This hand-written letter is taken from FaceBook profile of Dr. Baburam Bhattarai. I have posted here for you who don’t have access to facebook. I can see a ray of hope for the development of our country. I really appreciate the way that Dr. Bhattarai is using to know views of today’s youth through social networking website. It will be better if other people in higher posts of government also start using such technology to build new Nepal.

And below is snapshot of some prompt responses of this post in FaceBook network.

Wildlife Conservation Nepal is an organization committed to conservation of our natural heritage. Its different programs are focused on doing so through different mediums and one of such is the Photography Program. This program has been organizing Nature and Wildlife Photography Competition for Amateurs at national level with the support of philanthropic organizations since last five years.

The exhibition “Nature through Lens 4″ is displaying more than 350 pictures of 140 photographers participating in the competition. I would like to invite you to this event which starts from 28 to 31 August 2008 at the Nepal Art Council, Babarmahal.  I am sure that this exhibition will prove immensely beneficial for you.

This event will not only promote amateur photographers but it also raises funds for conservation activities at local level in Kathmandu Valley and support young researchers to carry out study on Urban Wildlife.

The Program is being inaugurated by Her Excellency Ms. Nancy Powell, The Ambassador, and Embassy of United States of America to Kathmandu.

(more…)

The growing awareness for nature and wildlife conservation has made zoo a popular place to visit. “Central Zoo”, only one zoo of Nepal, was established by late Prime Minister Juddha Shamsher Jung Bahadhur Rana on the occasion of Bhote Jatra in 1932 as his personal collection of wild animals, reptiles and birds. In 1951, the jurisdiction of the zoo came under the Government after the fall of the Rana regime. But the zoo was opened for the general public only on 1956. The management of the Central Zoo was given to the government under the power conferred by the Development Committee Act, 1956 until 2008. The zoo is located in the south-western part of Patan, just north of Jawalakhel. It includes a reasonably extensive collection of Nepali wildlife including rhinos, tigers, leopards, monkeys, birds, chimpanzees, etc. It has collection of more than 800 animals in small and big cages including open cages having about 121 species. The record shows that among these, there are 32 mammals, 9 reptiles, 21 fishes and 59 bird species. Zoos have a great potential to educate people and all modern zoos in the world are contributing to save this planet through conservation and environmental education.

For most people, their first visit to the zoo marks their first encounter with animals. Tigers, lions and those only seen in the wild become accessible to human. But for some animal welfare groups, the zoo is a cruel place for animals. Even in their own habitat, animals are threatened by human activities that disturb their existence. Last week we visited ‘Central Zoo’ especially for photography. Here are some collection of chosen photographs. Enjoy!

Source: RealNepal.com.np

Photography is an Art, a way of life, thinking creatively and seeing life, it is our passion, mental and emotional nourishment. All we can say is experiment, experiment, experiment… the exposure is irrelevant because for each flower, the light source is different, just like for people and everything else!

We love flowers, they are neither shy nor temperamental, just extremely ephemeral, and that is one of the things we like to capture and eternalize their beauty. All flowers are beautiful, some through their shape, some through their colour, some through both of them, just like with people. However, we noticed that some flowers are more photogenic than others… just like with people…

Flowers have been cultured and bred for their beauty and their perfume from earliest times and have accumulated a vast and intricate treasury of symbolic associations derived from legend and folklore. Individual flowers have been celebrated in heraldry (rose), in religion (lotus) and in politics (violet) and have become symbol for many countries. In modern time, we cultivate, buy and love to have flowers and blooming plants around us for the colour, it has become a part of our ‘interior design’. Flower lovers will know that there is a flower language.

Every sentiment is expressed in one form or another by delicate flower. Of course, even the experts disagree on the “true meaning” of many flowers and most have different meanings to different people.

Due to diversity in climate and topography, many different varieties of flowers are found in Nepal. They range from tropical flowers found in the Terai to flowers such as rhododendron that are found only above the snowline. We are experimenting on this issue, please give us feedback.

Source: RealNepal.com.np

असुर शक्तिमाथि सुरशक्तिको विजयको प्रतीकको रूपमा थाप्लोभरि टीका थाप्छौँ । तर, टीकाले निधार पोत्नुअघि आफ्नो घरआँगनदेखि मन्दिर, शक्तिपीठ, कोत र खलङ्गाहरूमा रगतको आहाल बग्ने गरी पशुपन्छीको बलि पनि चढाउँछौँ। दुःखलाग्दो कुरा के हो भने दशैँमा नै सबैभन्दा बढी पशुहिंसा हुने गर्छ। महानवमिका दिन देशभर हजारौं पशुको बलि दिएर मासु लुछ्ने काम हुन्छ। पुरानो दरबार हनुमानढोकामा त्यो रात कालरात्रि भन्दै रातभर लगाएर ५४ राँगा र ५४ बोकाको बलि दिइन्छ। एउटा राँगालाई मार हान्दा अरु राँगा टुलुटुलु हेर्दै काल पर्खेर बस्नुपर्ने। उफ्..! त्यहाँ मात्र हैन, घर-घरमा बलि दिइन्छ। धर्मको नाममा यस्तो भईरहेको छ यदि पशुलाई असीम पिडा दिई आफु खुसी हुने देवता अथवा भगवान छन् भने उनी कसरी देवता हुनसक्छन्? वास्तवमा यो परम्परा बिग्रिएको मात्रै हो। हिन्दू धर्मले कहिले पनि हिंसा गर्न भनेको छैन। वेदमा अहिंसा परमोधर्म लेखिएको छ। त्यसमाथि हामी बुध्द जन्मिएको देशका वासी हौं। हामीले त्यसरी हिंसा गरेर रमाउनु हुँदैन। जसरी हामी देशमा गृहयुध्दका कारण फैलिएको हत्याहिंसाबाट आजित छौं, त्यसरी नै यो पशुहिंसाबाट पनि हामी बच्नुपर्छ। यो राक्षसी कामलाई परम्पराका नाममा जोगाएर राख्नुको कुनै अ‍ौचित्य छैन। शायद त्यस्तै हिंसाका कारणले पो हो कि हामीले कहिले कोतपर्व, कहिले जनयुध्दका नाममा मान्छेको रगत बगेको हेर्नुपरेको।

आफैभित्रको महिषासुर प्रवृत्तिको हत्या गर्न नसक्ने हामी महिषासुर वधको अनुभूति गर्न अबोध, निरीह र निर्दोष प्राणीको निर्मम हत्या गर्छौ । राँगा, बोका, भेडा, हाँस र कुखुराको पञ्चबलिको रगतले पखालिएको पत्थरको मूर्तिबाट उद्दण्ड महिषासुर प्रवृत्तिका असुरतत्वहरू निर्मूल हुन्छन् भन्ने विश्वासमा हामी यो गर्दैछौ। हो, हाम्रा देवता पत्थरका छन्, हाम्रा पत्थरमा देवता हुन्छन् र तिनका अगाडि असुरलाई पछार्नुपर्छ; तर ती निरीह राँगा, कालो बोका, कागे भेडा, हाँस र रातो भालेहरु असुर हैनन्। तिनमाथि हुने निर्मम व्यवहार र तिनको निर्दयी बध दशैँको पावन चाडको बेला पाशविक प्रवृत्तिको प्रदर्शन मात्र हो। हामी मानिस हौँ भने यसमा मानवीय विवेक किन प्रयोग गर्दैनौ?

क्रोध पनि मानिसको अभिन्न स्वभाव हो। क्रोधले क्रूरता जन्माउँछ, तर रमाउनका लागि क्रूर बन्नु सभ्य मानिसको संस्कार हैन। देवी, के भगवती, हुँदा हुँदा गणेशस्थानमा समेत राँगाको बलि चढाइएको हुन्छ। अरू देशका हिन्दू धर्मावलम्बीहरू समेत नेपालमा गणेशको पूजामा पशुपन्छीको बलि देखेर आश्चर्यचकित हुन्छन्। मानिस स्वयं प्राणी भएको नाताले अरु प्राणीको हिंसा गर्नु आफैँमा पाप हो। त्यसमा पनि क्रूर हिंसा अझ ठूलो पाप हुन्छ। झन् देवदेवीका नाममा यस्तो हिंसा गर्नु त महापाप नै हुन्छ। त्यसैले बलि दिने संस्कार अब त्याग्नु पर्छ। यसक्रममा सबभन्दा पहिले सरकारी बलि रोक्नुपर्छ, चाहे त्यो हनुमानढोकाको दरबारभित्र होस् वा विभिन्न कोतहरूमा। यसैगरी विभिन्न मन्दिरमा सिर्जिने रक्तकुण्डको पनि अन्त्य गर्न सक्नुपर्छ। मेसिन, मोटर, मोटरसाइकल, हवाइजहाजलाई समेत पशुबलि दिएर हिंसालाई प्रसय नदिउँ ।

जुन समाजमा समाजको सवभन्दा शान्त र हिंसारहीत हुनु पर्ने मन्दिर जस्तो ठाउँमा पनि हत्या हिंसा गरीन्छ निर्दोष पशुको धर्मको नाउँमा बली दिईन्छ त्यो समाज कसरी शान्त र प्रेमपुर्ण हुन सक्छ ? संवेदनशील सचेत बोध र प्रेमले भरीएको मानिसले आफ्नो स्वादको लागि अरुको जीवन लिनसक्दैन ।

साभार: www.RealNepal.com.np

Sacrificing Animal by Nepal Army during Dashain

Sacrificed Animal during Dashain - Photo by Ashis Koirala

Flower Sellers and Customer during Dashain (Photo by Kamero)

Shova Bhagawati Temple at Kathmandu

Devotees lighting lights during Dashain at Maitidevi Temple

काठमाडौंको हनुमानढोका, पशुपतिनाथ, पाटन, भक्तपुर, नक्साल, भगवतीवहाल ज्ञानेश्वरको ढुङ्गेधारा नजिकका मन्दिरहरु लगायत उपत्यका भित्रका अन्य मन्दिरहरुका टुडाल र वाहिरी भितामा लैङ्गीक आकर्षण गराउने मुर्तिहरु किन बनाइए? यी मुर्तिहरु बनाउने आवश्यकताको महशुस किन भयो भन्ने प्रश्न धेरैको मनमा उठ्ने गर्दछ । मन्दिरमा कुदिएका हुनाले विरोध गर्ने हिम्मत जुटाउन अप्ठ्यारो हुने भए पनि मन्दिर जस्तो पवित्र ठाउँमा यस्तो मुर्ति किन कुदियो होला भन्ने सबैको मनमा उठी नै रहन्छ ।

सामान्य जनमानसमा यस्ता मुर्तिहरुले मन्दिरलाई चट्याङ र आँधीवाट जोगाउछ भन्ने धारणा छ । इन्द्र र वरुण प्राकृतिक विपदहरु चट्याङ् र आँधीका देवता हुन् । इन्द्रकी कुमारी छोरी यमिनीलाई चट्याङ्की देवी मानिन्छ र देवताको मन्दिरमा उ पनि आकषिर्त हुनु स्वभाविक हो । तर कुमारी भएकीले यामिनी अति लज्जाशील छिन् यसकारण मन्दिरको भित्तामा नै यस्तो कामउत्तेजक मुर्तिको चित्रण गर्दा कुमारी यामिनि मन्दिरमा आउन लजाउछिन् र मन्दिर चट्याङ्बाट जोगिन्छ भन्ने धारणा छ । तर यो धारणालाई नै बिश्वास गर्ने आधार देखिदैन किनभने भारतको खजुराहोमा मात्र पहिला ८० ओटा यस्ता मन्दिर रहेकोमा हाल आएर २० वटा जति मात्र बाँकी छन् र धेरैको बिनासको कारण प्राकृतिक प्रकोप र चट्याङ् बाट नै भएको मानिन्छ ।

अर्को तर्क के छ भने भगवान बुद्ध र भगवान माहावीरको मुत्यु पछि जव श्रवण संस्कृति बिस्तारै शिखरमा पुग्यो, धेरै मानिस भिक्षु र संन्यासी हुन थाले । नालन्दा, बिक्रमशीला, तक्षशिलाबाट स्नातक भएका ७५ प्रतिशत भन्दा वढी बिद्यार्थीहरु विश्वविद्यालयवाट गृहस्थि आश्रममा प्रवेश गर्नुको साटो सोझै संन्यास आश्रममा दिक्षित हुन्थे । सानातिना राजाहरुबिच भइरहने युद्धका कारण पनि धेरै मानिस मर्ने गर्दथे । त्यसकारण गृहस्थि आश्रममा बस्ने युवाहरुको संख्या दिनानु दिन घट्न थाल्यो यसैले मन्दिरमा सबै प्रकारका मानिस आउने भएकोले मन्दिरमा नै काम वासनाको इच्छा जगाउने खालका मुर्तिहरु बनाएर, युवाहरुलाई संन्यासी हुनबाट जोगाउने र गृहस्थि आश्रममा तानेर धेरै सन्तानहरु जन्माई घटदो जनसंख्यालाई सन्तुलनमा राख्ने उद्देश्यले मन्दिरमा यस्ता चित्र बनाइएका हुन् भन्ने धारणा पनि रहि आएको छ ।

तर माथिका दुवै धारणलाई पुर्ण, विश्वासनीय मान्न सकिने खासै ठूलो आधार भेटिदैन । जिवनको सम्पर्णतालाई स्वीकार गर्नु पर्ने हुन्छ । जिवनका हरेक पक्षहरुलाई स्वीकार नगरी पर्ण जिवन जिउन सकिदैन । यस मन्दिरका बास्तविक निर्माता तान्त्रिकहरुको भनाई यो छ कि यी मन्दिरहरु तन्त्र साधनाको बिशिष्ट प्रयोगका लागी बनेका प्रयोगशालाहरु हुन् । यी मन्दिर बिशीष्ट वैज्ञानिक प्रयोजनको लागि निर्मित गरिएका हुन् । मन्दिरको बाहिरी भागमा यस्ता मुर्तिहरु भेटिए पनि मन्दिर भित्र भगवानका पवित्र मुर्ति, परम शान्ति र परम शुन्यता पाउन सकिन्छ । मन्दिरको भित्र प्रवेशको लागी बाहिरको काम उत्तेजक मुर्तिको दर्शन विना भित्र प्रवेश असम्भब छ । त्यसैले पहिला तन्त्र साधक साधीकाहरुलाई मन्दिरको वाहिरी भागमा रहेका यस्ता कामलाई उक्साउने खालका मुर्तिहरुलाई अवलोकन गर्न लगाइन्थ्यो । यसो गर्दा यदि उ उत्तेजित भयो भने उसलाई फेरी आत्मशुद्धिकालागी पठाइन्थ्यो, उसलाई भगवानको मुर्ति दर्शनको लागी लायक मानिदैन थियो । यसमा उर्तिण भएपछि मात्र मन्दिर भित्र रहेको भगवानको दर्शन प्रवेशको लागी अनुमति दिईन्थ्यो । त्यसैले यी मुर्तिहरु राख्नुको आवश्यकता मन्दिरको वाहिर काम छ, बासना छ यसलाई पार गरेपछि भित्र भगवान हुनुहुन्छ, परम शान्ति, परम शुन्यता छ भन्ने भनाई बढी बैज्ञानिक र जिवन उपयोगी देखिन्छ ।

साभार: www.RealNepal.com.np

Kathmandu’s Durbar Square is one of the three Durbar (Royal Palace) squares in the Kathmandu Valley. It holds the palaces of the Malla and Shah kings. Along with these palaces, the square also surrounds quadrangles revealing courtyards and temples. Kathmandu Durbar square, also known as “Hanumandhoka Durbar”, used to be the residence of the Nepali royal family and administrators. This ancient palace lies in the heart of the city. It consists of huge Royal Palace with different temples, inside as well as outside the temple, dating from the 15th to the 18th century. This palace is named after Hanuman, the monkey god, as a stone statue of Hanuman is placed right next to the main entrance protecting the whole palace.

Some important monuments seen in this area are:

• The Jagannath temple, built in the 16th century, is known for the fascinating erotic figures carved in the wooden struts.
• The Kala Bhairav, one of the largest 17th century stone statues in Kathmandu, represents the terrifying aspect of Shiva.
• The statue of King Pratap Malla is placed in the top of stone pillar right across the temple of Digu Taleju, the royal family deity.
• The 17th century Kumari temple: At the West end of the square, is a beautiful house full of woodcarving of different God and Goddesses. This Palace is three storied and in this palace, lives the very famous living Goddess Kumari. Both Hindus and Buddhists equally venerate her. For Hindus she is the reincarnation of Hindu Goddess Kali. She is equally worshiped by Buddhists because she is chosen from Buddhist family. This shows the harmony between Buddhist and Hindus in Nepal. The Taleju temple is the tallest of all structures built by King Mahendra Malla in 1549 A.D.
• Kastamandap, locally known as Maru Sattal. It is believed that the name of Kathmandu City is derived from the name of this temple. Kastha means wood and Mandap means pavilion. And it is said that this temple is built by one single Sal (sorea robusta) tree. At the center of this temple, one can see the statue of a Hindu God Gorakhnath and in the four corners of the temple one can see Ganesh Statues.

Besides these, other fascinating parts of this palace complex is the towering Nautale Durbar overlooking the beautiful city and the vast Basantapur square. It is famous for its many intricately carved doors, windows, etc.

Source: www.RealNepal.com.np