Insurgency keeps many in the Capital this Dashain

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Oct 28 - After the tumultuous rush in the markets and temples for a week before the festival of Dashain, the capital city becomes almost deserted. However, this year, Kathmanduites experienced something different — quite a lot of people did not go to their hometowns to join their families for the great festival.

Krishna Bahadur Lama, a street vendor of T-shirts at Sundhara did not go back to his home at Kavrepalanchowk this year even though he had time, access to "scarce" bus tickets and enough money to buy presents to his family. For him going home is just another burden.

"Going to the village during Dashain means feeding the Maoists with all what we earn in one year," said he. Like Lama quite a number of people, who do not have their family in Kathmandu preferred spending the festive days in the suburbs of the city than going to the villages.

A government data provided by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Construction states that during 1982-92, 52 percent of the population growth in Kathmandu was the result of growing numbers of immigrants. And the experts say growth is going on.

The streets of the city during the Dashain was not as lonely as in previous years. It was just like other holidays.

The panic of Maoist insurgencies forced thousands of people to be parted from their families even during the once-a-year event like Dashain which features get-togethers of family members living separately throughout the year.

"It’s not unusual that people from villages do not want to go back to see their families this year. The situation does not favour them at all," said Raman Tuladhar, a grocer at Ason, the centre of the capital’s traditional market area.

He said even before the festival, selling was quite low this year in comparison to previous years.

Dil Ratna Shakya, the Kathmandu chairman of Consumers’ Forum of Nepal, said the purchasing power of the people has dramatically lowered this time due to unstable industries and collapsing of business throughout the year. "It seems that the consumers need to earn illegally to celebrate Dashain fully," he said.

On the other hand, the number of people who own private houses in the capital are also rising. This reflects on the rising number of the people who celebrate the festival here in Kathmandu than going to home town.

Devendra Dangol, the chief of Urban Development Department of Kathmandu Metropolitan City said that the number of permanent residents are growing in the city who celebrate the festival here.

"In average 3,200 new houses are being built in Kathmandu. Most of those houses are owned by the new residents. If one new family contains five people, 15,000 of them are not going home," this will obviously affect the usual post-festival scene of Kathmandu," said he.

Howsoever, the city looked quite calm, spreading, and clean for one or two weeks after Dashain.

The traditional mall of Ason, where walking along the street without elbowing other pedestrians was impossible, nowadays seem quite wide.

The streets of Newroad, Khichapokhari, Putalisadak, New Baneshowr as well as other commercial areas look quite big for the population Kathmandu now bears.

"I wish Kathmandu remains as big and clean as it is now throughout the year," says Mohan Shrestha, a passerby at Newroad.

Similarly, the city roads look wider and cleaner as relatively lesser number of vehicles ply along. The number of cars, buses and trucks are too few to turn the city sky black.

15-month-old child leads the procession of swords

By Chet Bahadur Singh

KATHMANDU, Oct 28- Khadga Jatra, the annual procession of people with swords, that marks the festival of Dashain, took place on Sunday in various toles(neighbourhoods) of the capital. The procession in Ason was led by a 15 month old child.

Most of the locals of various toles in the valley perform the khadga jatra on the tenth day of the Dashain but locals of Ason tole observe the jatra on the eleventh day.

The locals perform special puja to Annapurna Ajima, the Goddess of grains and prosperity, according to Buddhist theology. They choose the youngest son from the members of guthi to make him the thakali, who leads the jatra.

Locals from Tuladhar community from the Aagam Ghar (the residence of the family deity) of Bakhu Nani situated behind the Annapurna Temple walk around the locality with swords in their hands and before they return to the same Ghar of Bakhu Nani. Traditional musical troupes accompany them all along.

Before the boy enters Agam Ghar, he cuts the devil made by Kuvindo, a vegetable, in front of the main door. Also others involved in the jatra enter the ghar after cutting kuvindo.

The jatra was performed on Saturday in various toles, Kohity, Nilbarahi, Yatkha, Kankeswori, Kilagal, Nardevi, Wotu, Mahabaudha and Tebahal.

Gongabu Bus Park: Matter of chaos to many

KATHMANDU, Oct 28 (RSS) - Although tens of thousands of passangers including the people from India embark on and alight from the buses at the Gongabu bus park, this has not yet been run in a systematic manner.

At the on set of the Bada Dashain and its conclusion, it is found that a number of the people face problems catching buses every day. Many of the passengers who obtained tickets for journey are left in the lurch after being unable to find the buses for which they had bought tickets.

One who fails to catch the bus at Gongabu bus park has to rush to Kalankichowk, a point from where all the buses leave Kathmandu valley, in anticipation of finding the bus. Some passengers have even jolted with bitter experiences of travelling twice or thrice a day to and from Kalankichowk to the bus park to confirm a seat.

The bus park constructed with the financial assistance of the government of Japan in 2049 B.S., has been leased to Lhotse Multi-Purpose Company Pvt. Ltd. for the next 45 years and in return, Kathmandu Municipal Corporation receives Rs 5.1 millions annually. According to transport entrepreneurs, about 300 buses depart from the bus park every day. But the number goes up to one thousand on the eve of Bada Dashain.

At present, 50 ticket counters are in operation at the bus park but all these ticket counters seem to be inadequate during the Bada Dashain. "I have been cheated as I bought a ticket from a ticket seller outside the bus park", a passenger who wants to go to Bhairahawa laments.

Expeditions scale Amadablam

KATHMANDU, Oct 28 (RSS) - Twelve members including three Sherpas of 2001 Amadablam Expedition USA scaled the 6812m high peak on Oct 19th, 21st and 23rd.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, the successful climbers are Kent Kroekar, Lhakpa Sherpa, Jaya Ullin, Shane Edmonds, Bruse Manning, Scott Darsney, Amy Barwick, Dorjee Tamang, Daniel Mazur, Rudy Zuber, Duane Morrison and Jangbu Sherpa.

The 15-member expedition led by Daniel Mazur and Scott Darsney had permission to climb the mountain via south west ridge.

Likewise, an 11-member Iranian Women Sports Pumori Expedition 2001 has been able to put its seven members including three Sherpas atop the 7161m-peak at 2:45 p.m. on Oct 19th.

The mountaineers include Bahrami Leila, Nazari Zahra, Sadheg Farkondhe, Cheshmehghasabani Talal, Sona Denu Sherpa, Migma Dorjee Sherpa and Tanzing Gyazu Sherpa.

The expedition was led by Rahimzadeh Sasansari Zarifeh, the head of Mountain Climbing Association, Tehran.

According to the ministry, five members of the team API 2001 expedition from Japan climbed the 7132m-peak on Oct 6th and 8th via north face.

The successful climbers are Nozawai Ayumi, Imamura Hirotaka, Furuya Tomoyuki, Iwazaki Hiroshi and Ogiwara Fmihiko. The expedition was led by Nozawai Ayumi.

Chandalika conveys Buddha’s messages to the masses

By Raju Shakya

KATHMANDU, Oct 28 (RSS) - Untouchability and racial discrimination are the barriers of social evils created by human beings. No one has become a chandal (a lower caste) or a Brahmin by the birth, but because of the deeds one performs.

Chandalika, a motion picture made under the banner of the Buddha Cinema Production Pvt. Ltd.(BCP) has succeeded in its objective of conveying the messages of the lord Buddha to the masses.

BCP is capable of projecting ideology of the lord Buddha who first launched a war to uproot such social evils that existed in the society since time-immemorial and spreading his teachings of social harmony and tolerance, pivotal factors needed to form an egalitarian society free of hatred and exploitation.

This is the common reaction of a majority of the persons who viewed the movie that last for about two and half-hours.

The daughter of a two-member family with a conservative mindset, who are living a despised life for belonging to a lower caste family during lord Buddha’s era, encountered a handsome person all of a sudden on the way to her house.

Hisila Maharjan, a girl who was returning home after fetching water was in a utter dismay as the person asked her to give water in such a manner which was beyond her imagination.

"No, I am a girl from the lower caste family, if anyone of my community indiscriminately touches a person of an upper caste, it is considered a sin, " she says. But the calm and sober man covering his body with green cloth and a hairless head looked adamant.

"I am not asking you from which community you belong. I am just begging for water to quench my thirst," Swayambhu Ratna Shakya who performed the role of Ananda Bhikchhu replies.

The girl was amazed at the reaction of the person and highly thrilled. On hearing his sweet voice, she finally agreed and poured water into both of his palms.

After the sudden encounter with a handsome person, she rushed to her house and narrated the story of an unanticipated event to her mother, a shaman. She pacified her mother not to worry about looking for a boy that perfectly matched her.

The innocent behaviour of Hisila Maharjan who performed the role of a girl of the lower caste is not only natural but also heart-touching.

The performance of Ananda Bhikchhu who takes water from the girl knowing that she was from a lower strata of the society by convincing her that the hierarchy of caste is nothing but a system created by the human-being themselves.

This is the central theme of the whole story and the credit goes to BCP for presenting successfully all the events in an attractive manner.

All the sequential events that takes place thereafter are based on the social values and traditions which are still prevailing in Nepalese society.

The viewers are reminded, time and again, that the legacies of shamanastic practices were deeply rooted not only during the era of lord Buddha but also in today’s Nepalese society. It is no doubt a praiseworthy work of the artistes and filmmakers.

Narayan Devi Pradhan, the mother of the heroine at many places reflects the traditional social value and culture that is still existing in the Nepalese society.

Director Manish Kumar Shrestha who had deeply fallen in love with the girl of an untouchable community has to be lauded.

The girl who was desperately looking for her beloved finally meets lord Buddha. The girl who converted into a nun to live together with her beloved gradually observes the ephemeral character of the human body and its different organs.

She sees pus and filthy substances in the eyes and nose of the bhikchhu, which attracts her and compels her to abandon her house and her mother.

The story ends with the enlightenment that the whole physical objects of the world are of ever-changing nature and not permanent.

The polygamist tendencies pursued by comedian Haribansha Acharya seems out of place in the story. But his simultaneous performance with his wife and lover has been able to cover up the criticism.

The story of Chandalika reminiscent "Nimantrana", a stage drama based on a Raj Nartaki of lord Buddha’s era who also falls in love with Ananda Bhikchhu.

The story writer Dharma Ratna Shakya ‘trisuli’, script writer and dialogue director Manish Shrestha, plot thinker Durga Prasad Manandhar, dance director Radheshyam Pradhan, fight composer Roshan Shrestha and music director Kiran Shrestha have amply justified the works they were assigned to.

Chandalika is featured to promote the films based on the incidents of lord Buddha’s life. We, of course, intend to make a film on a commercial basis. However, we also thought of providing some financial assistance to the religious and philanthropic organisations from the money earned from the movie," proprietor of the Ganga Cinema hall, Balaju Dhruba Ratna Shakya who has been involved in film sector since 2041 BS says.

Chairman of the BCP prof. Asha Ram Sakya maintains that "we have no idea about film production but we have been encouraged after receiving positive response from the viewers that all the hurdles we had confronted with during the film-shooting have been forgotten."

Illegal trans-Himalayan cattle trade unabated

Post Report

BYAS, Darchula, Oct 28 – Officials at the District Administration Office, Darchula, and Customs Office have confirmed that "a number of" cattle including Nepal’s national animal, cow, have been illegally exported to Tibet, autonomous region of People’s Republic of China, from the Tinkar Border Point in the far-western region of the country.

The cattle are being used for fulfilling the demand of meat in Tibet, the official sources said. Meat of cow and ox is popular among the Huniya community inhabiting in the plateau. But, it is not possible to bring up the cattle there, mainly because of the drought and dryness.

According to the estimates of concerned tradesmen, at least 6,000 cattle are being exported to Tibet only from the Tinkar border point annually. Locals say that the local administration is reluctant in taking action to curb such illegal acts.

"We have not taken action against anyone on these charges," conceded an official at the District Administration Office, despite the repeated voice against the illegal acts from the locals.

Locals say the tradesmen collect the cows and oxen from the villages of Darchula, Baitadi and Bajhang districts and take it to Tibet in big flocks. "Even many Tibetan tradesmen come to Nepal to take the cattle," they say.

One cow in the Tibetan market costs Rs 8,000 (Shukur 800 in local units).

Arjun gets job, thanks to Devi Mata

By Chintamani Dahal

BHADRAPUR, Jhapa, Oct 28 - Arjun Murmu (Sattar), 23, asked the goddess to get him married this year. Last year too he had asked for goddess’s blessings but then he was in no hurry to get married, rather he was looking for a job. Now he has a job in Birtamod and wants to get married soon. The lad from Pokapada, Chandragudi has immense faith in Devi Mata of Garamani.

Every year as Dashain starts, people start thronging Kali and Durga temple in Garamni, 13 kilometres north of Bhadrapur, the headquarters of Jhapa district. But, Ekadashi, a day after Tika is always a special one as there always is a grand fare in the temple.

Mostly tribal, Rajbanshi and Sattars, throng the temple on the day and ask for blessings from the goddess. Arjun is just one of these people who come here from all over the district. Since no sacrifice is made in the temple, a large number of vegetarians also add to the crowd.

Some come to thank the goddess for fulfilling their wishes, some others come asking fulfilment of theirs, some just to watch the crowd and so have fun. Since people from various parts of the districts with diverse background, living conditions, attires, dances and features come to one spot, the fare also attracts students of relevant subjects.

Seventy-nine-year old priest Ramu Jha, who has offered the goddess tika and jamara during every Dashain since last 51 years denies that the number of people coming to the temple has decreased in the latter years.

"It is just that in previous years the people came here in bullock carts and by foot therefore they would come here late stay here longer and return late, now because of greater mobility people stay don’t stay here long therefore the crowd looks less," Jha says.

The Garamani Devi is being worshipped as the goddess of strength for hundreds of years and ever since the fare has been organised it has been extremely popular, says a local man.

The tribal people of the district don’t celebrate the festival that hails the victory of good over evil, with tika and jamara, but do it by praying to Durga Mata.

Special Agriculture Programme benefits Jumla farmers

Post Report

JUMLA, Oct 28 – Apple farmers in this mountainous district of Jumla have benefited from the Special Agriculture Programme that was started last year in the Karnali Zone, say the farmers.

"We have been encouraged by the programme as we have not seen our apple being decayed in the tress since the government launched the programme last year," says Hasta Bahadur Bam, a local farmer.

According to Bam, unlike previous years, the farmers now do not find problem in selling the apple they. "Before the launch of the programme, the farmers of the district were strained to see their apples being decayed, due to lack of market," Bam said.

Under this project, the government has given subsidies to the local farmers and exporters to supply the product outside the district and distribute them. Particularly, the government has given subsidies of Rs 7 per kilogram to the farmers for producing it.

Before the launch of the programme last year, apple farmers were badly discouraged, as the produced apple got no proper market. Even people fell down the apple trees, as they had to leave the apples rot in the tree. Even Bam conceded that he cut off 60 tress for the purpose of firewood two years ago.

Now-a-days Centre for Agriculture Garden and Karnali Apple Company are exporting apple from Jumla to major cities of the Nepal and Bangladesh. About 250 metric tonnes of apples have so far been exported from Jumla. According to the District Agriculture Office, about 3 thousand metric tonnes of apple are being produced in the district annually.

Farmers attracted towards ginger cultivation in Kailali

DHANGADI, Oct 28 (RSS) – The farmers of the hilly areas of Kailali district are attracted towards cultivating ginger as it is more profitable than cultivating paddy, maize and wheat these days.

Expressing satisfaction with the results of cultivating ginger, Nara Bahadur Bom, a resident of Ward No 3 of Nigale Village Development Committee, says that he could double his income by cultivating ginger.

Bom says that he expects to produce 80 quintals of ginger from three ropanis of land this year.

Ninety per cent of the farmers of Nigale Village Development Committee are involved in producing ginger and fruits on a commercial basis these days.

The farmers are worried as the roots of ginger are affected by insects and the leaves of ginger plants are decaying.

The farmers regret that they are not aware of controlling the disease affecting their crops and the government units are not taking interest in controlling the disease.

Hundreds of quintals of ginger produced by the farmers of various village development committees are supplied to the domestic market as well as exported to Indian markets.

The farmers have requested the concerned authorities to provide them with technical assistance as well as insecticides and fertilisers on time.

At present, raw ginger is sold in the local market at prices ranging from Rs 20 to Rs 25 per kilogram.

Sarpe Dhunga awaits conservation

KAMALAMAI (Sindhuli), Oct 28 (RSS) – The historical "Sarpe Dhunga" located at Ward No 6 of Sirthaurli Village Development Committee which lies in the eastern part of the headquarters of Sindhuli district awaits conservation.

The Sarpe Dhunga is considered as a religious place and the local people worship it with devotion.

According to traditional belief, the Kaurav King Duryodhan had poisoned Bhimsen and thrown him into the sea. After reaching the bottom of the sea, Bhimsen was bitten by a snake and made unconscious. Recovering from the state of unconsciousness, the strengthen of Bhimsen which equalled to 8,000 elephants converted to the strength of 18,000 elephants.

Later on Bhimsen fought with the snakes and saved the human race and surfaced at Sarpe Dhunga after his victory.

According to Dipesh Baral, a resident of Sithaurli VDC, the historical stove of the Kitichen of Bhimsen and his wooden shoes can be seen at Sarpe Dhunga.

On the occasion of Naag Panchami, a large number of people visit Sarpe Dhunga and offer prayers to ‘Naag,’ the serpent goddess every year.

The natural temple of lord Shiva which lies near Sarpe Dhunga has made the place more attractive but the pilgrims visiting Sarpe Dhunga have been facing problems because of the lack of hotels, lodges and roadside shelters.

The local people believe that one’s wishes can be fulfilled if one offers prayers there.

There are many other historical and religious places like Sarpe Dhunga in Sindhuli district, according to VDC chairman Kedarnath Acharya.

If these places are conserved and developed into a touristic place, it would contribute to the development of the district and help in earning foreign currency, Acharya says.

Prisoners exchange tears with their family in Dashain

By Rabindra Upreti

MAHOTTARI, Oct 28 – Arjun Gole, his wife and children celebrated the outgoing Dashain by exchanging tears. But more than anything else, the greatest festival of the Hindus once again became cause for their rare meeting in the jail premises and Gole offered tika to his family.

Gole, who is staying behind bars of Jaleshwor Jail for last 13 years, was among the few inmates who were lucky enough to see their family and offer and/or receive tika.

But, everybody was not as lucky as Gole. The hope of meeting their family withered after no one came to see them. But, they definitely showed solidarity to the passionate meeting of Gole and his family and most of them are still hopeful about meeting their family.

"Life is like this," the inmates told The Kathmandu Post, "Every happy moments turn out to be painful when we come to feel that we are prisoners."

Similarly, reminiscence of her mother and brother made Maya Lama’s eyes wet right from the beginning of the festival. Lama who is from Makawanpur district and prosecuted on charges of trafficking and flesh trade three years ago says, all past Dashains passed by merely waiting her family members to come to see her.

"Had my mother come and offered me tika and jamara, it would be some relief to me," Lama said in descending tone.

There are 105 inmates in the Jaleshwor Jail including five women prisoners and two dependent children.

Nagendra Malla Thakuri from Sindhuli district is lucky enough to receive tika from his senior family members. This time, unlike previous 11 years, parents of Thakuri could not come to the jail to offer tika to him due to old age, but his elder brother fulfilled his parent’s place.

Though he becomes happy to see and receive tika from seniors, Nagendra says he feels that he is "an insentient object". "More than the feeling of being unable to fulfil demands by being parent, brother, son, brother and husband of somebody, the feeling of being a prisoner hurts me more," says Nagendra.

But 20-year-old Milan Rai from Dharan is of different opinion. Whether it is inside or outside a prison, one should learn to enjoy certain occasions like Dashain, Rai says. "Merely being inside a prison does not make difference in the extent of enjoyment."

The inmates say the main cause behind the Dashain festival being depressing for them is the financial crisis. Though the prisoners bought three goats on their own effort this year, it became cause of strife between them.

Old prisoners say they have frequently been demanding for Dashain expense from the government, but in vain. "The government who repeatedly terms prisons as Correction Homes has categorically failed to live up to its commitments," they say.