Asia | Our Planet's Many Faces

Gadhimai Festival: Thousands of Animal Sacrifices Raise Concerns about Cultural Practices

December 2, 2014

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text] BARIYARPUR, NEPAL (NOV. 28, 2014) A crowd of 2.5 million assembled in the remote, bordertown of Bariyarpur, Nepal leading up to the sacrificial days of Gadhimai Festival on November 28. Known as the largest ritualistic sacrifice of animals in the world, Gadhimai has attracted a fair share of media attention, protest, and animal rights activism in recent days. Gadhimai is a month-long festival held once every 5 years in Bariyarpur, Nepal, located…

Musicians from Eastern Nepal find Growth and Success in Kathmandu

November 23, 2014

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Subarna Limbu is a well-known Nepali musician and a bit of a legend, recognized for his 40 years of experience in some of the earliest modern rock bands in India and Nepal. He is said to have introduced the bass guitar to contemporary Nepali music. He has performed with early bands such as Diamond from Darjeeling and Brotherhood. Currently, he plays and sings with Prism at various 5 Star hotels. Thomas Thulung Rai…

Phedi Woman Sews to Secure her Future

November 9, 2014

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PHEDI, NEPAL (Nov. 3, 2014) Sabita Lamichhane measures out the fabric for a traditional Nepali dress in her tailoring shop. (Victoria Nechodomu/Nechodomu Media) Sabita Lamichhane is one of the few entrepreneurs in the small village of Phedi, Nepal. She owns a tailoring shop, while also juggling her roles and responsibilities at home and in her family’s fields. Listen to the story above to learn about her journey towards her place as…

From Guns to Meditation: Retired Gurkha soldier reflects on his personal journey

November 2, 2014

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Deo Kumar Gurung, most often called by his ashram name, Jagannath, is a 66-year-old retired Gurkha soldier and security guard who now lives a life of meditation in the jungle-covered hills of Nagarjun, Nepal. The son of a Tibetan woman and a Nepali hill tribesman of Eastern Nepal, Gurung lied about his age to join the prestigious military group, The British Gorka Brigade, at the age of 17. According to the BBC,…

Agricultural Cooperative Empowers Nepali Women

October 26, 2014

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The United Nations recognizes that, in many regions of the world, women live a life of limited opportunities, inequalities, and oppression. “Gender inequalities remain deeply entrenched in every society. Women lack access to decent work and face occupational segregation and gender wage gaps. They are too often denied access to basic education and health care. Women in all parts of the world suffer violence and discrimination. They are under-represented in…

Local Cuisine Meets Locals’ Needs

October 19, 2014

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Over 80% of Nepal’s population live in rural areas, and 70% of the population works in the agricultural field. With hard-working days that often exceed 12 hours of manual work, it seems fitting that that Nepali population rely on a diet of protein rich lentils and beans, filling rice, and vegetables straight off the vine. Sakuntala Rokka is a chef at Social Tours, Nepal, and has a lifetime of cooking experience, as well as…

A Nation Pauses to Celebrate with their Families and Honor the Mother Goddess

October 10, 2014

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[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Kites soar above the houses of the sprawling city of Kathmandu and its surrounding hillside villages. Children form lines at the base of towering traditional bamboo swings. Local buses, bearing the weight of hundreds of passengers, baskets of produce, and live goats, run back and forth to local communities, brining families together. City market spaces and squares display hundreds of goats for sale, and butchers busily chop apart blocks…

People of Nepal Confront Sanitation and Hygiene Issues

October 5, 2014

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Nepal is considered a trekker’s paradise by well-known travel resources such as Lonely Planet, TripAdvisor, and National Geographic. “Wedged between the high wall of the Himalaya and the steamy jungles of the Indian plains, Nepal is a land of snow peaks and Sherpas, yaks and yetis, monasteries and mantras,” describes the Lonely Planet. Yet, this country, so well renown for its stunning, natural beauty, faces a number of challenges that…

The Trial of Andy Hall causes travel blogger to reflect

September 9, 2014

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Natural Fruits Vs. Andy Hall Andy Hall, a British activist, is on trial this week in Bangkok, Thailand for two charges of defamation as well as computer crimes. According to BBC, Hall co-authored a report that made several allegations regarding poor working conditions for the Thai fruit company, Natural Fruits. According to a court summary provided by the Andy Hall website, the computer crime charges reference the dissemination of his…

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