Buddha Krishna to get tongue pierced for 9th time

Buddha Krishna Baga Shrestha of Bode in Madhyapur Thimi, is going to pierce his tongue for the ninth time. Like previous years, Shrestha will pierce his tongue with a 10-inch long iron needle on Friday.

Pashupati decked with flowers, lights for Maha Shivaratri

Hindus all over the country are celebrating Maha Shivaratri Tuesday by worshiping at various shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva. Shivaratri, literally the great night of Shiva, is one of the four great nights, with the other three being Kaalratri, Moharatri and Sukharatri, an extremely holy occasion as stated in the Puranas, which are sacred Hindu scriptures.

PADT completes preparation to hold Maha Shivaratri festival

Necessary arrangement has been completed to welcome tens of thousands of devotees in the Maha Shivaratri, the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) said on Sunday. Devotees from different parts of the country and India and other countries will throng Pashupatinath Temple on the day of Maha Shivaratri. Organising a press meeting today, Maha Shivaratri Festival Management Main Organising Committee informed that the committee was ready to welcome thousands of devotees and 10 different sub-committees...

Winter migratory birds at Taudaha decline further

Arrival of migratory water birds at Taudaha Lake has further declined this year, as less number of birds are seen this year here compared to previous years. The decline was revealed when the Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN) counted the water birds at Chobhar and Taudaha areas on January 8 under the winter water bird census that had begun on January 1.

Swasthani story recital from today

A month-long fasting and story reading of Swasthani is beginning on Monday. During Swasthani, the devotees fast for a month, worshipping Goddess Swasthani, reading Swasthani Bratakatha (story of the Goddess) and taking only one meal a day. Because of growing COVID-19 cases across the country, only over one hundred devotees, both men and women, are set to fast on the bank of the Sali River at Sankhu, north-east of Kathmandu, this year.

Water, snow of high mountains contaminated with plastic particles

Mount Everest and other mountains of the nation are at high risk of plastic pollution due to excessive use of plastic-packed food and materials by climbers. This could turn the mountains into micro plastic hazard regions. Micro plastics were found in snow and stream water samples on Mount Everest. The highest micro plastics were discovered in a sample collected from 8,440 meters’ elevation, according to a study report by Centre for Public Health and Environmental Development (CEPHED).

Number of winter migratory birds declining

Around 150 species of winter migratory birds have arrived in Nepal to avoid extreme winter cold in the Northern hemisphere. As per the trend of arriving winter migratory birds, this is the time when approximately 150 species of birds arrive in Nepal, said Dr. Hem Sagar Baral, an ornithologist. Winter migratory birds started arriving in the jungles, grasslands and wetlands of Nepal from August/September to spend winter. The migration continues until January.

Despite ban, sex-selective abortion continues

Namrata Manandhar (name changed), a 35-year-old woman from Sankhu, had two pregnancies terminated because her family wanted a son. On occasions, she and her husband went to the hospital, ascertained the sex of the foetus (which is illegal in Nepal) and aborted it when they found out it was a girl. Finally, in her sixth pregnancy (Namrata gave birth to three daughters and aborted two more), she conceived a son.

Pachali Bhairav tells tale of single mother

Staging of a drama based on a tragic love story of Pachali Bhairav and Rukmani or Naiajima that had begun on November 11 concluded here on Saturday. The play was staged for nine days at the Kaushi Theatre in Teku. On the last day of the show, former Minister Krishna Gopal Shrestha, Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya and Deputy Mayor Hariprbha Khadgi Shrestha enjoyed the play. They also presented appreciation letters to all artistes.

Bhaktapur Hospital regains health under Dr. Gautam

Kabita Thapa, resident of Gundu, Suryabinayak Municipality–7, Bhaktapur is a regular visitor to the Bhaktapur Hospital. She visits the hospital once a month to receive a shot of Benzathine penicillin for her rheumatic heart disease and as a result, has been able to closely observe its condition over the last few years. Up until a few months ago, the hospital evoked pity and frustration. It had acquired the name “the hospital of referrals” because, owing to lack of facilities, it used to refer...