Yomari Punhi: Festive celebration of tradition and tasty treats (Photos)

The Newar community marked Yomari Punhi on Sunday morning with great enthusiasm, preparing yomari—a special steamed rice flour dumpling filled with jaggery taffy (chaku) or khuwa (evaporated milk solids)—to offer to gods and goddesses in celebration of a successful harvest. The festival is celebrated on the full moon day of December, also known as Dhanya Purnima (the Rice Harvest Festival), and holds significant cultural and religious importance.

Yomari, named after the Newar words ‘yo’ (meaning "to like") and ‘mari’ (meaning "flatbread"), is a beloved delicacy enjoyed by people of all ages. The custom involves making these delicious dumplings in various shapes, often resembling gods and goddesses like Laxmi, Saraswati, and Ganesh.

Families come together to prepare yomari, and the neighbourhoods celebrate with a practice known as ‘yomari phonegu’, where young people go around asking for yomari.

Angad Dhakal

Angad Dhakal is a photojournalist at Kantipur Publications.