Bhairav dance preparations underway

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POKHARA, Oct 4 - Preparations are being made to hold the famous Bharirav dance in Pokhara after Dashain and before the Tihar festival.

The dance was initially held every 12 years, but now this dance is being held every six years fearing that the long gap in holding this programme may lead to its disappearance.

Different training practices are going on for almost one month as part of the preparations for the occasion under the auspices of Bhairav Cultural Conservation Committee, Pokhara. The dance training is at the final stage and artistes for holding the dance programme will be selected and the day for beginning the programme will be decided in a few days, according to chairman of the committee Sarbagya Man Pradhang.

The Bhairav dance based entirely on Tantric tradition will have 12 forms of dances namely Bhairav, Kali, Indrayani, Baraha, Kumari, Baishnavi, Brahmayani, Maheswori, Ganesh, Dahini, Bhuchcha and Kaban and at least 70 artistes will be required to perform the dances.

Different sub-committees have been constituted to help the main committee.

It is believed that Bhairav dance was brought to Pokhara by the people of the Newar community  when they migrated to this place from Bhaktapur during the reign of King Ranajit Malla. It was started in Bhaktapur during the time of Malla rulers about 250 years ago.

According to secretary of the committee Tank Man Napit, there is a belief that there will be peace in the country and people will not suffer from hunger and famine in the year when this dance takes place.

This dance is based entirely on Newari cultural tradition. There is no fixed schedule (duration) for holding the programme.   The dance is expected to be held for about one and a half months this year, according to Pradhang.

Big shots detained as drunkards

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SINDHULIMADI, Oct 4 - Police for the first time detained some of the big shots of Sindhuli on Sunday for violating the ban of alcohol.

According to a senior police officer, Rang Raj Khatiwada, district chairman of Squatters' Problem Resolution Committee, Narendra Jung Thapa, former president of District Development Committee, Civil Servant's Organisation district president Jagadish Dahal, and chairman of Mahadev Danda Kumar were arrested while they were drinking alcohol at a local shop.

The police took them to a local hospital and examined them  to prove that they had consumed alcohol.

They were detained for a night and released the next morning after a fine of Rs one thousand each according to Deputy Superintendent of Police Upendra Kant Aryal.

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress district committee in a press release, has alleged the police of maliciously slandering them. But the release was silent about their drinking alcohol. 

Belarus Consul donates to Help Nepal

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KATHMANDU, Oct 4 -  Nepal's Honorary Consul to Belarus, and a leading businessman in the former Soviet Republic, Dr Upendra Mahato, has donated $2,000 to HELP NEPAL Network (HeNN), a charity established by some young Nepalese in the UK to encourage  the Nepalese around the world to contribute to Nepal.

According to a press release issued by the Network and received here on Wednesday,  Dr Mahato has also decided to work as its Chief Co-ordinator in the former Soviet Republics.

Since its establishment last year, the Network has expanded its activities in nearly a dozen countries and some funds have been already raised from outside the UK. The Network says Nepal has relied too much on foreign aid and it is time that Nepalese around the world do as much as they can for Nepal.

HeNN has already provided 700 pound for the construction of a library at Sarswati High School in Dunai, Dolpa, last April. According to the Network, the Nepali Association in Victoria, Australia, is helping in furnishing and stocking the library.

Also in April, HeNN provided another 500 pound to the Public Health Concern Trust in Kathmandu to run a de-worming campaign in three Chepang villages in Chitwan.

Three robbers hanged to death

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BIRTAMOD, Oct 4 - Three robbers were lynched to death by Indian citizens while one has been nabbed by the police at Naukaghat area in the Nepal-India border here yesterday.

The four robbers had looted Rs 25,000 and a golden chain from a resident of Bhadrapur municipality-8  yesterday morning.

According to Sub-Inspector Purushottam Acharya of Bhadrapur police station there was a clash between the police and the robbers when the victim reported the incident to the police. The leader of the gang, Ganesh Rai Yadav, was arrested when the bullets on the robbers' side finished. 

While trying to escape from the police, the culprits fell into the hands of the mob on the other side of the border which started beating the three.

Yadav was also involved in another robbery involving Rs 65,000 in Bhadrapur two months ago.  

Man hacked

with khukuri

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BIRGUNJ, Oct 4 - A resident of Alau VDC was attacked with khukuri and wounded seriously on Tuesday night.

The man, Shiva Krishna Lamichhane, was going home at night when he was attacked. He was rushed to hospital but he had not regained his sense even after he was given 13 pints of blood , his brother Om Krishna Lamicahhane told The Kathmandu Post.  It was not known how much money was looted from him.

He has sustained grave wounds in his neck, arms and shoulder. Since he is in critical condition, police have not been able to find out about the attackers and arrest  them, police inspector Govind Acharya told The Kathmandu Post.