Shivaratri is celebrated as birth-night of Lord Shiva.

Shivaratri is celebrated as birth-night of Lord Shiva.

This day is the celebration dedicated to the Lord Shiva which falls on the Trayodashi of the month Fagun (February/March).

Maha-Shivaratri-pashupatinath

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.

Lord Shiva

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. )

Maha-Shivaratri

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.

Maha-Shivaratri-pashupatinath1

Individuals can carry Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes to Nepal & Bhutan: RBI

Individuals can carry Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes to Nepal & Bhutan: RBI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today announced that an individual travelling to neighbouring countries like Nepal and Bhutan can carry Indian currency notes in denominations of Rs 500 and Rs  1,000.

100INR

“An individual can now carry to Nepal and Bhutan Indian currency notes in denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000, subject to a limit of Rs 25,000,” RBI said in a statement.

Earlier, individuals were allowed to carry Indian currency without any limit in denomination of only up to Rs 100.

This has been relaxed to mitigate the hardship faced by individuals travelling to Nepal and Bhutan from India, it  added.

The RBI has suitably amended the  Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Currency) Regulations, 2000 to incorporate the relaxation.

Source: dayandnightnews

Nepal, India to jointly promote tourism

Nepal, India to jointly promote tourism

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”.

NATTA-AGM

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

Maghe Sankranti Festival in Nepal

Maghe Sankranti Festival in Nepal

Maghe Sankranti is the beginning of the holy month of Magh, usually the mid of January. It brings an end to the ill-omened month of Poush (mid-december) when all religious ceremonies are forbidden. Even if it is considered the coldest day of the year, it marks the coming of warmer weather and better days of health and fortune. Maghe Sankranti is the beginning of the holy month of Magh, usually the mid of January.

devghat

It brings an end to the ill-omened month of Poush (mid-december) when all religious ceremonies are forbidden. Even if it is considered the coldest day of the year, it marks the coming of warmer weather and better days of health and fortune. This day is said to be the most significant day for holy bathing despite the weather. This ritual usually takes place at the union of sacred rivers and streams. Sankhamole, on the banks of the holy Bagmati river, below Patan, is thought to be amongst the most sacred sites for this purpose, though there has been a decline in the fulfillment of this ritual in the recent years due to water pollution in the river. But people still go in the wee hours of dawn just to sprinkle themselves with the water. They pay homage to various deities specially the temple of Red Machindranath and Agima Ta.

Street festival to be organized in Pokhara

Street festival to be organized in Pokhara

Pokhara-street-festival

The Restaurant and Bar Association Nepal (REBAN) is going to organize the 16th street festival in Pokhara from December 28 to January 1.

Different cultural programmes and opera dances, adventurous and competitive programmes, photo exhibition among others would be organized on the occasion under the slogan ´eat, enjoy and dance on the road´.

pokhara1

The programme would be organized along the road section from Lakeside to Khahare of Pokhara, said Chau Bahadur Gurung, vice chair at the REBAN.

Source: MYREPUBLICA

Sanjay Pandit sets new record in Australian highest peak

Sanjay Pandit sets new record in Australian highest peak

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Ultra marathon runner and the world record holder Sanjay Pandit has set new record in Australia conquering its highest peak by walking backwards.

Pandit conquered the Mount Kosciuszko, 2,228 meters high above the sea level, in just 5 hours and 45 minutes wearing Nepali national attire and holding a Nepali national flag.

Sanjay-Pandit-sets-new-record-in-Australian-highest-peak

Pandit already set record by climbing highest peak of Europe, Africa and Asia. He is also on the quest of conquering the tallest mountains in all seven continents. Local Nepali social workers and journalists residing in Australia helped Pandit to climb the peak.

Previously, Sanjay set a world record on 20th July staying half- naked at Mt. Elbrus, the highest peak of Europe, for 6 minutes and 3 seconds at the temperature of minus 60 degrees Celsius. Not only that, he also holds the record for running the longest distance in Nepal, which is 2,495 kilometers.

Pandit is slated to climb highest peak of America in July to set new record. Rudra Nepal, Nepali ambassador to Australia, has honoured and congratulated Pandit amid a program organized in Australia-based Nepali embassy.

Entrepreneur Pradip Dhakal, Dr. Samsher Sing Thapa, journalist Hemanta Kafle as well as others supported Pandit in Australia.

Source: Nepalese Voice