Nepal

“It’s like one of those paradigm shifts,” Julie said of her family’s trip to Nepal. When asked to elaborate she draws several parallels between the US and Nepal; parallels that shed light on monumental differences between both countries. Differences like the fact that basic comforts such as running water and electricity are not a universal [...]

Bhanubhakta Acharya(1814-1868) was a Nepali poet who translated the great epic "Ramayana" from Sanskrit to Nepali. He was born in Chundi Beshi of Ramgha of Tanahu district in 1814 .Bhanubhakta was the first poet ever to write in Nepali language when other Poets in Nepal usually wrote in Sanskrit. That is why he was entitled as "AADI KAVI"(meaning the first poet). He was an outstanding poet, who de

KARACHI: A big miss on a penalty from WAPDA in injury time denied them the chance to record their first win as their Group A match against Nepal’s Mahendra Police in the AFC President’s Cup Football Qualifiers ended in a 1-1 draw, at the MBPJ Stadium (Selangor) in Malaysia on Tuesday.As per information, the spirited WAPDA were awarded a spot-kick after the opposition’s defender Rakesh charge

KATMANDU: Deposed King of Nepal Gyanendra has finally vacated the Royal Palace, however, The king said he had no intention or thoughts to leave the country. Hundreds of thousands of people thronged the Royal Palace on the occasion. The King said he would stay in the country to help establish peace. Nepal’’s government plans [...]

KATHMANDU: Nepal’’s former king Gyanendra was preparing to leave his main palace in the capital Wednesday to move to a modest former hunting lodge on the outskirts of the city, a palace official told foreign news agency. “He is leaving today. He is in the process of packing up,” said Phanindra Raj Pathak, the chief [...]

Both the recently deposed king Gyanendra of Nepal and Sathya Sai Baba are hailed as Living Incarnations of Lord Vishnu While Gyanendra had to step down as king, he has not stepped down as God Incarnate, and his Hindu followers still worship him as such. So which of them is the best contender? Or are [...]

KATHMANDU: More than a month before Nepal’s new lawmakers formally abolished the country’s 239-year-old monarchy, a priceless crown went under the hammer at an auction in London’s Bond Street.Now, with deposed king Gyanendra told to vacate the royal palace by June 12 and a government team beginning to take an …A news by [...]

Nepal’s religious authorities picked the country’s next “living goddess,” or Kumari, in a centuries-old tradition on Friday, priests and officials said, but the question now is who will appoint her as a deity. Traditionally, the head priest of the now-deposed King Gyanendra appointed the “living goddess” but with the abolition of Nepal’s monarchy on May 29

As we blogged about transiency in China yesterday, Nepal’s newly-elected assembly voted to end almost 240 years of monarchic rule. The new republic has given King Gyanendra and his entourage 15 days to leave the royal palace, which will be turned into a national museum. (Art and Politics merge yet again.) The transition has been brewing [...]

Nepal’s ruling alliance has decided to create a post of President ahead of declaring the country a Republic and abolishing 240-year-old monarchy in the first meeting of Maoist-dominated Constituent Assembly. The meeting was held up for several hours due to last-minute political wrangling. However, there were still differences between the Maoists and other major parties [...]

La nueva Asamblea Constituyente de Nepal proclamó hoy, en su primera sesión, la instauración de la República en el país del Himalaya.Un total de 560 miembros de la Asamblea votaron a favor de la resolución por la que quedó abolida la Monarquía, mientras sólo se pronunciaron en contra los cuatro representantes del partido monárquico. ¡Más claro, el agua!En los alrededores de la sede de

The world’s last Hindu kingdom became the newest secular republic as the people of Nepal celebrated in the streets the end of a monarchy that had lost the confidence of its subjects. Thousands of people marched, danced and sang in the streets of Katmandu awaiting the vote of the assembly which decided it was time [...]

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepal's political parties voted on Wednesday to abolish the Himalayan kingdom's 239-year-old Hindu monarchy, a key demand of Maoists after they ended a decade-long war against the government.Delegates at a special assembly voted 560 to four in favor of abolishing the monarchy. Hours before, suspected royalists threw three small, homemade bombs in Nepal's capital, wounding one

Nepal is due to become a republic and end 240 years of royal rule. A newly-elected assembly is to meet in the capital, Kathmandu, with the tasks of abolishing the monarchy and preparing a new national constitution. As the assembly was being sworn in on Tuesday a bomb explosion in the capital injured two people. The assembly is [...]

Author: DR.ABDUL RUFF Colachal Researcher in International Relations, Analyst, Columnist & Commentator South Asia Nepal looks set for a new historical phase in its existence as a Himalayan... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

The Nepal monarchy is not expected to be part of the nation’s ruling elite much longer than a few weeks as a newly elected Assembly meets to formally end the kingdom of Nepal which has been in existence for 239 years and proclaim a republic. The government has banned all demonstrations in and around the [...]

MAOIST chief Prachanda said his political group was not against capitalism. "Our fight is against feudalism, not against capitalism," said Mr Prachanda. The Maoist leader told a private TV channel that private business and property would get protection. "We will nationalize royal property and the property belonging to the late King Birendra," said the Maoist supremo. Mr Prachanda has been main

As much as I enjoyed playing chicken with oncoming traffic in Kathmandu’s little white taxis, I was happy to have a seat on Yeti Airline’s 11:40am flight to a small border town in southeastern Nepal. The 30 seat twin prop plane had a nice green and yellow paint job and I felt at ease [...]

Nepal had always represented world class trekking for me, yet I found the country to offer so much more. Beyond the beautiful snow-capped mountains, green valleys, peaceful lakes, raging rivers, colorful flowers, and wide array of birds were incredibly kind people, a lively Tibetan community, delicious food, and a rich cultural history. Highlights [...]

From: The Role of Social Science in Nepal by Dev Raj Dahal   Spiritual blindness of Nepalese social scientists has thus opened multiple gaps between their worldview and those of the citizens on various frontiers--theoretical knowledge and practical experience, technical understanding and composite knowledge and secularity of social science and the vitality of the Hindu-Buddhist scriptu

                                                                               Author: Ram Manohar The first recorded official relations with China and Tibet occurred near the middle of the seventh... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

AP - Nepal allowed the climbing season on Mount Everest to resume Friday after blocking access to hundreds of climbers so a Chinese team carrying the Olympic flame could ascend without the threat of protests. Original post by AP

I was still having trouble bringing myself to leave Pokhara so I signed up for a 3-day/2-night rafting trip through Paddle Nepal/Ultimate Descents. I chose a trip on one of Nepal’s holiest rivers, the Kali Gandaki. It offered class III and IV rapids, so I knew it’d be exciting without scaring the [...]

Title: Intern – Himalayan University Consortium Unit: Human and Institutional Development Division: Integrated Knowledge Management and Capacity Development Background The Human and Institutional Development (HID) Unit at ICIMOD facilitates systematic development of human and institutional capacity both within ICIMOD and among its regional member country (RMC) partners. One of the responsibili

The Maoist movement has gained electoral power in Nepal and will, most probably, force the King to exit the stage of power. But, lost in the revolutionary developments within Nepal is the story of a society in which some estimates believe about 95% of women are victims of political, economic and domestic violence. Among the [...]

                                                                               Author: DR.ABDUL RUFF Colachal                                                                        Analyst,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

The dramatic triumph of the communist party in last week’s elections raises interesting questions as to whether this marks the emergence of a communism devoted to creating a democratic Nepal in which people of all socio-economic backgrounds can move forward, or will this be another Maoist example of brutality in the name of the state. [...]

It ought to be the ballot heard 'round the world. It ought to be front page news. But chances are you haven't yet learned that the Maoists of Nepal have apparently swept to power in an election that international monitors acknowledge was free and fair. Having led a People's War from 1996 to 2006, having suspended the armed struggle and making a strategic decision to seek power through electoral

Sound and Fury: 'Goons,' the Carrefour Boycott, Nepal etc etcSo the Dalai Lama is in the U.S. and is going to meet US President George W. Bush's special envoy, Undersecretary of State Paula Dobriansky. The timing is, to put it mildly, unfortunate. There's already so much sound and fury out there that it's hard to think constructively. Beijing is already steaming mad and no doubt the internet will add the the furore. At this point it would be great if everyone could just back off, take a deep breath and maybe start over. But of course, that's the whole point of the lead up to the Olympics, it's irresistible to protesters as the pressure on China will only get stronger as 8-8-08 (the opening ceremony date) approaches. It's still puzzling what exactly they hope to accomplish. The Darfur campa

Kathmandu, April 14 (IANS) With Nepal’s Maoist party continuing to consolidate its conquests on the fourth day of vote-counting following a historic poll, the former guerrillas were headed to become leaders in a new coalition government, marking a sea change in the turbulent Himalayan nation’s political landscape. “Everybody should accept that we, being the largest political [...]

His rebel nom de guerre means “the fierce one,” and after a decade leading a communist insurgency in the mountains of Nepal, Prachanda became the newest member Saturday of an assembly that will chart the country’s future. Prachanda led a powerful showing by the former rebels, known as the Maoists, in early results from Thursday’s elections, [...]

Today is the voting day in Nepal. This is the day that determines the future of Nepal. The three party that are likely to win the majority are Maoist, the Congress and the CPN-UML communist party. Within Kathmandu it is likely that CPN-UML communist party will get the majority and it's outside Kathmandu where the actual war on vote is going on. It has been heard that Maoist are threating the people in the remote village to give them vote. Let's see what happens. I am curious about who will get the majority. It has taken a lot of time,effort and work to conduct this voting. This is an important day in the history of Nepal. This will determine where Nepal will be for the next 20 years or so. I hope that whoever wins will develop Nepal in every aspect.

When you are going to travel to wherever you want, you should firstly prepare on your planning Travel Insurance. When you take part in your trip to anywhere, you will have problem to happen to you. you will need to travel insurance. In this, you will understand about the Importance of Nepal Travel Insurance. With it’s capitol being Katmandu, Nepal is nested in the Himilayas below the basecamps and close to the Annapurna mountain range. Even though political strife has existed in Nepal for decades while both China and India try to dominate this rugged culture, the hearty and resilient nature of the Nepalese attracts many tourists every year. Whether you’re interested in climbing Everest, looking to for bargains on hand-woven tapestries or just going there for the dal-bhaat, Nepal provid

Petroleum has been essential for us dwelling in urban areas, be it for home use or for transportation or any other use. The price of petroleum is on the rise in international market as its demand is on the rise. Certainly it’s a natural resource and some day it is going to extinguish. At that time people are going to hit hard as scientist has done very little to find alternate medium or source to petroleum products. Recently, Kathmandu was hit by petroleum crisis and people residing in Kathmandu certainly felt the importance and need of petroleum products. The most crowded areas of Kathmandu were vehicle free and those public transports that were running on the street were carrying too much people. But certainly one positive of the petroleum crisis was that the pollution certainly decrea

08/04/2008 05:58 (Nepal) Kota Kathmandu diguncang serangkaian bom menjelang digelarnya pemilu pada 10 April mendatang. Beberapa hari terakhir intimidasi kerap diarahkan pada sejumlah partai yang akan ikut pemilu.

Nepalese organizations working to strengthen the Nepal-China relationship expressed dissatisfaction about some Tibetan separatists using Nepali soil to carry out anti-China demonstrations. Chairman of the China Study Center Madan Regmi expressed objection over some Tibetan refugees using Nepali soil to carry out anti-China protests in recent days. "Most of those involved in demonstrations outside Chinese Embassy are violating refugee convention," Regmi said to Xinhua Friday, adding that they have to abide by the law and policy of the country in which they are residing. The activities of the Dalai Lama clique in Nepal undoubtedly disrespect the foreign policy of Nepal, Regmi said. He also criticized a section of the Western media working in Nepal for spreading misleading informa

At first glance, the movie Himalaya is remarkable - a beautifully shot docudrama about Tibetan villagers fighting internal strife to maintain their annual trek to trade Tibetan salt for Nepalese grain. The landscape is breathtaking, and the cinematography constantly stops you in your tracks. Eric Valli’s tale of a real-life tribe from the Dolpo Valley [...]

Where is Nepal?  No sooner had China asked Nepal to ban the Everest expeditions in the wake of Tibet uprising, Nepal obliged to the call like a good feeble neighbor.   When China denied of sending... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

GeneralLa forma de saludar en Nepal, al igual que en India, es NAMASTE y se pronuncia mientras se unen las palmas de las manos.Recuerda que cuando una persona mueve su cabeza de izquierda a derecha significa “Sí”.No des caramelos o bolígrafos a los niños. Puede verse como un gesto amable pero a su vez están enseñando a los niños a pedir cosas. Si quieres realizar donaciones como bolígrafos, libretas o ropas siempre puede hacerse en una comunidad o a una escuela.No toques nada con tus pies pues se considera una gran ofensa.Viste apropiadamente. Evita las camisetas sin mangas. Las mujeres especialmente deben evitar ropas ajustadas que revelen demasiado o faldas demasiado cortas.Sé abierto y habla con los nativos respetando e interesándote por sus costumbres locales.Muestras afec

An Indian public sector undertaking that managed to win a hydropower project in Nepal following in the shoes of a private Indian company now finds itself in the same predicament, having landed in a law suit.

Nepalese people love football. They are craze for it. I don't remember someone said something bad about football. It is another country which is craze about football. In Nepal there is A,B and C division with about 12 team in A division. There is scarcity of football ground but recently few has been added. Although there are few football grounds it can stop the Nepalese people to stop playing football and this makes me happy. Most of the youngsters watch EPL and they are conscious about everything thats going on in the world of football. They know each player and know football clubs as well. I think that foreigners who visit Nepal will be amazed to see how much Nepalese people know about football here. It is most loved sports besides cricket. I think that if the government give more push o

Buying a new toy was only one of the thoughts on my mind during my time in Hong Kong.  Reaching mainland Asia meant I needed to start thinking about what I was going to do for a trek in Nepal.  April, the second best time to go in terms of weather, was quickly approaching. Initially, I [...]

Nepal is a beautiful Himalayan country. There are many places of cultural and religious importance. The most beautiful Himalayas of the world are also situated here. Mt Everest, the world’s highest mountain is also located in the northern part of the country which is full of snowcapped mountains. The tourists are very much fascinated by the scenic beauty of the land. From the capital city of the country Katmandu, we can see the exciting beauty of the Himalayan range at the northern part of the land. The land also owns several temples and historical places. The greatest temple of the world, Pasupatinath temple is located here. Many tourists from all over the world come to visit this temple. In the past, only the Hindus were allowed to enter the temple but now any one can visit inside the

                    Madhesi Movement - 2007(Pic: Shalendra) Unrest Although Nepal has decided to go for federalism and proportional representation as per the wish of the agitating people, it’s... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Most of the world are aware of the ongoing conflict in Nepal. The Maoists are becoming part of the solution. Therefore, easier access to some of the most remote places on earth can be hoped for. Frequent landslides and avalanches mean that these bridges are built in some of the most dangerous terrains in the world. And TBSSP is nit finished yet. In a country of torrential rivers, shut – of communities and intense poverty, more bridges will be built .Until every Nepali has their wish fulfilled. Nepal today the government, occasionally with the help of donors, has supported the construction of more then more.

Many people lives in city cause there are many facilities. Also, many people have come to live here in this valley. In our country many people are rich but the country as a whole is poor, whatever. I love my Nepal by the way. There are many vehicles and the roads are always busy. Roads near Jamal, Rathnapark, Sundhara, Newroad, Ashen and others are always busy because people go to work or say office while others have business over there. I like mostly new road because there are many shopping center and it feels good to hang out there and also because there are nice restaurants. In new road you can find a lot of things. But on special night time and occasion New Road is crowdie and I don’t like that.

Nepal-Amerika Express just lifted off carrying a bushelful of my Nepali heart Jam-packed with travellers by way of Delhi, London destination Washington arrives in a flash returns to my land. Hop on anyplace Birtamod, Golbazar, Mahendranagar, Kathmandu Packed with the stuff of many homes, many minds Nepal-Amerika Express just lifted off carrying a bushelful of my Nepaliness Jomolongmo crammed into Sagarmatha's trunk Defenseless Newar 'Maa' Magar 'Moi' Kirant 'Yamaa' Maithil 'Mai' tucked inside the 'Aamaa' palanquin Rodi, Deuda, Dhaan folk dances squashed in overflowing baskets Accents spill over from shoulder-poled loads Dark of n

Village is normally understood as the place away from the city and has fewer facilities compared to a city. Village does not have hospitals to treat sick people. Even if there are hospitals, there are not good doctors. As a result, sick people die. Similarly there are no good schools for the good education to children and the roads are not concrete. But on the other hand environment is free from pollution and therefore the villagers can get fresh air, good vegetables and food which make them healthy which is not found in the city. Comparatively people prefer living in city to living in village because there are more opportunities in the city.

  The ‘Madhesi’ groups have yet again announced their fresh agitations. In the violent protests & brutal crush down by the goverment in 2007, more than 40 ‘Madhesi’... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

India is the lone Hindu country, though, due to its skewed wisdom of Macaulay maimed politicians, it does not call itself one. Even America is a Christian Democracy and knows that a christian dominated democracy in any part of the world will be politically, commercially and militarily advantageous to itself and hence America spends millions [...]

  * Once you get out of the airport, the taxi-drivers & hotel agents may pull you & your luggage into their vehicles without even your noticing. * If you’re a sexy lady, you may invite... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

I was searching for a simple description of different types of electoral system that everyone would understand. Although one may differ with Prakash Bom on his political comments, I think his... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Imagen, muahebkk Llegar hasta Nepal fue otra odisea, esta vez bastante divertida todo hay que decir.Desde Varanasi nos montamos en un autocar que tras unas cuantas horas nos dejó en Sunauli, un pequeño pueblo que hace las veces de frontera entre India y Nepal. Llegamos a Sunali de madrugada. Acababa de amanecer. El vehículo iba medio vacío. Dormíamos profundamente cuando nos dimos cuenta de que parábamos. Habíamos llegado a nuestro destino. Lo que sucedió a continuación no fue más que otro detalle para reafirmar la idea del tipo de lugar en el que nos encontrábamos; India. El autocar se detiene e inmediatamente, lo primero que pude ver fue una multitud de bici-rickshaws esperando impacientemente nuestra llegada. Automáticamente, un par de ellos, ni cortos ni perezosos, se lanzan hacia una de las ventanas que estaba medio abierta para introducirse en el vehículo. La guerra por conseguir un "cliente' acababa de comenzar.Róisín y yo no nos lo podíamos creer. Salimos d

Nepal ist bekannt als Trekking Region, als Land des Mt. Everest, dem höchsten Berg der Erde. Nepal ist ebenfalls bekannt als eines der ärmsten Länder der Erde, eine Region der Erde in der viele Menschen am Rande der Armut leben. Wichtige Orte und Sehenswürdigkeiten von Nepal sind die Hauptstadt Kathmandu und die Trekking Gebiete Annapurna, Mt. [...]

How to describe KATHMANDU? A medieval time capsule? An environmental disaster area? A pleasure dome? A tourist trap? A holy city? A dump? All of the above. There are a thousand Kathmandus, all layered and dovetailed and piled on top of one another in an extravagant morass of chaos and sophistication. Though its population barely tops 700,000, Nepal’s capital is far and away its biggest and most cosmopolitan city: a melting pot of a dozen ethnic groups, and the home town of the Newars, Nepal’s master craftsmen and traders extraordinaire. Trade, indeed, created Kathmandu – for at least a thousand years it controlled the most important caravan route between Tibet and India – and trade has always funded its Newar artisans. Little wonder, perhaps, that the city has so deftly embraced the tourist business. The Kathmandu most travellers experience, Thamel, is like a thumping, Third World theme park, all hotels and hoardings and promises, promises, with croissants and cakes b

We, a hardline faction of the underground group, Charitraheen Chelis (Girls of Bad Character), have broken off and declared Nepali women autonomous. Our breakaway faction, Jhan Charitraheen Cheli... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

protein, energy, malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies, including iron, iodine. and vitamin ... to control vitamin A deficiency are primarily health ... [ This is a content summary only. Visit www.healthpdf.com for full content! ]

Pasaron los días en Varanasi entre crematorios, mercadillos y factorías de seda.Tocaba decidir el próximo destino, y estábamos cerca de Nepal y de su majestuosa e imponente cordillera Himalaya, tal vez más cerca de lo que nunca más en nuestras vidas lo volveríamos a estar.Desde Varanasi es muy sencillo organizar tu viaje a Nepal. Es, de hecho, un trayecto bastante común para los mochileros que circulan por la zona. De Varanasi parten autobuses diariamente hacia Sunauli, pequeño pueblo fronterizo que separa India y Nepal. Una vez en Sunauli, nueva estampa en el pasaporte y a buscar el primer autocar que te lleve a la capital del país, Katmandú. Durante esos días crecía el rumor de que se habían intensificado los ataques contra el ejército nacional por parte de los maoístas, grupo guerrillero en constante lucha contra la morarquía y en especial contra el Rey nepalí, al que acusaban del asesinato de su hermano y antecesor, y de su familia entera.En la terraza de Shanti G

Nepal Investment Bank Ltd Friends Club was the first team to send its squad list for the Friendship Cup football tournament on Thursday. Most of the 18-member squad have played in Dhaka before. Rakesh Shreshta, Pradip Mahajan, Raju Tamaang, Santosh Sakhaul, Ukesh Shreshta all played for different Dhaka clubs as well as the Nepal national team. Kolkata Mohammedan, Parek Football Association are the other two overseas clubs who will play in the five-team tournament scheduled to start from November 28.

Kathmandu, in spite of all its political upheavals, has turned out to be the number one travel destination for Delhiites this extended weekend (a leave on Monday, followed by Gandhi Jayanti on Tuesday). Flights to the neighbouring kingdom are full between Saturday and Tuesday, as are hotel rooms. Why Kathmandu? With budget packages costing as little as Rs 12,000 per head (that includes ticket, airport to hotel transport, accommodation and some meals), tourists are flocking to the Himalayan kingdom, say tour operators. Moreover, the flying time is just one hour and 20 minutes.

Via Guardian Unlimited: Nepal’s mountaineering authorities are calling for a ban on nudity and attempts to set obscene records on the world’s highest mountain, officials said yesterday. Of everything I routinely read about Everest, I never realized that stripping was such a big social issue. Last year, a Nepali climber claimed the world’s highest display of nudity when he disrobed for several minutes while standing on the 8,850m (29,035ft) summit in temperatures of about minus 10 degrees C (14 degrees Fahrenheit). Of course this “climber” was a man. Let’s be honest: only guys are stupid enough to try something like that. The people who live on the foot hill of Everest worship the mountain as a god and mountaineering authorities have asked the government to ban disrespectful stunts on Everest, Tshering said. Good on ‘em. It’s their mountain and their home. It’s stunning how disrespectful some folks can be.

La compañía estatal de vuelos de Nepal sufrió una serie de problemas técnicos recientemente con uno de sus Boeing 757.Tuvieron que cancelar varios vuelos durante las últimas semanas y la presión mediática empezaba a ser fuerte. No les quedaba más remedio que tomar cartas sobre el asunto y drásticas.Así que siguiendo los ritos ancestrales hindús de toda la vida, tal y como generaciones y generaciones de hindús han hecho siempre que debían solucionar un grave problema -la sequía, la esterilidad, la hambruna, etc.- han agarrado a un par de cabras y las han sacrificado en honor a Akash Bhairab, el dios hindú del cielo.Según fuentes oficiales el avión ha sido reparado con éxito. ¡Esperemos que la diosa del cielo esté satisfecha y no tengamos ningún susto!Vía, MSNFotografía, Voxakis

A few weeks ago, I was merrily collecting entry and Visa requirements for the first few countries I intend to visit. All was going well, until I reached Nepal. Getting into Nepal will be simple, as Americans can get a 60-day Visa upon arrival, however it didn’t take long for me to find out that accessing Tibet from the Nepalese side (vs the Chinese side) as an independent traveler may be extremely difficult. Visiting Tibet is very important to me. After reading the Dalai Lama’s autobiography a few years ago, I started to feel a great sense of sympathy and compassion for the Tibetan people and their culture. It upsets me to hear, read, and learn about the human rights abuses which are occurring, the need for Tibetans to flee their land over the dangerous Himalaya (into India), and the increasing influence China continues to exert in the region. The fact that a Tibetan’s mention of the Dalai Lama by name can have him/her thrown in jail is appalling. During my resea

Update on this. Ten-year-old Sajani Shakya is back to being a goddess again, just as soon as she has gone through a "cleansing" process (got to get rid of all that sin she picked up on her recent visit to the U.S.): A 10-year-old girl who is worshipped as a living goddess in Nepal has had her title reinstated after defying tradition and visiting the US. Temple authorities at her home town say that she will not be stripped of her title because she is willing shortly to undergo a "cleansing" ceremony. ... Living goddesses are selected from the Buddhist Shakya family - the same caste which Buddha came from - and must follow certain rules, such as being kept in a dark room without crying. The young girls live in temples, and return to normal life when they reach puberty. In return, the goddesses get allowances and a monthly pension after retirement. The whole ridiculous thing sounds a bit too much like typical religious child abuse to me. Not seriously so (in many ways it's a very cushy

Kathmandu, July 14 (IANS) At least 28 people have died in heavy rains and ensuing landslides in Nepal even as some other parts of the agrarian country are in the throes of a severe drought. (more…)

Kathmandu, July 7 (IANS) Nepal’s biggest energy scheme, a 750 MW hydropower project that has a 25-year power purchase pact with India’s Power Trading Corp (PTC), is finally ready to take off after being held up for a decade due to the Maoist insurgency and political instability. (more…)

I’ve got a lively and eclectic batch of stories for you this week, but before I get to the picks, here are some thoughts about the intersection of travel writing and the Internet. The web has enabled a budding renaissance of quality travel writing, with sites like Worldhum.com, PerceptiveTravel.com and MatadorTravel.com leading the revolution. Of course, you can still find first-rate travel writing in the traditional print media. Outside, New Yorker, Get Lost! and Wend are four examples of traditional magazines that regularly feature outstanding travel narratives. Even better, many magazines archive some or all of their stories online, freely available to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Then there’s the travel blogosphere. Finding well-written travel stories in this boggling bubblebath of breathless blogs can feel like panning for gold in the Mississippi, but there are at least three great things about finding a compelling story on a little known blog: No hidden agenda - yo

These bowls are made from the discarded plastic candy covers that the tourist have left behind after they have been on their eco trips or was it ego. There are three mountain villages, Lapa, Tipling and Shertung, this is where the bowls are made, and the money raised goes towards, primary health care and helps with adult literacy programs. Features: 8.1 (in.) Recycled Plastic Wrappers Hand Wash Fair trade and Unique Handcrafted in Nepal Prices of the bowls are medium $24.95 and large $34.95. Product page [World of Good] adult literacy programs, earth friendly, eco trips, mountain villages, primary health care, Re use, recycle, waste

This is the first edition of a new weekly column, celebrating the best inspirational travel writing on the web. We all love a great travel story, but the truth is that truly inspiring and entertaining reads are few and far between. And who has the time to search out the diamonds in the rough? You can hit the bookstore and pick up a hard copy of the Best American Travel Writing series, or you can keep reading this post and check out the five stories with the links below. Some are by established writers and originally appeared in well known magazines; some I culled from the depths of the blogosphere. All have one thing in common: quality. I hope you’ll enjoy reading these travel stories as much I enjoyed finding them. 1. “My Chinese Clown” by KateMonster MatadorTravel.com recently announced the winners of their first travel writing contest. “My Chinese Clown” received an honorable mention. It’s the story of a romance between a young American wo

The fate of Nepal has been sealed. There's nothing anyone can do. A godman has spoken: Devastating earthquakes will hit Nepal and its neighbouring countries in less than a fortnight, a Nepali godman has warned, a prophecy that is, however, being contested by the country's leading soothsayers. The dire prediction comes from Bishweshwor Chaudhary, a builder-turned-godman. "The first tremors will hit Nepal at 6.15 am on June 22 and the devastation will continue till July 10," he told a Nepali weekly. "The worst disaster will occur on June 24 and July 10." But the National Astrology Service Committee issued a statement saying that planetary alignments show no signs of disaster in June and July. Ah. With an authority like the National Astrology Service Committee calming all our fears, maybe there is no danger after all. Astrologers, as we all know, are masterfully skilled at making predictions that cannot fail. Source: "Godman warns of earthquakes," IANS, The Peninsula On-line, June 14, 2

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The goddess likes to play with a toy cell phone when she’s blessing supplicants. Or blow up balloons. It’s tough to sit still on a throne answering people’s prayers all day when you’re only 10 years old. Sajani Shakya is one of several Nepali children designated living goddesses — kumaris — in the Kathmandu valley, where her people observe Buddhism with elements of Hinduism thrown in. She was identified by priests at age 2 as an incarnation of the Hindu goddess Kali and will be worshiped until she reaches puberty. Sajani and her fellow kumaris are the subjects of a documentary film that juxtaposes ancient tradition with contemporary political upheaval in Nepal, where a bloody civil war and a civilian uprising have challenged the country’s king and monarchy. For much of the day Sajani sits on a painted wooden throne in her family’s house in the town of Bhaktapur, wearing heavy black and red make-up and a red brocade

From the invite:When: Thursday, June 21st at 7:00 pmWhere: Phebe's, 359 Bowery, New York, NYNext Generation Nepal has a lot to celebrate on its 1st birthday! Right now there are 26 trafficked and conflict displaced children who are finally safe and going to school, living in our new children's home in Kathmandu. We have searched for parents of trafficked children and managed to reunite over 30 trafficked children with their families.Come help NGN and its founder, Conor Grennan (flying in for the event) celebrate its 1st birthday in style and raise money to rescue more children and find more families of lost children. We are doing great things together!Join us for music, drinks, auction prizes and good cheer.$50 at the door gets you free beer and wine.For more information, contact Next Generation Nepal at nextgenerationnepal@gmail.com

Kathmandu, May 28 (IANS) Tension spiralled in eastern Nepal Monday following the death of a teenager in police firing and an indefinite curfew failed to rein in angry protests, even as the UN called for restraint while Bhutanese refugees urged for an investigation. Asking refugees on the warpath to abide by the laws of the country, Abraham Abraham, chief of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees’ office in Nepal, said the agency was alarmed by the violence. “(We) deeply regret the tragic death of a minor despite efforts by the police to quell the unrest in the camp,” Abraham said. “This is a disturbing state of affairs and I earnestly call upon all refugees and concerned parties to resolve the matter peacefully.” Abraham’s call came after overnight violence in Beldangi refugee camps in Jhapa district with angry refugees setting fire to the camp office as well as a nearby police station. The violence began Sunday after a group of camp inmates, who adv

Kathmandu, May 22 (IANS) Pemba Doma Sherpa, who rose from an impoverished set-up to become the first Nepali woman to summit Mt Everest from Tibet, has perished in an accident in the Himalayan ranges that also killed two more sherpas. One of the country’s best-known women climbers, Pemba succumbed to injuries sustained in an accident Monday while taking part in an expedition to Mt Lhotse, the fourth highest peak in the world. She was an orphan brought up by her grandparents in one of the most inaccessible villages in Nepal in Solukhumbu district - regarded as the gateway to Mt Everest. Pemba felt the urge to climb the snow-capped summits that she could see from the lodge run by her grandfather when Western mountaineers would drop by and discuss their expedition plans. She persuaded a Western team to let her be part of the expedition to Mt Everest after promising that she would raise the large sum of money required for such a venture. In 2000, Pemba became the first Nepali woman t

I made a noteworthy change to the early part of my ’round the world backpacking itinerary. It’s a change in route, rather than countries I intend to visit. Initially, I was planning to tour southeast Asia first, then work counterclockwise toward Tibet, Nepal, and India. The order was something along the lines of…. New Zealand…Australia…Bali…Thailand…Cambodia…Vietnam…China…Tibet…Nepal…India (and on to Africa) Apparently, from the new book I started reading a few days ago, Trekking in Nepal by Stephen Bezruchka, this would put me in Nepal during the monsoon season which runs from July through late September. The author indicates trekking in monsoon weather can be an adventure unto itself, however the idea of constantly walking in the rain, up and down slippery slopes, while coming across washed out bridges does not appeal to me. So, with a little rearranging, I figure I can head in a clockwise manner an

Kathmandu, May 10 (IANS) On the eve of a crucial election meet Thursday, Nepal’s Maoists went on the rampage in remote districts, attacking government offices and causing the death of at least one person — actions likely to further widen the rift between the rebels and the main political parties. The guerrillas, who joined the seven-party [...]

The Changing Nepali Society has a tremendous scope for glamor!!! Not much while ago the Nepali beauties were a few and that too were flying to India for exposure and work !!! But now the time has changed there is a set of 123 wallpapers of pure upcoming Nepali models....... and look at the extent of exposure they can provide to your eyes.........Glamorous Nepal, 123 Images. Full Gallery - HERE free image host

Reuters AlertNet: NEPAL: Delayed elections threaten peaceExcerpt:"Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.Nepal's key political parties have expressed concern that the country's hard-earned peace is at risk due to delayed national elections.The elections had been set for June, but the recent announcement by the Election Commission (EC) to postpone voting has caused fear and frustration among the main political parties."http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/a02d3dccd38ba92222bba951022b4459.htmAlex

People's Daily Online: Nepal to launch e-governmentExcerpt:"Nepali government is soon to come up with a five-year master plan on e-government to enhance efficiency of public administration and ensure transparency in bureaucracy, local media reported Thursday.The comprehensive plan -- the final draft of which has been prepared by the High Level Commission for Information Technology (HLCIT) in collaboration with Korean IT Industry Promotion Agency ( KIPA) -- will be implemented between 2007 and 2011 after seeking approval of the cabinet.Madan K Pariyar, member secretary of HLCIT, told local website eKantipur.com that the successful execution of the plan will help create citizen-centric and transparent bureaucratic system, improve productivity of civil servants and strengthen linkage between government and people and various state organs."http://english.people.com.cn/200704/05/eng20070405_364000.htmlAlex

A report is in today that two young lesbians have been released by Maoists.Now, you may have thought the only Maoists still around hung out at Harvard Square and in their Mom's basement, as they made an annoying presence on the Internet. But, in fact, there are still real live people in places like Nepal, that are fighting for the People's Revolution. And they do not like lesbians.The Left likes to pretend they are quite egalitarian when it comes to sex and lifestyle. But, they are not. Even in the United States, we recently saw Democratic legislators undermine the Massachusetts Supreme Court decision allowing same sex marriage, by throwing the equal protection issue to the masses to decide.And you are aware that Hillary and Obama are unwilling to frame gay and lesbian issues in the context of a fundamental right which the government should keep the fuck out of?This is because they see government interference as a good thing. So they are more than willing to support stuff like ha