OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – If you’re a visitor to the Basnett family home, you won’t get far through the front door without a ‘namaste’ greeting, or something like a ‘khata’ to wear like a scarf.

The Basnetts – Bini, her husband Bhaskar, son AJ, daughter Ally, and Bini’s parents Arvind and Renu – are all busy getting ready for the 35th Annual Asian Festival so a lot of their culture was already out of the box and on display.

Bini’s family comes from the capitol Kathmandu.

Bhaskar hales from the city of Hetauda to the south.

They met in the U.S. and have lived in Oklahoma for nearly a decade.

“We absolutely love it over here,” smiles Bini.

But culture is important, epecially for AJ who spent months practicing with his grandpa on two different folk songs played with the traditional ‘maadel’ drum.

The tradition of hospitality runs very strong in Nepali culture as well.

Every Friday night, the Basnetts steam up a big batch of ‘mamon’ or dumplings.

Bini insists, “Anybody who tastes mamon even once will fall in love with it.”

The chicken recipe is AJ and Ally’s favorite.

Bini insists Oklahoma was a good place to settle.

“It’s a very nice place to raise a family,” she continues.

Look a little closer at the map of Nepal and you’ll find a city called ‘Mustan’ (pronounced MOO-stang).

Bini chuckles, “We get confused when we go to Nepal because we keep saying it like they do in Oklahoma.”

Nepal might be the other side of the world but the most important things translate well.

A welcoming spirit soaks through the thickest of fabrics.

The OKC Asian Festival for 2023 is scheduled for May 6th 10AM to 4PM at the Mayfair Church of Christ.