Late in October, about 300 Nepali men, women and children who are members of the Newah indigenous community gathered  in Long Island City to celebrate the Mha Puja festival, marked at the time of the Nepali New Year.

The Newars, as they are known, originated in the Kathmandu Valley and are both Hindu and Buddhist, although the majority are Hindu.

The gathering was an opportunity for the Newars in the area to celebrate their unique culture and its traditions and rituals. Mha Puja, for instance, involves the purification and worship of the self in order to achieve physical well-being, prosperity and a better understanding of both oneself and others.

Watch this video by Bimina Ranjit to see some of the traditions and dances of the Mha Puja festival.