Father’s day in Nepal

Father’s day in Nepal

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY !!!

Kushe Aausi or Pitritarpani Aausi or Gokarne Aausi

(बाबुको मुख हेर्ने दिन, गोकर्णे औंसी, कुशेऔंसी)

Nepal has more than 70 ethnic groups with almost all have their own tradition and languages. The people of different communities and tribe have their own way of celebrating father’s day. Some communities celebrate it empty stomach early in the morning and some communities celebrate it in the evening.

Nepali Hindu Ritual

The most auspicious day to honor one’s father is Gokarna Aunsi . It falls on the dark fortnight of Bhadra or in August or in early September. It is also known as Kuse Aunsi. The Nepali religion, tradition and culture hold a lot of reverence for a father. He is considered the pillar of strength, respect and support of a family. The most auspicious day to honor one’s father is Gokarna Aunsi . It falls on the dark fortnight in August or in early September. A day when children show their gratitude and appreciation for his guidance and teachings in life. Sons and daughters, near or far, come with presents and confections to spend the day with their fathers. Children spend their hoarded coins on presents, which expresses honor and love in their own special ways. The streets are a gay scene of married daughters on their way to their parents’ home with delicacies. After the offering of gifts, they touch their father’s feet with their foreheads, this act of veneration is done by the sons only, and the daughters touch the hand. The ceremony is also known as “looking upon father’s face”.

However, all the communities prepare foods and tasty feast in and serve it to their father. The celebration and fun of the festival depends upon the place, climate and ethnicity.

Janai Purnima Festival

Janai Purnima Festival
Janai Purnima

A toddler gets her wrist colourful with doro (Hindu’s traditional threads of different colours) from a Pandit (Hindu Priest) celebrating Janai Poornima

The tagadharis or those who wear the ‘Janai’ (the sacred thread) around their bodies from the left shoulder change the sacred thread on Tuesday after having a haircut and a bath on the occasion of ‘Janai Purnima’, also known as ‘Rishi Tarpani’.

This festival observed by the Hindus, especially of the Shaiva sect, on the full moon day in the Nepali month of Saun is also popularly known as ‘Gunhu Punhi’ in the Newar community.

According to the time-honoured tradition, the people receive the ‘Rakshya Bandhan’ thread, which is tied around the wrist as an amulet. The yellow thread is purified through the chanting of mantras by Brahmin priests as a symbol of protection from fear and disease. They also observe the occasion as ‘Kwanti Purnima’.

Kwanti Purnima

Kwanti a soup prepared from nine different beans, is a special delicacy added to the Nepali menu today.

The ‘Kulabarna Tantra’, a Tantrik scripture, says that the soup is highly nutritious and keeps diseases away.

In the Terai region, there is a tradition in which sisters tie an attractive ‘Rakhi’ around the wrist of their brothers wishing them long life and prosperity.

Thousands of devotees worship lord Shiva at Pashupatinath in Kathmandu and at Kumbheswor in Lalitpur and take holy dips in ponds and lakes.

Janai Purnima

People in Pashupatinath Area gather to get Raksha Bandhan tied around their wrists on the occasion of Janai Purnima.

Religious fairs are held at Gosaikunda, an alpine area in Rasuwa District, and at Dansanghu, Triveni in Jumla district to observe the festival with offerings of worship to Lord Shiva. A big religious fair takes place at the Gosaikunda Lake and pilgrims come from faraway places to take a holy dip in this lake and other lakes nearby.

Religious fairs take place today at Pashupati and Manichud of Kathmandu; Gosaikunda of Rasuwa; Kumbheshwar of Lalitpur; Panchpokhari of Sindhupalchowk; Janakpurdham, Dhanush Sagar and Ganga Sagar of Dhanusha; Dansanghu of Jumla and Trivenidham of Nawalparasi.

Janai Purnima

The Buddhists observe this day in commemoration of the day the Lord Gautama Buddha defeated the evil power of lust. This episode is well-described in the Buddhist scripture ‘Lalitbistar’. A special fair takes place at Swayambhunath of Kathmandu today for this reason.

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Maha Shivaratri (The Night of Lord Shiva)

Maha Shivaratri (The Night of Lord Shiva)

Happy Maha Shivaratri 2017

Happy Maha Shivaratri 2019

Maha Shivaratri meaning the night of Lord Shiva is one of the major festivals of Nepal and literally means Night of Shiva.

It is believed that on this day, the stars in the Northern Hemisphere are at most optimum positions to help raise a persons spiritual energy.It is also believed that the Shiva principle is most active on this day of the year.

Maha Shivaratri is celebrated marking the convergence of Shiva and Shakti. Maha Shivaratri also celebrates the night when Lord Shiva performed the Tandav, the cosmic dance.

Hundreds of thousands of devotees visit Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, one of the holiest shrines of the Hindus. Pashupatinath is considered the Guardian and Protector of the Kathmandu Valley and Nepal.

Devotees chant Om Namah Shivay and Mahamritunjaya all night praying for light over darkness. Tourists are seen enjoying the ambiance with curiosity, as colorful and naked sadhus are seen meditating, posing for photographs and interacting with disciples.

Maha Shivaratri at Pashupatinath Temple

Maha Shivaratri at Pashupatinath Temple

Special attendance camps are set in the courtyards of the temples. Children are seen collecting donations from passersby on this day preparing for holy meal and bonfire in celebration of the special night.

Arrangements for Maha Shivaratri at Pashupatinath Temple Maha Shivaratri is known as one of the most celebrated religious festivals for Hindus. Every year Hindus from all over the world are seen thronging many Shiva temples during this festival. Pashupatinath Temple is the place with the biggest crowd on this day.

This year, on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri, the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) is expecting a crowd of 1.3 million people from across the world. For the successful celebration of the festival, the management unit in Pashupatinath have started cleaning the area. Also, this year more importance has been given for figuring out an easier way to manage crowd so that devotees can carry out their Puja and Darshan faster and more conveniently.

Spring is one of the best times to visit Nepal, and Indian tourists enjoy visiting during the most auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri. Special provisions are made to ease Darshan for Indian pilgrims at Pashupatinath during Maha Shivaratri, which falls on Feb 24 this year, according to officials at the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT). The PADT will also make available Pashupati Darshan passes at easy outlets near Pashupati area to facilitate pilgrims from India.

Apart from Puja and Darshan other attractions for visitors to the temple vicinity at the time will be the colorful crowd including gorgeous Sadhu Babas from different parts of Nepal and India. People come to Pashupatinath to observe and see the different kinds of Sadhu Babas and their activities; some Sadhus are covered is ashes while some prefer to be completely naked.

Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) Chairman Mr. Govinda Tandan says, As a huge crowd is expected this year. We are working to manage a fine parking facility and a good place for devotees to sit. Also, as many devotees show eagerness to distribute food to the people present there, we are trying to manage a proper place for the devotees to enjoy their meal.

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2017

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2019

As Maha Shivaratri is mainly related with the night, the devotees stay up all night and pray to Lord Shiva. The four Prahars of Puja is carried out all night long, the devotees usually stay in tents along the Gaushala road.

Source: Nepal Tourism Board

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15th Chitwan Elephant Festival 2018

15th Chitwan Elephant Festival 2018

15th Chitwan Elephant Festival 2018

15th Chitwan Elephant Festival 2018

15th Chitwan Elephant Festival 2018
December 26 – 30, 2018

The festival will also include an elephant polo competition as in the previous years. The festival
is being held every year on the eve of the New Year in the Gregorian calendar.

Other activities include picnic for elephants and elephant beauty contest.

Elephant Polo

Elephant Polo

This year, a special programme is being held on the themes of literature and tourism, according to
organising committee coordinator Suman Ghimire.

The festival is hosted by the Regional Hotel Association, Sauraha.

Nepal Tourism Board is the promoter of the festival.

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49 dead in US-Bangla plane crash at Kathmandu airport

49 dead in US-Bangla plane crash at Kathmandu airport
US-Bangla Airlines plane crashes at Kathmandu airport

US-Bangla Airlines plane crashes at Kathmandu airport

Mar 12, 2018 – Forty-nine people died when a US-Bangla airlines plane crashed at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu on Monday afternoon, Nepal Police said. There were 71 people including four crew members on board the 78-seater Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft that took off from Dhaka, Bangladesh. The plane crashed at 2:18 pm local time. According to Nepal Police Spokesperson DIG Manoj Neupane, 22 injured passengers are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Kathmandu. Twelve passengers have been admitted at Kathmandu Medical College Hospital, Sinamangal, four at Norvic Hospital, Thapathali, three at Grande Hospital, Dhapasi, one at Om Hospital, Chabahil and one at Medicity, Bhainsepati.
US-Bangla Airlines plane crashes at Kathmandu airport

US-Bangla Airlines plane crashes at Kathmandu airport

Nepal Police DIG Manoj Neupane said 31 bodies were pulled out from the crashed plane and nine others were declared dead at different hospitals. According to TIA spokesperson Prem Nath Thakur, the aircraft with call sign S2-AGU caught fire after it careened off the runway during landing and crashed onto a football ground near TIA. Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (Caan) Sanjiv Gautam said that the plane was out of control when it attempted to land on the runway. “The aircraft was permitted to land from the Southern side of the runway over Koteshwor but it landed from the Northern side,” said Gautam suspecting the aircraft might have sustained some technical glitches. “We are yet to ascertain the reason behind the unusual landing.” Rescue team of TIA and Nepal Army personnel rushed the accident site following the crash. All flights in and out of TIA were cancelled for about three hours following the mishap. Source: kathmandupost Landmark Forest Landmark Pokhara Creative Adventure Nepal Landmark Kathmandu Contact Us: E-mail:sales@samratnepal.com Phone: +977 – 9851030564 Location: Gairidhara, Kathmandu, Nepal. Website:www.samratnepal.com

Three women mountaineers to scale Mount Everest

Three women mountaineers to scale Mount Everest
Women Climbers

An expedition team of three women climbers – led by Lakpa Yangjee Sherpa, along with Yangdi Sherpa and Pashang Lhamu Sherpa – to climb Mount Everest this spring.

Three women mountaineers are set to scale the world’s highest peak Mount Everest this spring with the aim of promoting tourism and increasing women’s participation in the tourism and mountaineering sector of the country.A press conference organised by Tourism Journalist Association on Friday shared that an expedition team of three women climbers – led by Lakpa Yangjee Sherpa, along with Yangdi Sherpa and Pashang Lhamu Sherpa – is climbing the highest summit with the slogan of ‘Mountaineering for Women’s Self-reliance’.

On the occasion, Lakpa Yangjee said they would start ascending the Everest from April 7 and have targeted to reach the summit on May 18 if the weather conditions are supportive.

Mount Everest Climbing

Mount Everest Climbing

She shared that another important reason behind carrying out this expedition is to provide financial support to Dalit, single, and oppressed women who have returned home from foreign employment, along with attracting them toward tourism sector for income generation that would ultimately make them self-reliant.

Everest Hardware is providing necessary logistic support to the women mountaineering team who is climbing the highest peak through Ascent Himalayan Trek and Expedition Company.

The mountaineers hailing from Solukhumbu have been working in the field of mountaineering and tourism for a considerable amount of time.

Source: Thehimalayantimes

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