४ भदौ, काठमाडौं  : दर खाने दिनमा विभिन्न मीठा परिकार बनाएर खाने र नाचगान गरेर रमाइलो गर्ने चलन छ  यस वर्ष कोरोना भाइरस संक्रमणको जोखिमका कारण सामूहिक दर खाने र तीज मनाउन सरकारले रोक लगाएको छ । । घरमै बसेर दर खान, तीज मनाउन र पूजापाठ गर्न सरकारले आग्रह गरेको छ ।   महिलाहरुको महान चाड तीजको अघिल्लो दिन आज दर खाइँदै छ । भाद्र शुक्ल द्वितीया अर्थात हरितालिका तीजको अघिल्लो दिन तीजको निराहार व्रत बस्न शक्ति प्राप्तिका लागि नेपाली हिन्दु नारीहरुले दर खाने परम्परा छ । कतै साँझमा अन्य चीज नखाई दर खाने प्रचलन छ भने कतिपय स्थानमा पहिला खाना खाएर मध्यरातमा दर खाने गरिन्छ ।   दरखाने समय र स्थान भने ठाउँ अनुसार फरक–फरक रहेको छ । परापूर्वकालमा देवी पार्वतीले भगवान शिवलाई स्वामी पाउँ भनि निराहार व्रत बसेको र उनको कामना पूरा भएको विश्वासका साथ अविवाहिताले राम्रो पति पाउन र विवाहिताले पतिको सुस्वास्थ्य, दीर्घायु र प्रगतिको कामना गर्दै तीज पर्व मनाउने चलन छ ।

आज भाद्र कृष्ण अष्टमी, कोरोनाले गर्दा यस वर्षको श्री कृष्ण जन्माष्टमी पर्वमा तामझाम खासै हुन पाएको छैन ।  प्रत्येक वर्ष भाद्र कृष्णअष्टमीका दिन मनाइने श्रीकृष्ण जन्माष्टमी पर्व अाज श्रीकृष्णको पूजा आराधना गरी धुमधामका साथ मनाइँदैछ । जन्माष्टमीका दिन अधिराज्यका कृष्ण मन्दिरहरूमा भगवान् श्रीकृष्णको पूजा–आराधना, प्रवचन, भजन–कीर्तन गर्नुका साथै विशेषगरी महिलाहरू व्रत बसी रातभर जाग्राम बस्ने चलन छ । अन्याय, अत्याचार र राक्षसी प्रवृत्तिबाट मानवमात्रको संरक्षण गर्न भगवान् विष्णुको आठौं अवतारको रूपमा जन्मेका श्रीकृष्णले आजीवन सत्यको पक्षमा रही सत्कर्मका लागि मानव समुदायलाई प्रेरित गर्नुभएको थियो ।

ज्ञानयोग, कर्मयोग र भक्तियोगका प्रणेता भगवान् श्रीकृष्णको जन्म द्वापरयुगको अन्त्यतिर भाद्रकृष्ण अष्टमीको मध्यरातमा भएको सम्झनामा आजको दिनमा श्रीकृष्ण जन्माष्टमी पर्व मनाउने गरिएको हो। दुर्जनको विनाश गरी सज्जनको रक्षाका लागि भगवान् विष्णुको आठौँ अवतारका रुपमा श्रीकृष्णको जन्म भएको शास्त्रमा वर्णन गरिएको छ।

कंशको अत्याचारबाट मानव जातिलाई मुक्ति दिनका लागि वासुदेव र देवकीको आठौँ गर्भबाट भगवान् विष्णुको आठौँ अवतारका रुपमा आजको दिन श्रीकृष्णको जन्म भएको धार्मिक विश्वास छ। कंशले जेलनेलसहित बन्दी बनाएको अवस्थामा देवकीबाट श्रीकृष्णको जन्म भएको थियो ।

चारैतिर सेनाको कडा सुरक्षा हुँदा पनि भगवान् विष्णुको मोहित पार्ने शक्तिका कारण श्रीकृष्ण जन्मिएका बेलामा सबै सैनिक गहिरो निद्रामा परेका थिए। त्यसैबेला आकाशवाणीमार्फत वासुदेवलाई ‘नवजात शिशु कृष्णलाई वृन्दावनस्थित मित्र नन्दका घरमा पुर्याऊँ’ भन्ने आकाशवाणी भएको थियो । यही मोहित पार्ने शक्ति भएका कारण आजको रात्रिलाई मोहरात्रि पनि भनिन्छ।

वासुदेव नन्दको घरमा गई कृष्णलाई त्यहीँ छोडी त्यही दिन नन्द पत्नी यशोदाको गर्भबाट जन्मिएकी बालिकालाई लिएर आएपछि मात्र सैनिक ब्युँझिएको प्रसङ्ग महाभारत ग्रन्थमा उल्लेख गरिएको छ।

श्रीकृष्णले नै पापका पर्याय बनेका मामा कंशको बध गरी हजुरबा उग्रसेन, माता–पिता देवकी एवम् वासुदेवलाई जेलमुक्त गरिदिनुभएको थियो । अन्याय, अत्याचार र दानवी प्रवृत्तिबाट मानव जातिलाई सुरक्षित बनाउने उद्देश्यले भगवान् विष्णुले मानिसको अवतारका रुपमा श्रीकृष्ण भई धरतीमा जन्म लिएको स्मृतिस्वरुप आजको पर्व मनाउने गरिएको हो ।

साउन, २ काठमाडौं, : प्रधानमन्त्री ओलीले भानु जयन्तीको अवसरमा रामको जन्म नेपालमा भएको तर भारतले नक्कली अयोध्या खडा गरेर नेपालमाथि धार्मिक हस्तक्षेप भएकाे बताउनुभएपछि यसको ठोस प्रमाणका लागि पुरातत्व बिभाग लागि परेको छ । रामको जन्म अयोध्या मै भएको जानकारहरु बताउछन् । अयोध्या भन्ने स्थान चितवन जिल्लामै हुनाले रामको जन्म नेपालमै भएको प्रधानमन्त्रीको मत थियो । माडीका स्थानीय तथा त्यहाँका सरोकारवालाहरु रामको जन्म माडीमा हुनसक्ने प्रमाण्हरु धेरै भएको बताउछन् । त्यसक्षेत्रमा वाल्मिकी क्षेत्रमा घोडा बाँध्ने स्थान, सीता पाताल भासिएको स्थान, पानीको कुवा लवकुश खेल्ने स्थान, पुराना इटाका टुक्रा, ढुङ्गा, माटो जस्ता प्रमाणहरु रहेको स्थानीय बताउछन् । प्रधानमन्त्री केपी शर्मा ओलीको भनाइ विवादित भएपछि रामको जन्मभूमिबारे अनुशन्धान गर्न पुरातत्त्व विभागको टोली चितवन पुगेको छ ।

काठमाडौं : दैनिक ज्यालादारी काम गरेर जीवन निर्वाह गर्दै आएका परिबार “राहत होइन काम देऊ सरकार ” भन्दै आएका छन् । दैनिक ज्यालादारी गरेर जीविका चलाउँदै आएका कालिकोटका पदम महतरा ‘लकडाउन’ले काम गर्न नपाएपनि साँझबिहान छाक टार्न भने समस्या नभएको बताउँछन्।

राहतले केहि छाक टर्ला तर गरिबको जिन्दगी सदैब भोको रहने पिडितले बताउछन् । केहि महिना देखि काम नहुदा दैनिक समस्या भएको यो जिन्दगी खे के जिन्दगी भैरहेको आम समुदायमा छाएको छ ।
नेपाल लगायत बिश्वभर रहेका बिपन्न परिवार तथा रोजगारीमा हिडेका व्यतिmहरुको राहत भन्दा कामको जरुरत भएको बताउछन् । पिडितहरु

Overlooking Mount Kilimanjaro to the north and Tsavo West National Park in Kenya in the east, the lesser-known Mkomazi National Park in Northern Tanzania is set to become the first wildlife park in Africa specialized for black rhino tourism.

When planning their African safari, tourists from Europe, America, and Asia would add to their visiting itineraries, a few days’ tour of Mkomazi National Park to see the rare African black rhino, now on the verge of disappearing from Earth.

Looking to diversification of tourism and wildlife safaris in Tanzania, Mkomazi National Park will introduce rhino tourism in July this year as a new attraction to attract tourists who are interested to see and learn more about the African black rhino

Under the management of Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), Mkomazi is expected to be the only wildlife park in East Africa and the rest of Africa where visitors may see the black rhino.

TANAPA Conservation Commissioner Dr. Allan Kijazi said that the leser-known Mkomazi will introduce rhino tourism within its wildlife ecosystem.

He said that a special program has been launched to conserve then protect and breed rhinos in Mkomazi aiming to make this Tanzanian park special for tourists who are interested to see the black rhino which is now counted as an endangered species on the verge of extinction.

काठमाडौँ, २० चैत : त्रेतायुगमा आजकै दिन भारतको अयोध्यामा राजा दशरथ र रानी कौशल्यावतीका सुपुत्रका रुपमा विष्णुको अवतार लिएर भगवान् श्रीरामको जन्म मनाइँदै छ ।
हिन्दू धर्मावलम्बीहरुको आस्थाको पर्व रामनवमी, देशैभरि श्रद्धापूर्वक मनाइँदै छ । त्रेतायुगमा आजकै दिन भारतको अयोध्यामा राजा दशरथ र रानी कौशल्यावतीका सुपुत्रका रुपमा विष्णुको अवतार लिएर भगवान् श्रीरामको जन्म भएको बताइन्छ । हिन्दू धर्म ग्रन्थ रामायणका अनुसार यो दिनलाई भगवान् रामचन्द्रको जन्म दिनको रुपमा लिइन्छ । यो पर्व चैत्र नवरात्रको बीचमा आउने भएकाले यो दिन भगवान् श्रीरामका साथै आद्य शक्ति नव दुर्गा देवीको पनि पूजा हुन्छ । रामनवमीका दिन जनकपुर स्थित रामजानकी मन्दिरमा भव्य मेला लाग्ने गर्दथ्यो । मेलामा नेपाल तथा भारतका हजारौं श्रद्धालुको घुइँचो हुन्थ्यो ।

दिपक न्यौपाने, ९ फाल्गुन, २०७६ – पशुपति क्षेत्र विकास कोषले शिवरात्रिको सम्पूर्ण तयारी पूरा गरेको छ । राममन्दिर अखडा, भस्मेश्वर, निर्मल अखडा, अन्नपूर्ण आश्रम र उमाकुण्डमा साधुसन्तलाई राखिएको छ ।   कोषका सदस्य सचिव गोविन्द टण्डनका अनुसार दर्शनार्थीको व्यवस्थापन, सुरक्षा र स्वास्थ परीक्षण लगायत आवश्यक तयारी पूरा गरिएको छ । महास्नानघाट, स्वर्गद्वारी, कालमोचन, गोरखनाथ लगायतका क्षेत्र पनि साधुसन्तले भरिएका छन् । साधुसन्तको खाना र बस्ने व्यवस्था आश्रममै मिलाइएको छ ।

करिब तीन सय नागा बाबालाई मुख्य मन्दिर परिसरमा राखिएको छ । नागा बाबा दर्शन गर्न मुख्य मन्दिर परिसरमा भीड लागेको उनले बताए । नागा बाबालाई पशुपतिको मुख्यद्वारदेखि विभिन्न क्षेत्रमा धुनी बालेर विशेष व्यवस्थापका साथ राखिएको उनले बताए । अघोरी बाबाले पनि पाशुपत र राममन्दिर क्षेत्र भरिभराउ भएको छ । पशुपति क्षेत्र साधुसन्तमय भएको छ । अघोरी, नागालगायत साधुसन्तको उल्लेख्य उपस्थिति रहेको उनले जानकारी दिए । उनका अनुसार ३५ सय साधुसन्तको आगमन भइसकेको छ । वनकाली धर्मशालाको खाली चौरमा दर्शनार्थीका लागि खाना र स्वास्थ्य शिविरको व्यवस्था मिलाइएको छ । ९० वटाभन्दा बढी सामाजिक संघसंस्थाले दर्शनार्थी सुरक्षा र सेवाका लागि खटिने तयारी छ ।    यसपटक १० लाख दर्शनार्थी पशुपतिनाथ मन्दिर आउने कोषले अनुमान गरेको छ ।

In India Temples are famous religious and spiritual places, but also big business for travel and tourism. The Shivoham Shiva Temple, located at Old Airport Road, Bangalore, India was built in 1995. It features a Shiva statue that is 65 feet tall.

The temple is considered of being one of the most powerful Shiva temples in the world, a temple where its believed that dreams come true and prayers are answered. Therefore, on the sacred day of Maha Shivratri, it is not surprising that lakhs of devotees visit the temple to perform poojas and offer prayers to their beloved Lord Shiva.

The Shivoham Shiva Tem Murgesh Pallya by Humanitarian Hands Trust is celebrating 25 years and wants attention by visitors.

The Shivoham Shiva Temple, however, is considered to be more than just a temple that propagates faith. It is a temple that seeks to guide believers to become seekers and leads them to the realization of the truth of Shivoham, that God is everywhere and in everything; that everything is a manifestation of the Divine power. The temple, thus, strives to take seekers Godward, finally, to attain the ultimate goal of life – Liberation, Moksha, Mukti, Nirvana, Enlightenment.

The Maha Shivratri celebrations at the Shivoham Shiva Temple have to be experienced for the spiritual guidance and support offered there. The core focus of this year’s celebration is spiritual evolution: the evolution from Om Namah Shivaya to Shivoham. It calls upon seekers to go beyond religion, and to evolve from Om Namaha Shivaya to Shivoham, to realize God within – in the temple of their hearts.

24 hours of Bhajans in praise and in gratitude to the Deity; chanting of mantras; the Shivoham Jaagran Express, an all-night vigil that is believed to help devotees stay awake and ‘be awakened’; the Maha Yagna, with a 6-feet-tall yagna kund, reminiscent of ancient days of yogis and sages; the absolutely spellbinding and spiritually uplifting Maha Shivratri Light and Sound Show are some of the key highlights of this year’s celebration. In addition to this, the Shiva Arti, which is performed every two hours, and several other spiritual activities and special poojas have also been organized to engage devotees and make their spiritual experience quite unlike what they have experienced before.

To commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Shivoham Shiva Temple and 25 years of Maha Shivratri Celebrations, a special book, ‘The Ladder to Heaven’, authored by AiR, the founder of the temple is scheduled for release on this day.

The Magnificent Statue of Lord Shiva: Ever since its inception, the 65-feet-tall idol of Lord Shiva has been the focal point of the temple, attracting tens of thousands of followers every year. This Maha Shivratri, like every year, is no exception. In fact, because of the 25th-anniversary celebrations, the crowds are only expected to be larger. Every year on Maha Shivratri, devotees with enthusiasm want to catch a glimpse of Lord Shiva- even senior citizens or those with physical challenges patiently wait in eager anticipation for the darshan of Bholenath.

Other Attractions: Devotees are also drawn to other attractions at the temple that make the temple singular in all that it embodies and offers. Devotees seek the blessings of the 32-feet-tall idol of Lord Ganesha, pray at the Navgraha Temple, and undertake the sacred, the beautifully recreated Amarnath Paanch Dham Yatra. The Barah Jyotirling Yatra and the Barah Jyotirling Abhishek are also popular with devotees. Incidentally, the Shivoham Shiva Temple is the only temple that brings everything related to Lord Shiva under one roof, be it the lingas or the holy pilgrimages associated with his Divine Grace.

The Shivoham Shiva Temple believes that Service to Humanity is Prayer to God. Hence, it supports the A.i.R. Charitable Home and A.i.R. Transit Home, homes for the poor and homeless run by the A.i.R. Humanitarian Homes. These two charitable institutions care for and look after 600 needy people every day. The residents at these homes are provided with medical care, besides necessities like food, shelter, and clothing.

Proceeds from the temple go towards doing God’s work – serving the destitute, the poor, and the homeless that are sheltered at the A.i.R. Humanitarian Homes.

Celebrate this very special day of Maha Shivratri at the Shivoham Shiva Temple on February 21st, 2020.

The Shivoham Shiva Temple was built with the support and wishes of many. However, it is believed that the inception of the temple was from a divine vision beheld by AiR himself. With the grace and blessings of God, the temple was consecrated by Shri Sankaracharya who made a rare appearance, on February 27th, 1995, the sacred day of Maha Shivratri. Over 3,00,000 people visited and prayed to Lord Shiva on that Maha Shivratri day.

In an unorthodox attempt to boost religious tourism, Indian Railways has reserved a special seat for the omnipotent Lord Shiva on the Kashi Mahakal Express, which is India’s first privately owned train that will run between India’s three holy cities. From now on, the Hindu god will have seat 64 reserved for him on a sleeper train, that was launched on Sunday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The train set out from the ancient holy city of Varanasi in the state of Uttar Pradesh, heading for two other major Hindu sites.

The vacant berth, heavily decorated with garlands and pictures of Lord Shiva himself, is actually a small Hindu temple set up in a sleeper coach. But its presence is intended to remind passengers that the god is somewhere nearby. “It’s the first time that a seat has been reserved and left vacant for the deity Lord Shiva,” Northern Railways spokesperson Deepak Kumar said. He said the company will decide on whether to keep seat 64 vacant forever.

Kashi Mahakal Express, which is India’s first privately owned train, will cover 1,131km between Varanasi and Indore in Madhiya Pradesh via Lucknow in approximately 19 hours. Intended to boost religious tourism, passengers on the express train will be offered only vegetarian cuisine, with light devotional music being played on board continually.

With 38% growth in tourism to Jerusalem in 2019, Israel’s capital city once again has been recognized as the world’s fastest growing travel destination. Last year, UK’s Euromonitor International listed Jerusalem as the top growing tourist destination, even with Japan and India on the rise as a preferred destination for tourists, and this year it has found Jerusalem to be on the top of the list yet again.

According to Euromonitor International, Jerusalem rose six places in the rankings of the Top 100 City Destinations report in 2018 to 61st place with 3.93 overseas tourists, up 12% from 2017, and is expected to enjoy 38% growth in 2019 to 4.8 million. With Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics projecting 4.9 million overseas visitors to Israel in 2019, this figure may possibly be an overestimation, but that will only become clear next month when the real numbers are in.

Tel Aviv was ranked 79th in 2018 with 2.8 million visitors, up 8% from 2017 and is expected to attract almost three million visitors in 2019. The six most popular cities in 2019 are Hong Kong (26.7 million tourists); Bangkok 25.8 million; Macau 20.6 million; Singapore 19.8 million; London 19.6 million; and Paris 19.1 million.