About Dashain

Dashain is the 15-day national festival of Nepal, and a state festival of Indian states of Sikkim and the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. It is also a national holiday in Bhutan. Now it is celebrated all around the world by the Nepalese diaspora. The festival falls around September-October, after the rice harvest. This festival is known for emphasis on family gatherings, as well as on a renewal of community ties. People will return from all parts of the world, as well as different parts of the country, to celebrate together.

The festival is a blend of Hindu Tantrik and animistic harvest festival traditions. On the first day, called Ghatasthapana, the "Dashain Ghar", or special worship room, is set up—this room is used to worship the Astha-Matrikas (the 8 tantrik goddesses) as well as the Nava Durgas (the 9 durga goddesses), to whom the festival is consecrated. Married women will say the mantras for the next fifteen days, and guard the goddesses. Barley is sowed on big earthern pots which have a coating of cow dung. These seeds will sprout in ten days. The sprouts, which symbolize a good harvest, will be decoratively placed on the heads of family members later on in the festival as a blessing.

Fulpaati (The Seventh Day)
On the seventh day, Fulpaati, the town of Gorkha sends an offering of flowers to the King of Nepal. A band associated with the army also plays its music and goes through the old core of Kathmandu.

Asthami (The eighth day)
The eighth day, Asthami, is the day of sacrifices. Goddess temples all over the Kathmandu Valley receive sacrifices, ranging from goats and buffaloes to ducks and chickens. Blood, symbolic for its fertility, is offered to the goddesses. This meat is taken home and cooked as "prasad", or food blest by divinity. This food is offered, in tiny leaf plates, to the household gods, then distributed amongst the family. Eating this food is thought to be auspicious.

Navami (The ninth day)
Sacrifices continue on Navami, the ninth day. Families will visit various temples around the Kathmandu Valley. On the tenth day, "Dashami," a mixture of rice, yogurt and vermillion will be prepared by the women. This preparation is known as "tika". Elders put this on the forehead of younger relatives to bless them with fertility and abundance in the upcoming year. The red also symbolizes the blood that ties the family together. Elders will give "dakshina", or a small amount of money, to younger relatives at this time. The tika continues for five days, during which time people also gather to play cards around massive amounts of food and drink.

Dashami (The tenth day)

In several parts of Nepal, Dashain is the only time of the year when people receive a set of new clothing. Likewise, in poorer families, the animal sacrifice was eagerly anticipated since it might be the only animal protein the family would eat all year. This may be true in certain parts of Nepal where food is in low supply, but is less so in the cities. In general, the tradition of sacrifice is lessening with the easy availability of meat for daily consumption, and with the influences of Vaishnav Hindus (who are vegetarian).

In recent times, Dashain has become commercialized, with industries sponsoring events around the festival to sell goods.

Dashain 2008

Happy Dashain 2008 to all Neplease all over the world.
From NepalTemples Group.

Finally Dashain has reached doorsteps of Neplease home. The first day of Dashain is Ghattasthapana.

About Goddess Durga

Puja
Capture the hearts and minds of her ecstatic devotees.
Durga, in Sanskrit means "She who is incomprehensible or difficult to reach." Goddess Durga is a form of Sakti worshiped for her gracious as well as terrifying aspect. Mother of the Universe, she represents the infinite power of the universe and is a symbol of a female dynamism. The manifestation of Goddess Durga is said to emerge from Her formless essence and the two are inseparable.

She is also called by many other names, such as Parvati, Ambika, and Kali. In the form of Parvati, She is known as the divine spouse of Lord Shiva and is the mother of Her two sons, Ganesha and Karttikeya, and daughter Jyoti. Destroyer of demons, she is worshiped during an annual festival called Durga puja, especially popular among Bengalis.

Her Appearance
There are endless aspects of Durga described in the Puranas and Agamas and the iconography is consequently very varied. She is usually pictured as having ten arms holding Sword, Conch, Discus, Rosary, Bell, Winecup, Shielf, Bow, Arrow, and Spear. She is most often shown riding a lion from which comes Her august name, Simhavahini, "She who stands astride the king of beasts". She is gorgeously dressed in royal red cloth and has several ornaments decorating Her personage. Her hair is dressed up in a crown (karandamukuta) which then flows out in long luxuriant tresses that are darkly luminous and soothing to the eye. The various tools reflects the eminent supremacy that helps in controling the universe and obey Her will.

Weilding Energy
Goddess Durga exists eternally, always abiding in her own sweet nature and inhabits the hearts and minds of her ecstatic devotees. As Shakti power, she shapes, nurtures, and dissolves names and forms, while as subtle spiritual energy called Kundalini, She lights the lotuses fo the seven centres of awareness in the sacred human body. Goddess Durga killed the powerful demon Mahish and all his great commanders. When demonic forces create imbalance all god unite becoming one divine force called Shakti or Durga.

Indra Jatra Scandal

History: (Picture of Living Goddess Kumari)
The festival of Indra Jatra is celebrated for eight days. Throughout the festival, people from all over Nepal gather at the Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu. During this festival, three chariots of Lord Ganesh, Lord Bhairab, and Goddess Kumari are pulled in Kathmandu valley. Lots of other dances are performed during this festival.

Lakhey Dance: (Picture of Lakey)
Indra Jatra is being celebrated in Kathmandu valley for more than 2500 years now. The festival was started by Malla Kings. After take over by Shah Dynasty, the Shahs were wholehearted and did allow to run all cultural event in Kathmandu without any interruption. They were happy to learn and view Newari cultural events not only in Kathmandu but also in Bhakatpur, Laliptur, and Shaku.

Indra Jatra Scandal: (Picture of Kal-Bhairab)
But the irony, it has not been too long, not more than two months now, the new government lead by Maoist has threaten not only to interrupt but also to destroy our culture. For the first time in history the chariot has been stopped and the festival is in jeopardy.

Indra Jatra Scandal started as the new government lead by Maoist interrupted the great festival of Newari Culture “Indra Jatra” by cutting off money for the celebration of the Jatra.

Government Policy: (Picture of Swet-Bhairab)

The new Finance Minister, Babu Ram, in his budget for the next fiscal year not only cut off money for the celebration of cultural festivals in Kathmandu but also cut off money to be given away to the people (Lakhey, Pulukisi, and Bharab) involved in running this festival in the name of “UNNECESSARY EXPENSES”.

Nepal has been earning lots of foreign currencies by means of royalty through foreigners visiting Nepal, through Newari Cultural Events, especially in Kathmandu Valley. How can this government forget this??. Tourists from all over the world visit Nepal due to our culture, to visit temples, most importantly to get a glimpse of the Living Goddess in the whole world “Lord Kumari”.

"The Finance Minister must realize that money spent to run our culture is not an EXPENSE but INVESTMENT."

Protest: (Picture of Newari community against government policy)

Protest has been going on in Kathmandu against government policy. Newari community called Valley bandh on Sunday.

Flag of Nepal

About the Flag:
The crimson/red color is a traditional Nepalese color and the blue outlined edge represents the country's peaceful nature. The two triangular portions of the Nepalese flag represent the Himalayan Mountains and the two main religions of the nation - which are Buddhism and Hinduism. The moon and sun originally represented the royal family and the prime minister's family, the Rana family. They also represent the country's desire to live as long as the sun and moon.

Nepalese Flag History:
The current Nepalese flag was adopted on December 12, 1962. The individual flags that make up the national flag had been used during the past two centuries and the double flag has been in use since the 19th century.

Interesting Nepalese Flag Facts:
The flag of Nepal is the only non-rectangular national flag in the world. It's believed the flag originated in the late 19th century from two triangular flags that were placed one above the other.

National Antehem of Nepal

Latin Transliteration

Sayaű thűgā phūlkā hāmī, eutai mālā nepālī
Sārvabhaum bhai phailiekā, Mechi-Mahākālī

Prak tikā kotī-kotī sampadāko ā̃chal,
Vīrharūkā ragata le, swatantra ra aṭal

Gyānabhūmi, śhāntibhūmi Tarāī, pahād, himāl
Akhatta yo pyāro hāmro mātribhūmi Nepāl

Bahul jāti, bhāthā, dharma, sãnskr.ti chan biśhāl
Agragāmī rās.ht.ra hāmro, jaya jaya Nepāl


English:

We are hundreds of flowers, the one garland - Nepali
Sovereign, spread out from Mechi to Mahakali.

Amassing nature's millions of resources
By the blood of heroes, independent and immovable.

Land of knowledge, land of peace, Terai, hills, mountains
Indivisible this beloved, our motherland Nepal.

The diverse races, languages, faiths, and cultures are so extensive
Our progressive nation, long live Nepal.

Chitwan National Park

Chitwan National Park (formerly called "Royal Chitwan National Park(RCNP)" )(CNP), covering an area of 932 km², is the oldest national park of Nepal. Established in 1973, it was granted the status of a World Heritage Site in 1984. The RCNP is located at subtropical inner Terai lowlands of South-Central Nepal in Chitwan district (200km away from capital Kathmandu).

The park is rich in flora and fauna, which include one of the last populations of single-horned Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) and the Bengal tiger Panthera tigris tigris. The area used to be known as "Four Mile Forest" (चार कोसे झाडी). It was a place for big game hunting and until 1951 it was a hunting reserve. At the park there is canoeing, elephant rides, and guided jungle walks.

Adjacent to the National Park in the east is the Parsa Wildlife Reserve (49.900 ha) and further east the Bara Hunting Reserve (25.900 ha). In the south the Chitwan is contiguous with the Indian Valmiki Tiger Reserve. The vegetation consits mainly of moist deciduous forests, with the sal as dominating tree species. In the Churia Hills pine trees predominate. On the floodplains of the large Rivers, by name the Rapti, the Reu and the Narayani there are large areas covered with Elephant grass alternating with riverine Forests mainly composed of Simal, Khair and Sisau trees.

The Chitwan National Park is home to at least 43 species of mammals, 450 species of birds, and 45 species of amphibians and reptiles. Elephants and Indian rhinos are the largest species found in the park, but a lot of other large herbivores are found in the park, gaur, sambar deer, Indian muntjac, chital, hog deer, mainland serow, chousingha and wild boar. Three large predator species, tigers, leopards, dholes prey on them and carrion eaters like striped hyenas are also found. Sloth bears are among the main attractions of the Park. Smaller carivore species are golden jackal, yellow-throated marten, ratel, smooth coated otter, small Indian civet, large Indian civet, spotted linsang, common palm civet, binturong, small Indian mongoose, Indian grey mongoose, crab-eating mongose, leopard cat, marbled cat and fishing cat. Further mammal species found in the park are rhesus monkeys, hanuman langurs, Indian pangolin, northern palm squirrel, red giant flying squirrel, particoloured flying squirrel, Indian porcupine, hispid hare, Indian hare and ganges doplhin.

Among the reptiles marsh crocoiles, gharials and Indian python are the largest.

The park's unique rhino herd was featured on The Jeff Corwin Experience in season 2, episode 11. This national park is just 10 km far from nearby city Bharatpur, Nepal and the Bharatpur Airport.



Copyright (c) 2008 SABIN SHRESTHA.
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World Heritage Sites in Nepal

The four sites of Nepal in World Heritage are

1. Chitwan National Park

2. Kathmandu Valley

3. Lumbini

4. Sagarmatha National Park

Kritipur

Lalitpur

Bhaktapur

Kathmandu

Map of Nepal

Geography of Nepal

Location: Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map references: Asia

Area: total: 140,800 sq km land: 136,800 sq km water: 4,000 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than Arkansas

Land boundaries: total: 2,926 km border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km