THE HIMALAYAN UNIVERSE

21 plant species found here can help check diabetes Merina Sharma Kathmandu, May 24: A recent research on Nepali plants and herbs used traditionally revealed that 21 plant species have anti-diabetic properties. The 21 species including, acacia catechu (Khayar), allium hypsistum (Jimmu), berginia ciliate (Paashanbed), cedrus deodara (Debdar), sapindus mukorossi (Rittha), rubia manjith (Majitho) and woodfordia fruticosa (amar phool) contain anti-diabetic agents. Stems, leaves, roots, barks, fruits and flowers of these plants were extracted as samples for the study. While examining the active compounds of Paashanbed, two active compounds — galloylepicatechin and galloylcatechin — were found for the first time in a plant other than green tea. They are considered to be the most potent components with anti-diabetic potential, believed to be in the green tea alone. The revelation was made after a two-year research conducted by Dr Megh Raj Bhandari, food researcher of Department of Food Techn...

Bhimeshwor kshamapooja at behest of PMO, not palace Himalayan News Service Charikot, May 22: The local administration on the instructions of the Prime Minister’s Office offered kshamapooja this morning at the Bhimeshwor temple in Dolakha district where an idol was found sweating last week. The prayers were offered to “ward off disaster in the country.” Chief District Officer Uddhav Bahadur Thapa said instead of sending the cotton used to wipe off the sweat to the royal palace, as had been the tradition, cotton piece was sent to the PMO, he added. Two goats were sacrificed before the “sweating” idol and the prasad would be sent to the PMO, CDO Thapa added. According to the temple priest, the Bhimeshwor temple idol “sweated” twice on Saturday night. The sweating of the idol is considered a bad omen. Earlier, the kshamapooja used to be performed at the behest of the royal palace. It is believed that the person carrying the cotton to the capital achieves his desired goals. The Dolakha lo...

Alarm over ‘sweating’ Bhimeshwor idol Himalayan News Service Charikot, May 20: The link of the news is here . People here were alarmed after they saw what they called sweat beads on the idol of the famous Bhimeshwor at Bhimeshwor Temple in Dolakha district last evening. It is believed that ‘sweating’ of the idol presages ominous occurrences such as natural calamities, political upheavals and even misfortune for the royal family. ‘Sweat beads’ were seen in the right side of the idol from 7 to 7.30 pm and from 9.15 to 10.15 pm, an eyewitness Shivaji Pradhan said. People of Dolakha said several major disasters have occurred whenever ‘sweat’ formed on the idol in the past. There is a tradition of using cotton wads to wipe the sweat off the idol and sending the used cotton to the royal palace. Thereafter, a kshama puja (forgiveness prayer) is performed after the royal palace sends puja materials to the temple. According to the tradition, the cotton used for wiping the ‘sweat’ is regarded ...

Nepal’s Maoists: Purists or Pragmatists? Asia Report N°132 18 May 2007 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Nepal’s Maoists have changed their strategy and tactics but not yet their goals. In 1996 they launched a “people’s war” to establish a communist republic but ten years later ended it by accepting multiparty democracy; their armed struggle targeted the parliamentary system but they are now working alongside their former enemies, the mainstream parties, in an interim legislature and coalition government. Their commitment to pluralistic politics and society is far from definitive, and their future course will depend on both internal and external factors. While they have signed up to a peaceful, multiparty transition, they continue to hone alternative plans for more revolutionary change. Maoist strategy is shaped by a tension between purity and pragmatism. Although they stick to certain established principles, they have long been willing to shift course if they identify strategic weaknesses. Their chan...

Nepal’s Maoists: Purists or Pragmatists? (Click here for the original source of article) Click here to read the executive summary of the report . Kathmandu/Brussels, 18 May 2007: While Nepal’s Maoists have accepted multiparty democracy and have lost their appetite for all-out war, they could still resort to physical confrontation if the peace process stagnates. Nepal’s Maoists: Purists or Pragmatists,* the latest report from the International Crisis Group, analyses the Maoists’ internal debates and their transition to a more moderate strategy. Their entry into democratic politics – working alongside mainstream parties to force the king to relinquish power in April 2006 and joining a coalition government one year later – has brought them new influence and opportunities. However, some Maoists fear they have traded in their principles and military power for little tangible advantage. “Making the political process work is up to other actors as much as the Maoists”, says Rhoderick Chalmers...

Yoga not religion, so easily accepted 31 Dec, 2006 l 1125 hrs ISTlPTI Source: The Times of India LONAVALA: The inherent flexibility of the ancient health system of Yoga, combined with the fact that has got nothing "religious" about it makes it readily acceptable across the world, experts contend. The rapidly spreading popularity of Yoga outside India, particularly in the US and Europe, is a result of the ease with which Yoga as a discipline can be adapted to the needs of various people in various parts of the world, they said. "It would be unwise to put Yoga in the entrapment of religion. It is simply an ancient system of effective health practises," Sat Bir S Khalsa, a researcher with the Harvard Medical School said. Speaking on the sidelines of an ongoing four-day conference on Yoga at the Kaivalyadhama Ashrama here, around 120 km east of Mumbai, Khalsa said "there was an inbuilt flexibility in Yoga, making it easy for people to take to it". Khalsa sai...

Give yoga patent either to Indian govt or Patanjali Ashram: Ramdev 15 May, 2007 l 1939 hrs ISTl PTI Source: Times of India SHIMLA: Protesting effort by an NRI in the US for securing patent of yoga, Swami Ramdev Tuesday said either government of India should get the patent or it be given to his Patanjali Ashram. "How can any Tom, Dick and Harry, who has no true knowledge of yoga, can get patent of Yoga, the traditional knowledge of India?" said Ramdev. An NRI, Vikram Chaudhary, is reported to have applied for the patent of the yoga with the American administration. "Either the government of India gets the patent of yoga or it be given to our Patanjali Yoga Ashram, a trust which had valuably contributed in popularising the ancient science in the country and abroad," the Yoga guru, who is here to start a week-long camp from May 17, said. Ramdev lamented efforts of "greedy" Babas and other profit-making organisations to earn money through yoga. "Fake Ba...

US patent on yoga? Indian gurus fume 18 May, 2007 l 0000 hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK Source: Times of India NEW DELHI: Be ready to pay each time you do your morning yoga! Call it a deliberate attempt to make inroads by the West into the lucrative Indian market, or an enterprising NRI trying to grab an opportunity, Bikram Yoga founder and US-based Bikram Choudhary's move to get copyright for his method of teaching yoga has sent shockwaves among yoga enthusiasts and experts in India. They say the idea of patenting knowledge like yoga is patently absurd and violates the ancient Indian art. Born in Kolkata in 1946, Bikram began yoga at the age of four with one of the famous gurus at that time, Bishnu Ghosh. Now, Bikram — who teaches in California — has applied for the patent of yoga, which is essentially yoga in a steam room. Bikram came to the US at the invitation of President Richard Nixon in 1973 and became one of the most sought-after yoga teachers in the West as celebrities, athlet...

Yoga does not belong to an individual 17 May, 2007 l 1218 hrs ISTl Source: Times of India by Yogi Ashwini As a Yogi I do not get sad at the misfortunes of the modern day man, nor do I get overjoyed at his fortunes. Everything that happens is for a purpose and part of the divine plan. I am drawing readers’ attention to the present debate that has started on patenting of yoga. I see it as a redundant exercise from a legal point of view, for my legal expert says that there is a WTO agreement which provides that the cultural heritage and the medicinal plants of a country are out of the purview of patenting. And everyone agrees that yoga originated in India and is considered part of the culture of India. From the point of view of yoga (which is my subject) let me assure all human kind that yoga is not the domain of a region. Yoga means a union with yourself (divinity unrealised). Yoga does not and cannot belong to an individual. Yoga is for a yogi and a yogi is beyond the scope of a relig...

Amla – Lakshmi’s Tree Swami Vibhooti Saraswati Nature is not made by divinity; it is a part of divinity. –Swami Satyananda Saraswati The intelligence of the universe expresses itself through sacred and medicinal plants. India has always had the unique advantage of possessing a wide range of climatic, geographical and geological conditions wherein an infinite variety of these rare and precious herbs and trees could flourish. The medicinal, culinary, cosmetic, aromatic and sacred applications of these plants were well known to Ayurvedic practitioners, and they are still of immense benefit to us today. Swami Sivananda writes, “The greater part of Ayurvedic treatment is by medicinal herbs, which form its mainstay. The study of these herbs and their characteristics by the ancient seers is minute and thoroughly scientific. This is evidenced by their scholarly treatises, which give the results of their research. The fact that these herbal medicines continue to be widely used with remarkable s...

The Moringa Tree (Moringa oleifera) While student in South India, the meal consisted of sambhar made of 'drum-stick' like vegetables regularly. It tastes very good. It is a fruit of a tree that grows in dry land. I feel happy that it is from a miracle tree that has innumerable benefits for the human who take it, The name of the tree is "Moringa oleifera". The plant is originally from Kerala, that is why the word Moringa - in Malayalam language spoken in Kerala. Many development mission around the world are including this tree in their programs to reduce malnutrition among children and as natural remedy for many ailments. Here is some explanation about the benefits: I will add more material later. You can google for 'Moringa Tree' yourself and there is plenty of resource on it. The Miracle of Moringa Leaves India's ancient tradition of ayurveda says the leaves of the Moringa tree prevent 300 diseases. Modern science confirms the basic idea. Scientific rese...

MPs unite to slam patenting of yoga by US Original article is found here . New Delhi, May 15: Members of Parliament (MPs) on Tuesday slammed the US patenting authority for granting yoga-related copyrights to American companies, saying yoga is a part of Indian heritage. Terming the whole exercise as preposterous, the MPs said yoga had originated in India. Till date, the US Patent and Trademark Office has granted 150 yoga-related copyrights, 134 patents on yoga accessories and 2,315 yoga trademarks. In response, the Indian government has set up a task force to create a database of yoga techniques in order to stop others from patenting the centuries-old knowledge. “Patanjali’s Yog shastra was written more than 5,000 years ago. All the asanas (poses) practised today have been described in that. So that means, Yoga is an Indian product. Therefore the government should take immediate action against the US patenting yoga," said Vijay Kumar Malhotra, spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata ...

LIFELINE OR TRUCK STOP: ROAD DIVIDES BUDDHIST KINGDOM Posted on Monday, May 14, 2007 (EST) For centuries, the tiny Buddhist kingdom of Mustang has been all but sealed, its ancient culture protected from outside influence, but now a new highway is threatening a major upheaval in the hidden Himalayan outpost. Link to original article Horses carry goods along the road in the kingdom of Mustang © AFP Prakash Mathema KATHMANDU (AFP) - King Jigme Palbar Bista of Mustang, who retains his title even though his realm became part of Nepal more than 200 years ago, welcomes the road as a vital link to goods and services such as health care that his 7,000 subjects have never had access to. "The road would be very helpful to local people because all our supplies come from Tibet," the 75-year-old monarch told AFP in a rare interview during his annual visit to Kathmandu. But while Nepal's government sees the highway as finally bringing modernity to one of the most remote areas of the w...

Albert Horowitz, an American, Architect by profession, is not an stranger in Nepal. He is an expert at low-cost water purifying techniques, which benefits schools and communities of rural areas of Nepal. This time he has invited every one to visit his mixed media art exhibit at the Siddharth Gallery, in Kathmandu. Please see the card for the details: it starts on June 1, Friday at 5:30pm and lasts until June 20, 2007. Here is the invite: I would be honored if you would join me at the Siddhartha Gallery on June 1st 2007 at 5:30 for the opening of my art show. See attached invitation. Albert

Here is the link for the 12th century Buddha Murals in Mustang caves of upper Lo-Manthang area. Click on the link and you will see a google map of the area.

Go Ahead with Upper Seti Project, Experts Tell NEA THT Online Kathmandu, May 11 A team of experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which is currently conducting feasibility study of 128 MW Upper Seti Hydroelectricity Project, has recommended the Nepal Electricity Authority to do the needful to develop the project as new source of power. "We recommend the NEA to proceed to the next stage of study to develop the Upper Seti project as a new power source," said Masayoshi Ishii, while addressing a stakeholders' meeting on Thursday. He is the leader of the Japanese study team. He said the team examined the feasibility of the project in terms of technology, impact on the environment, economic cost and financial aspect from February 2005 to January 2007 and found it suitable to be developed. The project has been identified as a possible remedy for the current power shortage. The NEA had undertaken a feasibility study in 2001, an upgrading feasibility in 2...

Local herbs have anti-viral qualities Merina Sharma Kirtipur, May 10: A team of researchers has found out that the locally used herbs such as Ban Kurilo, Paashanbed, Budho Okhati that are being used for medicinal purposes have strong anti-viral and anti-fungal properties. A four-year research conducted by the Research Centre for Applied Science and Technology (RECAST) came up with the outcome that the extracts of astible rivularis (Budho Okhati), bergenia ciliata (Paash-anbed), cassiope fastiguata (Phallu) and thymus linearis (Ghoda March) showed anti-viral qualities. The extracts of asparagus filicinus (Ban Kurilo), verbascum thapsus (Bandar Puchhre), Budho Okhati and Paashanbed exhibited anti-influenzal viral activity. Only the extracts of Budho Okhati and Paashanbed demonstrated remarkable activity against both the viruses, the finding stated. Prof Mohan Bikram Gewali, executive director of RECAST, told this daily that the revelation would lead to the discovery of a new component ...

Main News Nepal critically vulnerable to natural disasters [ 2007-5-10 ] By A Staff Reporter KATHMANDU, May 9: In five years until 2005, natural disasters destroyed 38,835 houses, killed 1585 people, affected 16,504 families and damaged property worth US$ 36.2 million, said joint secretary for Ministry of Home Affairs Pratap Kumar Pathak. Pathak said Nepal was a multi-hazard and critically vulnerable country in terms of natural disaster. "The government has formulated an act to provide effective public awareness, ensure coordination among different stakeholders and form teams to be mobilised during times of need," he added. He made these remarks while addressing a three-day regional workshop on "Social Inclusion in Disaster Risk Reduction," at International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIOMD). During the programme, representatives from different countries stressed on the need to examine how gender equality and vulnerability issues can be ref...

China positive towards petroleum supply Chinese ambassador to Nepal Zhen Xianglin has said that his government is positive towards supplying petroleum products. In his interaction with a delegation of Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) led by its president Surendra Bir Malakar, the Chinese envoy informed that Nepal government has made a proposal for petroleum supplies to which China was positive. Recently, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala was reported to have requested Chinese government to supply petroleum products to Nepal as the latter was facing continuous disruption of fuel supplies coming from India due to various strikes. PM Koirala made this proposal during his meeting with the Chinese ambassador indicating that Nepal needed alternative supply route for the essential fuel. During the interaction with NCC representatives, ambassador Xianglin said that China could provide duty free access to Nepali products. He also informed that the Air China airlines, which launched its oper...

SpatialNews.com Press Release Jack Dangermond, ESRI President, Receives Honor from ASPRS Redlands, California — ESRI president Jack Dangermond will be awarded the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) Outstanding Service Award for 2007. The award will be presented at the ASPRS Annual Conference in Tampa, Florida, May 7–11, 2007. Dangermond is being recognized for his endowment of the ESRI Best Scientific Paper in GIS Award. Established in 1991, the ESRI award is given each year by the ASPRS Foundation to individuals who publish papers of scientific merit that advance the knowledge of geographic information system (GIS) technology. "As [the originator of] the first 'corporate-sponsored' award to be fully endowed through the foundation, Jack Dangermond has once again set an outstanding example to his colleagues in the commercial sector," says James Plasker, ASPRS Foundation executive director. Dangermond will be recognized at the award luncheon ...

High resolution satellite data reveal amaging details of the activities on the surface of the earth. Recently the most popular images are taken by IKONOS and QuicBird. The QuickBird images are the highest resolution ones (0.62 to 0.72cm). A link below shows you the resolving power. One can sneak into the private affairs of people in public places, "it is now more than ever necessary to discuss and formulate a 'privacy policy' for high resolution data." Says Dr. Samanta. A deep web search on 'highest resolution google data' resulted in this Link ... go ahead , try it out. An interesting editorial appeared on GIS Development Weekly May 07, 2007: Enjoy: EDITORIAL A couple of months ago North Ireland Tax Department declared its intentions of monitoring personal assets of its citizens using high resolution oblique aerial photographs. Last week Indonesia has announced that it will use high resolution imagery from Digital Globe to 'visually identify taxable land...

Regional Experts in City for Disaster Reduction Workshop THT Online Kathmandu, May 9 South Asian experts from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan have gathered in Kathmandu for a workshop on inclusion of women, children and other marginalised groups in planning and preparing disaster risk reduction. The experts representing government, non-government and community-based organisations will be here from May 9-11 and share experiences, exchange information and hold discussions related to ‘social inclusion in disaster risk reduction’. During the workshop three books will be launched on different aspects of knowledge related to disaster preparedness: one on the role of gender, and two on the importance of local knowledge in disaster preparedness, according to a press release issued by ICIMOD. The workshop is financed by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department (DG ECHO) under the project ‘Living with Risks – Sharing Knowledge on Disaster Preparedness in the Himalayan Region’ ...

Experts to discuss how vulnerable people be protected from disasters A regional workshop is slated to begin from Wednesday in Kathmandu with the aim of finding out ways to protect the vulnerable population from worst consequences of disasters. Experts from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan, representing government, non-government, and community-based organisations, are meeting at a workshop in Kathmandu from 9-11 May, to discuss how women, children, the elderly and disabled and other marginalised groups can be included when planning and preparing to reduce the risk from disasters. The workshop will provide an important platform for sharing experiences, exchanging information, and holding discussions related to 'social inclusion in disaster risk reduction', building on the knowledge from the four countries. Worldwide, the South Asian region, which is among the poorest and most populated in the world, is also the hardest hit by natural disasters. Some 80% of all natural disas...

Nepalese shepherd leads archaeologists to art treasures Maseeh Rahman in New Delhi Saturday May 5, 2007 The Guardian Original source of the article is here . A shepherd in a remote region of Nepal bordering Tibet has been instrumental in the discovery of an extraordinary art treasure that lay hidden for centuries: a collection of 55 exquisite cave paintings depicting the life of the Buddha. The 12th-century paintings - a large central mural flanked by smaller panels - were found last month in a partly collapsed cave last month in Mustang, a kingdom long forbidden to foreigners in the high Himalayas, 150 miles north-west of Kathmandu. "Finding the cave was almost like a miracle," said Italian art conservator Luigi Fieni, a member of the team of Italian, American and Nepalese art conservators, conservation architects and archaeologists. They used ice axes to cut their way to the cave, at 3,400 metres. Foreigners were permitted to enter Mustang only in 1992, and Mr Fieni's t...

Photo caption: Ancient ... the discovery of Buddhist paintings and scripts high up in the Himalayas has archaeologists puzzled and excited / Reuters / Reuters By Gopal Sharma in Kathmandu May 03, 2007 12:00 ORIGINAL ARTICLE SOURCE IS HERE Artwork could date back to 13th century Archaeologists 'excited and puzzled' Paintings, scripts found in caves at 4300m EXPLORERS have discovered a series of caves decorated with ancient Buddhist paintings, set in sheer cliffs in Nepal's remote Himalayan north, leaving archaeologists excited and puzzled. An international team of scholars, archaeologists, climbers and explorers examined at least 12 cave complexes at 4300m near Lo Manthang, a mediaeval walled city in Nepal's Mustang district, about 125km northwest of Kathmandu. The caves contain paintings that could date back as far as the 13th century, as well as Tibetan scripts executed in ink, silver and gold and pre-Christian era pottery shards. “Who lived in those caves? When were ...

The original news article about the findings of Mustang Caves for Learning is given below. The original article link is here. Maseeh Rahman Friday May 4, 2007 Guardian Unlimited One of 55 panels depicting the story of Buddha's life, discovered in a 12th century cave in the Mustang area of Nepal. Photograph: AP A shepherd in a remote region of Nepal near the border with Tibet has been instrumental in the discovery of an extraordinary art treasure that lay hidden from the world for centuries - a collection of 55 exquisite cave paintings depicting the life of Buddha. A partially collapsed cave containing the 12th to 14th century depictions of scenes from Buddha's life was unearthed last month by a team of Italian, US and Nepalese conservators and archaeologists in Mustang, a lost kingdom long forbidden to foreigners in the high Himalayas, 250-km north-west of Kathmandu. "Finding the cave was almost like a miracle," said Luigi Fieni, a member of the team that used ice axe...

After posting news on discovery of 'learning caves' and the ancient Buddha paintings by a team of researchers from Italy, US and Nepal (see the posts) a number of landscape images captured on Google Earth, a tool to view and browse planet earth, are posted here. There is a high resolution image on the GE for Mustang and Lo-manthang valley, the forbidden land, in the central north Nepal near Tibet border at the GoogleEarth. The first image shows the desert like lo_manthang landscape. The upper Kali Gandaki river channels on vast sands with few oasis like green human settlements are seen here. The second image shows the location of Muktinath Temple, and looking on west. On the north (on the right) is the lo-manthang valley. The caves were used by the Lamas for learning and contemplating Buddha's teachings. Here is a link of a photograph from Mustang area The last photo is of the newly found Drakmar caves in Mustang. Photo by AFP. The Kantipur News article on the caves of Mus...

The 24 special passengers who perished on the illfated Russian Chopper that carried people noted for their work in environmen were: 1. Gopal Rai, State Minister for Forests and Soil Conservation, Nepal 2. Mrs. Mina Rai, wife of Gopal Rai 3. Dr Damodar Parajuli, Acting Secretary, Ministry of Forests 4. Sharad Rai, Director General Department of Forests 5. Narayan Paudel, DIrector General, Dept of National Parks & Wildlife 6. Dr Harka Gurung, noted Geographer and Planner, Nepal 7. Dr Chandra Prasad Gurung, WWF Country Director of Nepal 8. Dr Tirtha Maske, Noted Conservation Scientist 9. Pauli Mustonen, Charge de Affairs, Embassay of Finland 10. Jill Bowling, WWF/UK Conservation Director 11. Jennifer Haidley, WWF/UK Coordinator 12. Mathew Pryce, WWF/US Program Officer 13. Mingma Norbu Sherpa, WWF/US Program Director 14. Yeshi Lama, WWF/Nepal 15. Margaret Alexander, USAID/Nepal Deputy Director 16. Dr Bijnan Acharya, USAID/Nepal Program Specialist 17. Bijay Shrestha, Nepal Chamber of Co...

'We found the cave by a miracle' Sudeshna Sarkar [3 May, 2007 l 0041 hrs ISTlTIMES NEWS NETWORK] KATHMANDU: The wall paintings found in the cave in Nepal depict animals like the deer, leopard and tiger which are not found in Mustang, giving rise to the theory that either the painters were Indian or people familiar with Indian techniques and life in sub-tropical regions. The enclave could have been another Nalanda. American author and climber Broughton Coburn, who was part of the expedition, says that probably one high cave in the enclave was reserved for Buddhist teachings. The paintings show various figures, both male and female, making offerings to high lamas and teachers. Other nearby caves have mounds of manuscripts in ancient Tibetan script, which when deciphered could yield a wealth of knowledge on Tibetan forms of Buddhism and probably on the history of Tibet, Mustang and even Nepal and India. ‘‘We discovered the cave by a miracle,’’ says Fieni. And it must have been not...

NewsTrack - Top News Published: May 4, 2007 at 12:54 PM E-mail Story Print Preview License Priceless Buddha paintings found in Nepal MUSTANG, Nepal, May 4 (UPI) -- A snow leopard's cave chanced upon by a shepherd in the remote Mustang area of Nepal has yielded priceless treasures of centuries-old Buddhist cave paintings. The treasure trove, unearthed last month in the partially collapsed cave in the former forbidden kingdom near the Tibetan border, includes 55 exquisite paintings depicting the life of Buddha, Britain's Guardian reported Friday. Prince Siddhartha, who became Gautama Buddha after attaining Nirvana, or perfect blessedness, was born in Lumbini in today's Himalayan kingdom of Nepal around the Fifth Century, B.C. The paintings in the 11,000-foot high Mustang cave, about 180 miles northwest of Nepal's capital Kathmandu, date as far back as the 12th century and were unearthed by a team of Italian, American and Nepalese conservators and archaeologists. "Fin...