Jai Nepal!

The number of tourist arrivals in Nepal in the first nine months of 2008 rose by 2% over the same period last year, officials said yesterday.

The Nepal Tourism Board said the negative growth seen from April to July had reversed and the arrivals in September were up by 1% as the total number of visitors arriving by air from January through the end of last month hit 257,181. "Tourists arrivals from the United States of America and Canada increased by 13% in September in comparison to the same month last year," it added.

Count me as part of the "surge."

During the month of Kartik (late September and early October), the Nepalese people indulge in the biggest festival of the year, Dashain. Dashain is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by Nepalese of all caste and creed throughout the country. The fifteen days of celebration occurs during the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon. Thorough out the kingdom of Nepal the goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for the ritual holy bathing, thus drenching the goddess for days in blood.

A most happy and auspicious Dashain Festival to all of my friends near and far bringing you much joy and good fortune!!!

To learn more about Dashain, click the title to the article.

The new government of Nepal, led by the Maoist party, is beginning to make it's mark. It's far too early to draw finite conclusions but there are some indications that the wind of change are blowing in my home away from home.

The government is making efforts to deport undocumented Tibetans for the very first time.

Members of the Maoist army have entered the parliament building adorned with automatic weapons in order to provide 'security' to constituent assembly members.

The Miss Nepal pageant has been cancelled following complaints that the pageant discriminated against women of darker skin and shorter stature.

There has been a crackdown in activities in dance bars, etc.

The state-run Trust Corporation, overseeing cultural affairs, appointed the new Kumari, or living goddess. In the past, Kumari was chosen by the head priest of the monarchy, now abolished.

Government officials have reached out to the rogue government of Iran to establish "closer" relations.

An infusion of money from China into the Nepalase Army.

The launch of another armed youth force, this time by the Nepali Congress, to join the YCL (Maoist) and one by the UML.

My friends in Nepal are not yet experiencing an improvement in basic services such as sanitation, petrol availability, road conditions, or healthcare.

Stay tuned.

I'm only one month away from landing again in Kathmandu! I'm sooooooooo happy! During this visit I will be able to finally go trekking and see things outside the Kathmandu Valley. I can't wait to see my friends again!

This week is my sale: Shop the Himalayas for the Holidays (without the jetlag!) I'm selling the purses, jewelry and other things I brought back from Nepal in support of the Women's Skills Development Project and the Manakamana Handicraft Cooperative. I hope it goes well so I can take some money back to the people.

In the U.S., Hurricane Gustav came ashore with less force and surge than Katrina and the levees in New Orleans held. Many are still without electricity but, for the most part, the damage was less than expected.

Gustav, downgraded to a tropical depression, moved north and has taken up residence over Arkansas. So far, the rainfall estimates are around 7-8 inches in the last 24 hours. That is a LOT of rain. Around 90,000 Arkansans are without power tonight and there are flash flood warnings in many counties. Lots of inconvenience.

Meanwhile in southern Nepal, 60,000 people have lost their homes. In the Bihar state of Inndia, 550,000 people are displaced and another 300,000 still await rescue. The resucue, using mostly small boats, is preceding at a rate of only 25,000 per day.

The Nepal Red Cross is coordinating rescue and relief efforts in my home away from home. Interesting but not surprising, you cannot donate online directly. Another example of how much infrastructure support is needed in Nepal.

If you are interested to donate Nepal Red Cross Society right away, then click on the follwing link to DOWNLOAD THE DONATION FORM and send it to our email address dharma@nrcs.org / fundraising@nrcs.org , then you can deposit the amount in our Bank account 18-0002089- 58 of Standard Chartered Bank.

If required we will come to collect the amount in your given address.

We thank you all for your kind cooperation!

Download the Form in MS Word format

Tonight America holds her collective breath as Hurricane Gustav, now a Category 4 storm, barrels through the Gulf of Mexico straight toward the city of New Orleans. It's the third anniversary, to the day, of the landfall of Hurricane Katrina, the worst natural disaster to ever touch the U.S. The severe flooding that nearly destroyed that uniquely beautiful city was caused by an inadequately maintained levee, or dam, system. Most blame inadequate funding by the federal government for the breaches, the severity of the flooding and damage, and the loss of life.

Halfway around the world in a place near and dear to my heart, another natural disaster with a man-made component is unfolding. A dam on the Kosi River in eastern Nepal ruptured sending floodwaters into the surrounding area and south into India.
The goverment of Nepal has already apologized to India for not taking adequate measures to maintain the dam.

Already, at least 70 people have died in India and Nepal and that number is expected rise. More than 250,000 homes have been destroyed and a total of 3 million people affected. More rain is expected and rescuers are racing to reach those affected before the river rises again. In a reminder of New Orleans, people are being rescued from the rooftops of their homes by small boats and relocated to camps. With the lack of drinking water and food, UNICEF has noted the rise in the cases of diarrhea and other infectious diseases.

From the people of America to the people of Nepal and India, our thoughts and prayers are with you. We ask that you pray for us as well as Hurricane Gustav approaches our coastline.