His Majesty pays homage to Durga Bhawani

Kathmandu, Oct. 23 (RSS): His Majesty the King paid homage to goddess Shree Durga Bhawani at Hanumandhoka Dashain Ghar this evening on the occasion of Phoolpati.

His Majesty the King was accomopanied by Her Majesty the Queen.

His Royal Highness Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah and other members of the Royal Family were also present on the occasion.

According to tradition, the Phoolpati placed at Jamal after being brought from Gorkha was escorted to Hanumandhoka Dashainghar today by a colourful procession.

In the presence of Their Majesties the King and Queen the Phoolpati was offered worship and sacrifice at Nasalchowk and Mulchowk of Hanumandhoka amidst religious recitals and then taken to the Dashainghar.

A contingent of the Royal Nepal Army presented a Royal salute on the occasion.

Verification of Bhutanese refugees still at snail’s pace

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathamndu, Oct. 23:  If the situation does not take any new turn, the verification process of Bhutanese refugees in Jhapa will take more than ten years.

The verification process that began in May this year is inching ahead at snail pace. A report on verification of the Bhutanese refugees submitted by the Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Committee in the Parliament has revealed that the torpidity in verification is not a problem, but the dearth of procedural verification firms has created further complications.

It is said that involvement of independent international organizations would expedite the verification process of the Bhutanese refugees. There are more than 99,734 refugees in various refugee camps in Morang and Jhapa.

The report of the committee has categorically pointed out some inherent problems such as - identification of refugees and problem of verification, laxity in verification, reluctance of donor agencies, absence of involvement of multilateral donor agencies in the verification process, lack of transparency, outside economy and social life.

‘The multiple problems in the refugees camps have heightened the refugee verification,’ said MP Som Nath Pandey chairman of the committee.

Undoubtedly, though the refugees are from Bhutan, the questions posed by the Bhutanese officials, regarding the documents of land ownership, marriage certificate, documents of expulsion, reasons of deportation and other documents have the entire process more complicated.

The report was based on the study tour of MPs Urmila Aryal, Suresh Kumar Karki, Jagannath Khatiwada, Shiva Prasad Humagain, and Bijaya Shrestha.

The report has also strongly pointed out the need for active involvement of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in the refugee verification process. On top that the committee’s report has stressed the need for promoting UNHCR’s activities in tackling the issue. The problem should be tackled in diplomatic way, the report states. To minimize the growing economic and social problems the administration should be more effective, the report says. Local people in Jhapa and Morang complain that the atmosphere has been completely worsened owing to refugees. His Majesty’s Government has to tackle this problem more seriously.

The report further states that the numbers of undecided refugee cases are 1210.

It is said that the delay in verification process has further intensified the problem. Concerned officials believe that the delay in verification would further delay the process of repatriation of the refugees.

Refugee camps Family Huts Male Female Total Undecided

1 Beldangi-1 2524 2843 8754 8354 17108 116

2 Beldangi -2 3358 3604 10825 10508 21333 364

3 Beldangi - 2(extension) 1672 1827 5552 5301 10853 331

4 Sanischare 2790 3212 9984 9545 19529 115

5 Timai 1377 1581 4871 4613 9484 76

6 Khudunabari 1963 1963 6329 6215 12644 120

7 Goldhap 1346 1507 4604 4279 8883 86

Total 16030 16637 50919 48815 99734 1210

King’s banner awarded Their Majestiesgrace feu-de-joie

Kathmandu, Oct. 23 (RSS): Their Majesties the King and Queen graced the programme of feu-de-joie and march past organised by the Royal Nepal Army at the Royal Nepal Army Pavilion at Tundikhel here today on the occasion of "Phoolpati", the seventh day of Bada Dashain.

His Royal Highness Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah and other members of the Royal Family were present on the occasion.

His Majesty the King presented the insignia awarded to the armed police force to Inspector General of the Armed Police Force Krishna Mohan Shrestha.

Likewise, His Majesty presented the King’s Banner awarded to Narayan Dal Company to company commander Major Bhaikrishna Khatri.

The armed police force which has "commitment to peace and security" as its motto was instituted this year as per the bill concerning formation and functioning of the Armed Police Force-2058.

Similarly, the Narayan Dal Company was instituted as the Narayan Dal Platoon in 1893 BS. The platoon fought with valour during the Nepal-Tibet war of 1911-12 BS, and had been assigned on peace-keeping duty in East Timor in 2057 BS at the call of the United Nations.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was also present at the feu-de joie programme.

Speaker Taranath Rana Bhat, National Assembly Chairman Dr. Mohammad Mohsin, ministers, MPs and senior government officers were likewise present on the occasion.

On the occasion, the Royal Nepal Army opened successive salvo and individual fire.

People gathered in large numbers around Tundikhel to watch the programme.

HM confers medals

Kathmandu, Oct 23 (RSS): His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev has conferred medals on members of the Royal Family and other distinguished persons making special services during the reign and after the demise His late Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah.

His Majesty the King has conferred the Jyotirmaya Subikhyat Trishakti Patta (First Class) medal on Her Royal Highness Princess Prekshya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah, Omram Patta on Her Royal Highness Princess Helen Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah, Jyotirmaya Subikhyat Trishakti Patta (First Class) Medal on Her Royal Highness Princess Shobha Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah and Suprashiddha Prabala Gorkha Dakshina Bahu (First Class) Medal on His Royal Highness Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah, Her Royal Highness Princess Hemani Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah, Her Royal Highness Prerana Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah, Her Royal Highness Princess Shitasma Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah, Her Royal Highness Princess Dilasa Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah and Her Royal Highness Princess Puja Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah.

His Majesty has conferred the Maha Gauravmaya Tejaswi Tribhuvan Prajatantra Sripad (First Class) medal on Private Secretary to Her Majesty The Queen Mother Kaji Madhusudan Rajbhandari (Royal Palace Service), Ujjwal Kirtimaya Nepal Sripad Medal (Second Class) on General (retd) Nara Shumsher J. B. Rana and Om Rampatta Medal on Chief of the Royal Household Sardar Sharada Prasad Pradhan (Royal Palace Service), Honorary ADC Major General Bharat Keshar Singh, Royal Physician Dr. Mrigendra Raj Pandey and General (Retd) Arjun Narsingh Rana.

Likewise, His Majesty has conferred the Jyotirmaya Subikhyat Trishakti Patta (First Class) Medal on Maheswore Kumar Singh, deputy chief of Master of Ceremonies Chiran Shamsher Thapa (Royal Palace Service), Honorary ADC Lt. General Shanta Kumar Malla and Major General (retd) Tara Bahadur Thapa.

His Majesty has conferred the Suprashidda Prabala Gorkha Dakshina Babu (First Class) medal on Supreme Court Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya, Speaker of the House of Representatives Taranath Ranabhat, Chairman of the National Assembly Dr. Mohammad Moshin, Chairman of the Rajparishad Standing Committee Dr. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi, Kumar Gorakh Shumsher J. B. Rana, Kumar Mohan Bahadur Shahi and Mrs Ketaki Chester.

His Majesty the King has conferred the Subikhyat Trishakti Patta (Second Class) medal on nine persons, Prasiddha Prabala Gorkha Dakshina Babu (Second Class) on 20 persons, Bikhyat Trishakti Patta (Third Class) medal on 65 persons, Suprabala Gorkha Dakshina Babu (Third Class) medal on 114 persons, Prakhyat Trishakti Patta (Fourth Class) medal on 18 persons, Prabala Gorkha Dakshina Babu (Fourth Class) medal on 85 persons, Trishakti Patta (Fifth Class) medal on three presons and Gorkha Dakshina Babu (Fifth Class) medal on 257 persons.

This is stated in a notice issued today by the Principal Press Secretariat of His Majesty the King.

Phulpati observed

Kathmandu, Oct. 23 (RSS): The seventh day of Bada Dashain festival was observed today by placing the "Phulpati" at "Dashainghars" throught the Kingdom according to religious tradition.

The Phulpati brought from Gorkha and placed at Jamal on the occasion of Bada Dashain was taken to Dashainghar at Hanumandhoka where the idol of goddess Durga Bhavani is enshrined.

A procession comprising musical bands, the guruju platoon, panchaibaja, women carrying auspicious pitchers, cultural pagentry, the asaburja team, military and police personnel and others marched from Hanumandhoka to Jamal to fetch the Phulpati.

The Chief Justice, the Chairman of the Rajparishd Standing Committee, ministers, office bearers, the Gurujuko Paltan, Royal Nepalese Army and Nepal Police personnel and high ranking officers in the Royal Palace service and the civil service participated in the procession.

According to tradition, priests of the Dashainghar including six Magars escort the Phulpati upto Jibanpur of Dhading district from where its escorted up to Jamal in Kathmandu by six brahmins from Kathmandu.

The Phulpati basically consists of auspicious items including sugarcane, banana, belpatra (wood apple), pomegranate, ear of "Jayanti" rice and ginger plant.

Meanwhile, in Biratnagar, on the occasion of Bada Dashain, the Phulpati was taken to the Nishan Bhagawatithan and local Kalisthan temple amidst the firing of salvos here this morning.

Brahmins offered worship at the Nishan Bhagawatithan and under a wood apple tree near the Bagalamukhi temple at Biratnagar sub municipal corporation ward No 13. offerings of goats were also made on the occasion.

As per tradition, a police contingent presented a salute when the rituals were being solemnised and the Brahmins distributed Tika and Prasad of goddess Bhagawati.

Earlier, a religious procession which started from Kalisthan temple went around the town and took leaves from the wood apple tree near the Bagalamukhi temple to the Kalisthan temple and Nishan Bhagawati temple.

Participating in the procession were virgins carrying flowers and prasad from goddess Bhagawati temples as well as devotees.

Similarly, the Phulpati was taken to Durga Bhawani temple and local Shakti Peeths (Goddess temples) as per religious tradition with a procession of musical band.

Mahaasthami today

Kathmandu, Oct. 24 (RSS): Mahaasthami is being observed throughout the Kingdom as part of the Bada Dashain festival today.

On the occasion of Mahasthami, sacrifices and special offerings were made at Dashainghars and kots as well as shrines of various Goddess and Shakti Peeths ( shrines).

Devotees thronged temples of Navadurga Bhavani and Shakti Peeths from early morning.

Those offering animal sacrifice and worship flocked the Shakti Peeths of Dakshinkali, Guheswhwari, Maitidevi, Kalikasthan, Naxal Bhagawati, Bhadrakali, Shova Bhagawati, Bijyeswari, Indrayani, Bajrabarahi, Raktakali, Bajrayogini and Sankata in the Velley since early this morning.

At the Dashainghar of Hanumandhoka at midnight tonight worship is offered to goddess Durga Bhavani, salvoes fired and 54 buffaloes and 54 goats sacrificed to observe the rites of Kalaratri.

The worship of Sri Durga Bhavani at Dashainghars over nine days concludes formally on the day of Vijaya Dashami, after the "Abhishekh" or holy water is sprinkled to mark the beginning of Tika.