Lhosar

Losar is a Tibetan word literally meaning New Year. “Lo” means year and “Sar” means New. It is a fifteen day festival celebrated in Tibet. In the first day of the celebration Changkol, a sort of beverage is made. The festive occasion coincidentally falls nearly on the same day of the Chinese New Year. But both of them are culturally very different. In Bhutan although different regions have different New years still Losar is celebrated in Bhutan by many.Losar FestivalOrigin and HistoryThe origin of Losar is not properly known but records say that it can be dated back before the advent of Buddhism in Tibet. In those times in winter a spiritual custom was held where people burned and offered huge numbers of Incense please spirits and the God. This custom later evolved as an annual Buddhist festive occasion. It is said that this festival began when an old woman called Bhelma showed how to measure time by measuring phases of moon. The festival generally occurs during flowering of the apricot trees and is believed to have first celebrated as a traditional farmers festival. Later when the principles of Astrology was was introduced to Tibet, this festival came to be popularly known as Losar. Losar, also popularly known as Bal Gyal Lo. Bal meaning Tibet, Gyal means king and Lo literally means year. This festival is known as Bal Gyal Lo because started after the first king came into throne. Celebration and traditionLosar generally begins on the tibetian New year eve. The monasteries do a special puja for the protector’s deity and start the preparation for the beginning of the festival. A special kind of noodle prepared with nine different ingredients called ghutuk is a special custom of this festival. Also a tradition is that dough balls with items such as chilies, coal, salt, rice etc each reflecting a particular nature find in various persons, are hidden in them. Finally the New year eve is a to make it clean for the coming year. In the monasteries very fine decorations are put and offerings called Lamar Losar are made. The 2nd day is called King’s Losar and it is officially reserved for mass gathering. From third onwards people greet each other and celebration of the festival begins.

The holy budhanilkantha temple

Deep below at the base of the Shivapuri Hill within the Kathmandu Valley on the northern end, lies the mystical Buddhanilkantha Temple, meaning “old blue-throat”, just 9 km away from the main city. It is at this location that you will find one of the three images of the deity Lord Vishnu or in full Vishnu (Narayan) Jalasayana which is regarded by the local people as the principal deity. It is with the sacredness of this particular god that a deep-seated belief was created by King Pratap Malla through a prophetic dream. It was his strong belief and fear that should the King of Nepal visit the Buddhanilkantha temple, death would be imminent upon his departure. The two other images of the deity which were carved during the same time lie at two particular destinations: the Balaju Gardens where public viewing can take place and the beautiful Royal Palace in Kathmandu. It is here at Budhanilkantha Temple, however, that public viewing is not permitted. The Deity of Lord Vishnu lies prominently at 5 meters in length inside a tank 13 meters long giving the impression of floating. It is thought that the Deity is approximately 1500 years old and is believed to have been sculpted during the Licchavi period, around about the 7th or 8th century. A fascinating feature of the Lord Vishnu Deity is his large frame carved out of a single block of stone, black in nature and foreign to the valley planes. When described he embodies many fascinating features and all symbolic in their own right. But it is through the four hands that you will find four symbols of Vishnu which are the: chakra or disc, conch-shell, lotus flower and the club. His legs are crossed with his sleeping body resting on the coils of Ananta: the cosmic serpent and his 11 hooded heads. It is alleged in times past that a farmer and his wife occupied a farm in this area and while cultivating the land they struck the Deity and immediately afterwards blood began to filter from the ground and thus the lost deity of Budhanilkantha was recovered and placed in its rightful position. It is a common practice for the Hindus to walk down to Vishnu’s feet to touch them but it is forbidden for foreign visitors to do the same. Budhanilkantha has become the site on which Haribondhini Ekadashi takes place during late October or the beginning of November. It is the principle festival for the year in celebration of the awakening of Lord Vishnu from his long sleep; a notable time for thousands of people. Today the formidable temple of Budhanilkantha, interestingly enough, even provides a guest house, unthought-of till now.This is famous temple of nepal.

Luck

Luck or fortuity is a belief in good or bad fortune in life caused by accident or chance which happens beyond a person's control.Luck is significant in everyday life,as well as Morality,Epistemology,Business and other endeavors.
Luck is pervasive in common speech.Typical use includes "Good Luck!" to wish a blessing on someone, or describing a misfortune, as in "it was just bad luck." There are many expressions and quotes about Luck.Cultural views of Luck vary from faith to superstition. For example, the Romans believed in the embodiment of Luck as the Goddess Fortuna, while the atheist Daniel Dennett believes that "luck is mere luck" rather than a property of a person or thing.
Lucky Symbols have widespread global appeal and are represented by human, animal, botanical and inanimate objects

Definitions: Look up in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.1926 US advertisement for lucky jewellery . "Why Be Unlucky?".Luck is a way of understanding a personal chance event. Luck has three aspects which make it distinct from chance or probability.

• Luck is good or bad
• Luck is by accident or chance
• Luck applies to a person

Some examples of Luck

• You win repeatedly at gambling, against significant odds.
• You correctly guess an answer in a quiz which you didn't know.
• Your car breaking down could be bad luck, if it was by chance and against the odds.

Luck as a facall

Another view holds that "luck is probability taken personally." A rationalist approach to luck includes the application of the rules of probability, and an avoidance of unscientific beliefs. The rationalist feels the belief in luck is a result of poor reasoning or wishful thinking. To a rationalist, a believer in luck who asserts that something has influenced his or her luck commits the "post hoc ergo propter hoc" logical fallacy: that because two events are connected sequentially, they are connected causally as well.

In general:
A happens (luck-attracting event or action) and then B happens;Therefore, A influenced B.
In the rationalist perspective, probability is only affected by confirmed causal connections.
The gambler's fallacy and inverse gambler's fallacy both explain some reasoning problems in common beliefs in luck. They involve denying the unpredictability of random events: "I haven't rolled a seven all week, so I'll definitely roll one tonightLuck is merely an expression noting an extended period of noted outcomes, completely consistent with random walk probability theory. Wishing one "good luck" will not cause such an extended period, but it expresses positive feelings toward the one—not necessarily wholly undesirable.
Luck as anes

There is also a series of spiritual, or supernatural beliefs regarding fortune. These beliefs vary widely from one to another, but most agree that luck can be influenced through spiritual means by performing certain rituals or by avoiding certain circumstances.
One such activity is prayer, a religious practice in which this belief is particularly strong. Many cultures and religions worldwide place a strong emphasis on a person's ability to influence their fortune by ritualistic means, sometimes involving sacrifice, omens or spells. Others associate luck with a strong sense of superstition, that is, a belief that certain taboo or blessed actions will influence how fortune favors them for the future.
Luck can also be a belief in an organization of fortunate and unfortunate events. Luck is a form of superstition which is interpreted differently by different individuals. Famous Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Jung, who founded analytical psychology, coined the term "synchronicity", which he described as "a meaningful coincidence".
Christianity and Islam believe in the will of a supreme being rather than luck as the primary influence in future events. The degrees of this Divine Providence vary greatly from one person to another; however, most acknowledge providence as at least a partial, if not complete influence on luck. These religions, in their early development, accommodated many traditional practices. Each, at different times, accepted omens and practiced forms of ritual sacrifice in order to divine the will of their supreme being or to influence divine favoritism. The concept of "Divine Grace" as it is described by believers closely resembles what is referred to as "luck" by others.
Mesoamerican religions, such as the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas, had particularly strong beliefs regarding the relationship between rituals and luck. In these cultures, human sacrifice (both of willing volunteers and captured enemies) was seen as a way to please the gods and earn favor for the city offering the sacrifice. The Mayans also believed in blood offerings, where men or women wanting to earn favor with the gods, to bring about good luck, would cut themselves and bleed on the gods' altar.Many traditional African practices, such as voodoo and hoodoo, have a strong belief in superstition. Some of these religions include a belief that third parties can influence an individual's luck. Shamans and witches are both respected and feared, based on their ability to cause good or bad fortune for those in villages near them.

Luck as a Self Fullfilling Prophecy
Some encourage the belief in luck as a false idea, but which may produce positive thinking, and alter one's responses for the better. Others, like Jean-Paul Sartre and Sigmund Freud, feel a belief in luck has more to do with a locus of control for events in one's life, and the subsequent escape from personal responsibility. According to this theory, one who ascribes their travails to "bad luck" will be found upon close examination to be living risky lifestyles. In personality psychology, people reliably differ from each other depending on four key aspects: beliefs in luck, rejection of luck, being lucky, and being unlucky. People who believe in good luck are more optimistic, more satisfied with their lives, and have better moods. If "good" and "bad" events occur at random to everyone, believers in good luck will experience a net gain in their fortunes, and vice versa for believers in bad luck. This is clearly likely to be self-reinforcing. Thus, a belief in good luck may actually be an adaptive meme.
Social aspects of Luck
Luck is an important factor in many aspects of society.
Games
A Game may depend on luck rather than skill or effort. For example, Chess does not involve any random factors such as throwing dice, while Dominoes has the "luck of the draw" when selecting tiles.
Lotteries
A National Lottery "play here!" sign outside a newsagents on the Euston Road, London.
Many countries have a national lottery. Individual views of the chance of winning, and what it might mean to win, are largely expressed by statements about luck. For example, the winner was "just lucky" meaning they contributed no skill or effort.
Means of Resolving Issues
"Leaving it to chance" is a way of resolving issues. For example, flipping a coin at the start of a sporting event may determine who goes first.
Numerology
Most cultures consider some numbers to be lucky or unlucky. This is found to be particularly strong in Asian cultures, where the obtaining of "lucky" telephone numbers, automobile license plate numbers, and household addresses are actively sought, sometimes at great monetary expense. Numerology, as it relates to luck, is closer to an art than to a science, yet numerologists, astrologists or psychics may disagree. It is interrelated to astrology, and to some degree to parapsychology and spirituality and is based on converting virtually anything material into a pure number, using that number in an attempt to detect something meaningful about reality, and trying to predict or calculate the future based on lucky numbers. Numerology is folkloric by nature and started when humans first learned to count. Through human history it was, and still is, practiced by many cultures of the world from traditional fortune-telling to on-line psychic reading.

IED UL FITRA

IED

There is a Khutbah (sermon) in which the Imam gives advice to the Muslim community and usually Muslims are encouraged to end any past animosities they may have. He then goes on to the khutbah and then the prayer itself. When the local imam declares Eid ul-Fitr everyone greets and hugs each other. As Eid ul-Fitr is not a recognised public holiday in the United Kingdom, Muslims are obliged to attend the morning prayer. In a large ethnically Muslim area, normally schools and local businesses give exemptions to the Muslim community to take three days off. In the rest of the UK it is not recognised as it is not on a fixed date as it is decided by the sighting of the moon on the night before.
During the morning, men (mainly South Asian) usually wear Th[edit] TurEY,Traditional Bayram wishes from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, stating "Let us love, Let us be loved", in the form of mahya lights stretched across the minarets of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul ,
In the Republic of Turkey, where Ramadan celebrations are infused with more national traditions, and where country-wide celebrations, are referred to as Bayram. It is customary for people to greet one another with "Bayramınız Kutlu Olsun" or "Bayramınız Mübarek Olsun" ("May Your Bayram Be Holy"). "Mutlu Bayramlar" ("Happy Bayram") is an alternative phrase for celebrating Bayram.
Referred to as both Şeker Bayramı ("Bayram of Sweets") or Ramazan Bayramı ("Ramadan Bayram"), Eid in Turkey is a beloved public holiday, where schools and government offices are generally closed for the entire period of the celebrations.It is a time for people to attend prayer services, put on their best clothes (referred to as "Bayramlık", often purchased just for the occasion) and to visit all their loved ones (such as friends, relatives and neighbors) and pay their respects to the deceased with organized visits to cemeteries, where large, temporary bazaars of flowers, water (for watering the plants adorning a grave), and prayer books are set up for the three-day occasion. The first day of the Bayram is generally regarded as the most important, with all members of the family waking up early, and the men going to their neighborhood mosque for the special Bayram prayer.It is regarded as especially important to honor elderly citizens by kissing their right hand and placing it on one's forehead while wishing them Bayram greetings. It is also customary for young children to go around their neighborhood, door to door, and wish everyone a happy Bayram, for which they are awarded candy, chocolates, traditional sweets such as Baklava and Turkish Delight, or a small amount of money at every door, in an almost Halloween-like fashion. Municipalities all around the country organize fundraising events for the poor, in addition to public shows such as concerts or more traditional forms of entertainment such as the Karagöz and Hacivat shadow-theatre and even performances by the Mehter - the Janissary Band that was founded during the days of the Ottoman Empire.Helping the less fortunate, ending past animosities and making up, organizing breakfasts and dinners for loved ones and putting together neighborhood celebrations are all part of the joyous occasion, where homes and streets are decorated and lit up for the celebrations, and television and radio channels continuously broadcast a variety of special Bayramobe, Jubba, Sharwani or Punjabi, and women usually wear shalwar kameez. Men go to the mosque for the Eid prayers, after which people greet each other. After this many will go to a local cemetery to pay respect and to remember the deceased. When they return home they will greet family, friends, other Muslims and visit relatives across the city. People cook traditional food for their relatives. Dishes such as Samosas, Simeya, rice and Handesh are particularly popular.

Shivling

The origins of the worship of the Shiva-Linga are unknown. Shiva-Linga has one complete purana which is dedicated to its form and origin. It may be a symbolic representation of self (Atma Linga) or of everything. Some associate it with the physical form of Pranava (Om). Oval form represents even the shape of the Universe including the existing space. The beginning of the oval form is A in OM and prolonged part is U in OM and M is the ending part of the linga. It is single shape of Trimurti. Praying Shiva Linga is considered as praying the Thrimurti in absolute form. Linga represents absolute and Single power of this universe. Some associate them with the famous hymn in the Atharva-Veda Samhitâ sung in praise of the Yupa-Stambha, the sacrificial post. In that hymn a description is found of the beginningless and endless Stambha or Skambha and it is shown that the said Skambha is put in place of the eternal Brahman. As afterwards the Yajna (sacrificial) fire, its smoke, ashes and flames, the Soma plant and the ox that used to carry on its back the wood for the Vedic sacrifice gave place to the conceptions of the brightness of Shiva's body, his tawny matted-hair, his blue throat and the riding on the bull of the Shiva. The Yupa-Skambha gave place in time to the Shiva-Linga. In the Linga Purâna the same hymn is expanded in the shape of stories, meant to establish the glory of the great Stambha and the superiority of Mahâdeva.Another theory is that Shiva linga might have been originated from the erect memorial topes of Buddhists consecrated in the memory of Buddha. The very poor, who were unable to build big monuments, used to express their devotion to him by dedicating miniature substitutes for them. Scholars note that similar instances are still seen in the case of Hindu temples in Varanasi and other sacred places of India where those, who cannot afford to build temples, dedicate very small temple-like constructions instead. Scholars note that during the period of Buddhistic ascendancy the rich Hindus, in imitation of the Buddhists, used to erect something as a memorial resembling their Skambha and the poor in a similar manner copied them on a reduced scale and afterwards the miniature memorials of the poor Hindus became a new addition to the SkambhaSiva means auspiciousness and linga means a sign or a symbol. Hence the Sivalinga is regarded as a "symbol of the great God of the universe who is all-auspiciousness." Siva also means one in whom the whole creation sleeps after dissolution. Linga also means the same thing—a place where created objects get dissolved during the disintegration of the created universe. Since, according to Hinduism, it is the same god that creates, sustains and withdraws the universe, the Sivalinga, represents symbolically God Himself.Nepalese stone linga dated 900-1000. On display at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, California.The Sanskrit term लिङ्गं liṅgaṃ, transliterated as linga has many meanings, including a mark, sign or characteristic. It has a number of specific uses in Sanskrit that are derived from this general meaning. According to the Shaiva Siddhanta, which was for many centuries the dominant school of Shaiva theology and liturgy across the Indian subcontinent (and beyond it in Cambodia), the linga is the ideal substrate in which the worshipper should install and worship the five-faced and ten-armed Sadāśiva, the form of Shiva who is the focal divinity of that school of Shaivism. Four of his five faces are sometimes shown emerging from the column of the linga (as in the Nepalese face-linga, or mukhalinga, in the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco that is illustrated in this article), but his fifth and upper face is generally not shown in sculpture.
In Hindu Dharma, Bansi Pandit explains that "Shivalinga consists of three parts. The bottom part which is four-sided remains under ground, the middle part which is eight-sided remains on a pedestal and the top part which is actually worshipped is round. The height of the round part is one-third of its circumference. The three parts symbolize Brahma at the bottom, Vishnu in the middle and Shiva on the top. The pedestal is provided with a passage for draining away the water that is poured on top by devotees. The linga symbolizes both the creative and destructive power of the Lord and great sanctity is attached to it by devotees."According to Swami Dharmananda, there is a mysterious power in the Linga, its shape has been designed to induce concentration of the mind. Just as the mind is focused easily in crystal-gazing, so also the mind attains one-pointedness, when it looks at the Linga. That is the reason why the ancient Rishis and the seers of India have prescribed Linga for being installed in the temples of Lord Shiva.
The great warrior Arjuna in epic Mahabharata worshipped the Linga for acquiring the Pashupatasthra, great vedic scholar Ravana in epic Ramayana worshipped Shiva to present his mother Atmalinga, legendary rishi Markandeya and numerous rishis spread across timezones have worshipped the simplest looking Linga. Rishis used to leave all materialism to attain spirituality and a lump of soil in forest was what was required to worship and meditate.
There are shrines in India; where the 'Bhrahman'/Linga is not in the cylindrical form; for example one of the 'Asta dasha Jyothirlanga' the Thriyambakeshwar at Nasik, Maharastra is not cylyndrical, rather it is in a form of a small circular pit inside which three blocks of the same stone form a triangle - indicating the Trinity ( Brahma, Vishna & Maheswara / also interpreted as the three eyes of Shiva).Another such example is the 'Linga' at Mahanandi - Near Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh; where the Linga is not a complete covered stone; but is rather with sharp edges in irregular forms. The Gokarna Shetra, the shape of Linga is irregular.
Swami Vivekananda gave a lecture at the Paris Congress of the History of Religions in 1900 during which he refuted the statements of some Western scholars that referred to Shiva linga as phallic worship. Vivekananda's words at the congress were in connection with the paper read by Mr.Gustav Oppert, a German Orientalist, who tried to trace the origin of the Shalagrama-Shila and the Shiva-Linga to phallicism. To this Vivekananda objected, adducing proof from the Vedas, and particularly the Atharva-Veda Samhita, to the effect that the Shiva-Linga had its origin in the idea of the Yupa-Stambha or Skambha—the sacrificial post, idealized in Vedic ritual as the symbol of the Eternal Brahman. According to Vivekananda, the explanation of the Shalagrama-Shila as a phallic emblem was an imaginary invention. Vivekananda argued that the explanation of the Shiva-Linga as a phallic emblem was brought forward by the most thoughtless, and was forthcoming in India in her most degraded times, those of the downfall of Buddhism.
According to Swami Sivananda,
The popular belief is that the Siva Lingam represents the phallus or the virile organ, the emblem of the generative power or principle in nature. This is not only a serious mistake, but also a grave blunder. In the post-Vedic period, the Linga became symbolical of the generative power of the Lord Siva. Linga is the differentiating mark. It is certainly not the sex-mark. You will find in the Linga Purana: Pradhanam prakritir yadahur-lingamuttamam; Gandhavarnarasairhinam sabda-sparsadi-varjitam—The foremost Linga which is primary and is devoid of smell, colour, taste, hearing, touch, etc., is spoken of as Prakriti (Nature).
Christopher Isherwood addresses the misinterpretation of the linga as a sex symbol as follows.
It has been claimed by some foreign scholars that the linga and its surrounding basin are sexual symbols, representing the male and the female organs respectively. Well — anything can be regarded as a symbol of anything; that much is obvious. There are people who have chosen to see sexual symbolism in the spire and the font of a Christian church. But Christians do not recognize this symbolism; and even the most hostile critics of Christianity cannot pretend that it is a sex-cult. The same is true of the cult of Shiva.It does not even seem probable that the linga was sexual in its origin. For we find, in the history both of Hinduism and Buddhism, that poor devotees were accustomed to dedicate to God a model of a temple or tope (a dome-shaped monument) in imitation of wealthy devotees who dedicated full-sized buildings. So the linga may well have begun as a monument in miniature.…One of the greatest causes of misunderstanding of Hinduism by foreign scholars is perhaps a subconsciously respected tradition that God must be one sex only, or at least only one sex at a time.The Britannica encyclopedia entry on linga mentions,The linga was originally understood as a representation of the phallus, as sculptures from the early centuries of the Common Era make clear, but many—probably most—modern Hindus do not think of the linga in these terms. In fact, the stylization of the linga into a smooth cylindrical mass asserts a distinctively aniconic meaning, quite by contrast to the murtis (deities in image form) that serve otherwise as the most important foci of Hindu worship. This interplay is found in Shaivite temples, where the linga is apt to be at the centre, surrounded by a panoply of murtis.The lines traced on the front side of the linga, which are prescribed in medieval manuals about temple foundation and are a feature even of modern sculptures, appear to be intended to suggest a stylised glans, and some features of the installation process seem intended to echo sexual congress, as has been argued by Hélène Brunner. Scholars like S.N.Balagangadhara have disputed the sexual meaning of lingam.

Nepal's Indra Jatra

It is a well known fact that Hinduism and Buddhism are the two major religions of Nepal, each having it's own rules and rituals. However, like most festivals of Nepal, both Hindus and Buddhist unite to celebrate the festival of Indra Jatra. This festival is celebrated by both Hindus and Buddhists with great enthusiasm. It is also believed that Indra Jatra is a festival of classical dances. It is on this very day when one is able to observe numerous varieties of traditional dances. The festival is named after Lord Indra who is known as the god of rain and also as the king of heaven.The festival of Indra Jatra continues for eight days with much rejoicing, singing, dancing and feasting. People from all over Nepal, mostly those who live within the Kathmandu Valley, gather at the Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu. The first day of the festival is viewed by a large number of people. On that day, a long wooden pole is erected in front of the ancient Royal Palace at Hanuman Dhoka, in order to propitiate Lord Indra, the"god of rain". Classical dancers also assemble at the spot, wearing different kinds of traditional masks and costumes and dancing around the courtyard of Hanuman Dhoka to celebrate Indra's visit.On the third day of the festival of Indra Jatra, the living goddess Kumari is taken out in a procession in a chariot. "Kumari", the "living goddess", is considered to be an incarnation of the goddess"Taleju". Chariots of Kumari, Ganesha and Bhairav are taken around the city for three days. According to Hindu beliefs Ganesha is the son of Shiva and Parvati who has a head of an elephant and Bhairav is another form of Lord Shiva himself.The king of Nepal, the only Hindu king in the world, also pays homage to the Kumari during this period. The festival's many interesting dances, including the Procession of Living Goddess-Mahakali, Mahalaxmi and Dasha Avatara masked dances are staged in Kathmandu Durbar Square, near the Kumari Temple. The "Dasha Avatara" refers to the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu who is one of the Hindu's Holy trinity. The excitement of the festival of Indra Jatra comes to an end on the last evening of the festival when the long wooden pole erected on the first day is lowered with religious ceremonies, animal sacrifices and ritual gestures.People of Kathamandu also celebrate indra jatra.The people of Kathmandu celebrate the religious festival of Indra Jatra remembering Lord Indra, the god of rain. Indra Jatra is also called Yandya in Newari culture. this This festival was started by Lichhavi king Gunkamadev in Kaligat Sambat 3822. In Nepalese culture Indra is a very important god.Indra Jatra begins every year from the day of the fortnight Dwadasi Bhadra month to Aswin Krishna Chaturdasi sthat is it is a eight day long festival. On the first day of Indra Jatra a pole known as Linga or Yasingh with a flag on the top is erected at Hanuman Dhoka area. This thirty-six feet long wooden pole is chosen with great care from the Nala forest in Kavre district east of Kathmandu. According to traditional beliefs, Indra had received this flag from Lord Vishnu for protection. It is said that Indra’s mother needed parijat, a type of flower, for some religious ritual so Indra disguised as a human being came to the earth to fetch them. But, he was recognised when he was to steal the flowers so the people caught him and tied him with ropes the statue of which is still worshipped in Maru Tole in Kathmandu. This image is also put on display with others in different parts of the city during Indra Jatra festival. Indra Jatra is a very interesting festival because for the whole week people enjoy various traditional dances and witness the chariot of Goddess Kumari, Lord Ganesh and Lord Bhairav being pulled through the older parts of the Kathmandu city. A day has been added to the original seven days of celebration and on that day known as Nanicha yaa the chariots are pulled through Naradevi, Nhyokha, Ason, Indrachwok and Hanuman Dhoka. This extra day of chariot pulling was introduced by king Jaya Prakash Malla in 1765 B.S. In Indra Chowk, the famous Akash Bhairava bust is displayed and it is decorated with flowers. This Akash Bhairava’s head is related to the Mahabharata story. Some believe it to be the head of the first Kirat King Yalamber. In Indra Chowk, every night different groups gather and sing bhajans and hymns.During Indra Jatra, there are a variety of performances including the dances of Sawa Bhakku Bhairav from Halchowk, Lakhes from Majipat, Devi Nach and Yeravat hathi (Pulukisi) from Naradevi, Mahakali and Kathi Maka Nach from Bhaktapur. All the dances take place around Hanuman Dhoka area. The Dasavatar or the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu is also staged every night. The first day of the festival is also observed by the Newars as a day to remember the family members who passed away during the past year by offering small oil lamps along a traditional route covering all the parts of the oldcity. It is believed to have been started during the reign of Mahendra Malla.The Linga (Yasingh) is pulled down signalling the end of Indra Jatra festival. It is taken to the confluence of Bagmati and Bishnumati in Teku to be put to rest.. The end of the Indra Jatra festival heralds the beginning of Dashain and Tihar celebrated with great enthusiasm not only in the Kathmandu Valley but throughout the country.

Bakrid worldwide

There are various festivals in the Muslim calendar. But Bakriid or Id-ul-Zuha is one of the most celebrated festivals among Muslims all over the world. It is a day of sacrifice for the Muslims. According to legends. It all started with a dream in which Allah directed the patriarch Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail. It was Ibrahim's faith in Allah and his son's faith in his father that were on test. Before performing the sacrifice Ismail tied a cloth around his father's eyes. But when Ibrahim opened his eyes he found his son safe and sound. In his place lay a dead dumba or ram. It is in honour of this test of faith that Muslims around the world sacrifice an animal on the occasion of Id-ul-azha to show their allegiance, faith and sincerity towards Allah. In India the Muslims mainly sacrifice the goat, which is why the occasion is spoken of in Urdu as Bakhr or Bakri-Id. The festival is to celebrate the strong faith of those devoted to Islam.The festival coincides with the anniversary of the day when 'Quran' was declared complete. It is from when many Muslims undertake Haj to Mecca and people offer prayers in mosques. On the day of Id, the pilgrims reach the grounds of Mina where they sacrifice an animal each. It was here that Ibrahim is believed to have sacrificed his son. The pilgrims then shave their heads. The purpose is to be one with the millions of devotees who converge to Mecca each year for the Haj. The sacrificial meat is distributed after the ceremony among friends and family members. Special delicacies and sweets are prepared on the occasion. The celebration of Bakri Id starts from the tenth to the twelfth day in the Islamic month of Dhu'l Hijja. On the Id day people wear new clothes, offer prayers, and visit each other and exchange greetings. There are special prayers, which take places on the three days of Id. Ceremonial prayers Bakrid is celebrated with ritualistic fervour in Andhra Pradesh and in particular, the old city of Hyderabad. Bakrid is an important festival of Muslims falling in the last month of Islamic Calendar. It is also called as Id-Ul-Zuha, which coincides with the Haj pilgrimage at Mecca. The significance of the festival is the commemoration of the ordeals of Prophet Ibrahim.
The SignificanceSignificance of Id-Ul-Zuha or Bakrid lies in the offering of an animal in celebration of the festival Bakrid. As per the doctrine of Islam, sacrifice of animals signifies the sacrifice of the follower himself and his readiness to lay down his life, his interests and desires in the cause of the truth.The LegendAccording to popular belief, Prophet Ibrahim was put to a tough test by Allah to prove his faith. He was asked to sacrifice his son Ismail and without any hesitation Prophet Ibrahim blindfolded himself and made the offering on the Mount of Mina near Mecca. When Prophet Ibrahim opened his eyes, he was astonished to find a goat lying upon the altar and his son Ismail standing in front of him. Ever since, followers of Islam all over the world offer sacrifices on the festival day.On this day devout Muslims of all ages offer special prayers at mosques in themorning. Muslims sacrifice an animal - a goat or s

heep, divide the meat into three portions and distribute it among poor, friends and relatives and whatever remains is for the family., and feasts are part of this festival.The celebration is conducted in remembrance of Prophet Ibrahim who was willing to kill his only son Ismail by the command of God. When he was about to kill his son, God send a goat inside of killing him. As a remembrance of this act Muslims sacrifices a goat or Bakr (Urdu). As per the Islamic belief, Ibrahim took his son to Mount Mina to perform this act. God was testing his faith and found Ibrahim to be trust worthy. Since the incident took place in Mount Mina near Mecca, a lot of people from Kerala flock to this place known for Haj Pilgrimage. All over Kerala on this day, is echoed with the declaration of Muslims- Allahu Akbar that means God is Great. All Muslims rise up in the morning with a great festive mood and reciting the same. They celebrate their day in the morning by gathering in the mosques where the Imam recites prayers and gives talks on how to go on with the commandments of God and lead a holy life like Ibrahim. In all Muslim homes of Kerala, people celebrate the fete with great enthusiasm preparing mouth-watering meals, offerings greetings, paying visits to the dear and near ones, engage themselves in dancing and singing and more. Promoting brotherhood and affection to the fellow people and thereby showing the gratitude towards God that is what all Muslim celebrations bring about.

Family

Family denotes a group of people or animals (many species form the equivalent of a human family wherein the adults care for the young) affiliated by a consanguinity, affinity or co-residence. Although the concept of consanguinity originally referred to relations by "blood," anthropologists[who?] have argued that one must understand the idea of "blood" metaphorically, and that many societies understand 'family' through other concepts rather than through genetic distance.
One of the primary functions of the family is to produce and reproduce persons, biologically and socially. Thus, one's experience of one's family shifts over time. From the perspective of children, the family is a family of orientation: the family serves to locate children socially, and plays a major role in their enculturation and socialization.From the point of view of the parent(s), the family is a family of procreation the goal of which is to produce and enculturate and socialize children. However, producing children is not the only function of the family; in societies with a sexual division of labor, marriage, and the resulting relationship between two people, is necessary for the formation of an economically productive household.
A conjugal family includes only the husband, the wife, and unmarried children who are not of age. The most common form of this family is regularly referred to in sociology as a nuclear family.
A consanguineal family consists of a parent and his or her children, and other people.
A matrifocal family consists of a mother and her children. Generally, these children are her biological offspring, although adoption of children is a practice in nearly every society. This kind of family is common where women have the resources to rear their children by themselves, or where men are more mobile than women.

May be in family member............

Grandparent

• Grandfather: a parent's father
• Grandmother: a parent's mother
• Grandson: a child's son
• Granddaughter: a child's daughter
  For collateral relatives, more classificatory terms come into play, terms that do not build on the terms used within the nuclear family:
• Uncle: father's brother, mother's brother, father's/mother's sister's husband
• Aunt: father's sister, mother's sister, father's/mother's brother's wif.Nephew: sister's son, brother's son, wife's brother's son, wife's sister's son, husband'sbrother's son, husband's sister's son
• Niece: sister's daughter, brother's daughter, wife's brother's daughter, wife's sister's daughter, husband's brother's daughter, husband's sister's daughter.When additional generations intervene (in other words, when one's collateral relatives belong to the same generation as one's grandparents or grandchildren), the prefixes "great-" or "grand-" modifies these terms. And as with grandparents and grandchildren, as more generations intervene the prefix becomes "great grand", adding an additional "great" for each additional generation.
  Most collateral relatives have never had membership of the nuclear family of the members of one's own nuclear family.

The model, common in the western societies, of the family triangle, husband-wife-children isolated from the outside, is also called oedipal model of the family, and it is a form of patriarchal-family.
Many philosophers and psychiatrists analyzed such model. One of the most prominent of such studies, is Anti-Œdipus by Deleuze and Guattari (1972). Michel Foucault, in its renowned preface, remarked how the primary focus of this study is the fight against contemporary fascism. And not only historical fascism, the fascism of Hitler and Mussolini [...] but also the fascism in us all, in our heads and in our everyday behavior, the fascism that causes us to love power, to desire the very thing that dominates and exploits us.
In the family, they argue, the young develop in a perverse relationship, wherein they learn to love the same person that beats and oppresses them. The family therefore constitutes the first cell of the fascist society, as they will carry this attitude of love for oppressive figures in their adult life. Kindship and family forms have often been considered as impacting the social relations in the society as a whole, and therefore been described as the first cell or the building social unit of the structure of a society. Fathers torment their sons. Deleuze and Guattari, in their analysis of the dynamics at work within a family, "track down all varieties of fascism, from the enormous ones that surround and crush us to the petty ones that constitute the tyrannical bitterness of our everyday lives".
As Deleuze, Guattari and Foucault, also other philosophers and psychiatrists like Laing and Reich, have explained that the patriarchal-family conceived in the West tradition, serves the purpose of perpetuating a propertarian and authoritarian society. The child grows according to the Oedipal model, which is typical of the structure of capitalist societies, and he becomes in turn owner of submissive children and protector of the woman. some argue the family institution conflicts with human nature and human primitive desires, and that one of its core functions is performing a suppression of instincts, a repression of desire commencing with the earliest age of the child.[20] As the young undergoes physical and psychic repression from someone they develop love for, they develop a loving attitude towards authority figures. They will bring such attitude in their adult life, when they will desire social repression and will form docile subjects for society.
Michel Foucault, in his systematic study of sexuality, argued that rather than being merely repressed, the desires of the individual are efficiently mobilized and used,to control the individual, alter interpersonal relationships and control the masses. Foucault believed organized religion, through moral prohibitions, and economic powers, through advertising, make use of unconscious sex drives. Dominating desire, they dominate individuals.
According to the analysis of Michel Foucault, in the west:
the [conjugal] family organization, precisely to the extent that it was insular and heteromorphous with respect to the other power mechanisms, was used to support the great "maneuvers" employed for the Malthusian control of the birthrate, for the populationist incitements, for the medicalization of sex and the psychiatrization of its nongenital forms.
—Michel Foucault, The History of Sexuality vol I, chap. IV, sect. Method, rule 3, p.99.

Poverty in Nepal$Worldwide

Poverty,poverty means poorness. Poverty make sadness life. For Nepal, worldwide know that nepal is very poor country. There is wealth like other country.Nepal is only for agricultural country. Poverty causes many problem in Nepal. There also increasing population so the poverty is also decreasing more. There is many problems like food, Health, Education, Home, Clothes, like many problem. It is the condition in which a person or community is deprived of or lacks the essentials for a minimum standard of well-being and life. Since poverty is understood in many senses, these essentials may be material resources such as food, safe drinking water, and shelter, or they may be social resources such as access to information, education, health care, social status, political power, or even the opportunity to develop meaningful connections with other people in societyThis is also referred to as absolute poverty or destitution. Relative poverty is the condition of having fewer resources or less income than others within a society or country, or compared to worldwide averages.Rises in the costs of living make poor people poorer. Poor people spend a greater portion of their budgets on food than richer people. As a result poor households, and those near the poverty threshold can be particularly vulnerable to increases in food prices. For example in late 2007 increases in the price of grainsled to food riots in some countries.The World Bank warned that 100 million people were at risk of sinking deeper into poverty.Threats to the supply of food may also be caused by drought and the water crisisIntensive farming often leads to a vicious cycle of exhaustion of soil fertility and decline of agricultural yields.Approximately 40% of the world's agricultural land is seriously degraded.

There is many problem of poverty.

Health
Main article: Diseases of poverty
One third of deaths - some 18 million people a year or 50,000 per day - are due to poverty-related causes: in total 270 million people, most of them women and children, have died as a result of poverty since 1990.Those living in poverty suffer disproportionately from hunger or even starvation and disease.Those living in poverty suffer lower life expectancy. According to the World Health Organization, hunger and malnutrition are the single gravest threats to the world's public health and malnutrition is by far the biggest contributor to child mortality, present in half of all cases.Every year nearly 11 million children living in poverty die before their fifth birthday. 1.02 billion people go to bed hungry every night.Poverty increases the risk of homelessness.There are over 100 million street children worldwide.Increased risk of drug abuse may also be associated with poverty.According to the Global Hunger Index, South Asia has the highest child malnutrition rate of world's regions. Nearly half of all Indian children are undernourished, one of the highest rates in the world and nearly double the rate of Sub-Saharan Africa. Every year, more than half a million women die in pregnancy or childbirth. Almost 90% of maternal deaths occur in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, compared to less than 1% in the developed world.

Education
Great Depression: man lying down on pier, New York City docks, 1935.
Research has found that there is a high risk of educational underachievement for children who are from low-income housing circumstances. This often is a process that begins in primary school for some less fortunate children. In the US educational system, these children are at a higher risk than other children for retention in their grade, special placements during the school’s hours and even not completing their high school education. There are indeed many explanations for why students tend to drop out of school. For children with low resources, the risk factors are similar to excuses such as juvenile delinquency rates, higher levels of teenage pregnancy, and the economic dependency upon their low income parent or parents.
Families and society who submit low levels of investment in the education and development of less fortunate children end up with less favorable results for the children who see a life of parental employment reduction and low wages. Higher rates of early childbearing with all the connected risks to family, health and well-being are majorly important issues to address since education from preschool to high school are both identifiably meaningful in a life.
Poverty often drastically affects children’s success in school. A child’s “home activities, preferences, mannerisms” must align with the world and in the cases that they do not these students are at a disadvantage in the school and most importantly the classroom. Therefore, it is safe to state that children who live at or below the poverty level will have far less success educationally than children who live above the poverty line. Poor children have a great deal less healthcare and this ultimately results in many absences from the academic year. Additionally, poor children are much more likely to suffer from hunger, fatigue, irritability, headaches, ear infections, flu, and colds. These illnesses could potentially restrict a child or student’s focus and concentration.
Violence
Areas strongly affected by poverty tend to be more violent. In one survey, 67% of children from disadvantaged inner cities said they had witnessed a serious assault, and 33% reported witnessing a homicide. 51% of fifth graders from New Orleans (median income for a household: $27,133) have been found to be victims of violence, compared to 32% in Washington, DC (mean income for a household: $40,127).
Aid
Local citizens from the Janabi Village wait their turn to gather goods from the Sons of Iraq (Abna al-Iraq) in a military operation conducted in Yusufiyah, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Spc Luke Thornberry)
Main article: Aid
See also: Welfare, Development aid, and Debt relief
Aid in its simplest form is a basic income grant, a form of social security periodically providing citizens with money. In pilot projects in Namibia, where such a program pays just $13 a month, people were able to pay tuition fees, raising the proportion of children going to school by 92%, child malnutrition rates fell from 42% to 10% and economic activity grew 1. Aid could also be rewarded based on doing certain requirements. Conditional Cash Transfers, widely credited as a successful anti-poverty program, is based on actions such as enrolling children in school or receiving vaccinations. In Nepal, for example, the country with the largest such program, dropout rates of 16-19 year olds in rural area dropped by 20% and children gained half an inch in height.Initial fears that the program would encourage families to stay at home rather than work to collect benefits have proven to be unfounded. Instead, there are less excuse for neglectful behavior as, for example, children are prevented from begging on the streets instead of going to school because it could result in suspension from the program. Aid from non-governmental organizations may be more effective than governmental aid; this may be because it is better at reaching the poor and better controlled at the grassroots level.
One of the proposed ways to help poor countries has been debt relief. Given that many less developed nations have gotten themselves into extensive debt to banks and governments from the rich nations, and given that the interest payments on these debts are often more than a country can generate per year in profits from exports, cancelling part or all of these debts may allow poor nations "to get out of the hole". If poor countries do not have to spend so much on debt payments, they can use the money instead for priorities which help reduce poverty such as basic health-care and education. Many nations began offering services, such as free health care even while overwhelming the health care infrastructure, because of savings that resulted from the rounds of debt relief in 2005.
One of the most popular of the new technical tools for economic development and poverty reduction are microloans made famous in 1976 by the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. The idea is to loan small amounts of money to farmers or villages so these people can obtain the things they need to increase their economic rewards. A specific example is the Thai government's People's Bank which is making loans of $100 to $300 to help farmers buy equipment or seeds, help street vendors acquire an inventory to sell, or help others set up small shops.
Some argue that Western monetary aid often only serves to increase poverty and social inequality, either because it is conditioned with the implementation of harmful economic policies in the recipient countries , or because it's tied with the importing of products from the donor country over cheaper alternatives, or because foreign aid is seen to be serving the interests of the donor more than the recipient. Critics also argue that some of the foreign aid is stolen by corrupt governments and officials, and that higher aid levels erode the quality of governance. Policy becomes much more oriented toward what will get more aid money than it does towards meeting the needs of the people. Supporters of aid argue that these problems may be solved with better auditing of how the aid is used. Immunization campaigns for children, such as against polio, diphtheria and measles have save millions of lives.

Absolute poverty
Poverty is usually measured as either absolute or relative poverty (the latter being actually an index of income inequality). Absolute poverty refers to a set standard which is consistent over time and between countries. The World Bank defines extreme poverty as living on less than US $1 (PPP) per day, and moderate poverty as less than $2 a day. It estimates that "in 2001, 1.1 billion people had consumption levels below $1 a day and 2.7 billion lived on less than $2 a day."Six million children die of hunger every year - 17,000 every dayThe proportion of the developing world's population living in extreme economic poverty fell from 28 percent in 1990 to 21 percent in 2001.Most of this improvement has occurred in East and South Asia.In East Asia the World Bank reported that "The poverty headcount rate at the $2-a-day level is estimated to have fallen to about 27 percent [in 2007], down from 29.5 percent in 2006 and 69 percent in 1990."In Sub-Saharan Africa extreme poverty went up from 41 percent in 1981 to 46 percent in 2001, which combined with growing population increased the number of people living in poverty from 231 million to 318 million.In the early 1990s some of the transition economies of Eastern Europe and Central Asia experienced a sharp drop in income.The collapse of the Soviet Union resulted in large declines in GDP per capita, of about 30 to 35% between 1990 and the trough year of 1998 (when it was at its minimum). As a result poverty rates also increased although in subsequent years as per capita incomes recovered the poverty rate dropped from 31.4% of the population to 19.6%World Bank data shows that the percentage of the population living in households with consumption or income per person below the poverty line has decreased in each region of the world since 1990:

Economic aspects of poverty focus on material needs, typically including the necessities of daily living, such as food, clothing, shelter, or safe drinking water. Poverty in this sense may be understood as a condition in which a person or community is lacking in the basic needs for a minimum standard of well-being and life, particularly as a result of a persistent lack of income.
Analysis of social aspects of poverty links conditions of scarcity to aspects of the distribution of resources and power in a society and recognizes that poverty may be a function of the diminished "capability" of people to live the kinds of lives they value.The social aspects of poverty may include lack of access to information, education, health care, or political .Poverty may also be understood as an aspect of unequal social status and inequitable social relationships, experienced as social exclusion, dependency, and diminished capacity to participate, or to develop meaningful connections with other people in society.

Relative poverty views poverty as socially defined and dependent on social context, hence relative poverty is a measure of income inequality. Usually, relative poverty is measured as the percentage of population with income less than some fixed proportion of median income. There are several other different income inequality metrics, for example the Gini coefficient or the Theil Index.
Relative poverty measures are used as official poverty rates in several developed countries. As such these poverty statistics measure inequality rather than material deprivation or hardship. The measurements are usually based on a person's yearly income and frequently take no account of total wealth. The main poverty line used in the OECD and the European Union is based on "economic distance", a level of income set at 60% of the median household income.

KARVA CHAUTH

Karwa Chauth is celebrated with gusto by Hindu married women in the north and north western parts of India. It is a special day for them, because they pray for the longevity of their husband and seek blessings of Goddess Gauri to have a blissful married life. Special puja is conducted in the evening by the married women, wherein katha - story or legend associated with the celebration of the festival - is narrated by the elderly woman of the group. After watching the moon rise, the women would have a glimpse of their husband through the same sieve, which they used to watch the moon. Thereafter, they would break their fast by drinking water. In the article, we have given information on Karva Chauth ki kahani.Karva Chauth StoryOnce upon a time, there lived a beautiful princess named Veeravati. She was married to a king at the optimum marriageable age. After tying the wedding knot, she went to meet her parents on Karva Chauth. After sunrise, she observed a very stringent fast on the day, when she didn't drink even a drop of water. Since Veeravati was too delicate to withstand rigorous fasting, she fainted in the evening. The seven beloved brothers of the queen couldn’t stand the dilemma of their sister and decided to break her fast, by deceiving her. They made a fire at the nearby hill and asked her to catch a glimpse of the glow. They made her to believe that it was the glow of the moonlight and now that moon had risen, she could break her fast. After watching the false moon, Veeravati broke her fast and ate dinner. The moment she ate her food, she received the bad news that her husband was no more. The heartbroken queen rushed to the palace to see her deceased husband. On her way to the palace, she came across Lord Shiva and his significant half - Goddess Parvati (also known as Ma Gauri). Parvati infor

med Veeravati that the king had died because she had broker her fast by watching a false moon. When the queen asked for mercy, the Goddess granted her the boon that the king would be brought back to life, but would be severely ill. When the queen reached the palace, she found her husband lying unconscious, with hundreds of sharp needles pierced into his body. Each day, the queen was capable of removing one needle from the king's body. She could remove all the needles except one. By the time, it was next year, on the day of Karva Chauth. The king was still unconscious, with only one needle remaining inserted in his body. On the day, the queen once again observed a stringent fast and went to the market to purchase the karva (pitcher) for the puja. When she was away from the palace to fetch the karva, her maid removed the last needle from the king's body.The moment Veeravati's maid removed the last needle from the king's body, the king regained consciousness. Ironically, he mistook the maid for his queen. When the real queen returned to the palace, she was made to serve as a maid. Nonetheless, Veeravati was true to her faith and continued to observe the Karwa Chauth vrat. One fine day, when king was going to other kingdom, he asked Veeravati (now turned maid) if she wanted anything. She asked to fetch a pair of identical dolls. While the king was obliged to bring her a pair of dolls, the queen kept singing a song "Roli ki Goli ho gayi.. Goli ki Roli ho gayi" (the queen has turned into maid and the maid has turned into queen). When asked why she was repeatedly singing the song, she narrated the entire story. The king regretted and wanted to do good for his queen. Consequently, he restored the royal status to Veeravati. It is believed that her immense faith in the Almighty, her love and dedication to her husband had won her husband's affection and the blessings of Goddess Parvati. This is the reason why, every year, Karwa Chauth is celebrated to commemorate the sacrifice and dedication of Veeravati. Every year, on Kartik ki Chauth, married women observe stringent fast, worship Goddess Parvati for a long and pleasurable married life and pray for longevity of their husband. Some women also celebrated in Nepal for their husband life bigger.

Bolbom to shiv

In Nepal, Hindu devotees take part in a ‘Bol Bom’ pilgrimage in Kathmandu on Monday in Shravana Month. The devotees run or walk barefooted for kilometers to reach the Pashupatinath Temple seeking good health, wealth and happiness.
The Bol Bom yatris are also known as Kanwarias in India and they participate in the Kanwar Yatra. They carry the sacred Gangajal to home and Shiva Temples to bath the Shivling.

Bolbom is god of shiva.In nepal and india all people celebrate the bolbom.

DIWALI

Diwali is celebrated by Hindus in India and all around the world in October or November. It is the Hindu New Year and is either a 3-day or 5-day holiday depending on where you come from.
It is a very exciting and colourful holiday. Homes are cleaned to welcome the New Year and windows are opened so that the Hindu goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, can enter. It is believed that she cannot enter a house which is not lit up, so every household burns special Diwali clay lamps (diyas) to light the way for the goddess, which is why the holiday is also known as the Festival of Lights.
Diwali lamps for sale in the market. Children have a holiday from school. Presents are given and delicious holiday food is prepared and exchanged. New clothes and jewellery are worn. Parties are held, and dice and card games are played. Fireworks and firecrackers are set off to warn off evil spirits, so it is a noisy holiday too!
The last day of the holiday is a special day for brothers and sisters called Bhaiya-Dooj. Brothers give special presents to their sisters, who cook for them and look after them.

MAGHE SANKRANTI

Maghe Sankranti is the beginning of the holy month of Magh, usually the mid of January. It brings an end to the ill-omened month of Poush (mid-december) when all religious ceremonies are forbidden. Even if it is considered the coldest day of the year, it marks the coming of warmer weather and better days of health and fortune.
This day is said to be the most significant day for holy bathing despite the weather. This ritual usually takes place at the union of sacred rivers and streams. Sankhamole, on the banks of the holy Bagmati river, below Patan, is thought to be amongst the most sacred sites for this purpose, though there has been a decline in the fulfillment of this ritual in the recent years due to water pollution in the river. But people still go in the wee hours of dawn just to sprinkle themselves with the water. They pay homage to various deities specially the temple of Red Machindranath and Agima Ta.
In addition to holy bathing and worship of shrines, certain auspicious foods like till laddoos (seasame seeds ball cakes), chaku(molasys), ghee (clarified butter), sweet potatoes, khichari (mixture of rice and lentils) and green leaf spinach are taken on this day. Families come together and share these delights. Married daughters and families are invited to parental homes for festivities and blessings. Yet another occasion to renew family ties. Many homes have pujas (religious ceremonies) conducted by priests with chanting from holy books, for which they receive alms.
Like any other holy celebration Maghi Sankranti also has a legend of its own. It recalls that once a merchant from the town of Bhadgoan despite of his thriving business noticed that his supply of seasame seeds hadn't diminished. When looking into the matter he found an idol of the Lrod Vishnu hidden deep beneath the seeds. Since, then on this day the Til Madhav idol is worshipped with the belief that god will continue to be generous in the supply of food and wealth on the Bhadgoan community. It's also the day commemorating the death of Viswapitamaha, the elderly grandfather of two families of Pandavas and Kauravas, between whom the famous battle of Mahabharat took place. He was determined not to die until the way to the region of gods opened. While lying on the bed of arrows he discovered words of wisdom on life and death. Eventually, through his free will he succumbed to death. Hence it's believed that those who die on this day go to heaven, released from the burden of rebirth.
Maghi Sankranti, is yet another occasion which renews the faith of Nepalese people in the heavenly powers.

Holi

The myth following Holi, reveals that a fiend named Holika together with her brother, an atheist king by the name of Hiranyakasyapu conspired ways to kill his son Pralhad because Pralhad was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. But their attempts always failed for Lord Vishnu protects those who love him. Finally, Holika who having received a blessing from Lord Bramha to be immune to fire, jumped in with Pralhad. But Brahma's blessing could only be used for good purposes and so Holika was consumed by the fire where as Pralhad was saved by the grace of the Gods. Thus, Holi is said to be celebrated to rejoice Holika's extermination and the traditional bonfires are believed to commemorate her death.
According to another story, from the Puranas and the Bhagvat, Kansa sent a female demon named Putna to kill his nephew Lord Krishna. Taking the form of a nurse Putna went to Brindaban where the child Lord Krishna was growing up and tried to feed Him her poisonous milk but the attempt backfired and she was killed. Her body was burnt on the night of Holi. So some consider Holi, the festival of fire also.
Holi for everyone is a time for fun and frolic. A day when one forgets the worldly anxieties and just enjoys the finer things in life.

Rivers of Nepal

Nepal's rivers can be broadly divided into three categories in accordance with their origins. The first category comprises the three main river systems of the country-the Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali river systems, all of them originating from glaciers and snow-fed lakes.
The Koshi river system consists of the Tamor, Arun, Dudhkoshi, Likhu, Tamakoshi, Sunkoshi and Indravati rivers. Of these, the Arun and Sunkoshi originate in Tibet. The confluence of these rivers is at Tribeni (near Dharan) in Sagarmatha Zone. Flowing for almost 10kms through a narrow gorge before entering the plains, the "Sapta Kosi" or he "Koshi" swollen with the waters of the seven riversÕ finally merges into the Ganges.
The Gandaki river system in central Nepal consists of the Kaligandaki, Budhigandaki, Marsyanghi, Trishuli, Seti, Madi and Daraundi rivers. The Kaligandaki is the longest river and the Trishuli, the main tributary of this system.
The Kaligandaki originates in Mustang and converges with the Trishuli at Deoghat in Chitwan. The river is then called the Narayani and goes on to meet the Ganges. The Karnali river system in western Nepal consists of the Humla Karnali, Mugu Karnali, Seti and Bheri rivers and is the longest river system in the country. The Humla Karnali, which rises in Tibet, is the main tributary. After entering India, this river assumes the name Gogra.
Rivers like the Mechi, Mahakali, Bagmati, Kamala, Rapti, etc., most of which have their origin in the Mahabharat range, constitute the rivers of the second category. The Bagmati, which rises at Bagdwar and drains out through the Chobhar gorge, is the principal river of the Katmandu Valley.
Streams and rivulets originating mostly from the Chure hills make up the third category; these rivers rely on monsoon rains and are otherwise dry.

Swambhu nath temple

According to Swayambhu Puran, the entire Kathmandu valley was once filled with an enormous lake, out of which grew a mystical Lotus. The valley came to be known as Swayambhu, meaning 'Self-Created' or 'Self-Existent'. The Bodhistava Manjushri had a vision of the lotus at Swayambhu and traveled there to worship it. In order to make the site more accessible to human pilgrims, Manjushri cut a gorge through the mountains surrounding the valley. The water drained out of the lake, leaving the valley in which Kathmandu now lies. The lotus was transformed into a hill and the flower become the Swayambhunath stupa.

The Swayambhunath complex consists of a stupa, a variety of shrines and temples, some dating back to the Licchavi period. A Tibetan monastery, museum and library are more recent additions. The stupa has Buddha's eyes and eyebrows painted on. Between them, there is something painted which looks like the nose - but is the Nepali symbol of 'unity', in the main Nepali language dialect. There are also shops, restaurants and hostels. The site has two access points: a long stairway, claimed to have 365 steps, leading directly to the main platform of the temple, which is from the top of the hill to the east; and a car road around the hill from the south leading to the southwest entrance. The first sight on reaching the top of the stairway is the Vajra. Tsultrim Allione describes the experience:

Pashupati Temple

Pashupatinath Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu. It is not known for certain when Pashupatinath Temple was founded. But according to Nepal Mahatmaya and Himvatkhanda, one day Lord Shiva grew tired of his palace atop Mt. Kailash and so went in search of a place where he could escape to. He discovered Kathmandu Valley and, without telling anyone, he ran away from his palace and came to live in the Valley. He gained great fame there as Pashupati, Lord of the Animals, before the other gods discovered his hiding place and came to fetch him. He disguised himself as a majestic deer and would not help the other gods when they asked for his help. When Shiva did not yield to their pleas, they planned to use force. God Vishnu grabbed him by his horns and they shattered into pieces. Vishnu established a temple and used the broken horns to form a linga on the bank of the Bagmati River. As time went by, the temple was buried and forgotten. Then a cow was known to have secretly sprinkled her milk over the mound. Apparently, when the cow herders dug around the spot, they found the lost lingas and again built a temple in reverence.
In temple many priest are worshipping in temple.This temple is vry good looking.All world tourist visit at first this temple.This very Famous also.

Life

Life is previous for all human beings.All human beings want to live a life happily.God has created our life.But, there is some problem for living a life.Some are poor, who have not happiness in life.Because,they should work day & night for food for two times in a day.We should live a life happy in any how.Life should be amaging and kindfully.We should love all people in the world.We should not miss any happyness in our life.We should kind to poor, lame, blind, and all human beings.Our lovely life is created by Nature.They are our produtor.We should never forget them in any how.

My Neighbour

Just like Ram, Shyam, Mohan, Geeta, Hari, Jitendra, Dilip, Om, etc. are my good neighbour.They are very helpful for each other.They like us and we like them.They are like companion for us.We call them in all party, Festival, Puja, and any seminar.They lso call us.They help us in any emergency case.We enjoy all like a members.They also help us in working in field.We never feel that, we are alone.We just like all are member of a good family.Sometimes, they eat in my home & sometimes I eat in their home.I like too much living with my Neighbour.

But, my some neighbour have bad mind. Just like Deepak, Basudev,

Brahamdev, Lale, Jagat, Makeswor,etc. We like them but they do not like us.They are theif, quarrelledsome, not have any good words.Their children are not educated.If I says them for study , they abuse me alo.They said that education is nothing.They said we have not money for

spending in education.We works in field only.In my areas education is very poor.They are going another country for earning the money.Our government is also sleeping.They are npot doing anyworks for education.Our government are like begger & dog.

My country

The name of my country is Nepal.My country is located in Asia.In North, China is located & In West, South, East side , there located India.My country im very small in size but, It is very sweet & beautiful.My country have my own pride.The biggest peak of the world Mt. Everest is also located in my country. My country is very 2nd richest in forest & water.Eighty three thousand Megawatt Electricity can opened from the rivers. No Seas are in my country .There are 14 zone & 75 districts in my country.

In past ,Many years ago there were many persons who is in Itihas. My country is very great in world in any places.

Marriage

Marriage is our culture and tradition. Marriage means ,that two life of male and female joined together.Marrige are different kinds .They are :

1. Love Marriage
   
2. Contract Marriage
   
3. Arrange Marriage
   
4. Court Marriage.

• Love Marriage:-When two Young male and Female like to each other. In their Love begining,They can marry each other.There is no trouble in their marriage.They live their life with joy and happyness.But,sometimes many problem comes to in their life.There also can come problem of poverty and richness.Also can come problem of their sadness life.
• Contract Marriage:-Sometime ,many kinds of problem can come in life of boys and girls.If there is parents problem ,They marriage each other in any how for some time .After solving the all problem ,they can left their life from each other.If they fall in love during in contract marriage,They marriage each other in that time.
• Arrange Marriage:-This marriage depend on parents of boys and girls.When parents want to marry their child ,they can do that work.In Nepali society ,there is a problem of dowry. Father of boys beg property of girls father .Sometime in our our village girls killed herself cause of dowry.
• Coiurt Marriage:-This marriage done when father 's of boys and girls happy of their love and not agree for their marriage.

In that way in Nepal culture is happening about marriage.........................

Teej

"Teej" is the fasting festival for women. It takes place in August or early September. The festival is a three-day long celebration that combines sumptuous feasts as well as rigid fasting. Through this religious fasting, hindu women pray for marital bliss, well being of their spouse and children and purification of their own body and soul.
Traditionally, the ritual of Teej is obligatory for all Hindu married women and girls who have reached puberty. Exception is made for the ones who are ill or physically unfit. In such circumstances a priest performs the rites. According to the holy books, the Goddess Parbati fasted and prayed fervently for the great Lord Shiva to become her spouse. Touched by her devotion, he took her for his wife. Goddess Parbati, in gratitude sent her emissary to preach and disseminate this religious fasting among mortal women.

Chhath puja

Chhath is the only time when the setting sun as apposed to its rising is celebrated for its glory as the cycle of birth starts with death. After sunset, the devotees return home where celebration takes place by singing hymns while devotees maintaining a strict fast without even water for 3 days. Such is the faith in the “Chhat Maiya” as popularly called chhat puja.

I like chhat puja very much.In nepal chhat celebrated in high command.

Diwali

Diwali is celebrated by Hindus in India and all around the world in October or November. It is the Hindu New Year and is either a 3-day or 5-day holiday depending on where you come from.
It is a very exciting and colourful holiday. Homes are cleaned to welcome the New Year and windows are opened so that the Hindu goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, can enter. It is believed that she cannot enter a house which is not lit up, so every household burns special Diwali clay lamps (diyas) to light the way for the goddess, which is why the holiday is also known as the Festival of Lights.

A rangoli is a colourful design made on the floor near the entrance to a house to welcome guests. At Diwali, Hindus draw bright Rangoli patterns to encourage the goddess Lakshmi to enter their homes. Learn more about Rangoli, look at some inspirational Rangoli photos, and try your hand at our Rangoli craft ideas and Rangoli colouring pages!

Dashain festival

During the month of Kartik (late September and early October), the Nepalese people indulge in the biggest festival of the year, Dashain. Dashain is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by Nepalese of all caste and creed throughout the country. The fifteen days of celebration occurs during the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon. Thorough out the kingdom of Nepal the goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for the ritual holy bathing, thus drenching the goddess for days in blood.
Dashain commemorates a great victory of the gods over the wicked demons. One of the victory stories told is the Ramayan, where the lord Ram after a big struggle slaughtered Ravana, the fiendish king of demons. It is said that lord Ram was successful in the battle only when goddess Durga was evoked. The main celebration glorifies the triumph of good over evil and is symbolized by goddess Durga slaying the terrible demon Mahisasur, who terrorised the earth in the guise of a brutal water buffalo. The first nine days signify the nine days of ferrous battle between goddess Durga and the demon Mahisasur. The tenth day is the day when Mahisasur was slain and the last five days symbolise the celebration of the victory with the blessing of the goddess. Dashain is celebrated with great rejoice, and goddess Durga is worshiped throughout the kingdom as the divine mother goddess.