Language Heritage Assembly–2026 Concludes, Monthly Literary Program Announced

Arjun Pradhan

Reynoldsburg, Ohio, September 26. The “Language Heritage Assembly–2026,” organized by the Literary Council of Bhutan (LCOB) with the objective of passing on the language, literature, culture, and historical heritage of the Bhutanese Nepali community to the younger generation, concluded Saturday in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. The assembly included discussions on the challenges of passing the language from one generation to the next, the launch of a poetry collection, poetry and literary readings, and performances by children.

At the assembly, Bhutanese literary critic and LCOB’s Chief Editor, Shiva Dahal delivered a special address on language heritage. He discussed the historical development of the Nepali language, its social status in Bhutan, the development of language and literature in refugee camps in eastern Nepal, and the challenges of transmitting the language to younger generations of resettled Bhutanese.

Speaking on the topic “The Question of Heritage: Remembering or Passing It On?”, Dahal said that language heritage should not be limited merely to remembering the past. He stated that the continuity of heritage can be maintained only when the language, culture, history, knowledge, and social values received from ancestors are passed on to the younger generation.

He recalled that in the past, even when access to formal schools and language institutions was limited, people learned Nepali through family, neighbors, communal activities, festivals, and everyday social interaction. After resettlement, however, the community became dispersed across different countries, social interaction decreased, and the use of English increased in the education and daily lives of younger generations, making language transmission more difficult. He emphasized that the responsibility should not be placed solely on the younger generation; parents and the community must create an environment at home where children can learn the language.

“Heritage is not only for remembering; it is also for passing on,” Dahal said. “Only through intergenerational transmission can we ensure the continuity of our society’s identity, history, language, culture, and civilization.”

The program was chaired by Reynoldsburg City Council member Bhuwan Pyakurel. Council President Khem Rijal welcomed the guests and conducted the opening session. In his remarks, Rijal supported the proposal presented by Shivalal Dahal on the preservation of resettled Bhutanese history, language, art, and literature and reaffirmed LCOB’s commitment to carrying forward the ideas outlined in the proposal.

Noting that the community currently has no special day or month dedicated to language and literature, Rijal said that such a day or month should be established and observed regularly. “This will help promote awareness in the community and encourage continued engagement with language and literature,” he said.

The chief guest, Bharat Timsina, president of the Kriyamān Foundation, said that inviting guests and encouraging them to attend the program had been more difficult than he had expected. He expressed his happiness at the efforts to pass language and literature on to the younger generation and presented a ghazal.

During the opening session, children from the Columbus Nepali language class gave cultural performances. Netra Acharya, president of the Bhutan Ghazal Forum, recited ghazals. The program also featured the launch of poet Kuber Sharma’s poetry collection Paridhi. Novelist J.N. Dahal gave a brief review of the book and discussed the qualities that poetry should possess.

Following this, Uma Adhikari, Narad Timsina, Bharat Timsina, Kashi Adhikari, and Madan Dulal recited their poems. Shivalal Dahal also read a poem by poet Tikaram Rai. Bhim Adhikari presented works from his poetry collection Dear Zindagi, while Ran Bahadur Adhikari presented a poignant story. Other participating writers also shared their works during the open literary reading session.

Literary figures Ganga Lamitare, Dambar Kharel, Kashi Adhikari, Bhuwan Pyakurel, and Dhananjaya Bhattarai addressed the gathering. They shared their views on the state of the Nepali language and literature, literary activities within the community, and the urgency of passing cultural heritage on to the younger generation.

Former Literary Council president Ganga Lamitare expressed concern that Bhutan is gradually being forgotten. He said that September should be remembered as a heritage month not only in connection with the authority granted in 1887 by the then King of Paro Rinphu for settlement in southern Bhutan, but also in connection with the 1990 pro-democracy demonstrations, making such remembrance appropriate and meaningful. Council Vice President Tila Adhikari Acharya also delivered welcoming remarks.

Toward the end of the program, the council announced that it would organize a regular literary program on the last Saturday of every month at the assembly hall of Lakshmi Narayan Temple. According to council member Bhim Adhikari, the programs will include literary discussions, poetry and ghazal readings, literary interactions, and activities related to language development.

Speaking at the program, chairperson Bhuwan Pyakurel expressed concern about the social problems facing the resettled community and emphasized the importance of intellectual engagement in addressing them. He also stressed the importance of taking an interest in U.S. elections and mainstream politics.

The council also announced that it would develop a comprehensive action plan for language development and intergenerational transmission.

As part of the campaign, a series of articles on the Nepali language, identity, history, literature, and intergenerational transmission has already been published on Bhutaneseliterature.com. Articles by Prashant Swor, Khem Gautam, Ganga Lamitare, Jogen Gajmer, and Shivalal Dahal have been published so far, while articles by other writers are reportedly awaiting publication.