Urbanisation at an unforgiving price..

By Samyam Raj Gautam

Urbanisation is an increase in the percentage of the population living in urban areas. The increasing urban population and the expansion of the urban sphere creates many problems in the city.

As a developing country, Nepal, faces a major problem of unemployment. Due to high urban growth rate and slow economic development, most people are either under-employed or unemployed. Illiterate and unskilled men usually get low paid jobs like watchman, plumber and factory workers. Slow and limited socio-economic growth of the country causes the under employment of educated people. When these people get chance to have better jobs in foreign countries, "brain drains" and the country suffer in a indirect way. Thus even for a simple job of teacher in a primary school, many people compete.

Increasing population demands more social facilities in the urban sphere. Economic backwardness is the major factor which enhances the squatters and slum dwellers outnumbering the new planned building in the urban sphere. It is very obvious to see people sleeping on foot paths. Social service is very essential for maintaining high living standard. Socio-economic facilities are not enough in number for the growing urban population.

As population increases, socio-economic facilities need to be increased in the cities. This causes the agricultural land of the urban periphery to be used. As in all cities of the developing countries, urban spawl is growing in Kathmandu as well. The edge of the city centers are occupied by the squatter settlers. Their poor living standards adds a lot of pollution in the urban sphere. The physical expansion of urban spawl decrease the productive land causing the city to be more dependent for raw materials make urban life very expensive and difficult for an average Nepalese citizen.

Urban growth is associated with increasing functions and service involving many people, thus causing traffic congestion. Office hours are regularly accompanied by traffic jams. Public transportation system and other vehicle drivers are often troubled, though rush hours, unlike developed cities, does not last for hours. The roads being narrow and lack of parking zone causes vehicle to part on the sides of the road, disturbing the traffic flow. Due to overcrowded vehicles in the city, it is not very surprising to see accidents occur.

Urbanization is characterized by establishment of factories and industries. The more their number, the more ‘smog’ they produce. Vehicles also produce smoke which contains carbon monoxide and lead oxide which are very injurious to health. The smoke darkens the buildings and affects the city environment.

Bagmati river has been the disposal site of industrial chemicals, domestic wastes and sewage. These wastes act as favorable site for the growth of insects, pets and rats which carry diseases. Dumping these wasters harm the aquatic life and pollutes drinking water.

Careless people throwing tins, bottles, papers and plastic indiscriminately is a common site in Kathmandu. The capital is being uglier day by day as wastes pile on road, sides, making the site pathetic for the tourists who come to see the beautiful ‘Himalayan kingdom as well as unhygienic for the pedestrians. This is undoubtedly a challenging problem for the authorities of urban sanitation and hygienic conditions.

Airplanes, vehicles and growing number of urban population creates noise pollution which is irritating for the ear to hear and spoils the peaceful environment.

Suggestion for solution of Urban problems : Town planning is very essential for a sound urban settlement. Refugees and immigrants "should not" be allowed to settle as squatters. Industry of the country should be decentralized and markets should be dispersed. Transportation and socio-cultural facilities should be well developed in the urban sphere concerned Authorities should apply strict rules and supervision relating disposal of waste materials. Sanitation and hygienic conditions should be maintained at a considerable level. The existing water supply system and drainage system should be expanded or renovated.

Raising the living standards in the urban sphere is certainly no child’s play. This is going to be a tough challenge for the concerned authorities.

Cocoo in groceries

By Nitya Nanda Timsina

At some point in the history of evolution of birds, no one would have ever thought that birds of same feather flocked together for a refuge in a grocery.

Sixty five million years after scientists claimed they are the creatures capable of living in jungles, caves and cliffs, a revolution in the way we see them today has but changed the course of history.

It is neither a nightingale nor a Cocoo. It’s also not a Bar-headed goose that can fly over mountains of astronomical height, it’s neither a falcon that can swoop down on its prey but a bird with jet-like feather and a forked tail slightly larger than sparrows.

It’s a bird in the grocery worth hundred in the bush. But with bush, rain forests, habitat, caves and cliffs disappearing from the vicinity of Kathmandu’s urban life, flocks of swallows have found a grocery in Kathmandu’s bustling urban centre a place to call home.

For over a decade, a secret has never been told to the world : at least one thousand swallows continue to live in a single grocery in Kathmandu’s one of the busiest thoroughfares.

And they are not merely in hundreds, but a large number of them numbering more than one thousand flocking together by the shop overrunning its capacity. Unafraid, never faltering in their goals or moving to other hideouts, these swallows have found the grocery their safe haven.

They have built numerous community nests on the ceilings and on the walls of this grocery that continue to remain a mystery unsolved and unheard. "In between six in the morning and seven in the evening, you cannot see them," says Hari Prasad Sharma, a local residing close to the grocery.

Thousands of visitors sit enthralled every day looking at each other in puzzled faces wondering at these species performing a sort of acrobatics and then fluttering around and finally landing on the gunny bags irrespective of the fear of running into imbroglio.

Giving teats with its beak, it hopes around and flutter briefly round its master as does a moth round the lamp or a cur about its master.

"We have come to love them like our own children, I believe I am doing a service to them," said Dahana Shrestha, whose shop has been named a "Home of Swallow" here and carry no signboard.

"For eleven years, they have come to live with us and are least afraid of running into trouble or that we are capable of causing harm to them," said Shrestha, a shop keeper woman whose shop has more sparrows than the combined number of items she has in her shop put toghether.

When I saw swarms of birds in their long feathers and forked tail fluttering round and round I was reminded of a nursery rhyme taught to me by a teacher when I was in Nursery class: All the king’s horses, and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty together. But a miniature store had put together this.

Sixty five million years after the scientists say the first modern bird evolved,

They are neither a Bar-headed goose that can fly over the world’s highest mountain range of over 7,500 meters, they are neither world’s largest bird as like Ostrich or a peregrine falcon which can swoop down on its prey, nor they are the world’s smallest Bee-humming bird of 5cm long and weighing 3 grams.

Slightly bigger than sparrows, these swallows have unusually loved one of the Kathmandu’s grocery for a home, hapiness and safety.

Using their pellets of mud, they have constructed community nests on the ceilings of a grocery located at Kathmandu’s one of the most busiest market place instead of the walls of cliffs, caves, and farm buildings or on a remote location.

The spread of towns, farms, cities and roads have forced these birds to swarm a grocery here.

What is Yoga

Among all the various minds that we see in various people, only that mind which has attained to Samadhi, perfect concentration is the highest. A man who has attained powers through medicines, words, (Mantra) or modifications, has desires but that man who has attained concentration through yoga is free from all desires."

Yoga is immensely rich and highly spiritual. It comprises many approaches. In view of its sheer versatility and long history of nearly three thousand years, yoga must be counted as the world’s foremost tradition of psychospiritual transformation. Yoga is one of the most remarkable accomplishments of human ingenuity. It is not simply a body exercise or a set of ideas, but a theory and practice of centering of harnessing the body-mind.

Yoga is first clearly spoken of in the Katha-Upanishad, which was probably composed in the fifth or sixth century B.C. This World propounds what is called Adhayatma yoga, the "Yoga of the inmost self" by which the sage may come to know the great God hidden in the cave of the heart.

The word yoga is derived from the verbal root ‘Yuj meaning "to yoke harness." It has a wide range of applications in the Sanskrit language ‘from’ Union’ to "team" to ‘sum’ to ‘equipment’ to ‘conjunction’ and so forth.

Each of these yoga are suited to a different temperament of approach to life. All the paths lead ultimately to the same destination to union with Brahman or God- and the lessons of each of them need to be integrated .

Karma Yoga - The yoga of action is the path chosen primarily by those of an outgoing nature. It purifies the heart by teaching you to act selflessly, without thought of gain or reward. By detaching yourself from the fruits of your actions and offering them to God, you learn to sublimate the ego. To achieve this, it is helpful to keep your mind focused by repeating a mantra while engaging in any activity.

Bhakti Yoga - It is the path of devotion, which appeals particularly to those of an emotional nature. The Bhakti Yoga is motivated chiefly by the power of love and sees God as the embodiment of love. Through prayer and worship, he surrenders himself to god, channeling and transmuting this emotions into unconditional love or devotion. Singing praises of God is a substantial part of Bhakti Yoga.

Jnana Yoga - The yoga of knowledge or wisdom is the most difficult path, requiring tremendous strength of will. Taking the philosophy of vedanda the Jnana Yogi uses his mind to inquire into its own nature. We perceive the space inside and outside a glass as different, just as we see ourselves as separate from God. Jnana Yoga leads the devotee to experience his unity with God directly by breaking the glass, dissolving the veils of ignorance. Before practicing jnana yoga, the aspirant needs to have integrated the lessons of the other yogic paths-for without selflessness and love of God, strength of body and mind, the search for self realization can become mere idle speculation.

Raja Yoga- The path we deal with chiefly is the science of physical and mental control. Often called the "Royal road" it offers a comprehensive methods for controlling the waves of thought by turning our mental and physical energy into spiritual energy.

Destination THIMI 

By Subhash Ram

Some ten kilometers east from Kathmandu and three kilometers west from Bhaktapur lies an ancient town Thimi.Thimi is best known for finest traditional crafts and rich culture. It is also famous for terra-cotta earthen wares cum sculptures, papier mache and clay masks, puppets, traditional hand woven clothes and other handicrafts. Art lovers should not miss visiting Thimi to see splendid craftmanship and cretivity of the people of Thimi.

Many festivals are celebrated and music as well as dances are performed here on various occasions. One can experience a typical way of lifestyle by staying here for a few days. Whilst one returns from Thimi, small clay pots, clay sculptures, varieties of masks, jeweleries and various types of dresses, bags, wallets, caps and other sovenir pieces made of traditional clothes can be excellent for taking with them.

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