Damauli bridge over Madi river

A long bridge over Madi river in Damuli is the longest bridge in Prithivi Highway (Kathmandu-Pokhara highway). I can’t remember the total length of the the 9-span bridge (I hope somebody will post it in comment) .

UPDATE – With thanks to Ajay ji in comment – the length of the bridge is 370m.

Another beautiful photo of the bridge shows the majestic Machapuchre and Annapurna range in the background. (I don’t know who took this photo so couldn’t credit the photographer.)

The picture above was taken from Google map – an areal view of the bridge.

Photo credits – Sanjay Roy (last photo),  Puspa Aryal (first photo)

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MLTR heated the cold evening Kathmandu

World-renowned Danish pop-soft rock band Michael Learns To Rock (MLTR) performed grand Musical presentation at Tundikhel in Kathmandu on Saturday.

Around 15 thousand audiences were present and Jeevan Bhattarai of the organizer, ODC Network and ENGAGE Entertainment Solutions, said, the concert has been organized to give message that peace process has been already started in Nepal and to make Nepal known in the world through music. Other performers were Mt. 8848, Kutumba, Sabin Rai.

(Photo credit: Kathmandu craze)

It is said that some funds collected will be provided to the organization working in the field of tumor disease prevention.

First Nepali Movie on Story of Lesbian Lovers, Snow Flower, shooting complete

The shooting of the first Nepali movie to feature lesbian couple, Snow Flower, has completed recently and has entered in the post production stage.

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Metropolitan Traffic Police demolishes Everest Hotel’s wall

Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD), while making the road wider for vehicular movement, has demolished the wall of the Everest Hotel in New Baneshwor on Saturday. The wall that stood on the public land was brought down with the help of three dozers.

MTPD has started to demolish green islands, footpaths, and lane dividers at several places in the capital.

DIG Ganesh Raj Rai, Chief of MTPD, informed that the infrastructures made by encroaching the public land on the either sides of the road, are demolishing to make road wider. DIG Rai further added, “We will no more let the public land be used for some private purpose,” and “These land are separated for constructing roads. So there must be vehicles running on these roads”.

Nepali Movie – Bidaai (2010)

Shuva Shanti Films Makers present
Nepali Movie – Bidaai
Starring:  Jharana Thapa, Nikhil Upreti, Ramit Dhungana etc.
Director – Ramji Lamichane

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Kanchanpur Mahotsab and trade show started in Mahendranagar

Kanchanpur Mahotsab started in Mahendranagar on November 17, 2011 and will last until 28 November 2011. The festival will feature various program to highlight the unique aspects of Far Western region. The festival will also feature the local products and act as a venue to showcase product and services offered by the resident in the area.

In the following photo, Tharu girls are dancing in Sakhiy
a dance in Kanchanpur Mahotsab.

Photo credits – Rajendra Bhatta

450 police inspectors transferred

On Friday, the Nepal police headquarters has transferred some 450 police inspectors. This is the largest number of transfers in the history of Nepal Police, as quoted by media. Earlier, when Hem Bahadur Gurung was the Inspector General of Police, there was transfer of 400 police inspectors.

According to police regulations, an Inspector of the Nepal Police is deputed to serve at a place for a year. But the transfers of the officers were pending for the last two and a half years.

Nepal Police Spokesperson, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Binod Singh said, police inspectors are transferred as per the decision of the Police Headquarters on Thursday. He further said, work experience, training, work efficiency and academic qualification of the police inspectors were the main criteria of the transfers.

MLTR to go live in Nepal 2011 in Tundikhel on Nov. 19

On Saturday, November 19, popular band Michael Learns to Rock (MLTR) is scheduled to go live in Nepal 2011 Concert in Tudikhel, Kathmandu.

Three of the band members Jascha Richter (vocalist and keyboardist), Kare Wanscher (drummer) and Mikkel Lentz (guitarist) were escorted to Hotel Radisson in the Nepali vehicle Mustang.

Jascha Richter told, "I love Nepal. We are really excited, and have been waiting for twenty years to perform in Nepal. Now, the dream has come true."

MLTR concert starts at 6pm and last for two hours. A number of performances by Nepali artists including Mt 884, Sabin Rai, and Sunil Bardewa will also perform in the occasion. Dinesh DC will be the host in the concert whereas, Malvika Subba and Prasan Syangden will accompany the live concert. (Photo credits Malvika Subba)

MLTR in their official website, have posted this video titled "MLTR Live in Concert Nepal":

Road literature – Priceless love

A heart touching piece written on the back of a truck was captured by journalist Dipak Bhattarai.

Shundar rahechha timro muhar ma dukhile chinna sakina
Amulya rahechha timro maya ma garib le kinna sakina…

I tried translating it, but couldn’t replicate its sweetness. So, all I can say about the piece in English is the essence of the lines: "I couldn’t buy your love because it was priceless."

Minister Tripathi owns 194 tola gold, more than 5 ropanis land in the valley only

Property details of Minister for Physical Planning and Works, Hridayesh Tripathi made public on on Thursday and it shows he has 194 tolas of gold, some gold rings and 32 kilograms of silver received as dowry, gifts from children and other sources.

It further shows there is a house built on 11 kattha land in Guthiparsauni of Nawalparasi District in the name of his father Hari Shankar and a house built on 13 anas plot in the name of his wife Shova in Sainbu VDC of Lalitpur District by taking Rs. 3.4 million in loan from bank.

According to the property detail as reported in RSS, the Tripathi family owns:

• 19 bighas 17 kattha land jointly in Guthiparsauni in the name of Hari Shankar
• 7 kattha 13 dhur land in Siddharatha Municipality, Rupandehi, bought at Rs. 5.5 million in the name of wife Shova.
• One ropani, nine anas land in Bishnugaun and Bhadrakali in Kathmandu, two ropanis two anas plot in Bhainsepati, Lalitpur, two ropanis eight ana land near Naya Bus Park in the Capital.All these land pieces in his wife Shova’s name.
• Deposit of Rs. 600,000 in Everest Bank Ltd that was received from his salaries and allowances.
• Shares worth Rs. 50,000 in Bank of Asia and Rs. 1.86 million in Nepal Telecom in his wife’s name
• Shares worth Rs. 30,000 in Prime Commercial Bank in his daughter, Pallawi Tripathi’s name
• A Prado Jeep gotten in the capacity of minister, a car in the name of his wife Shova, Hilux Toyota car in the name of his daughter Pallawi and a tractor in the name of his elder brother Dinesh

But, the detail also shows that Minister Tripathi has taken Rs. 20.5 million in loan from Prudential Investment, Rs. 10 million from Siddhartha Bank, Rs. 2 million from Himalayan Bank and nearly Rs. 1 million from Agricultural Development Bank for the purchase of land pieces and vehicles.

MLTR arrives in Kathmandu, going to rock on Nov 19

Danish pop-soft rock band Michael Learns To Rock (MLTR) has arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

Photo Credit: Facebook page

This  internationally acclaimed band, formed in 1988, has sold over 11 million records worldwide, mainly in Asia, and in addition, another 6 million or more paid downloads for their single “Take Me To Your Heart” which was awarded “Most downloaded single of the year 2006″.

The band is going to perform with their hit numbers at Tundikhel on Saturday. The band members are Jascha Ricther (Singer and keyboard player), Kåre Wanscher (drummer) and Mikkel Lentz (guitarist). The popular hits of this band are ‘Sleeping Child’, ’25 Minutes’, ‘Out of the Blue’ and ‘Paint My Love’ from their second album Colours (1993) which sold over 1.1 million records.

The band is staying at Radisson Hotel in Lazimpat for the duration of their visit and is scheduled to return on Sunday.

After the concert of Canadian rocker Bryan Adams in February, this is going to be the second concert that is also in a year that Kathmandu is witnessing a concert from internationally acclaimed musicians.

Chhetris‚ Brahmins also want to have indigenous status

The Brahman Chhetri Society demand Brahmin and Chhetri communities should also be included in the indigenous group in the constitution.

The Khas Chhetri Society National Federation and the Brahman Society Nepal organized a massive rally from Tinkune to New Baneshwor and then staged a massive sit-in in front of the Constituent Assembly building, New Baneshwor, according to RSS.

Brahmin and Chhetris are mentioned as ‘other’ caste in the interim constitution of Nepal which must be corrected by writing Brahmin and Chhetri in the new constitution, according to Federation Chairman Kumar Bahadur Thapa. He said that the State needs to provide service on the basis of class not on the basis of caste and added federalism must be determined on the basis of distribution of natural resources and economic development rather than from ethnicity.

Chairman of the Brahman Society Nepal, Narayan Prasad Adhikari also said population of Chhetri is 20 percent and of Brahmin is 13 percent in the country, so, mentioning them as ‘other’ in the interim constitution is disgracing these castes.

Risky commute – Kathmandu street

Travelling on a goods carrier in itself is risky. Travelling in excess of it’s capacity is riskier. It is not only risky for the travellers, it is also a hazard for other vehicles. And, motorbikes are not designed to transport animals. Animal behaviors can not be predicted and unexpected behavior of the goat can not only cause harm to the commuters on the motorbike, but also other vehicles around it.

Do they have traffic rules in Kathmandu? If there are, why aren’t they implemented?

Is it not only the responsibility of the traffic police to control s
uch risky travel. Safety awareness in the commuters and the drivers is equally important.

But, a hefty fine would certainly help in reducing such an unsafe practice. (Photo received from Rajan Timilsina, one of our readers)

Nikhil Upreti: a 15 day notice published to pay 3 lakh

Actor Nikhil Upreti (real name Dinesh Upreti) and his sister Laxmi Kharel were summoned by Gorkhapatra Sansthan to pay Rs. 2,93,832.61 by publishing a payment notice with their photos, in Gorkhapatra daily.

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Ministers' property detail released: Mahato-95 tola gold, Gachhadar-91 tola gold, Pun-15 tola gold

Monday, the Ministry of Information and Communication (MoIC) released the details of property owned by several ministers as per the document submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The document submitted by Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bijay Kumar Gachhadar reveals:

• two separate houses in Bhaluwa-8 of Sunsari district
• A house under construction in Biratnagar, which is in the name of his wife Nirmala.
• two separate plots of inherited land in Sunsari, measuring two katthas and eight bighas respectively as family owned.
• 13 annas of land in Bungmati in Lalitpur purchased with money sent by his son Subhas from the US.
• Around 91 tola of gold jewellery and 300 tola of silver jewellery mentioning it’s source as dowry given by Gachhadar’s in-laws during his marriage.
• Savings of Rs 277,000 in Sincere Saving Cooperative, Rs 817,000 in Rastriya Banijya Bank, Bhotahity branch as family owned.
• Rs 71,000, Rs 116,000 and Rs 479,000 in separate accounts in Rastriya Banijya Bank Biratnagar, Nepal Bangladesh Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Sincere Saving Cooperative respectively in the names of wife Nirmala.
• two separate companies and consultancies in the names of two sons Subhas and Suman.
• other property and shares in banks in the name of Nirmala.
• two four-wheelers. One of them was bought as facility provided to Gachhadar as a lawmaker.

The document submitted by Finance Minister Barsa Man Pun reveals:

• inherited houses and land in his home district in Rolpa
• 15 tola gold, 0.5 kg silver and Rs 700,000 cash.
• Rs 40,000 (own) and Rs 35,000 (his wife Onsar) in two separate bank accounts in Everest Bank.
• A “light” vehicle provided by the Maoist party and a motorcycle purchased for Rs 200,000.

Likewise, Minister for Health and Population Rajendra Mahato’s submitted document shows:
• A house each in Kathmandu and Sarlahi.
• Around five bighas of land in Sarlah
• two bighas of land in Dhanusha and one ropani of land at Machchhegaun in Kathmandu in the name of his wife Shailkumari.
• 95 tola gold and three kg of silver.
• Rs 402,000 and Rs 258,000 deposited in Everest Bank and Nepal Bank in Malangwa respectively.
• Saving of Rs 74,000 of his wife in Krishi Bikas Bank Gaushala.
• a Bolero jeep

Minister for Commerce and Supplies Lekhraj Bhatta’s submitted document shows:

• two houses in Kailali district in the name of his wife Nirmala.
• two bighas of inherited land in Kailali (family).
• A Mahindra Scorpio jeep provided by the Maoist party.

Environment Minister Hemraj Tated’s submitted document reveals:

• 12 katthas of inherited land in Saptari.
• one bigha in Saptari in the name of his wife Jayasri.
• 12 tola gold and 250 tola silver.
• savings of Rs 2,000 each in Everest Bank and SBI Bank and Rs 11,000 each in Sunrise Bank and Nepal Bank Limited respectively.
• a rice mill in Saptari.