HAPPY FATHER’S DAY !!!
Kushe Aausi or Pitritarpani Aausi or Gokarne Aausi
(बाबुको मुख हेर्ने दिन, गोकर्णे औंसी, कुशेऔंसी)
People who lost their family members last year marked Gai Jatra on Monday by taking out processions led by cow’s effigies in the streets of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur to pay tribute to the departed souls. The government had declared a public holiday in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur on Monday.
Customarily, photos and names of the deceased family members are hung around the toy cows made of bamboo and colourful clothes, and followed by kids wearing moustache and dressed like ascetics from each household that lost a member. A traditional Lakhe dance also accompanies the march on the streets during the unique festival which means the procession (Jatra) of cows (Gai).Previously, real cows used to lead processions by marching around the city. The cow, considered a holy animal in Hindu religion, is believed to help the souls of the dead kin cross the eternal river, facilitating their passage to heaven. The festival has been celebrated since the medieval period. It is believed that the culture of celebrating Gai Jatra started when the then King Pratap Malla lost his son and the queen was overwhelmed by grief. The king then decided that every family which lost a member in the past year would take part in Gai Jatra so that the queen would realise she was not alone to be struck by the tragedy. Gai Jatra is also celebrated with great fanfare as the festival of satire and comedy, with leading personalities of the country being lampooned by making them the subject of ridicule and laughter.
Actor and comedian Haribansha Acharya, however, said that it will be quite monotonous to just poke fun at a few. “We give first priority to humour and entertainment whenever we perform stage shows during Gai Jatra. Of course, we make fun of people from various backgrounds, but that is only secondary, “said Acharya. The actor finished a ‘MaHa Jatra’ comedy show in Kathmandu, Pokhara and a few other cities in the run up to the Gai Jatra festival. Acharya added that such satires should never be angry outbursts pointed at someone, something which he has been seeing in the country of late. “Satire should be done for laughter, but not at the expense of anyone specific. So, Gai Jatra should not be used to vent your anger at anyone, even if they be politicians or any other person whom people want to ridicule,”
He further said that Gai Jatra should also have an underlying message against social anomalies.
“We need more humour and laughter in a country like ours going through so much stress,” the popular comedian said.
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There seems to be no place in the Kathmandu Valley that hasn’t been breached upon by the ambitious will of a domestic adventurer: That funky restaurant? Oh no, you went there last time with your peeps. That cool place to hang out? Nah, went there for a funny photo shoot with colleagues. Sometimes, it feels as if the Valley is the same old assortment of familiar people and even more familiar settings. But worry not. I guess looking for a needle in the haystack is even better for the true adventurer at heart. The Week, as usual, comes to your aid.
Newa Lahana, Kirtipur
This restaurant is famous for its spot on Newar delicacies and drinks.
To reach there, go past the Tribhuvan University Heights and take a right turn. With two and a half stories dedicated solely for food lovers, also find the place apt for hanging out with your friends and family. The views from the rooftop are ones that you shouldn’t miss. Look forward to a great experience at Lahana.
Bhaktapur
traditionally known as the city of devotees, Bhaktapur is always a supreme place to hang out in. With its old brick houses and lanes, any place you go there will be a treat to your eyes and senses. Take a look at the potter’s village, or even sign up for a pottery class! If you are in your walking shoes, then you can go for hiking around the famous Changu Narayan Temple. Although Bhaktapur is the smallest city among the three in the Valley, it still has a string of temples and places that are waiting for the right kind of visitors.
Bungamati/Khokana
A bus from Lagankhel for 30-45 minutes – depending on the crowd in the vehicle – and you’ll reach this beautiful Newar village of Bungamati. Bungamati has grown to become a local tourist destination, with extended cultural events on auspicious days, and traditional music in full swing and the locals clad in traditional wears. If not, go for an evening to watch the sunset, from where you can also watch the Khokana valley in the right. Stroll around in the ancient hamlet where it seems time has decided to rest. This evening will definitely be memorable.
Nag Daha, Dhapakhel
Nag Daha is a big pond which, from afar, looks like a snake. It’s a haven for nature seekers: The pond with gentle water ripples surrounded by greenery is quiet and perfect for solace. To reach there, take a public vehicle from Lagankhel to Dhapakhel, and walk for a few minutes. The place even has a modest number of eateries if you’re looking to enjoy the place with food. If you’re lucky, you can even get a chance at boating. This will be a good opportunity for the legend seeker in you. This legendarily rich place may have some stories that you can share later on.
The Sankata Temple, New Road
If you’re tired of hanging around Basantapur and are looking for something less crowded, then you could give the Sankata Temple a visit. It has a big courtyard dedicated to it, and one can easily find a ‘chiya pasal’ along with a few other snacks. If you are really in the mood for local food, then seek the Sankata Restaurant which is hidden in a busy alley to the north of the temple. Aside from serving the regular lunchtime snacks, they have yummy baras that are worth dying for. The area is pretty big, with people doing their usual businesses. Sneak in for a laidback time with your buddies.
Source: Republica
This day is the celebration dedicated to the Lord Shiva which falls on the Trayodashi of the month Fagun (February/March).
Nepal is the only Hindu kingdom in the world and thus the land of Lord Shiva, Lord of all Lords, for here you can feel his presence everywhere. Even in the sacred texts of the Hindus it has been stated that Mt. Kailash in the Himalayas is the abode of Lord Shiva or Mahadeva as he is also known. Shiva the Destroyer of Evil is among the most praised and worshipped of all the gods in the Hindu religion. Hindus all over the world know him through different names and forms. The country has thousands of idols and monuments, which glorify his name, the most common one being the Shiva Linga or the phallus of Shiva that represents him. For it is the Shiva linga that Hindus regard as the symbol of creation, the beginning of everything. Shiva Ratri is the night of Lord Shiva when He himself was created by His own Divine Grace and Hindus all over the world celebrate this day with a lot of zeal and enthusiasm. Shiva Ratri literally means ‘ the night consecrated to Shiva’. This auspicious festival falls on the fourteenth day of the waning moon in the month of Falgun, (February – March in the Gregorian calendar ). The temple of Pashupatinath in Kathmandu which is considered as one of the holiest shrines of the Hindus, glorifying Lord Shiva, thus receives more than 100,000 worshippers during the festival of Shiva Ratri. These worshippers come from far and wide to pay their respects and homage to Mahadev on his sacred day.
We worship Lord Shiva with the maha mantra “Om Namaha Shivaya”. The Mahamantra “Om Namaha Shivaya” also known as shadakshari mantra. Each letter in this mantra has spiritual meaning. This mantra is also known as maha mantra.
Om alone is the sound of life. It is the endless vibration that flows through the universe and provides life in every living being. Chanting revitalizes the mind and body and settles the mind. Om is the beginning and it is the end. In Sanskrit, the meaning of Om is avati, or rakuati. Rakuati means one who protects or sustains. Om is the most powerful mantra.
(Om as made up of three parts. These are and . Our sound starts with “a”, when we speak go to “O” and end with M, so Om is the totality. It is a mantra which provides complete rest to our body and energy to our mind. )
Meaning of each letters of the mantra
Main god of all the regions (loks)
One who gifts supreme and spiritual knowledge (dnyan) and destroys greatest sins
Shi: generous, calm and responsible for the beginning by Lord Shiva
va: Symbol of vehicle (Nandi) the bull and the Vasuki and Vamangi Energies (Shakti)
Y: Positive residence of highest heaven and Lord Shiva.
Nepal and India will soon begin joint tourism promotion campaign.
Speaking at the 51st anniversary of Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae said that there is a need of mutual cooperation as Nepal and India are jointly promoting tourism.
“As Nepal is a famous religious tourism destination for it has Pashupatinath, Lumbini, Muktinath and Janakpurdham. It should promote these destinations to attract tourists,” said Rae, adding, “Nepal should focus on religious and adventure tourism and it is through this it can bring in quality tourists”.
Prachanda Man Shrestha, former CEO of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) said there is a need of the campaign to promote regional markets. “Nepal needs to move forward giving priority to neighboring countries India and China first to promote tourism and increase tourist arrivals,” said Shrestha.
At the program, NATTA demanded a certain percent from the tourism service fee (TSF) for strengthening the association. “As it the tour operators who bring in tourists, we should get certain percent from the TSF collected by NTB,” said DB Limbu, president of NATTA.
NATTA currently has around 500 members associated with it. It cancels the membership of companies that does not renew its membership for more than a year. Earlier, it used to cancel membership of companies that did not renew membership every six months.
Source: Republica
The world is enormous. And getting bigger. Every serious traveler I know says their wish list grows longer, not shorter, every time they visit a new corner of the world.
So how to prioritize? What’s newly safe or newly uncovered? What’s right at that sweet spot between sleepy backwater and developed destination? What are new takes on places we thought we knew? What must we see right now, before it changes forever?
I put those questions to Owen Gaddis, a luxury travel manager at the super-high-end experiential travel-planning company Absolute Travel. He knows what he’s talking about, having adventured through glaciers in Chamonix, deserts in Oman, rain forests in Nicaragua and rugged coastal areas in Western Africa—and retained a soft spot for nice linens, plush robes and a great bottle of burgundy. Like all the planners at Absolute, Gaddis has extensive global connections, firsthand knowledge of destinations he books, and a mandate to learn just as much about his clients’ interests and customize trips accordingly.
Here’s his hot list for next year.
Iceland
Aside from the new Eleven Experience property, Deplar Farm, opening in 2016, Gaddis says there’s a million other reasons Iceland tops his list (and has topped lists as the happiest place on earth). Largely uninhabited, Iceland is a place where trolls and fairies are rumored to wander the painted hills, jump the ice crevices, bathe in the natural hot springs and scale the misty cliffs. Somehow, once there, he notes, this seems entirely possible. “Traveling to Iceland is like being transported to a parallel world where every waking moment is filled with adventure, incredible landscapes, folklore and understated pleasures. It will make you believe in the magical again,” says Gaddis, adding that the country offers river rafting, fishing, diving snorkeling, surfing, caving and hiking.
Adventurous Morocco
By now, lots of us have gotten lost in the souks and relaxed in the riads of Marrakech. Absolute’s new itineraries showcase the country beyond shopping and design. Intrepid visitors can scale the sheer walls of the Todra Gorge for summit views of the rose valleys beyond; trek the Atlas Mountains, stopping at waterfalls and Berber villages as they climb (and then sleep in an opulent “tented suite” at Richard Branson’s luxurious Kasbah Tamadot); and head for the horizon to gloriously outfitted Bedouin tents rising from a sea of sand dunes in Erg Chebbi, the gateway to the Sahara. Along the way they speed down dunes on sand boards, zip line between mountain peaks, watch the sunset from camelback and perhaps learn the secrets of the desert from a local host over a cup of Maghrebi mint tea (a.k.a. Berber whiskey).
Vietnam Now: Seaplanes, Vespas and a New Aman Resort
From sleepy fishing villages to the rooftop discos of Saigon, age-old tradition meets cosmopolitan modernity in today’s Vietnam. Luxe new ways to explore what’s been a hip Asian destination for a decade-plus now: a recently launched seaplane experience over Halong Bay, which lets visitors take in the bay’s otherworldly limestone cliffs from a new perspective—that doesn’t require two days on a dodgy boat—and the brand-new Amanoi, Aman’s latest enclave of Aman-ness, on the dramatic cliffs of Nui Chua National Park on the country’s south central coast. Absolute’s trips may also include a nightlife tour of Saigon by Vespa and an opportunity to talk with a Vietnam War veteran.
America’s Serengeti: The American Prairie Reserve
In northeastern Montana, a major restoration effort is under way. Absolute is the only company to bring in guests to observe and assist—and it puts those guests up in high-end yurts, inspired by safari tents, at Kestrel Camp. The American Prairie Reserve is buying back private land, tearing down fences and undertaking one of the biggest conservation efforts of our time, with the goal of creating the largest national park in the Lower 48 and repopulating the abundance of bison, grizzlies, deer, beavers, elk and antelope that were described by Lewis and Clark.
Tantalizing Tasmania
For many in the U.S., Tasmania holds few associations beyond the famed devil. But for connoisseurs of the remote and the untouched, this lack of popularity is the Holy Grail. Travel innovators are beginning to take advantage of this diverse destination rich in stunning landscapes, a homegrown food culture, and wildlife adventures that rival the Galapagos, South Africa and New Zealand—combined. Absolute travelers can shuck the world’s freshest oysters; encounter platypus under the cloak of darkness with Craig Williams (a.k.a Bushy), Tasmania’s best (and quirkiest) guide; and follow the dramatic coastline in search of cloistered wineries and whiskey distilleries. There’s also a new boat tour intriguingly called the Tasmanian Seafood Seduction.
Colombia
For curious travelers seeking their next big adventure, Gaddis recommends luxury travel in Colombia, where “you can savor this South American up-and-comer’s charisma, authenticity and jugo de lulo(trust us, just drink it).” JetBlue’s new-ish five-hour flight from New York to Cartagena made Colombia more accessible than ever, a stable government made it safe, and a new breed of hoteliers and operators are making it luxurious. The country encompasses everything from pristine Caribbean coastlines, picturesque cobblestone streets in Cartagena, the exotic Amazon rain forest, seven UNESCO World Heritage sites, the buzzing metropolis of Bogotá and some of the world’s most vivacious people. Plus, one of Absolute’s favorite inns, Hacienda Bambusa, in the Coffee Triangle, is reopening in 2015.
Japan: Past and Present
A new bullet train linking Tokyo to Kanazawa virtually eliminates the need for air travel, meaning visitors can easily see more of the country in one trip. Food is serious business here (and a serious draw), with Japan leading in innovation and quality—Tokyo has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city in the world, never mind the sushi delicacies that can’t be found anywhere else. Finally, highly anticipated new properties will open in the coming year, including the exquisite Aman Tokyo—Gaddis says a single night’s stay is reason enough to visit. Meanwhile, in a country that thrives on innovation, now is the time to see historical landmarks and experience traditional practices before they are permanently altered or disappear entirely. The famous Tsukiji Fish Market, for instance, is about to be significantly scaled down and moved as Tokyo prepares for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Argentine Patagonia
Chilean luxury Patagonia has been growing in popularity in recent years, thanks to lavish lodges like the Singular, Tierra, Explora and others. But the Argentine side was long overlooked by all but the most adventurous. Absolute Travel has solved the luxury-travel conundrum by designing a new itinerary around the beautiful, untouched landscape of glaciers, crystal pools and jagged mountain peaks. After a couple nights at the remote luxury lodge Aguas Arriba near El Chalten, guests trek along trails past Cerro Fitz Roy, Glacier Torre and Cerro Torre, staying at custom tricked-out camping posts, an eco-friendly six-room mountain cabin and Estancia Cristina, a former sheep-shearing station that’s reachable only by boat and home to world-class fly-fishing and one of the best local culinary experiences.
Nepal, Above and Beyond
Long beloved as a trekking paradise, Nepal is slowly emerging as a luxury destination. Absolute directs visitors to immerse themselves in Nepal’s astounding beauty and diverse artistic traditions, watch the sun light up the world as it rises over the Himalayas, stroll bucolic mountain valleys, visit ceramic and textile workshops, explore impressive temples and monasteries, and take a leisurely boat ride on Lake Phewa, whose calm waters mirror the snowy peaks that tower above. Go now to stay at the newly opened wellness-focused Dwarika’s Resort before it’s discovered by the crowds.
Sri Lanka for Wildlife
Now that the country is at peace, Sri Lanka offers tremendous value but is still often overlooked. The Aman Resorts here are as pampering as those elsewhere, but for a fraction of the cost. Absolute also arranges insider experiences such as a tour of the secret gardens of Galle Fort with author Juliet Coombe. But the main draw, Gaddis says, is the wildlife: Elusive leopards, wild elephants, boar, sloth bears and dazzling bird life from peacocks to hornbills roam this surprisingly diverse island. “We can’t think of another country that has the variety of experiences that Sri Lanka does,” he adds. Yala National Park has been the longtime go-to, but he’s excited about the reopened Wilpattu National Park, which had been closed for years due to the civil war, and where, he says, many guests are able to enjoy their safari in private.
Getting There (or Anywhere)
The newly launched Absolute Air, directed by a million-mile-certified expert, helps clients use miles and points to book round-the-world tours in first and business class, charter customized private jets and save thousands of dollars on future flights with individualized award plans.
Source: http://www.forbes.com/