Bagmati Festival

The second Bagmati River Festival 2002 was held last Friday and an assortment of people from all walks of society brought public attention to the critically degraded condition of the river.

The festival held on the banks of the Bagmati River began with a Kayak race from Sundarijal. The second session of the programme began at Tilganga where film stars, journalists, singers, students, foreigners and many others gathered for a rafting experience down the Bagmati river. Nearly 100 people climbed onto the rafts and began paddling through to Sankhamul. People crowded the banks, bridges and balconies of their homes to watch the procession of rafters. The rafters were able to see the pollution from sewage and garbage disposal in the river.

There were also exhibitions put together by students from six different schools that showed the past - beautiful, and present - dirty, state of the River Bagmati. The festival was organised by Nepal River Conservation Trust (NRCT) and The Friends of Bagmati along with All Nepal River Guide Association. The main promoters were Nepal Tourism Board and the main sponsor was Chaudhary Group.

Home response to fever

Needless to say we live in an environment that’s incomparably more polluted than the west. More polluted in terms of the air we breathe, the earth we work upon and above all our habits that derive a lot from our no-more a pride and often a burden culture and tradition of lifestyle. And with pollution enter microorganisms into our bodies, so many living all by themselves in the pollution in and around us and so many through intermediate pests like flies, mosquitoes and rats that too are inhabitants of the pollution.

Further its sort of funny to note that though we’re not a real industrialized country, and though we don’t make vehicles, or are involved in some big production, we have an alarming level of industrial pollutants, air and noise pollution. The food we eat is polluted with inedible at times poisonous, at restaurants add the pollution from contaminated hands- something does seem to be wrong with our cleanliness habits, doesn’t it?

Anyway, once microorganisms get in the body has to get rid of them or they’ll eat away life. Those with a good immune system get rid of these microorganisms easily. And those in poor health they fall prey and end up dying or with life long deformities.

Its worthy to note that with so much of shared pollution, our immune systems are often vulnerable and microorganisms’ bloom to produce infections noticeable at the clinical level. Manifest illness, this undeveloped country’s health care delivery system is not efficient, more so in the negligence of administrative side and this inefficiency is actually killing a lot of patients! It’s a bitter truth that often lives are lost because the oxygen cylinder was empty, or we are lacking some sort of doctorate instruments and machines (that are often used to save lives in the west). It’s amazing that despite seeing this happen, the health person involved is not complaining. And this maintains the administrative inefficiency. Rather lets it grow. Not only this but it also prevents technical development.

It’s true that we are poor and can’t afford to have hospitals in enough numbers and it is also true that we can maintain good standards at the few hospitals we have. The government would definitely have less reason to feel guilty that because of poverty it can’t even secure good health of its entire people. But then it’s also important that the people support the government in social activities.

It’s obvious that it’s the government’s responsibility to find a good dumping site and arrange for transportation of waste in a healthy manner. It’s also true that proper waste management does need popular support. If we could just keep our surrounding soil clean we would definitely be having less, far less number of infections, the major problems of the undeveloped world plus, with the governments applaudable introduction of stickers for vehicles, and shiny walls, and the moving away of polluting industries from housing areas, we should have been having a healthy air around. But we don’t. This is embarrassing. For the government and the people. We have a control measure and we agree upon it, but still we go out of control. It’s something like going out of one’s own control. It’s none else’s air we are polluting. None else’s lives are getting into risk. It’s ours! So, honesty to oneself is a must.

This honesty would definitely stop us from or at least think twice before directing our filthy drainage to quivers we call holy and swim and bathe in. We are plainly drinking our own waste (from indefinitely unmentionable places) when we drink from the Bagmati River and a lot of us do this at least at the Pashupati segment of the river.

We definitely need to change. We throw our wastes anywhere we like, we pee along walls, by the sides of which, near the streets, run wildly branching little water streams, trying to flow despite the heavy unhealthy sludge in them, right from the source, often coming from the bathroom.

It’s rain time! Our streets are ditched here and there. And our vehicles are wild at water on the streets. Not all of us can avoid walking through the streets. It’s normal to get splashed two or three times in a five minutes walk through a motorable road inside Kathmandu- ever encountered a taxi? And these splashes are horrible. All dirt around connected by water! At times I feel that we are not getting caught by infections rather we are inviting them. Is it empathy to life?

Salmon and rose
wine at hyatt

By Sanchita

Hyatt, known for its exuberance and interesting events has come out with something delicious which is surely going to win the hearts of all the customers. Sinfully tempting, absolutely delicious and just the right note to end the meal, Executive Chef Sanjay Keswani created a brand new menu of Salmon at the Rox restaurant.

The Rox Restaurant at Hyatt Regency is introducing Salmon and Rose Wine starting from August 30 to September 12. On offer are a variety of dishes prepared from imported Norwegian Salmon. The appetizer has mouth-watering dishes such as Smoked salmon and cream cheese crostini and Carpaccio of vodka and pepper marinated salmon with Rucola and olive vinaigrette. The main course offers Pizza margherita with smoked salmon, Penne with smoked salmon, basil and kalamata olives; and Grilled salmon with ragout of vegetables, Chives cream sauce. Complimenting the food there is also a varied range of Rose wines and Chardonnay to choose from.

It is indeed a great production and a delight to everybody who cannot resist the temptations of eating more inspite of being full.

Only the live experience can really evaluate the majestic structure, recreation of traditional Nepalese architecture. Still the stone studded walls and the cave like stairs of the restaurant are something worthy of mention.

Full Moon

The moon stands for truth and reality, the goal, A metaphor for truth or reality. The moon is reflected in all bodies of water (lakes, ponds, etc) while its brilliance is undiminished.

Many people would like to know the religious significance of the full moon and new moon. To Buddhist, there is a special religious significance especially during a full moon because certain important and outstanding events connected with the life of Lord Buddha took place during a full moon. The Buddha was born on a full moon. His renunciation took place on a full moon. His Enlightenment, the delivery of His first sermon, His passing away and many other important events associated with his life-span of eighty years, occurred on full moons.

Buddhist all over the world have a high regard for full moons. They celebrate these days with religious fervour by observing precepts, practising meditation and by keeping away from the sensual worldly life. On such days they direct their attention to spiritual development. Apart from Buddhists, it is understood that followers of other religions also believe that there is some religious significance related to the various phases of the moon. They also observe certain religious disciplines such as fasting and praying during full moon days. It is believed that the moon, like the planets, exerts a considerable degree of influence on human beings. It has been observed that people suffering from mental ailments invariably have their passion and emotional feelings affected during full moons. There is a direct link between the life of an individual human being and the vast working of the cosmos. Most of the wonderful things that happen in the world depend on things working together, and nothing is more interesting than to discover and study the working of the great and little partnership in Nature. We know for example there is close link between the movement of the moon and our own behaviour.

The word ‘Lunatic’ is derived from the world lunar and indicates very clearly the influence of the moon on human life. Some people suffer from various forms of illness and their sickness is aggravated during such period. This is seen especially among mentally disturbed and abnormally violent people. It is also true that certain sickness like asthma and bronchitis are aggravated when the moon waxes.

Researchers have found that certain phases of the moon not only affect humans and animals, but also influence plant life and other elements, low tides and high tides are a direct result of the overpowering influence of the moon. The moon seems to do pretty hard work when it lifts the tides sometimes upto forty feet high-and some pumping machines can raise many tons of water a day. The mighty is moon never idle and never rests.

In view of the possible influence of the moon, the ancient sages advised people to refrain from various commitments on this particular day and take it easy for the day. They were advised to relax their mind on this particular day and to devote their time to spiritual pursuits.

All those who have developed their minds to a certain extent can achieve enlightenment since the brain is in an awakened state. Those who have not trained their minds through religious discipline are liable to be subjected to the strong influence of the moon.

The Buddha attained his Enlightenment on a full moon for he had been developing and attuning it correctly for a long period. In days gone by, full moons and new moon were declared public holidays. When we consider all those occurrences, we can understand why our ancestors and religious teachers have advised us to change our daily routine and to relax physically and mentally on full moons and new moons. The practice of religion is the most appropriate method for people to experience mental peace and physical relaxation. The Buddhist are merely observing the wisdom of the past when they devote more time to activities of as spiritual nature on New moon and Full Moon.

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