Worlds largest animal sacrifice festival held in Nepal despite international outcry

BARIYAPUR, Nepal -- The largest festival of animal sacrifice was held successfully in Baryapur,100 miles south of Kathmandu on November 24th in spite of nu- merous national and international pleas to halt what many perceive as a gruesome, cruel and outdated tradition.

The 2-day festival which is held every 5 years attracts up to a million devotees of of Gadhimai - the Hindu goddess of power.

The festival was born 260 years ago when feudal land- lord Bhagwan Chaudhary saw in his dreams that his problems would be solved by killing an animal and offer- ing it to goddess Gadhimai.

At least 80% of the attendees of the festival are Indian coming from the nearby states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Animal sacrifice has been made illegal in their respective states.

The festival commenced in the morning hours with the chief priest offering blood to the goddess inside the temple. Afterwords the festival moved to a nearby enclosure where 250 men with the license to kill were let loose on 20000 buffalo's herded up in a nearby enclosure.

Hundreds of thousand devotees who have been waiting since the early morning hours to enter the temple be- lieve that the killing of the animals will bring them prosperity and avert evil forces.

Animal rights groups, activists and politicians from around the world attempted to put a stop to the tradition.

Nepal's president Dr Ram Baran Yadav and prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal ignored all appeals and responded through an official with the following remark: “We will not interfere in the centuries-old tradition of the people.”

The Nepalese Health Minister Umakanta Chaudhari turned up at the site under heavy protection and took part in the worship.

Over 1100 security personal were employed to the festival site due to fear of interference by activist.

The festival organizers reportedly hoped to attempt a new world record by sacrificing more than 500000 animals.

Following the festival the meat, bones and hides of the sacrificed animals were sold to processing and tannery companies in India and Nepal. - Ingmar Zahorsky/ CHINAsia Update

Nepal listed one of top 10 travel destinations in 2010

The magnificent Machapuchre Mountain range as seen
from Sarangkot, Pokhara.
Photo: Ingmar Zahorsky / CHINAsia Update

KATHMANDU (Xinhua) -- Nepal has found its way into the list of top ten travel destinations in 2010 in the world, local newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The Lonely Planet “Best in Travel 2010” has listed Nepal, along with El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Morocco, New Zealand, Portugal, Suriname and the United States, as one of the top ten travel destinations, a statement from Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) said.

“Trekking in Nepal is one of those travel benchmarks, like seeing the Taj Mahal, or diving the Great Barrier Reef, or the first time you eat fried locusts. By the end of your trek, you may vow never to climb anything higher than the stairs around your home town, but the experience of the Himalaya will stay with you for a lifetime,” local newspaper The Rising Nepal cited The Lonely Planet’s list as reporting.

“This is a collection of destinations and experiences that we rate as the stuff people really should consider for next year. Whatever your own style dictates, you should be able to find inspiration in these destinations,” The Himalayan Times cited Adam Bennett, manager of Asia-Pacific communications as saying.

“They’ll take you from the familiar to the far away, both geographically and culturally, and more than likely have you reaching for your travel bag,” Adam Bennett said.

The lists released Monday is The Lonely Planet’s fifth in its annual collection of the best places to go and things to do in the year ahead.

Since the resignation of Maoist ex-prime minister Prachanda,
protest and rioting by members of the Maoist party have been
common practice in Kathmandu. The Maoist have recently
threatened to withdraw from the peace process entirely and
to initiate an indefinate protest until their demands are met.
These actions could bring tourism in Nepal to a complete stop
as the capital might plunge into chaos.
Photo: Ingmar Zahorsky / CHINAsia Update

Chinese embassy in Nepal holds national day reception

Chinese diplomats in gather for a photo at the reception
held at the Hyatt regency to celebrate the 60th anniversary
of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Photo: Ingmar Zahorsky / CHINAsia Update

KATHMANDU (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Nepal held a reception in Nepali capital Kathmandu on Thursday on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The Chinese embassy officials briefly introduced the progress China has made in the past six decades and especially in the last 30 years since the beginning of the reform and opening-up. China and Nepal are good neighbors, good friends and good partners. China-Nepal traditional friend- ship is deeply rooted in the two peoples, and the cooperation in various fields between the two countries has developed substantially, said embassy officials.

President of the Constitution Committee, Ram R Che
with the new army Chief Mata Rani K.
Photo: Ingmar Zahorsky/ CHINAsia Update

China will continue to support the peace process in Nepal, and provide assistance to Nepal’s economic and social development to the best of its capacity, the officials said. Chairman Subash Nemwang and Deputy Chairman Purna Kumari Subedi of the Constituent Assembly of Nepal, Chief Justice Min Baha- dur Rayamajhi, Chief of Army Staff Chhatra Man Singh Gurung, Foreign Affairs Minister Sujata Koirala, Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and Vice Chairman Bam Dev Gautam of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and Vice Chairman Prakash of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), among other Nepali officials and political leaders attended the reception on the invitation of the Chinese ambassador to Nepal Qiu Guohong.

At the stairway leading down to the conference
room an image of Mao announcing the foundation
of the Republic of China 60 years earlier was projected
onto the wall.
Photo: Ingmar Zahorsky / CHINAsia Update

Many prominent Buddhist monks were also invited
to the celebrations. - Photo: Ingmar Zahorsky

They congratulated Ambassador Qiuon the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and expressed their confidence that the friendship between the two countries will develop further.