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The culture of Mithila is deeply rooted in its sacred rivers. Ancient Mithila is blessed with many silvery rivers, including the Kaushiki (Koshi), Kamala, Dugdhamati, Yamuni, Jibachha, Geruka, Jhim, Bagmati, and Lakshmana (Lakhandei).

Kaushiki or Koshi

A legend in the Valmiki Ramayana tells the story of King Kush, whose son Vishwamitra was a revered sage. Vishwamitra’s daughter, Kaushiki, was deeply devout and married the sage Richik. They had three sons.

Once, King Ambrish performed an Ashwamedha Yagna, but Indra, the king of gods, stole the sacrificial horse. Distressed, the king and sages searched for a human substitute to complete the ritual. Despite offering great wealth, no one came forward. Finally, King Ambrish begged Richik to sacrifice one of his sons. Reluctantly, Richik offered his middle son, Sunahsen.

Kaushiki, overcome with grief, wept ceaselessly until her body dissolved into a river—the Kaushiki. Sunahsen was later saved by Vishwamitra’s grace. Kaushiki became a beloved companion of Janaki (Sita) and now flows as the Koshi, nourishing Mithila with its waters.

Kamala 

Kamala was the daughter of a Brahmin who lived on the Mandarachal Mountain. She came to perform penance in a beautiful cave of the Himalayas, continuing her meditation for a thousand years. At last, a radiant glow burst forth from her mouth. The king of the mountain approached her and asked who she was. Pleased with her devotion, he said, "I am very much pleased with you. Ask for whatever you desire; I will fulfill all your wishes."

Hearing this, Kamala prayed, "If you are truly pleased with my penance, grant that I be as sacred as the Ganges." Himban, the king of the mountain, blessed her, saying, "You are as dear to me as the Ganges herself. All her sacred qualities will reside in you." Kamala was deeply satisfied with this grace.

Thus, the Kamala River became an intimate and playful Sakhi (companion) of Sita. Rivers such as Shree Triyuga, Narayani, Lakshmana, Adhobara, Vanbhosha, Mandana, Yamuni, Ghumra, and Virja are also considered Sita’s companions. They are said to have visited Sita at night to play with her.

The background of the puja is provided by the Kamala Ka Geet (Song of Kamala), which narrates her brave and divine deeds, accompanied by the Dholaka, Mridanga, and Jhala. The song is soothing to the ears, and the performance as a whole is exhilarating. Similarly, the Koshi Puja is celebrated with the Koshi Ka Geet in the same style in parts of Tirhut.

Dugdhamati 

In no other part of the world is there mention of a river of milk, but Mithila, a land rich in mythology and legend, is home to such a river—Dugdhamati. The literal meaning of Dugdhamati is "river of milk." When Janaki, the daughter of King Janak, was born, she began to cry. The earth, regarded as her mother since she emerged from its womb, manifested itself in the form of Kamdhenu—the divine cow—and nursed her with its milk. Thus Janaki was nurtured. It is said that the Dugdhamati River was born from the overflow of milk from Kamdhenu’s countless udders. Even today, its waters are milky, sweet, and tasteful. Many saints and sages meditated on its sacred banks, chanting the name of Lord Rama. Among them were King Sutichhan, Rambaba, Premdas, and Vimala Sharan—renowned saints of their time.

Even today, despite disturbances from thieves and robbers, many saints continue to chant and meditate along the banks of this sacred river. Dugdhamati remains a renowned center of religious and spiritual devotion.

Yamuni

The Yamuni River flows about five miles from Janakpur. It should not be confused with the famous Yamuna of Gokul and Vrindavan, associated with Lord Krishna and the Gopinis. This Yamuni is distinct but equally revered. Today, sisters worship their brothers on its banks during Bhai Tika (the second day of Kartik’s bright fortnight), a day of familial devotion. Traditionally, families also share meals here on this auspicious occasion.

Jibachha 

Located near Kanchanvan (the golden forest), the Jibachha River is believed to bless those who bathe in it with the boon of sons and daughters and a life of happiness and longevity.

Geruka 

The Geruka River flows about four miles west of Janakpur. It is considered as meritorious and spiritually fruitful as Rajgriha in Bihar, where pilgrims seek salvation. Geruka is a famous pilgrimage site in Mithila, and a grand fair is held here during Malmas (an extra month in the Hindu lunar calendar, considered auspicious for religious observances).

President Vladimir Putin has extended an official invitation to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to attend a military parade in Moscow on May 9, a day marking the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. The diplomatic reward offered by Russia for North Korea’s military involvement in the war in Ukraine has far surpassed expectations. 

North Korea’s military and diplomatic standing has changed significantly compared to its position prior to the war, before its arms transfers and troop support. In addition to receiving favorable treatment from Russia, North Korea is now capturing the attention of key European nations backing Ukraine. South Korea, Japan and China are increasingly anxious about the potential regional impact of North Korea’s growing leverage with Russia. 

Since the start of the second Trump administration—which this year has begun prioritizing short-term economic interests without distinguishing between allies and adversaries—North Korea’s leverage with Russia is inevitably set to grow even stronger. Notably, in contrast to the previous Biden administration, the Trump administration has remained silent on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and is pushing for an end-of-war settlement that favors Russia. 

Trump has launched the most basic and straightforward realist strategy of balance of power—that is, an attempt to detach Russia from China, which is the United States’ primary hegemonic rival, and align it with the US. Whether this strategy will succeed remains uncertain, but Trump is now trying to draw Russia away from China in much the same way that former President Nixon had pulled China away from the Soviet Union in the 1970s. 

Putin, who combines authoritarian rule at home with a reckless yet experienced command of international politics, clearly understands Trump’s intentions and is looking to exploit them as much as possible in end-of-war negotiations. Trump is reportedly invited to the May 9 military parade, and naturally, Chinese President Xi Jinping has been invited too. We may even witness a surreal scene where Trump and Xi are seated on either side of Putin, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un standing beside Trump, smiling, as they all watch the procession of Russia’s latest weapons. 

The prospect of the leader of North Korea—the world’s most internationally isolated pariah state—standing shoulder to shoulder with the heads of the US, China and Russia is extraordinary. Though unlikely, should it come to pass, it would deliver a profound shock not only to America’s allies in Europe and East Asia, but also to China. The mere discussion of such a scenario underscores that North Korea’s leverage over Russia has emerged as a key variable in the security dynamics of Europe and East Asia.

If Kim attends Russia’s Victory Day parade and stands alongside Xi on either side of Putin, it is worth thinking about what that would mean for China. Most importantly, it would mark China’s entry into a trilateral military and comprehensive alliance framework with Russia and North Korea—an alignment it has long avoided. The formation of such a trilateral structure would push established Western powers to increase their vigilance, containment efforts and pressure on China. 

Together with Russia and North Korea, China would undeniably be seen as a threat to the military, economic and technological security—that is, the converging securities—of the leading Western nations. While the Global South—developing countries—may not respond strongly, China would suffer a serious reputational blow by being branded a security threat to the developed world. 

China would also, in effect, be officially acknowledging North Korea’s leverage over Russia. In terms of international political and security dynamics, China and North Korea have long had aligned strategic interests, with North Korea lacking any viable patron state other than China—leaving it in a position of absolute disadvantage to China. 

However, Russia has now emerged, at least partially, as an alternative backer, introducing a significant new variable into the Sino-North Korean relationship that cannot be ignored. As part of its military cooperation with Russia, North Korea has been acquiring a range of advanced strategic weapon technologies from Moscow to strengthen its independent military capabilities. Russia has already formally recognized North Korea’s nuclear weapons and their delivery systems. 

For North Korea, this represents a diplomatic triumph—like rain after a long drought. But for China, it marks a serious blow to its national interests, and this new reality is expected to become more deeply entrenched in the coming years. To date, China has refrained from offering explicit support or endorsement of North Korea in the military domain, including its nuclear weapons program. In particular, Beijing has consistently maintained a cautious and reserved position regarding North Korea’s nuclear armament.

Then how should China respond to the deepening rapprochement between North Korea and Russia? Over the past two years, as Russia-North Korea ties have gained momentum, China has largely ignored the situation and remained unresponsive. To some extent, North Korea’s military support for Russia has brought indirect benefits to China, as Beijing itself has avoided providing military aid to Moscow. 

However, the outcome has been an increase in North Korea’s leverage over Russia. One possible course of action for China is to refrain from participating in the Russia–North Korea military cooperation and begin with a passive response, in order to avoid being drawn into a trilateral military alliance framework with Russia and North Korea. Trump is expected to pursue direct negotiations with North Korea this year. North Korea, in turn, will likely seek to make the most of its leverage over Russia during this process. 

Perhaps the first thing to watch is who will attend next month’s Russian military parade. Kim? Trump? Xi? From Japan and South Korea to France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland, all eyes are on which direction the shadow of China—looming behind Russia and North Korea—falls. The United States, of course, is watching as well.

The author is a professor of Political Science and International Studies at Yonsei University

Revenue collection from land and housing transactions has increased by 13.89 percent to Rs 33.2bn over the first nine months of fiscal year 2024/25.

According to the Department of Land Management and Archive (DoLMA), revenue collection from land and housing transactions in the same period of the previous fiscal year stood at Rs 29.15bn. Capital gains tax (CGT) from such transactions also rose by 17 percent in the nine-month period. That total CGT collections from land and housing transactions from mid-July 2024 to mid-April 2025 remained at Rs 12.8bn, up from Rs 10.32bn collected between mid-July 2023 and mid-April 2024.

An official from the DoLMA said the increase in CGT is due to the rise in land valuation and the revised property assessment rates introduced this fiscal year. A five percent CGT is levied on profits from land sales within five years, while the rate drops to 2.5 percent for sales after that period. Despite the higher revenue, the DoLMA noted that real estate transaction volumes have not improved compared to the previous fiscal year.

Land Revenue Offices collect various taxes, including registration fees, under nearly half a dozen categories from real estate transactions. Among these, capital gains tax is the largest source of revenue after registration fees. According to the DoLMA, land revenue offices across the country have collected an average monthly revenue of Rs 3.68bn this fiscal year. Similarly, the monthly average CGT collection has remained at Rs 1.34bn over the first nine months of 2024/25.

The real estate market, which had been declining since early 2025, saw a sudden surge in Chaitra (mid-March to mid-April). The DoLMA recorded 49,832 transactions nationwide during the month—the highest so far this fiscal year. The first quarter of 2024/25 saw total revenue collections of Rs 10bn from land and housing transactions. While the collection started strong in Shrawan with Rs 3.83bn, it gradually declined to Rs 3.09bn in Bhadra and further to Rs 3.08bn in Ashoj, indicating a slowing trend in real estate activity during the initial months.

The second quarter began with a concerning dip, as revenue plummeted to Rs 2.7bn in Kartik—the lowest monthly collection in the fiscal year. However, the market rebounded strongly in Mangsir with Rs 3.87bn, followed by an even better performance in Poush at Rs 4.25bn. This remarkable recovery pushed the second quarter’s total to Rs 10.82bn. The third quarter maintained this positive momentum, with total revenue of Rs 3.87bn in Magh and climbing to Rs 4.12bn in Falgun. The quarter peaked in Chaitra with Rs 4.39bn–the highest monthly collection recorded so far this fiscal year. This brought the third quarter’s total to Rs 12.38bn.
 

Minister for Foreign Affairs Arzu Rana Deuba has said that Nepal is always against terrorism and strongly condemns terrorism in any manifestation. Addressing a gathering organized by the Indian Embassy in Nepal to pay tributes to those who lost their lives in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, India, she made it clear that Nepal is always against terrorism and in favor of peace. “Nepal strongly condemns all forms and manifestations of terrorism. Nepal always stands against terrorist activities carried out anywhere, anytime and for any purpose,” she said.

Stating that double standards should never be adopted while dealing with terrorism, she clarified that Nepal is firmly committed to ensuring that its territory is not used by any terrorist group for any reason and against any country and people. Therefore, Minister Rana said that Nepal has also strongly condemned in strongest possible terms the terrorist attack that took place in Pahalgam, Kashmir.

She also said that Nepal stands by the people and the government of India at this hour of sorrow and stands shoulder to shoulder with India in the fight against terrorism. Recalling the deep ties between Nepal and India, Minister Rana said that this relationship is not only a matter of diplomacy but also a matter of shared history, culture and cooperation for centuries. “Our open borders are a symbol of trust in each other and our family ties also bind us. We have always stood together in times of happiness or crisis. When the earthquake devastated Nepal, India was the first to extend a helping hand,” she said.

Minister Rana also thanked the Government of India for helping to repatriate the mortal remains of Nepali youth Sudip Neupane, a victim of the Pahalgam tragedy, and other affected people to Nepal. On the occasion, she paid tributes to those who lost their lives in the terrorist attack and extended condolences to the bereaved families.