Submit your Article

The Chandragiri Hills, which carries a historic and religious importance, has been the main attraction to both domestic and foreign tourists lately. Situated southwest of Kathmandu, the federal capital of the country, seven kilometers away from Thankot, Kathmandu, the tourist destination serves as a perfect fit for touristic, religious and recreational activities, also making an ideal spot for those who want to take a rest and enjoy away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The 2,551 meters-high natural heaven is surrounded by the wilderness with the eye-catching views of the Himalaya Mountain ranges in the background. A majestic view of Mount Everest, and the Kathmandu Valley, neighbouring Dhading, Nuwakot and Makawanpur districts is something that will entice people and tourists alike. Apart from being a major choice for the people who want to organise any meeting, seminar, assembly and any musical programs, it also serves as a stop for those visiting the Kathmandu Valley for recreational activities like a cable car ride, and for those who are keen in religion and history for research and a study. Besides, the area is also home to one of the most important Hindu temples, the Bhaleshwor Mahadev, which is believed to possess wish-granting powers. It has its historical significance as well. Going by a history, Prithvi Narayan Shah, King from the Shah dynasty, a unifier of the modern Nepal took a first glimpse of the present Kathmandu Valley (then known as Nepal Khalto), which in fact instilled in his mind an idea to annex the Valley into his kingdom. He is also believed to have got spiritual powers for the unification process after undergoing a 'sadhana' (meditation) here. He is told of having disguised himself while ascending the hills so as to avoid being recognized by the Malla Kings of the Kathmandu Valley. So, in his honor, his statue has been erected in the hills. The statue has been a main attraction to anyone visiting here. Visiting people pose with it for a photograph. Bhaleshwor Temple, the statue of Prithvi Narayan Shah, ziplines, a Children Park, a horse ride, the Chandragiri Hills resort, and shopping marts are among other attractions to the hills. It is believed that the Bhaleshwor Mahadev temple was built here after the incarnation of God Mahadev manifested. The temple has received an increasing number of pilgrims from home and neighboring India. A cable car network is a new addition to the beauty of the hills. Constructed by the Chandragiri Hills Limited, the cable car came into operation commercially on 16 December, 2016. Following this, inflow of tourists, domestic and foreign, has been high, said the Chandragiri Hills finance chief Binayak Pokharel. One of the options for tourists to reach the hills is a trekking route. The trekking route leading to the hills has been in existence since long, and tourists visiting the hills still take this route, he said. The cable car is operational seven days a week from 8 am to 8 pm. Over 71,100 tourists took a cable car ride in a single one month (mid-December, 2022 to mid-January, 2023), he said. It charges Rs 799 for a Nepali citizen for a round trip, and Rs 600 for a Nepali student. Similarly, USD 22 is charged for a foreign citizen. Manufactured by Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group, an international manufacturer of ropeways and people movers for ski areas, urban transport, amusement parks, and material handling systems based in Austria, the cable car is a gondola lift transportation system. The 2.46 km line runs from Thankot to the Chandragiri Hills. It has two stations consisting of 38 gondolas that can carry 1,000 people per hour. It also has three gondolas that carry goods. Each gondola carries eight persons at a time. In general, it takes 9 to 14 minutes to reach the top of the hills from the Thankot station. Over 2,000 people took a cable car ride on a regular day, and the figure rose to 4,500 and 5,000 on a holiday. The hills received a total of 507,411 domestic tourists, and 63,344 foreign tourists including from the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries in the previous fiscal year, 2021/22, Pokharel said. There are two ziplines (100 meters and 200 meters) in operation, thus contributing to attracting an increasing number of tourists, he said. A 100 meters zipline was constructed at the cost of Rs 7 million. The zipline aims to attract both domestic and foreign tourists alike, said the Chandragiri Hills General Manager Sanjib Thapa. The 100 meters zipline spans from near the Bhaleshwor Temple to the children park. It charges Rs 400 each person for a 100 meters zipline ride, and Rs 800 for a 200 meters ride. It aims to develop the hill as an 'integrated tourist destination' and deliver superior product and services by empowering our customers, stakeholders and society as a whole, said Thapa. "We have built various physical infrastructures with the policy of promoting domestic and foreign tourism," he said. However, the global COVID-19 pandemic did not spare the cable car service as well. The number of tourists, both domestic and foreign, visiting the hills sharply dropped during the years when the virus took its toll, he said. But this year when the infection has almost subsided, there is a silver lining for the company. The inflow of tourists has been gradually on track, he said. The hills also run a resort here. The resort has served as a spot for tourists who want to take rest and let go of their tiredness away from the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu. It has also managed halls for organizing national and international seminars, meetings, conferences and gatherings, he said, adding that the country's governmental and non-governmental organizations held programs here.  

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has formed its province committees in all seven provinces. Along with the formation of the committees, the party has also designated working portfolios. The party has entrusted Rajesh Timsina as the province-1 President, Tapeswor Yadav as the Madhes Province President and Achutam Lamichhane as the Bagmati Province President. Likewise, the party has appointed Rajan Gautam as Gandaki Province President, Devraj Pathak as Lumbini Province President, Dhiraj Bahadur Wali as Karnali Province President and Prakash Bista as Sudurpaschim Province President, RSP sources said.  

The Nepali Congress (NC) has appealed to all political parties in the Federal Parliament to support its candidate for the presidential election, Ram Chandra Paudel. The election of the President is taking place on March 9. The party wrote to all parties in the Federal Parliament on Monday, requesting them to vote for the party candidate during the election, according to NC Chief Secretary Krishna Prasad Poudel. Paudel is a consensus candidate of eight political parties: NC, CPN (Maoist Centre), Janata Samajbadi Party, CPN (Unified Socialist), Democratic Socialist Party, Janamat Party, Rastriya Janamorcha and the Nagarik Unmukti Party for the presidential election. He filed his nomination on February 25. Similarly, the CPN-UML, which decided to quit the Maoist-led government on Monday owing to the latest political equation over the presidential election, has fielded Subash Chandra Nembang as the party candidate for the presidential election.

Few parts of the hilly areas in the country are likely to receive light rainfall coupled with thunderbolts on Tuesday with the weather becoming generally cloudy, said the Meteorological Forecasting Division. Light snowfall is likely in one or two parts of the high hilly and mountainous areas, said the Division. The rest of the areas of the country will have clear weather in general. The Westerly wind has its general impact while there is still the influence of the local wind in the hilly areas, leading to this condition of the weather, it has been said. Similarly, the weather in hilly areas will be partly cloudy tonight, and the other parts of the country will have fair weather in general. One or two hilly and mountainous parts of Province 1, Gandaki and Karnali Provinces are likely to witness light snowfall. In view of the condition of the weather, the Division has urged people of the vulnerable parts to adopt caution.

Three persons died and 12 others were injured when two vehicles collided with each other at Kanchanrup Municipality in Saptari district on Tuesday. The deceased have been identified as Sanjaya Chaudhary, Raj Kumari Chaudhary and Hareram Sah of Duhabi Municipality-3 in Sunsari district. Police said that the trio died on the spot when the vehicles (Pra 2-02-001 Cha 0746 and Ba 18 Cha 6617) collided head on near Bishnumandir area of Kanchanrup along the East-West Highway this morning. The injured have been taken to Biratnagar for treatment.  

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said the government would declare those who sacrificed their lives for 'the cause of People's War' as the national martyrs. During his interaction with the families of those killed and disappeared during the People's War at the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar today, he said preparations are being made to officially recognize those who had their 'significant' contribution to make a big political change happen in the nation. "Today marks the Memorial Day of Dil Bahadur Ramtel, the first person who sacrificed his life for the cause of people's war. The people who lost their lives to the 1951 movement to the Jhapa rebellion to the People's War are our national pride and they deserve a huge reverence. So, the incumbent government is preparing all those who were killed for their belief, support and contribution to all the movements for political changes as national martyrs," the Prime Minister said. The Bill regarding the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has neared the final phase, according to the Head-of-the-Government who assured that remaining works of the peace process would complete soon. "The Truth and Reconciliation Bill is being taken ahead on the basis of the principles of transitional justice," he said, adding that the document would be taken to a conclusion very soon.  He went on to say that the document was significant in terms of the recognition of 'martyrs' of people's war, for the rights and education of their off-spring. On the occasion, advocate Ekraj Bhandari, on behalf of the affected families, expressed happiness over the government's recent decision to observe Fagun 1 in the Nepali calendar as the "People's War Day".   It may be noted that the government had decided to observe Fagun 1 as the "People's War Day" and announced a public holiday. The Day was marked on February 23 this year. Meanwhile, the major ruling CPN (Maoist Centre) prepares to observe the "Martyrs Week" beginning on March 5. Prime Minister's chief advisor Haribol Gajurel, Maoist Centre's general secretary Dev Prasad Gurung, deputy general secretary Shakti Bahadur Basnet and leader Hitraj Pandey were among those present on the occasion. The affected families drew the Prime Minister's attention towards the State's proper recognition for them.  

A hearing is taking place at the Supreme Court today on whether to keep former national cricket team captain Sandeep Lamichhane in judicial custody or continue his release on bail. Likewise, the appeal by the leg spinner, who is accused of raping a minor, to be allowed to travel outside the country to play cricket will also be heard today. The single bench of Supreme Court Justice Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada, while hearing the appeal by Lamichhane on Friday, had ordered the hearing to be scheduled for today. The hearing on Sunday will focus on whether High Court Patan's order to release Lamichhane on a bail of Rs 2 million was correct or not. If the Supreme Court upholds the order of the High Court, then the appeal by Lamichhane for traveling outside the country will be heard. The case of rape filed against Lamichhane is pending at Kathmandu district court. The Office of the Attorney General had filed the petition challenging the high court's decision to release Lamichhane on bail. Both applications are being heard before a division bench consisting of two justices today.

There is a possibility of rain and thunderstorms due to the general influence of westerly winds in the country today. There is a probability of light rainfall with thunder and lightning in few places of the hilly areas of province 1, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces, according to Rojana Lamichhane, a meteorologist with the weather forecast division of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. Light snowfall is also likely in the mountainous areas of the three provinces. Kathmandu is also likely to witness rainfall with partial to normal change in the weather today. Lamichhane said that in the next few days, the weather will become clear in the morning and evening in Province 1, Bagmati Province and Gandaki Province. The minimum temperature in Kathmandu today is 10 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature is 23 degrees Celsius.