PROCLAMATION
RECOGNIZING APRIL 14, 2026, AS NEPALI NEW YEAR 2083 BS IN THE CITY OF HERCULES WHEREAS, Nepali New Year or Bikram Sambat (BS) falls in the spring after the harvesting period and just before the new planting season. Customs and celebrations are deeply rooted in traditions that symbolize hope and the beginning of a new cycle; and WHEREAS, the Bikram Sambat calendar is approximately 56 years and 8 months ahead of the western calendar, making April 14, 2026, Nepali New Year 2083 BS. Rituals are connected to cleansing and renewal, religious and spiritual practices seek blessings for the new year, and the gatherings centered in family bonding and the collective celebration of communities; and WHEREAS, the Nepalese diaspora in the U.S. began in the 1950s and was a slow rising migration until the early 21st century when the Nepalese population in the U.S. accelerated. California ranks among the top destinations and Contra Costa County among jurisdictions with the highest demographic concentrations of Nepalese in California; and WHEREAS, in 1994 Nepali immigrants living in the San Francisco Bay Area established the Nepali Association of Northern California to promote and preserve Nepali cultural traditions among the Nepali diaspora and to foster connections and cooperative relationships among Nepalese and American communities; and WHEREAS, the City of Hercules is home to Asian diaspora from across the globe and honors the preservation of ethnic customs, values and traditions as a vital source for residents to take pride in their history; and WHEREAS, the Hercules City Council wishes to acknowledge the accomplishments and contributions of Nepalese Americans in this City and the nation; and to all those who observe this holiday, wish you a Happy Nepali New Year 2083 BS and blessings of prosperity and good fortune.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, that I, Chris Kelley, Mayor of the City of Hercules, on behalf of the entire City Council, do hereby recognize Tuesday, April 14, 2026, as Nepali New Year 2083 BS in the City of Hercules and call upon residents to seek opportunities to learn about and celebrate this holiday.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the City of Hercules to be affixed this 14th day of April 2026. __________________________________
Chris Kelley, Mayor