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Harvesting wild Honey
Dambar Bahadur Gurung sits on a bank of the Nimrung stream in Gorkha, his eyes trained on his son Surya Bahadur, who is hanging off the cliffside of a treacherous rockface. Surya Bahadur is concentrating on breaking a beehive jutting out of the rock. The 77-year-old father’s face lights up with pride as he observes his son deftly breaking off the hives of the wild bees dangling on a rope in the middle of a narrow opening at the top of the cliff.
By Haratima Foundation4 days ago in Families
Pathway to Buddhism and beyond
How and when did your reading habit begin? As a child, I wasn’t good at reading and spelling. As someone from the Newa community, I had limited access to Nepali books, which made it hard for me to pick up the language. Naturally, I was better at the Newa language. But everything at my school was taught in Nepali, making it difficult for me to understand what was being taught.
By Haratima Foundation4 days ago in History
16 Benifits of Yoga
While modern media and advertising may have us think that yoga is all about physical poses, the entirety of yoga includes a wide range of contemplative and self-disciplinary practices, such as meditation, chanting, mantra, prayer, breath work, ritual, and even selfless action.
By Haratima Foundation5 days ago in Art
Ancient Hindu text describe Flying Vimanas
The Hindu Vedas are packed with fantastic stories about the gods, their powers, and epic battles that supposedly took place long ago. Their sagas are widely perceived to be mythological stories that were created to be taken as allegory, much like we tell our children fables, so they might glean useful life lessons to apply down the road. These Hindu myths talk of noble Gods who fight off wicked forces, flying craft called Vimanas, and … nuclear war? Are we sure these were just allegories?
By Haratima Foundation5 days ago in History
Destination tourism in Mustang
This piece is based on my recent visit and interaction with tourism entrepreneurs on the potential and challenges of tourism in the Mustang region. In January 2023, Mustang was included in CNN's list of 23 must-visit places, resulting in a surge in tourist arrivals. According to recent data, 426,964 tourists visited Mustang last year, with the majority being domestic tourists. Foreign tourists accounted for 90,356, of which 72,190 were from SAARC countries, primarily India. While Upper Mustang is known more for its adventure and cultural tourism, Muktinath attracts religious tourists. Both destinations have unique qualities that appeal to a wide range of tourists. However, the challenge lies in effectively promoting this destination to attract high-end as well as budget-conscious travellers.
By Haratima Foundation5 days ago in Pride
Twenty Years after Nepal's Royal Massacre
On the night of June 1, 2001, exactly twenty years ago, an event at the Narayanhiti palace saw an end to an entire family of the then ruling Shah dynasty. Helicopters were hovering and rumour mills were active. In the pre-smartphone days, when mobile phones were still uncommon, the SMSs didn’t stop coming, and home phones rang non-stop. I was then working at the Soaltee Hotel, where the requisition of a large amount of ice from the hospitals triggered lots of questions.
By Haratima Foundation5 days ago in History
Embarrassment to Nation
In yet another instance of the Nepali society failing to provide a safe space to women, a 16-year girl was raped in Panchadewal Binayak Municipality in Achham on Monday. The victim was staying in a chhau goth, or menstrual shed, at her maternal uncle’s home when she was violated by her distant relative. After years of awareness campaigns and the breaking of chhau sheds by central and local governments as well as non-governmental agencies, the victimisation of women remains a daily occurrence in several parts of Nepal, especially Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces.
By Haratima Foundation5 days ago in Chapters