DASHAIN CELEBRATION 2026
A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Community
Dear Community Members, Partners, and Friends,
On behalf of United Nepalese of California (UNC), I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made our Dashain Celebration on October 12, 2026, at the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building such a memorable gathering. Approximately 350 guests joined us for an evening of cultural performances, prayer, music, food, and friendship. Your presence and support made this celebration a beautiful expression of community and togetherness.
The program began on time with guest arrival, registration, and refreshments, followed by local cultural performances. A special thank-you goes to Bhakta Timsina and Nabina Koirala for hosting and coordinating the informal cultural session, and to General Secretary Raj Kumar Pandey for hosting and coordinating the formal session. Your preparation, welcoming presence, and thoughtful guidance helped the program run smoothly and kept our guests engaged. From Durga Puja and guest remarks to live performances, raffle prizes, and DJ dancing, the evening offered something meaningful for every generation.
We sincerely thank Santa Rosa Kasthamandap Lions Club for its partnership, and the Newah Organization of America Northern California (NOANC), EkHaun Entertainment, and The Awaj Band for their valuable support. Your collaboration helped bring our community together and demonstrated the strength of working toward a shared purpose.
The Durga Puja was inaugurated by our Chief Guest, Emily Sanborn, Mayor of Rohnert Park; Carl Steiner, Lions International District Governor for District 4-C2; and UNC President Deepak Timsina, together with respected community elders. We thank everyone who helped prepare and support the puja and all who participated with devotion. Honoring Dashain’s message of the victory of good over evil gave the gathering a spiritual foundation and helped connect our younger generation with our traditions.
Senior Vice President Diksha Basnet delivered the welcome remarks, while Bishnu Pandey, Madan Maharjan, and Hari Ojha shared greetings. We were honored to welcome Emily Sanborn, Grace Chung, Nancy Weber, Carl Steiner, Donald Canardo, Vickey McCarthy, Hari Ojha, and Thalbir Oli, along with our advisors Dikendar Maskey and Rabi Singh Basnet. To all visiting leaders, organizational representatives, community elders, families, and friends: thank you for sharing your time and strengthening the relationships that make our community thrive.
Our heartfelt appreciation goes to every local artist who shared their talent with us. Mira Ujeli performed to a Newari song; Ashika Lamichhane and Samikshya presented a group dance; and Sita Pandey and Babeeta Neupane delighted the audience with another dance performance. Thank you to all participating singers, dancers, and performers for your preparation, creativity, and enthusiasm. You showcased the richness of Nepalese culture and made local talent an important part of our celebration.
As the main attraction of the evening, Kulendra Bishwakarma—widely loved as Kulendra BK—made our celebration especially memorable. His lively performance brought energy to the gathering and connected our guests through the joy of Nepalese music. His songs brought a sense of home to our celebration, creating moments for families and friends to enjoy together. Kulendra BK ji, thank you for sharing your talent and giving our community such a wonderful musical experience. We wish you continued success and look forward to welcoming you again.
We are deeply grateful to Yam Baral for generously joining us and performing while recovering from illness. His willingness to share his time and talent during his recovery was a touching gesture of kindness toward our community. Yam Baral ji, please accept our warmest wishes for a smooth and complete recovery, lasting good health, and continued success in your musical journey. We also thank DJ Finjo for bringing energy to the evening and keeping the celebration lively through music and dancing.
Thank you to Chhabi Bhattarai and Pasang Sherpa for coordinating Yam Baral’s participation, advisor Rabi Singh Basnet for supporting artist coordination and other arrangements, and Arjun Sharma for arranging artist transportation, accommodation, meals, and hospitality. We recognize General Treasurer Prakash Hari Panthi for sharing the Nepal relief fundraising update and connecting our celebration with UNC’s commitment to humanitarian service. Our sincere appreciation also extends to Treasurer Manoj Thangunna, Jonny Bhatta, Chiranjivi Nepal, Bipin Regmi, Bishnu Wagle, Sanjay Baral, Muna Gautam Samjhana Shrestha and everyone who contributed their time and effort.
We especially thank Bishnu Pandey of Himalaya Restaurant in Windsor for food and hospitality support, and Arun Neupane, Rajendra Shrestha, Madan Maharjan, and Diben Shrestha for assisting with beverage sales and service. A special thank-you goes to Pradip Pandey for generously donating wine for the event. We also appreciate Picstopeek, Three Sisters Collection, and Sarajvi Collection for participating with their stalls and products.
Our generous raffle supporters added excitement to the evening. We thank Lali Guras Jewelry for the jewelry prize; Bishnu Pandey for a $400 gift certificate; Manu Pun and Shiva Subedi of Cleveland Mini Mart for a $200 prize; Himalayan Restaurant and Yeti for $100 gift certificates each; Three Sisters for a kurta suruwal; and DJ Finjo for concert tickets. To every donor, sponsor, and raffle participant: thank you for your generosity and support for our community work.
A particularly heartfelt thank-you goes to our Media Coordinator for the considerable time, care, and sustained effort devoted to promoting the celebration and helping make it successful. Your dedication helped us reach our community, encourage participation, and build excitement for the event. We also thank Dyalon Cooper for journalism and photography, Deb Bahadur Dangi for video coverage, and everyone who shared announcements and helped preserve memories of the evening.
To all UNC officers, committee members, advisors, coordinators, and volunteers who supported planning, registration, guest welcome, membership outreach, decorations, food service, technical arrangements, setup, and cleanup: thank you. Much of your work happened quietly behind the scenes, but your care and commitment were reflected throughout the celebration. Every contribution helped create a welcoming experience for our guests.
UNC’s vision is to build a connected, inclusive, and caring community where our heritage is celebrated, younger generations feel connected to their roots, and neighbors from every background feel welcome. Through cultural gatherings, partnerships, and humanitarian service, we strive to preserve Nepalese language and traditions, support people in times of need, and contribute positively to the wider community we call home.
Above all, thank you to everyone who attended with family and friends, participated, donated, volunteered, or offered encouragement. You made this celebration successful and meaningful. We look forward to continuing this journey together—celebrating our culture, strengthening our friendships, and serving our community with compassion and respect.
With heartfelt appreciation and warm wishes for Vijaya Dashami,
Deepak Timsina
President, United Nepalese of California and the entire UNC Family
