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The longer you walk through life’s winding paths, the clearer it becomes: life’s not fair. Not just for you, if you look closely at the lives of others, and you'll find that fairness is a myth we all wrestle with. Life’s more complicated than the mathematical equation that we’ve encountered during our education years. And most of our thought/emotional process, action, decision and the coincidences we face lies beyond the rule of cause and effect. Life doesn’t ask what we’d like on our plate—it simply serves. The only real choice we have isn’t whether to eat it or not rather it is how we eat and digest. There are countless things beyond our control. No bargaining is heard and acknowledged—just acceptance of what life hands us. Looking at the fragility of life, even a slight, accidental cut to a nerve, just deep enough can lead to irreversible consequences. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 1.19m people die in road accidents every year—that’s over 3,200 deaths per day, 133 people in an hour and two every single minute. Each of these individuals was on a journey, with their futures ahead of them. Weren’t they planning what they would do the next day? Yet, how can we justify their untimely deaths? While some religions attempt to justify it through the karma of past lives, others attribute it to destiny, believing it’s all written. And nobody knows how true this justification is and nobody will probably know. Although if we get the justification, will it bypass our emotional reaction and responses generated by the event and coincidences. I don’t think so, because rationalization lacks the power to regulate the emotion that we experience. It’s often said that everything is fair in love and war, but one thing is certain—everything is fair in life. Anything can happen, we can’t deny this fact. 

Human nature is quite opposite of the nature of life. We are drawn to certainty and it comforts us. If we closely invigilate our plan and action, we can sense that they are steps taken to make our lives more secure. Our natural tendency is to seek certainty and control, but with surprises—whether good or bad—we feel discomfort, which is why we attempt to structure our environments and lives in predictable ways. 

When human nature, which seeks control, meets the unpredictability of life, it results in friction. And how this friction manifests, we attempt to challenge the nature of unpredictability of life and try immensely to make it more secure and predictable. We often seek answers that lie beyond our capacity to understand. We are inclined to seek the deeper reasons behind the unwanted experiences that life presents to us. Although nobody has found and nobody probably ever will, the mysteries behind the cause of any events. This mystery creates a deep sense of uncertainty and instability within us. And Sigmund Freud argues that in order to cope with this anxiety of uncertainty, and to create a false sense of control over future events, humans tend to believe in and worship God. To mitigate this, humans invented narratives of control, with God serving as the ultimate answer to chaos. Freud argues in his books titled ‘The future of an illusion’’ (1927) and ‘Civilization and its discontent’ (1930) that if we tend to believe that there is someone in the sky who controls everything, who justifies every sin, we feel we have a shoulder to lean on. Now, let’s explore why we have this tendency to search for such a figure.

Central to Freud’s idea is the notion that children feel very secure being within the arms of parents. In those arms, one experiences the protective figure, feelings of security and are completely able to rely on their parents. Child gets an opportunity to explore life without taking any responsibility for his action and is ensured that it’s taken care of by their parents. The child often develops the belief that their parents are like superheroes, capable of solving any problem they face. This belief is why the child feels more carefree and lively, experiencing a sense of joy and security. And in the process of growing up, he slowly understands that there are a lot of things that their parents cannot control, in fact, many things that no human being can control. One understands that there’s chaos, a mystery that no one knows the formula for. No equation fits in justifying the cause-and-effect rule. As the child matures into adulthood, their cognitive development allows them to analyze and become more aware of the chaos, uncertainty and unpredictability of life. This awareness then gives rise to a profound sense of helplessness and powerlessness, as the illusion of control fades. Now I invite you, dear reader, to contemplate how one might confront this uncertainty that springs from feelings of powerlessness and helplessness.

This is where Freud’s central idea revolves around. In order to address this uncertainty, humans often turn to believe in God—a higher power who is sitting in the sky assessing and evaluating every thought, deeds and action. You can think about it. If you are powerful enough you can repay the injustice given by another human fellow. But how does one seek justice for the suffering inflicted by life itself? Although we can question the unwanted events and experiences that we go through in life, is there anyone who answers that question? Of course there’s no one—no entity to respond to our grievances. This profound imbalance, this need for meaning and resolution demands equilibrium. Here, belief in God serves as a psychological anchor. By surrendering to a divine order, we find solace, attempting to bring emotional closure to our unresolved turmoil allowing us to find comfort in the face of the unknown. Belief in God offers a reassuring shoulder to lean on. 

Following Freud’s theory multiple scholars have conducted the research on our tendency to believe in and worship God. Existential security theory (Norris & Inglehart, 2011) suggests that people turn to religion more in uncertain or economically unstable environments. Research suggests that in more secure and stable environments, where there is less insecurity, the tendency to believe in God may decrease. A study by Will Gervais and Ara Norenzayan (2012) found that encouraging analytical thinking reduced religious belief. This implies that in environments where individuals feel more secure and are encouraged to engage in analytical thinking, the reliance on religious beliefs may diminish. Reflecting on these studies, can we infer that our inclination to seek support and believe in God stems from the uncertainty born of helplessness and powerlessness?

Probably we’ll never know the exact answer and the formula that guides our lives. From another perspective, could it be that we are merely puppets in a grand simulation—acting as if we have free will, while every event is already predetermined? There may be a higher power, something beyond our understanding, hidden from our awareness. 

In many of the texts that Freud wrote he never argued about the existence of God. Neither he nor this article directly questions the existence of God. We both are questioning the tendency to seek solace by believing in God. 

The government has expedited preparations for ‘Sagarmatha Sambaad’, a global dialogue to be organized on May 16-18 to draw the international community’s attention to the adverse impact of climate change on Nepal’s Himalayas. 

It plans to invite global leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and high-level Chinese officials, for the multi-stakeholder dialogue forum themed ‘Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity’.    

Held on Sunday, the first meeting of a management committee, formed for the preparation of the ‘Sambaad’, decided to invite heads of state and government of mountainous and coastal countries, experts working in the climate research sector, representatives of national and international private sectors and influential figures. 

The committee formed under Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba has prepared the format for the arrangement of infrastructures and programs for ‘Sagarmatha Sambad’, said contact person of the Sambad and Joint-secretary of the Ministry of Forests and Environment, Maheshwor Dhakal.    

The committee has also decided to form an expert committee comprising 16 experts representing different sectors as well as a publicity and coordination committee under the joint-secretary of the Foreign Ministry. The meeting also decided to request partner organizations for demonstration of good practices to mitigate the impacts of climate change.    

According to Dhakal, preparatory dialogue on climate change issues facing women and children will be held at the province level. The Ministry of Forest and Environment,  and the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers will assign the employees required for the ‘Sagarmatha Sambad’ and Sagarmatha Sambad Secretariat will also be made active for the success of the global dialogue.    

Minister for Forests and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri is the co-coordinator and Forest Secretary is the member-secretary of the committee that has Chief Secretary, officials of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, Foreign Ministry, Finance Ministry, Home Ministry, National Planning Commission, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Alternative Energy Promotion Center and National Trust for Nature Conservation as members.    

The previous meeting of the Preparations Committee was held on Feb 9 in the presence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Inviting heads of state or heads of government from neighbouring India, China and representatives from South Asian countries was the agenda of the meeting.    

Though the event was planned during the second premiership of Oli, it was postponed in the 11th hour owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. Secretary of the Ministry of Forest and Environment, Deepak Kumar Kharal, stated that the event aims to amplify Nepal’s voice on climate change, drawing international attention to the country’s high vulnerability despite its minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions.  

Through the dialogue, Nepal will advocate for compensation for the losses it faces due to the climate crisis and for payment for its environmental services. Despite the Paris Agreement’s goal to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C, projections indicate that the global temperature is expected to exceed by 1.8°C before 2050. Several research studies suggest that this temperature rise could lead to the loss  of two-thirds of the snow cover in the mountains.    

Bhairab Kunda, located in Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality-1, Sindhupalchowk district, north-east of Kathmandu Valley, is a newly opened trekking destination for domestic and international travelers. Despite being close to Kathmandu Valley, Bhairab Kunda has not gained much attention, mainly due to geographical difficulties. Situated at an altitude of 4,250 meters, the lake offers stunning views of Jugal Himalayan Range and Gaurishankar Himalayan Range.

According to Hindu mythology, Bhairab Kunda, a pilgrimage and spiritual site for both Hindus and Buddhist, is believed to be the place where Lord Shiva created the sacred lake by thrusting his trident into the ground. Known for its breathtaking natural beauty, tranquil atmosphere and religious significance, the Bhairab Kunda trail leads to spellbinding mountain vistas, stunning alpine landscapes and ethnic villages.

A good friend of mine introduced this place to me and told the historical and mythological stories about this place. “Have you ever seen a frozen lake?” my friend asked me. I said no. And she proceeded to tell me that the lake will be frozen in February. The way she described the place piqued my curiosity. Upon reaching home, I started searching for the videos of Bhairab Kunda on YouTube. I was fascinated by the blue lake with mountains surrounding it. I also learned that the trek to Bhairab Kunda can be completed in two days.

The next day, I made a plan to visit Bhairab Kunda with my friend. Another friend also decided to join us on the journey. We bought some essential things needed for the trek. The same week, on Friday, we left Kathmandu for Sindhupalchowk at 11:30 am. We had two routes to go to Sindhupalchowk—one from Dhulikhel and another from Nagarkot. We decided to take the Nagarkot route, as it would be shorter for us to travel from Boudha. We were excited for the journey, as we were taking our motorcycles this time. Fortunately, the weather was on our side; it was a beautiful day and the landscapes en route were mesmerising.

We stopped for lunch by the riverside at Sukute after riding for nearly three hours. The next spot we stopped on that day was the Last Resort. We rested there for a while and had some cold drinks. Before leaving Kathmandu, we had information that the road would be nice and smooth till Daklan and we had to go off-road for around 40 km. The off-road journey was bumpy, slippery and dangerous.

We reached Listi at around 6 pm, and it was getting dark. We had to take extra caution and be careful riding in the dark. The plan was to reach Chokor Mokor, but when we reached Bagam at 7 pm we were knackered. A hotel owner at Bagam suggested that we spend the night at his place, as the road ahead was not good for traveling at night.

But we decided to press on. The road was treacherous. At some sections, we had to push our bikes. Although we were tired, we had a perfect night sky; countless twinkling stars above us.

We reached Chokor Mokor where Pasang dai, the tea house owner, was waiting for us. After keeping all our belongings in our room, we went to the kitchen to warm ourselves by the fire. We met three other people there. We had a chat with them for  some time and had our dinner.

The cold was intense—water turned to ice almost instantly. Pasang dai explained the severe water shortage in the area, mentioning that he had to pay Rs 8,000 for a 500-liter tank of water. The lack of electricity and proper toilets added to the challenges.

That night, one of our fellow travelers suffered from altitude sickness and had to be taken to a lower elevation. Early the next morning, one of our friends also experienced breathing difficulties and began vomiting. After administering medication and ensuring he was stable, we started our hike to Bhairab Kunda at 6 am. The three-hour trek on stone stairs led us to the frozen lake, surrounded by majestic snow-capped peaks. The sight was priceless, and we spent glorious moments there, capturing photos and videos, offering prayers at the temple, and soaking in the serene atmosphere.

On our way back, we learned that a hut we had admired earlier had caught fire. The sight of its ashes was heartbreaking. Pasang dai explained that some travelers had likely left a fire unattended, causing the blaze. The incident served as a stark reminder of the importance of responsibility while trekking, especially in fragile environments.

We returned to Kathmandu with a mix of good and bad memories. One crucial lesson from this journey is the importance of acclimatization—never ascend to high elevations (above 4,000 meters) from low altitudes in a single day. Spending a day below 3,000 meters can help prevent altitude sickness and ensure a safer, more enjoyable trek. Bhairab Kunda is not just a destination; it’s an experience that teaches resilience, responsibility, and the beauty of nature’s untouched wonders.

Photos: Achitra Thieng

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday European leaders had agreed to draw up a Ukraine peace plan to present to the United States, a vital step for Washington to be able to offer security guarantees that Kyiv says are essential to deter Russia.

At a summit in London just two days after Volodymyr Zelenskiy clashed with U.S. President Donald Trump and cut short a visit to Washington, European leaders offered a strong show of support to the Ukrainian president and promised to do more to help his nation.

European leaders agreed they must spend more on defence to show Trump the continent can protect itself, and the European Commission chief suggested the bloc could ease rules that limit debt levels.

Starmer, who welcomed a visibly shaken Zelenskiy on Saturday with a warm hug, said Britain, Ukraine, France and some other nations would form a "coalition of the willing" and draw up a peace plan to take to Trump.

"This is not a moment for more talk. It's time to act. Time to step up and lead and to unite around a new plan for a just and enduring peace," Starmer said.

Leaders did not provide details of their plan. Before the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron told newspaper Le Figaro that the plan would involve a one-month ceasefire that would apply to air and sea attacks but not to ground combat.

European troops would be deployed if a more substantial peace agreement was reached, he said. It was not clear whether other nations had agreed to the terms.

Zelenskiy said after the meeting that he left London with "Europe's clear support" and readiness to cooperate.

"There will be diplomacy for the sake of peace," he said in his nightly video address. "And for the sake of us all being together - Ukraine, all of Europe and definitely, definitely America."

Earlier, Zelenskiy told reporters that Ukraine would not cede any territory to Russia as part of a peace agreement and said he was still willing to sign a minerals deal with the United States.

Zelenskiy said he believed he could salvage his relationship with Trump after Friday's shouting match, but that talks would have to take place behind closed doors.

"The format of what happened, I don't think it brought something positive or additional to us as partners," he said.

Europe is scrambling to ensure that Kyiv is not squeezed out of any talks after the Oval Office clash raised fears that the U.S. could pull support for Ukraine and impose a peace plan negotiated with Russia.

Several European leaders said they must increase defence spending - something that could help bring Trump on side to offer a U.S. security guarantee in the event of peace.

"After a long time of underinvestment, it is now of utmost importance to step up the defence investment for a prolonged period of time," Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, the EU's executive body, told reporters.

Europe needs to turn "Ukraine into a steel porcupine that is indigestible for potential invaders," she said.

LACKING WEAPONRY, STOCKS

Europe, which lacks the weaponry and depth of ammunition stocks of the U.S., hopes to convince Trump that it can defend itself but that Russia will only adhere to a peace deal if it comes with the backing of the United States.

Talks with the U.S. have centred on Washington providing a so-called backstop for a European peacekeeping role, possibly in the form of air cover, intelligence and surveillance and a greater but unspecified threat if Russian President Vladimir Putin again sought to take more territory.

Crucial to getting any agreement from Trump is for European nations to increase defence spending and signal they would take part in any peacekeeping role - something Starmer acknowledged was difficult to get unanimity on.

Starmer increased the UK's defence spending before his visit to Washington last week, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said some European leaders had privately set out new plans on defence spending at the meeting but he declined to give details.

'UNCOMFORTABLE VIEWING'

Trump has upended U.S. policy on the three-year-old war since he returned to the White House in January, casting doubt on U.S. military and political support for Ukraine - and Europe - and ending the isolation of Moscow.

"We should spend less time worrying about Putin, and more time worrying about migrant rape gangs, drug lords, murderers, and people from mental institutions entering our Country - So that we don't end up like Europe!" Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network late on Sunday.

Trump had blindsided Europe by calling Putin without warning and sending a delegation to Saudi Arabia for talks with Russia without including Ukraine or Europe. Trump has falsely suggested that Kyiv was responsible for starting the war, and on Friday, he criticised Zelenskiy for not being grateful for U.S. aid.

Zelenskiy, who has in the past thanked the U.S. for their support, said on Monday that: "There has not been a day when we have not felt this gratitude" to Washington.

Zelenskiy's clash with Trump ended a week when Europe had appeared to be in a better position in its drive to encourage Trump to continue to offer support to Ukraine after cordial visits to Washington by Macron and Starmer.

Starmer described watching the spat between Zelenskiy and Trump in the Oval Office as uncomfortable viewing, but he was keen to push the conversation forward by offering himself as a go-between for Europe and the United States.

In a further show of support for the Ukrainian leader, Zelenskiy later on Sunday flew to meet King Charles at his private residence in eastern England.

The Trump administration on Sunday continued to criticise Zelenskiy. White House national security adviser Mike Waltz told CNN that the U.S. needs a Ukrainian leader who is willing to secure a lasting peace with Russia, but that it is not clear Zelenskiy is prepared to do so.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov praised Trump's "common sense" approach and accused European countries of seeking to prolong the conflict by propping up Zelenskiy "with their bayonets in the form of peacekeeping units".

Starmer said the leaders on Sunday also agreed to work to ensure Kyiv is at the table of any peace talks and boost the country's own defence capabilities.

"Europe must do the heavy lifting, but to support peace in our continent and to succeed, this effort must have strong U.S. backing," Starmer told a news conference. REUTERS