Bhattas’ of Pashupati to get salary, Offerings will go to treasury

A proposal of paying fixed salaries to priests of the Pashupatinath temple authorizing the Culture Ministry to handle the monetary offerings to the Hindu shrine has been submitted to Culture Minister Gopal Kirati.

A subcommittee formed in November last year to maintain transparency of monetary offerings has proposed this according to which the four sections of “sacred” priests—Bhatta, Bhandari, Bishet and Rairakami—will receive salaries and perks as provided to civil servants by the government. The Mul Bhatta, chief of the four Bhatta priests, will receive Rs 40,000 monthly and a daily allowance of Rs 3,000. The remaining three Bhatta priests will receive Rs 30,000 per month and Rs 2,000 in daily allowance as published in ekantipur

As 101 Bhandaris are handling temple affairs for a period of one month in turn, Kirati said that there are some technical problems for their salary.

According to Kirati, 8 Bishets, who are responsible for managing logistics at the main temple, have already been receiving some amount of money as salary from the Pashupati Area Development Trust. It is equivalent to that received by a section officer in government service. Rairakamis receive salaries as non-gazetted government officials depending on their responsibility.

News article or 'Murder tutorial'?

An illustrated article on how the Nepali Police DIG Ranjan Koirala killed his wife, published in Nepali daily Kantipur, seems more like a tutorial now how to kill rather than a news article.

The police officer, Koirala, who was had a master’s degree on Criminal Psychology and had  worked in Crime Branch in Nepal Police, had experience on such crimes and he had done his best to hide his crime. Publishing all the details of the crime in the newspaper makes it looks more like a procedure of committing such crime than preventing it.

Read the full article in Kantipur webstie (in Nepali).

We hope the journalists take their social responsibilities more seriously and publish only the details that is required to explain the situation.

[Our previous news article about Koirala confessing of murdering his wife.]

Chapali Height – copy paste poster again!

The poster of Chapali Height released yesterday are copied from an Michael Douglas’s English movie Basic Instinct. It’s not only the poster, the name also has a similar design.

It’s not only the poster, the name of the movie is also inspired by the movie.

With these similarities, it’s anybody’s guess what the story should be like!

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Politics on the peak, CPN Maoist team preparing the Mt. Everest ascent

A team comprising of 11 mountaineers including the central committee member of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) Krishna KC and Chairman Prachanda’s son Prakash Dahal have headed to climb 6,000 m high Langtang mountain. This climb is in preparation of climbing the Mount Everest.

After the intention to climb the world’s highest peak, party’s team had been practicing mountain climbing for the last few months. After the 20 days climbing training in Langtang, the team is ex
pected to climb Mt. Everest in this year’s season.

The Mt. Everest climbing team includes Krishna KC, Prakash Dahal, Yuvaraj Dulal, Bina Magar, Shivakumar Dangi, Mukunda Pokharel, Dinesh Shrestha, Ishu Bhatta, Madan Chudal and Maheshowr Phuyal.

Our best wishes for the team for the success of Langtang ascent and their ultimate Mt. Everest climbing!

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Best value Copy-Paste offer ?

Art students copy the arts of renowned artists to learn and understand the technique. Such a practice is not meant to steal  other’s creativity and say that it is their own creation.

After witnessing such unethical practices in Nepali movies, it is time other sectors also resort to stealing other’s creations. Shuphal Kafle of Ujyaalo 90 network has found that the popular Republica advertisement was in fact copied from the advertisement of a Ukraine based company Kiev Assist.

The advertisement of Nepali newspaper reads “Best value offer! perfect combination of information and & entertainment” instead of the original “KIEV ASSIST UKRAINE”. Does that mean, Republica offers the “best value” copy-paste offer?

I am not 100% sure that the photo was the Ukrainian website’s original creation. Similar types of photos are also available for purchase for the use in print and digital media and this photo might be one of them. Even in such cases, using such photos for it’s own advertisement shows the lack of maturity and dedication of the media house, as big as Republica.

Such a copy-paste practice is very common in Nepali movie industry. The posters of Nepali movies Premika, Ghamanda, Hifajat, K Yo Maya Ho, Tridev etc. were found to be exact copies of different Hollywood and Bollywood movies. It seems, other sectors are joining the copy-paste trend!

DIG Koirala confesses to murdering his wife

Armed Police Force Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ranjan Koirala, 44, has confessed to killing his wife, Gita Dhakal, 36, during a police interrogation Sunday morning, sources claim. Further details about the murder have not revealed yet.

Koirala was detained by the Metropolitan Police Crime Division, Hanumandhoka, over the disappearance of his wife. His wife had gone missing from her Budhanilkantha residence since January 11.

A joint team of Kathmandu Police Range and Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD) on Sunday arrested Koirala from Nagdhunga when he was entering the Capital from outside the Valley.

Saturday night, the body of a woman was found dumped in Palung, Makawanpur and DIG Koirala was detained today morning to find whether there is any connection between his missing wife and the body,  according to police spokesperson, DSP Dhiraj Pratap Singh.

Earlier, police had refused to register an abduction complaint of Gita’s relatives against him citing the lack of solid evidences. Then her relatives had lodged a kidnapping complaint at National Human Rights Commission, National Women Commission and the Prime Minister´s Office.

Koirala claimed that they had been living separately for over ten years.

Nepal Army Officer injured while defusing bomb

A Nepal Army Officer got injured while defusing a bomb planted at a grocery shop in Gaur of Rautahat district Saturday morning.

The injured has been identified as Hom Bahadur Raut, Nepal Army lance corporal of Amar Dal and is receiving treatment at Rautahat district hospital. He sustains injury in his leg. The condition is reported to be normal.

The bomb was planted at a grocery shop owned by Binod Jaiswal of Sarmujawa VDC-4.

Meanwhile, the district coordinator, Abinash Singh of Samyukta Terai Madhes Mukti Party has owned the responsibility of the plantation of the bomb.

Miss Jyapu to be held on March 17

We already have various ethnic beauty contests like Miss Newa, Miss Gurung, Miss Sherpa, Miss Tamang and so on. It seems such ethnic contests haven’t been able to include all the sub-ethnic communities. That might be the reason Miss Jyapu is going to be organized soon. Jyapu is a small sub-community within Newa or Newar community, opting agriculture as their profession. By default, Miss Newa is supposed to include all the beauties from Jyapu community.

Miss Jyapu 2012 is going to be organized on March 17, 2012 (Chaitra 4. 2068 BS) and application for the beauties of age between 18 and 24 is open now. The particip
ants will be taught about the traditional agricultural practices and typical Newari tradition.

After Miss Jyapu (agriculture professionals) it seems, we will have more beauty contests like Miss Gubhaju (Newari Priests), Miss Shrestha (Merchants), Miss Pode (fishermen, sweepers), Miss Chyami (sweepers) and so on in the near future.

UPDATE: Miss Jyapu Beauty Pageant 2012 Registration Form

Prachanda's new house / Everest Bank building / owned or leased ?

The CPN Maoist chairman Prachanad has moved to a new residence in Lazimpat from his earlier home of the last five and half years, in Naya Bazar.

Kantipur published a photo of a red brick house as Prachanda’s new house. But, Prachanda son, Prakash Dahal, has posted a facebook wall post, accusing the newspaper of publishing the building of Everest Bank as their home.

Although various media have told that the new residence is their own, Prakash said in his Facebook profile that the new house is also rented for a limited time. To the question about the rumor that the house was their own, Prakash replied:

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The photo below is the actual residence of Prachanda (Photo credit – Nagarik).

In Nepalese context, it is not easy to believe in politicians. These days, it is even harder to believe the newspapers or media.

Talking about irresponsibility of Nepali media, Nepal Samacharpatra and Avenues TV published a "Research Based" news by researching a comedy article – saying that Bollywood actor Amitabh Bhachchan has Nepali roots. But, even after a lot of ridiculation, the media houses haven’t felt the need to clarify their news.

Let’s hope, Nepali newspaper will act a
bit more matured in the future and we we will always be told the truth!

Youth organizations announce phase-wise protest programmes against fuel price hike

Youth organizations of eight major political parties including youth organizations of the ruling UCPN (Maoist) have announced phase-wise protests against the government decision to hike fuel price.

Earlier in the day, 13 student unions of the major political parties had already announced their protest programmes against the fuel price hike.

Maoist  youth front YCL, Nepali Congress (NC)-aligned Tarun Dal, UML’s Youth Association Nepal, Tarai Loktantrik Phant, and other youth fronts, announced various protest programmes in a joint press conference organized in the Capital on Thursday.

The protest programmes include joint demonstrations on January 20  in the Capital, protest assemblies on January 21 at major junctions in the Capital including Baneshwor, Kalanki, Jawalakhel, Chabahil, and Sallaghari of Bhaktapur, nationwide exposure assemblies on January 22,  demonstration in front of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) office for two hours on January 23, torch rally in Kathmandu on 24 and valley shut down on January 25.

The NOC, on Wednesday, had announced increment in the prices of petroleum products. With the hike, the price of petrol has reached Rs 115 per litre while that of diesel and kerosene have reached Rs 85 per litre. Similarly, the price of cooking gas has reached Rs 1500 and airline fuel has reached Rs 100.

The price of petrol has increased by Rs 10 per litre, the prices of diesel and kerosene by Rs 9 per liter each and the price of cooking gas by Rs 175 per cylinder.

NOC said that the price of the petroleum products was revised to meet the increasing loss it had been bearing. As per the previous price, NOC said that it was bearing a monthly loss of 1.78 billion rupees.

Loot – A Nepali movie review

‘Loot‘ is a Nepali movie. It doesn’t cater the Bollywood flavor. Although the concept of item songs comes from Bollywood, and Loot has made a full use of it, that hasn’t ruined the Nepaliness in the movie.

The item song ‘Udhreko Choli’ and it’s popularity has helped in the marketing of the movie. But, that is not the whole story.Simplicity in story, the style of story telling, better than average acting, no nonsense scenes in the movie are some of the positive aspects in ‘Loot’.

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Nepali Movie – Champa Chameli (2011)

Narayan Mainali presents,

Nepali Movie – Champa Chameli (2011)
Starring  – Rajesh Hamal, Rejina Upreti, Shobita Sinkhada, Rohit Tamang, etc.
Director – Late Raju Dhoj Rana
Music – Hari Lamsal
Editor – Kiran Giri

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Nepal-India home secretary-level talks: Nepal to train Indian police

The two-day Nepal-India home secretary-level talks concluded in New Delhi on Tuesday. In the talk, it was agreed for the first time that Nepal is allowed to provide policing training to the Indian police.

According to 26^th point of 10-page minutes of the meeting as per the Kathmandu Post, “The Nepalese side offered training opportunities to the Indian police personnel of tourism and community policing.” Source said, “Indian side is happy with the offer as Nepal has excellent track record in community and tourism policing.”

The meeting agreed to hold regular meetings of the chiefs of Armed Police Force (APF) and Director General (DG), SSB, India. It was agreed that IF, APF and DG, SSB shall meet annually.

The meeting discussed about strengthening measures to check the movement of terrorists and other miscreants using international airports as transit points, growth of religious fundamentalism on Nepal-India border, proliferation of Madrasas, anti-India propaganda by some Nepal’s FM radio stations in the border areas and misuse of SIM cards.

In the meeting, India agreed

• to prevent harassment of Nepali nationals by the Indian police personnel
• for a joint inspection and maintenance of missing or damaged boundary pillars at least once every two years.
• to provide training and capacity building support for combating cyber crimes, economic offences, and on forensic sciences, training for customs officials, prison officials, immigration officials, police officials and chief district officers.

Maghe Shakranti different moods and modes of celebrations

Maghe Shakranti is celebrated in various ways in different parts of Nepal. By default, it is about eating various delicacies and enjoying the day in the best way possible. Here are some of the highlights of this year’s celebrations.

The following dance party organized to mark Maghe Shakranti is in full swing (photo credits Dilli Limbu):

In the following photo a huge crowd in Taruka, Nuwakot is waiting to witness a bull fight (Photo credits – Janak Raj Bhatta).

Although bull fight, popular in France is reticulated for brutality and inhuman killing of bulls, the Nepali version of bullfight doesn’t involve any blood-shed and is fun for people. People from all over Nepal (specially from Kathmandu) come to enjoy the event.

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Lawmaker Shyam Sundar Gupta arrested on charge of businessman's abduction

Lawmaker, Former Minister and chairman of Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandi Devi), Shyam Sundar Gupta was arrested on Monday from his residence in Siddharthanagar-5, Rupendehi district.

A police team deputed from Kathmandu Metropolitan Crime Division arrested lawmaker Gupta for his alleged involvement in kidnapping of a Kathmandu-based Marwari businessman Pawan Sanghai on the basis of statement given by two persons who were arrested by the police from Hetauda on Sunday..

Businessman Sanghai was kidnapped from Kamaladi GaneshThan, Kathmandu in December 21 and three weeks later, Sanghai had returned home safely after paying hefty ransom. Although his family has not disclosed the exact amount of ransom, police source believe that several crores rupees have been paid to secure release.