha footprint in the UK and they can be found living all the way from Edinburgh in Scotland to the south of England in Dorset. Along with other Nepalese living in the UK, the population of Nepali is thought to be around 1,50,000.
With so many former Gurkhas settling in different parts of the UK, many have established their own Gurkha/Nepali communities to enable them to help their members in times of adverse difficulties and to celebrate notable Nepali religious festivals. They are also striving to integrate into the wider British society and this is starting to bear fruit. It is believed that there are over 90 ethnic groups in Nepal each speaking their own dialect and this has led to the establishment of many different ethnic groups in the UK of which Tamu Dhee is one belonging to the Gurung tribe.
All the communities aim to preserve the rich and diverse culture, tradition and customs of Nepal to pass it on to posterity. Tamu Dhee has been organising notable events since its establishment since the year 2000. In order to display the rich and diverse culture of Nepal, Tamu Dhee took the initiative to organise Nepali Mela in 2009 to provide a platform for all ethnic communities to come together showcase their unique colourful dress, dance and culture to the wider British audience. Though it was our first ever venture, it was met with the roaring success and as they say the rest is history.
We have tried to improve the Nepali Mela each year through feedback from participants and the audience and we very much hope that this year Nepali Mela will be ever more colourful, exciting, interesting and above all enjoyable. Nepali Mela would not exist today without the positive participation of other ethnic groups, our devoted volunteers and our valued audience. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and very much hope that you will continue to support us in the future.
We sincerely hope that you will enjoy the day and relish the rich and varied culture of Nepal.
