Divali a Festival of Light

Festival of Light for Hindus is celebrated primarily by offering light for prosperity. Based on the language, it is called Divali, Deepawali, Tihar or Deepavali but moreover it is the celebration
and players with fireworks and feast. This is how this festival is celebrated in the different parts of the world.

Diwali is celebrated widely across South Asia and in many parts of the world where Indian and South Asian communities reside. Here are some of the main places where Diwali is celebrated:

India

• As the country where Diwali originated, India celebrates it extensively across all states, although customs and traditions may vary regionally. Diwali is a major public holiday, with vibrant festivities, family gatherings, and community events.

Nepal

• Known as Tihar in Nepal, Diwali celebrations are unique, honoring not only lights and prosperity but also animals like crows, dogs, and cows. Nepalese people perform special rituals over five days, with each day dedicated to specific animals, gods, or familial bonds.

Sri Lanka

• Diwali, or Deepavali as it's known in Sri Lanka, is primarily celebrated by the Tamil Hindu community, especially in the Northern and Eastern provinces. The celebrations include lighting oil lamps, fireworks, feasts, and prayers.

Malaysia

• Known as a public holiday called Deepavali in Malaysia, it is celebrated mainly by the Tamil Hindu community. Temples are decorated, homes are adorned with kolam (a form of rangoli), and people light lamps and share sweets.

Singapore

• In Singapore, Deepavali is a major festival celebrated by the Indian community, with festivities in Little India and other parts of the city. Streets are lit up, and temples host prayer events. It’s also a public holiday.

Mauritius

• With a significant Hindu population, Mauritius celebrates Diwali as a public holiday, with lighting of lamps, community gatherings, and cultural performances.

हामीलाई विकास चाहिन्छ तर के गर्ने ?

 

हाम्रा गाउँहरू हिमाल भन्दा टाढा छन् र बादलभन्दा माथि छन् । त्यहाँ पुग्न दिनौ लाग्छ। 

हामी ती ठाउँहरूमा सडक जोड्न चाहन्छौं। हिमालयबाट आउने खोलामाथि पुल राख्न चाहन्छौं ।

हामी हाम्रो गाउँलाई माया गर्छौं, हामी हाम्रो गाउँ पुग्न सहज होस् भन्ने  चाहन्छौं। तर कसरी?

पहाडहरू धेरै ठूला छन्। तिनीहरू अस्थिर छन्। हामीले बनाएका सडक पहाडको  तुलनामा धेरै साना छन्, पहाड अलिकति एता उता भए पनि सडक भत्किन्छ । एउटै ढुङ्गाले सडकमा दौडिरहेको सवारीलाई नष्ट गर्न सक्छ। पुल निर्माण गर्न महिनौं वा वर्ष लाग्छ तर उही पुललाई नदीले एक मिनेटमा बगाउन सकिन्छ। 

यसै त एती गाह्रो छ कि यो दुई विशाल देशहरू बीचमा  छ। भूगोल पनि हाम्रोमा कठिन  छ।

हामीलाई गाउँ जोड्न आवश्यक छ, हामीलाई सडक चाहिन्छ, हामीलाई धेरै पूर्वाधार चाहिन्छ तर हामी सचेत हुन आवश्यक छ हाम्रो विकास हाम्रो भूगोल अनुसार हुनुपर्छ। यदि हामी प्रकोपबाट प्रभावित हुन्छौं भने, हामीले सजिलो र छिटो तरिकाले समस्याको समाधान ल्याउनु पर्छ।  

Bijaya Dashami: History and Significance

 Dashain, also known as Dashami,Vijayadashami or Dussehra, is one of the most significant festivals in Nepal, celebrated by Hindus across the country and in some regions of India and Bhutan. In India, it's particularly prominent in states like West Bengal, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. This festival typically spans 15 days, culminating in the main celebration on the day of Dashami.

Historical and Mythological Background

Dashain commemorates the victory of the goddess Durga over the buffalo demon Mahishasura, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. The festival is deeply rooted in Hindu mythology, with stories of various deities, particularly Durga, who embodies strength and power. The festival also marks the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana

Significance of Dashain

1. Victory of Good Over Evil: Dashain represents the eternal battle between good and evil, emphasizing the importance of righteousness.

2. Family Reunion: It is a time for families to come together, often involving long journeys back to ancestral homes.

3. Worship and Rituals: During Dashain, people perform rituals to honor their deities, particularly the goddess Durga, and seek blessings for health, prosperity, and success.

4. Animal Sacrifice: In some communities, animal sacrifices are made as offerings to appease the deities.

Celebrations and Traditions

• Ghatasthapana: The festival begins with Ghatasthapana, where a sacred jar (ghata) filled with water is placed in a sacred space, marking the start of the nine-day Navaratri.

• Navaratri: The first nine days are dedicated to the worship of Durga, where each day is associated with a different form of the goddess.

• Dashami: The tenth day, Dashami, is the climax of the festival, where families receive blessings from elders, often accompanied by the exchange of tika (a mixture of rice, yogurt, and vermilion) and jamara (barley grass).

• Feasting and Celebrations: The festival is marked by feasting, social gatherings, and various cultural activities, including dances and music.

  Common Practices

1. Rituals and Pujas: People perform rituals to bid farewell to Goddess Durga, often involving immersion of her idol in water bodies. Special prayers and offerings are made.

2. Ramlila and Dussehra Melas: In many places, theatrical performances called Ramlila are held, depicting the life of Lord Rama. Effigies of Ravana, Meghnath, and Kumbhkaran are burned in public displays, symbolizing the defeat of evil.

3. Family Gatherings: Families come together to celebrate, share festive meals, and exchange sweets.

4. Cultural Events: Various cultural activities, including dance, music, and art performances, are organized to mark the occasion.

5. New Beginnings: It’s considered an auspicious time to start new ventures or buy new items, symbolizing the triumph of good fortune.

Dashain is not only a religious observance but also a time of joy, cultural expression, and familial bonding. It reflects the rich traditions of Nepal and the enduring themes of hope and resilience in the face of adversity.

नेपाल सरकार र AI

 

परराष्ट्रमन्त्री डा. आरजु राणा देउवाले Artificial Intelligence AI (आर्टिफिसियल इन्टेलिजेन्स) एआइको प्रयोग मानवताको साझा हित तथा सबैको समृद्धिका लागि जिम्मेवार र मर्यादित रूपमा गरिनुपर्ने बताउनुभएको छ ।

Nepal Flooding affecting big cities

Hundreds of people have died in various disasters such as floods and landslides in different parts of Nepal since last week.

Flooding and landslides caused by continuous rainfall have killed so many people in the country while hundreds are still missing.

Rain began pouring down for two days, with low-lying neighborhoods in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, inundated by surging floodwaters.

The Kathmandu valley recorded 9.4 inches of rain in the 24 hours, it was the highest rainfall recorded in the capital since at least 1970.

Several roads and major highways were blocked by landslides triggered by the rainfall. Travels are either banned or discouraged due to the bad road conditions.

Many houses were flooded in Kathmandu and some houses close to rivers even swept away.

Dautari blog prays to the people in Nepal to recover from this devastation soon.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt a Nepali Mother in Virginia America is Still Missing

 

September 20 update: Judge heard arguments for nearly three hours on Friday before she ruled there was “overwhelming evidence” to consider Naresh Bhatt a flight risk and danger to the community and denied bond. The judge cited new evidence presented by the Commonwealth for her decision, which included surveillance videos capturing Naresh Bhatt disposing multiple bags from his car between July 30 and 31, at times wearing white gloves, at various dump sites and trash compactors, one being at his child’s babysitter’s apartment in Manassas. 

Mamta Kafle Bhatta Missing Case Timeline:

• December 2020: Mamta married to Naresh.
• July 29, 2021: Mamta moved to US
• August 20, 2023: Mamta had her daughter.
• February 2023: Police summoned to the Bhatt residence over allegations of disorderly conduct. Mamta told officers Naresh wouldn't give her documents and destroyed her phone.
• April 2023: Naresh did a Google search on his work computer asking how long does it take to get married after spouse dies.
• July 24, 2023: Mamta spoke with her childhood friend and mentioned her trouble marriage.
• July 27, 2024 8:17 p.m.: Mamta is last seen at UVA Prince William Medical Center in Manassas, where she worked as a nurse. She entered an unknown black car after canceling an Uber ride.
• July 28, 2024: Mamta posts a final video on her TikTok account alongside her daughter.
• July 29 Evening: The date of Mamta Bhatt’s final video call with her mother, to whom she habitually spoke twice a day. Her mom said Mamta's face was gloomy which is unusual of her. She never called her mom after that.
• July 30, 4:13 a.m.: Bhatt performs a Google search for “Diagram of brain” and at 4:30 a.m., looks up “Chicken farm near me.”
• July 30, 5:40 a.m.: Naresh Bhatt sends the Bhatts’ babysitter, Amanda, a text.
• July 30, 6:30 a.m.: Bhatt drops off the couple’s daughter, Neema, at the babysitter’s apartment at Clark Place in Manassas.
• July 30, 6:40 a.m.: Bhatt is seen on camera dropping several plastic and trash bags into a dumpster at the apartment complex.
• July 30, 8:12 a.m: Bhatt goes shopping at Home Depot purchasing rubber ice gloves.
• July 30, 8:21 a.m Bhatt was seen at Walmart, buying 3 knives 2 are missing, carpet cleaner, wipes and air freshners. 
• July 30, 5:22 p.m: Bhatt was seen buying extra strong trash bags at Home Depot.
• July 30 and July 31: Bhatt is seen on camera discarding bags at various dumpsters.
• July 31, 1:30 a.m.: Bhatt is captured on video in Falls Church retrieving bags from his Tesla and putting them into a trash compactor. His Tesla tracks him to that location, but his phone is inactive and not on his person at that time.
• July 31, 5:30 p.m.: Bhatt disposes of more items in the same dumpster at the babysitter’s apartment complex.
• July 31, 7 p.m.: Bhatt returns to the apartment complex to pick up Neema. The babysitter later tells police that Bhatt “was nervous and kept looking around,” Sami said.
• Between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. on July 31, over 150 gallons of water are consumed by the Bhatt residence – a far cry from the typical 3-4 gallons per hour.
• Aug. 1: Mamta did not show up for work at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center on August 1. Her work friend called police for welfare check. Naresh Bhatt’s phone is off with no activity, but Mamta Bhatt’s phone sends out a signal from Loudoun County. That day, Naresh Bhatt goes to eat at a Liberty gas station, walks back to his Tesla “with a visible limp,” , grabs some bags at his car, and walks over to a clothing donation bin – where police later find a bag with a white bath mat featuring light pink and reddish-brown staining that tests positive for blood.
• After Aug. 1: In addition to missing Neema’s first birthday on Aug. 20, Mamta Bhatt also misses her final United States Citizenship and Immigration Services appointment to become a U.S. citizen.
• Sometime after Aug. 2: Naresh Bhatt asks the downstairs tenants in the Bhatt residence to help him move the bed in his bedroom. 
• Aug. 2, 2024: Police conduct a welfare check at the Bhatt residence. Naresh Bhatt tells officers they are separating, Mamta got her green card and now she is running away, destroyed her phone, she is visiting one of her sister in New York or Texas.Bhatt said he saw her last time on evening of July 31.
• Aug. 4, 2024: Naresh Bhatt sends a text message to the same police officer who conducted the welfare check on Aug. 2. The officer responds a day later, on Aug. 5, and Mamta Bhatt is officially listed as a missing person.
• Aug. 8, 2024: Manassas Park police change the status of the Mamta Bhatt case to "involuntarily missing."
• Aug. 5, 2024: Naresh Bhatt changes his story, saying Mamta had destroyed her own phone, according to prosecutors.
• Aug. 6, 2024: Naresh tells investigators that Mamta’s clothes, passport, and green card are all missing. He still claims he last saw her on July 31, according to court testimony.
• Aug. 15, 2024: Naresh tells Manassas Park that he is preparing to send Neema to Nepal, prosecutors said.
• Aug. 19, 2024: Naresh sells his blue Tesla to Carmax, prosecutors said. Police later say they have impounded the car.
• Aug. 20, 2024: Mamta Bhatt's friends and coworkers gather at the Bhatts' home to deliver presents for Neema's first birthday.
• Aug. 21, 2024: Police converge on the Bhatts' home to execute a search warrant. They remain there overnight and into the next day. At a press briefing that night, Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo says Mamta Bhatt is presumed dead and names her husband a "person of interest."
• Aug. 22, 2024: Naresh Bhatt is escorted out of the home in handcuffs and baby Neema is carried out, covered in a yellow blanket, by police officers. Police charge Bhatt with concealing a dead body in his wife's death.
• Aug. 23, 2024: At an arraignment hearing in Prince William Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, prosecutors paint a grisly picture of what may have occurred inside the final days of July, describing pools of dried blood found in the home.
• Aug. 26, 2024: At a bond hearing, a judge orders Naresh Bhatt to remain jailed without bond, calling him a flight risk and danger to the community.
• Aug. 27, 2024: Police execute another search warrant at the Bhatts' home, with the police chief later saying more evidence was collected and more charges are likely forthcoming.
• Aug. 29, 2024: Mamta Bhatt's mother and brother arrive in the United States from Nepal and are reunited with baby Neema.
• Aug. 29, 2024: A judge agrees to a motion by Naresh Bhatt's defense attorney to waive his preliminary hearing, sending the felony charge of concealing a dead body directly to a grand jury.
• Aug. 30, 2024:  Manassas Park police detectives and the Prince William County Police Search and Rescue Team descend on Signal Hill Park in a search for evidence in the case. Police said evidence was recovered but forensic analysis will take time.
• September 20, 2024: Judge ruled there was “overwhelming evidence” to consider Naresh Bhatt a flight risk and danger to the community and denied bond.