Bomb goes off outside NOC

Blast outside NOC kills 3‚ SJMM claims hand

 At least three persons died and six others have been injured when a powerful improvised explosive device went off outside the gate of Nepal Oil Corporation at Babarmahal in the Capital on Monday afternoon.The deceased include a woman, said to be a beggar and a child who died on the spot. The third victim succumbed to his injuries while being taken to hospital. Two of the victims have been identified as Krishna Balami and Krishna Bahadur Lama. The bodies have been collected from the site of the incident and sent for autopsy. Among the injured, three are reported to be in critical condition. They have been rushed to Bir Hospital for treatment. The Samyukta Jatiya Mukti Morcha (SJMM), an underground outfit has claimed responsibility for the fatal attack. Morcha’s coordinator told Avenues TV that the explosion was to protest the recent price hike of petroleum products. Police has confirmed that the bomb was an improvised explosive device (IED). Initially it was suspected to be a suicide attack.Security personnel have cordoned off the area while an investigation has been initiated. The bomb was exploded at the crowded area thronged by people visiting various government offices outside the country's main administrative complex Singha Durbar. Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar along with senior police officials visited the site of the crime. The Home Ministry has called a press meet at 4 pm. 

World’s Shortest Man: 22" CHANDRA BAHADUR DANGI..

Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old man from Nepal, has come forward with the claim that he is actually the world's shortest man at 22 inches, over an inch shorter than the current record-holder, Junrey Balawing.The Guinness Book of World Records currently lists 18-year-old Balawing of the Philippines as the shortest, at 23.5 inches, measured on his birthday last June..However, Dolak Dangi, the nephew of Chandra Bahadur Dangi, told The Associated Press his uncle will be measured by Guinness officials in Katmandu to possibly present him with the title..Dangi resides in Rhimkholi village with his oldest brother and his family, The AP reported. He has five brothers all of average height and his family doesn't recall when he stopped growing. He has never visited a doctor, mainly dines on rice and vegetables and has never been married..Oddly enough, Dangi never realized his miniature height until a forest contractor working in his extremely remote village measured him pointed it out to Nepalese media. Guinness immediately responded on Wednesday that officials will arrive in Katmandu on Sunday to measure Dangi, who is currently in the Nepalese capital. According to The AP, this is not only his first trip on a plane, but the first time he ever left his village. 

Why Celebrate Maha Shivratri?

Maha Shivratri, the night of the worship of Shiva, occurs on the 14th night of the new moon during the dark half of the month of Phalguna (Feb / March) when Hindus offer special prayer to the lord of destruction.

Here're three reasons to celebrate Shivratri:

1. The absolute formless God, Sadashiv appeared in the form of "Lingodbhav Moorti" exactly at midnight on Maha Shivratri. That is why all Shiva devotees keep vigil during the night of Shivratri and do "Shivlingam abhishekham" (coronation of the phallic idol) at midnight.

Did You Know?

God in his manifestation as Vishnu made his appearance as Krishna at Gokul at midnight, 180 days after Shivratri, commonly known as Janmashtami. Thus, the circle of one year is divided into two by these two auspicious days of the Hindu Calendar.

2. Lord Shiva was married to Devi Parvati on Shivratri. Remember Shiva minus Parvati is pure 'Nirgun Brahman'. With his illusive power, (Maya, Parvati) He becomes the "Sagun Brahman" for the purpose of the pious devotion of his devotees.

3. It is also believed that on Shivratri, Lord Shiva became 'Neelkantham' or the blue-throated by swallowing the deadly poison that came up during the churning of "Kshir Sagar" or the milky ocean. The poison was so deadly that even a drop in His stomach, which represents the universe, would have annihilated the entire world. Hence, He held it in His neck, which turned blue due to the effect of poison. Shivratri is therefore also a day of thanksgiving to the Lord for protecting us from annihilation.

The 14th shloka of Shivmahimna Stotra says: "O three eyed Lord, when the poison came up through the churning of the ocean by the gods and demons, they were all aghast with fear as if the untimely end of all creation was imminent. In your kindness, you drank all the poison that still makes your throat blue. O Lord, even this blue mark does but increase your glory. What is apparently a blemish becomes an ornament in one intent on ridding the world of fear."

Shivratri is the time when Shiva takes a rest. Shiva rests for one 'prahar' (three hours) of the night. This 'prahar' is referred to as the Shivratri. When Lord Shiva takes rest, the function of 'Shivtatva' (Shiva Principle) ceases, i.e. Lord Shiva goes into a meditative state. Shiva's meditative state is the time when He is engrossed in His own spiritual practice. During that time, the 'Shivtatva' does not accept any tamogun (most base of the 3 elements in us - sattva, raja & tama) or any halahal (venom churned from the ocean) coming from the Universe. As a result, the ratio of halahal or the pressure of the negative energies increases. For protection from this pressure, things like 'bilva patra', white flowers, 'rudraksha' beads etc are offered to Lord Shiva. These things attract the 'Shivtatva' from the atmosphere, thus providing protection from the increasing effect of the negative energies. The Earth is a gross object. Gross objects have very low velocities i.e. they require more time to cover a specific distance in space. Gods on the other hand, are subtle hence they are capable of traversing space within a few seconds. That is why one year on the earth is equivalent to just one day of heaven.

Some unique attributes

1. Physical attributes

a. Ganga : Just as the sun is the focal point of the solar system and the soul that of the body, the focal point of divine consciousness (chaitanya) in every object and pure particles (pavitrakas) is ga-aum. The flow from which ga-aum originates is gan gaha = Ganga. Ga-aum flows from Shiva's head. This is called the descent of the Ganga from Shiva's head. Since the river Ganga has a fraction of the principle of the spiritual Ganga, no matter how polluted it becomes, its purity is perpetually retained. Hence, when compared to any other water in the world, the water from the Ganga is the purest. This is realised not only by those who can perceive the subtle dimension but also by scientific researchers.

b. Moon : Shiva adorns the chandra (moon) on His forehead. The point where the three frequencies - affection (mamata), mercifulness (kshamashilata) and motherly love (vatsalya) originate is referred to as the chandra (moon). Thus, one can conclude that chandrama (the moon principle) is the state in which the three attributes of affection, mercifulness and motherly love are present.

c. Third eye : Shankar is three-eyed, i.e. He can perceive events of the past, present and future.According to the science of Yoga the third eye means the Sushumna nadi (channel).

d. Serpent : One of the Names of Lord Shankar is Bhujanga-patihari. Bhujang means a serpent or pure particles (pavitrakas), pati means the nurturer and hari means one with a garland around His neck. Bhujangapatihari thus means the One who nurtures pure particles and wears them like a garland. Various serpents represent groups of pure particles. Though externally they appear like serpents, internally they are a kind of ladder. To make spiritual progress one has to climb up holding onto the tail of the serpent. Lord Shankar adorns serpents at nine points on His body - one on the head, one around the neck, one on each arm, one on each wrist, one around the waist and one on each thigh. This implies that His body is comprised of pure particles or that serpents of pure particles play all over the body of Lord Shankar who has the universe as His form.

2. Spiritual attributes

a. One performing severe austerities and the great yogi

Shiva is always seated in a bandha or a mudra. His temperature rises due to heat generated by performing severe austerities; Hence, He uses the Ganga, the moon and serpents which endow a cooling effect and lives on the snow-clad Kailas mountain.

b. Short tempered

If someone disturbs His meditation the radiance generated by spiritual practice will be suddenly expelled and whoever is in front of Him will not be able to tolerate it, and gets destroyed. This is referred to as being 'reduced to ashes by Shankar's opening of the third eye'.

c. One who is willing to undergo any distress for the sake of imparting happiness to others

The poison generated during the churning of the celestial ocean (samudramanthan) was burning the entire Universe but no deity came forward to accept it. At that time Shiva drank that poison and saved the world from destruction.

d. One who has both, deities and demons, as His worshippers

Neither did demons like Banasur, Ravan, etc. worship Lord Vishnu nor did Lord Vishnu bestow any boon upon any demon. However, they worshipped Lord Shiva who blessed them.

e. Master of the spirits

Since Lord Shiva is the master of spirits, His worshippers are generally not possessed by them.

Shiva devotee beaten to death by Mugling police

MUGLING: A youth has been beaten to death by police in Chandibhangyang- 9 of Chitwan district, sources confirmed. Rabin Gurung, 18, was hit to death by the police personnel deployed in the Area Police Office, Mugling on Sunday night, said locals. Gurung was thrashed badly by the police after they found him obstructing the vehicular movement at Panchkilo, along the Mugling-Narayanghat road stretch, by hanging a rope across the road.  On the eve of Mahashivaratri, Gurung along with other youths were blocking the road to collect money from drivers, to celebrate Mahashivaratri festival. On the Mahashivaratri festival, kids and youths pull ropes and block roads as the part of the festival. Vehicles are allowed to go after they give money to kids. During the period of Maoist insurgency, one Biraj Gurung was killed by a staff of Nepal Army (NA) in the Mugling- Narayanghat road stretch, on the day of Mahashivaratri for obstructing the vehicular flow.


source: the himalyan times