Minister’s Award
A Place for Young Minds to Embrace Nepalese Heritage
My name is Aaron. I am 13 years old and currently studying in Year 8. I was born in Australia, and ever since I was a kid, I have been learning about my heritage. Pathashala made learning about our culture fun and interesting. I have been attending Pathashala’s Nepali classes since they first started. In 2024, I was honoured to be nominated by Pathashala Australia to be part of the Minister’s Award Program.
As part of the program, I attended the ceremony at the University of New South Wales, proudly wearing traditional Nepali cultural attire to represent Pathashala Australia. It was a proud and meaningful moment for both me and the Pathshala Australia community.
The event featured a large stage and many students from language schools across NSW. When my name was called, I walked up onto the stage with a big smile and received my award from the NSW Minister for Education. It was a moment I will never forget. Thank you, Pathashala Australia, for giving me this opportunity.
Receiving the Minister’s Award was an inspiring experience that reminded me how important it is to stay connected to my language and culture. I feel proud to represent my community, and I look forward to continuing this journey and learning even more in the future
बृष्टि
मन पर्छ माया,प्रेम, राम्रो कुराकानी
मन पर्दैन कलह र रिसाउने बानी॥
मन पर्छ अष्ट्रेलिया नेपाल छ खास
मन पर्दैन कोरोनाले फैलाएको त्रास॥
मन पर्छ शान्तसँग बगैंचामा डुल्न
मन पर्दैन सधैंभरि आईप्याडमा भुल्न॥
मन पर्छ स्कूल जान, खेल्न साथीहरु
मन पर्दैन अल्छी गरी सुत्न त्यति बरू॥
मन पर्छ कुर्ची टेबल मिलाएको तर
मन पर्दैन भद्रगोल बनाएको घर॥
दुधपोखरी-२, लमजुङ्
हालः सिड्नी, अष्ट्रेलिया
सिमोल
दुई संस्कृतिको बीचमा बाँच्दै
अष्ट्रेलियामा नेपाली बोल्ने बालकको रूपमा हुर्कनु एक अनौठो र समृद्ध अनुभव हो। यो केवल मैले प्रयोग गर्ने भाषाको कुरा होइन, यो मेरो पहिचानको कुरा हो। म प्रत्येक दिन दुईवटा संस्कृति बोकेर बाँच्दछु। यसले मेरो जीवनलाई अझ धनी बनाउँछ, तर कहिलेकाहीँ यो अलिक जटिल पनि हुन्छ।
नेपाली भाषा सिक्नुले मेरो मौलिकताको जरा गहिरो बनाउँछ। यसै भाषामार्फत म आमा–बुबासँग जोडिन्छु, हाम्रा चाडपर्वहरूमा सहभागिता जनाउँछु, र आफूभन्दा ठूलो समुदायको हिस्सा भएको अनुभूति गर्छु। मेरो नेपाली बोलाइमा अष्ट्रेलियन उच्चारण मिसिए पनि, यो भाषा मेरो परम्परा र कथाहरू सँग जोडिएको छ। त्यो गर्वलाई जोगाइराख्न पाउँदा राम्रो लाग्छ।
तर अंग्रेजी मेरो दैनिक प्रयोगको भाषा हो—स्कुलमा, साथीहरूसँग, र प्रायः हरेक स्थानमा। द्विभाषिक हुनुको अर्थ म सहयोग पनि गर्न सक्छु। कहिलेकाहीँ आमा–बुबालाई अंग्रेजीको अर्थ बुझाइदिन्छु, साथीहरूलाई नेपालीका सामान्य शब्दहरू सिकाउँछु। यो भाषाको संयोजनले मलाई दुई फरक समूहसँग जोड्न मद्दत गर्छ। नयाँ साथीहरू बनाउन र आफूलाई घर अनि बाहिरी दुनियाँसँग जोगाएर राख्न ढोका खोलिदिन्छ।
तर, केही दिनहरू यस्ता पनि हुन्छन्, जब मलाई लाग्छ कि म कतै पनि मेल खाँदिन। केही नेपाली शब्दहरू उच्चारण गर्न नसक्दा म “प्रयाप्त नेपाली” लाग्दिन, अनि कक्षामा प्रयोग हुने अष्ट्रेलियन स्ल्याङ नबुझ्दा वा सामाजिक अनुभवहरूबाट बाहिरिएझैँ हुँदा म “प्रयाप्त अष्ट्रेलियन” पनि लाग्दिन। त्यो बीचको ठाउँ कहिलेकाहीँ एक्लोपनको अनुभूति गराउँछ। बोलेको भाषाअनुसार अलग-अलग अपेक्षाहरू आउँछन्, जसले सामाजिक दबाब सिर्जना गर्छ।
कहिलेकाहीँ म नेपाली बोल्न हिच्किचाउँछु, विशेषगरी जेष्ठ नागरिकहरूसामु। म सबै कुरा बुझ्छु, तर शब्दहरू निस्कन गाह्रो हुन्छ। भाषाको मिश्रणले कहिलेकाहीँ गलतफहमी वा रमाइलो स्थिति निम्त्याउँछ, जसले मलाई लाज लाग्ने बनाउँछ। हजुरबा–हजुरआमासँग कुरा गर्दा मैले प्रस्ट रूपमा जवाफ दिन नसक्दा लाज अनि दुःख लाग्छ।
दुई भाषा सिक्न पनि थप मिहिनेत चाहिन्छ। पढ्न र लेख्न दुबै भाषामा दक्ष हुन प्रयास गर्नु चुनौतीपूर्ण हुन्छ। मानिसहरूले हाम्रो मस्तिष्कको क्षमतालाई कति गहिरो छ भन्ने कुरा बुझ्दैनन् भन्ने लाग्छ। त्योमाथि, सांगीतिक वा सांस्कृतिक चासो पनि दुई भागमा विभाजित हुन्छ—नेपाली गीत वा हाँस्य शैली साथीहरूलाई अपरिचित लाग्न सक्छ, भने अष्ट्रेलियन बोलचालका शब्दहरू आफन्तहरूलाई अनौठो लाग्न सक्छ।
तर पनि, द्विभाषिक हुनु एक सुन्दर शक्ति हो। तपाईंले दुईवटा आवाज, दुईवटा संस्कृतिक दृष्टिकोण, र सोच्ने दुई तरिका बोकेका हुन्छौँ। अंग्रेजीमा आत्मविश्वासका साथ बोल्न सक्नु र नेपालीलाई माया गर्न सक्नुले मेरो कथालाई छुट्टै र अर्थपूर्ण बनाउँछ। यो केवल शब्दहरू जान्ने कुरा होइन—यो आफ्नो कथा बाँड्ने र आफूमा गर्व गर्न सिक्ने कुरा हो। तपाईंको कथा तपाईंलेभन्दा राम्रो अरू कसैले भन्न सक्दैन।
प्रजिन
आमाको काख प्यारो हुन्छ,
आमाको माया न्यानो हुन्छ ।
म रुँदा आमा रुन्छिन्,
म हाँस्दा आमा हाँस्छिन् ।
दुख्दा मलाई अँगालो दिन्छिन्,
खुसी हुँदा ताली दिन्छिन् ।
पाइला पाइला हात समाउने
मलाई खुवाएर आफु रमाउने ।
मेरो आमा, मायाकी खानी
आमा बिना एक्लो म ।
नियारा
निया
Class 1, Pathashala Australia
अति सुन्दर मेरो गाउ
बर्दिया हो तेस्को नाउ
पार्कहरु ले घरिएको
हरियाली ले बेरिएको
सबै जति मिलेर
हामी त्यहाँ बस्छौ
आफ्नो गाउ सफा राख्नन
सबै ले कम्मर कस्छौ
नजिकै छ स्विम्मिंग पुल
त्यसैमा छ खेल मैदान
त्यहाँ गई रमाउ छौ
धेरै साथी बनाउ छौ
धेउसी भैलो मनाउ छौ
हेलोइन नि मनाउ छौ
अति सुन्दर मेरो गाउ
बर्दिया हो तेस्को नाउ
The Nepal Festival, organised every two years across various Australian states by NRNA Australia, has been a celebrated tradition since 2007.
Pathashala Australia proudly took part in the Nepal Festival events held in both 2022 and 2024.
At the festival on 19 November 2022 at Burwood Park, students from Pathashala Australia had the honour of singing the Nepali and Australian national anthems just before the official opening ceremony. In the same year, students Aayam, Vidhi, and Srisha performed the traditional Sorathi dance, delighting the audience with their cultural presentation.
Continuing this tradition, in the 2024 Nepal Festival, students Prajana, Ajaswi, Simol, Aprisha and friends gave another vibrant cultural dance performance, proudly representing Pathashala Australia and celebrating Nepalese heritage on stage.
As in previous years, Pathashala Australia proudly participated in the Macarthur Multicultural Children’s Festival, a wonderful celebration of diversity and culture.
Our students lit up the main stage with a vibrant Nepali dance, captivating the audience with their enthusiasm and grace. They also took part in the grand parade, proudly donning traditional Nepali attire and waving the national flag high.
It was a day filled with joy, cultural pride, and a true sense of community. Heartfelt thanks to all our students, parents, and volunteers who made the day so special. We look forward to celebrating together again next year!
At Pathashala Australia, we believe education isn’t just about books—it’s about giving children the freedom to explore, create, and express their inner world.
To bring this vision to life, we hosted a special painting workshop with talented artist Krishna Ji as our guest mentor. The theme of the day, Seaside and Trees, symbolised creativity, patience, and harmony with nature. Guided gently by Krishna Ji, each child worked on their own canvas, freely translating imagination and emotion into colour and form.
It was inspiring to see their focus and joy as they mixed paints and brought the seaside scene to life in their own unique ways. The space buzzed with creative energy, quiet determination, and shared discovery.
More than just learning to paint, it was a celebration of creativity, confidence, and cultural connection. As the children proudly took their artworks home, they carried not only paintings but also memories of growth, empowerment, and joy.
Through such programs, Pathashala Australia continues to nurture creativity and enrich our community alongside language learning.
This year too, Pathashala Australia joyfully celebrated Holi with our students, families, teachers, and volunteers at Maxwell Creek Park.
We began with a special Holi-themed lesson, where children learned about the festival’s origins and its message of joy, unity, and forgiveness. Their excitement continued through colourful drawings and art activities, bringing Holi’s spirit to life in the classroom.
The highlight of the day was playing Holi in the park—children laughing, dancing to Nepali songs, and filling the air with colour and happiness.
It was a day of laughter, learning, and togetherness. Thank you to everyone who made it possible. At Pathashala, Holi isn’t just about colours—it’s about celebrating culture and strengthening our community.
