NEPALI POLITICS

This is another religious temple not to miss during your visit to Kathmandu and offer prayers at one of the most revered Vishnu shrines of the valley. The remarkably intricate artwork that went into sculpting this magnificent 5th century stone image of the sleeping Vishnu is worth a close look. You could combine the trip with a visit to the Shivapuri National Park further up, provided you are up for a hike. Located at the foot of the Shivapuri hills in the northern-most part of Kathmandu , Budhanilkantha is about 8 km from the main city. It is the largest stone statue of Lord Vishnu in Nepal showing him reclining on a bed of  Nagas  or serpents in the middle of a small pond. A priest is usually in attendance at the foot of the image to receive offerings from devotees. The 5m long granite image carved out of a single rock dates back to the Lichhavi period. According to folklore, a farmer was working on his field one day when his plough struck a boulder, and to his surpri

Considering the possibility of third wave of COVID 19 pandemic in the near future, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called upon the countries of the South-East Asia Region to scale-up and implement the public health and social measures rigorously, and boost the accelerated vaccine rollout in a bid to prevent another surge of COVID-19 as more countries have confirmed the prevalence of highly transmissible variants. Nepal is among 11 countries in this region “Implement public health measures rigorously” (THT, June 21. Page 2)     More efforts are needed in the coming days to test, trace and isolate the people depending on the seriousness of third wave of the COVID-19 variant which is said to be more dangerous. Societal interventions such as physical distancing, hand washing and proper use of masks need to be stringently implemented. These measures should be in full force and for longer periods in the areas where more transmissible variants of concern are reported. The govern

Pashupatinath is more than just a religious destination. It is a combination of religion, art, and culture. It offers peace and devotion. The temple, spread across 246 hectors of land abounds in temples and monuments. Hundreds of rituals are performed here every day. The temple premises is an open museum. This national treasure was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1979.   The largest temple complex in Nepal, it stretches on both sides of the Bagmati River which is considered to be a holy river by Hindus.   The main pagoda style temple has a golden roof, four sides covered in silver and exquisite wood carvings. Temples dedicated to several other Hindu and Buddhist deities surround the temple of Pashupatinath. Visiting Pashupatinath Temple once in a life time is said to be one of the ritualistic journey to heavenly experience.

Nepal is popularly known as the Land of Festivals and Temples. I have included some of the main festivals which are celebrated by different ethnic groups of Nepal. I will continue to upload more information about other festivals in the days to come. Nepal is one of the very few diverse destinations with much variation in nature, culture, religion, lifestyle and so on. Each community in Nepal enjoy their traditions in unique manner. Most of these traditions are several centuries old and are celebrated for specific reasons and with color. There is a reason to why Nepal  is the Land of Festival. Due to the concentration of numerous communities, the number of festivals in the calendar is numerous. Each community respect and enjoy the culture of the other communities for centuries. This is the main reason for harmonious lifestyle among the Nepali people. Dashain – Most Auspicious Festival  Dashain is the longest and most auspicious festival of Nepal. It is celebrated accor

  Lumbini, the Birthplace of Lord Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, the Lord Buddha, was born in 623 B.C. in the famous gardens of Lumbini, which soon became a place of pilgrimage. Among the pilgrims was the Indian emperor Ashoka, who erected one of his commemorative pillars there. The site is now being developed as a Buddhist pilgrimage centre, where the archaeological remains associated with the birth of the Lord Buddha form a central feature.                                                                                                                                                Drone view of Lumbini   Lumbini Maya Devi Temple         The Lord Buddha was born in 623 BC in the sacred area of Lumbini located in the Terai plains of southern Nepal, testified by the inscription on the pillar erected by the Mauryan Emperor Asoka in 249 BC. Lumbini is one of the holiest places of one of the world's great religions, and its remains contain important evidence about t

  Magnificent view of Himalayan Ranges The majestic Shailung could become Dolakha’s major tourist attraction, situated at an altitude of 3,146 metres, the place is believed to have been a spiritual centre for many Hindu saints and Buddhist monks in the past.     Source: The Kathmandu Post Published at : January 5, 2021 Just about 120 km northeast of Kathmandu lies Shailung, a rural municipality in Dolakha district. Blessed with abundant natural beauty, Shailung is an important religious and tourist destination of Dolakha. From here, one can get a magnificent view of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Manalsu, Ganesh, Lantang and Gauri Shankar mountains. “There is a transport facility up to Kalapani and from there one has to hike up the stone steps for about 30 minutes to reach the spot that offers the majestic view of the mountains,” said Bharat Dulal, chairperson of Shailung Rural Municipality. Situated at an altitude of 3,146 metres, the place is believed to have been a spiritual cen