Seven tola abandoned gold found in Baitadi
Police have found around seven tola gold in an abandoned state at Khodape in Patan Municipality-8 of Baitadi on Sunday.
The yellow metal was recovered from a bus (SuPaPra 02001 Kha 1301) heading towards Darchula from Kathmandu yesterday.
Police said that the gold was recovered from a bag the bus staffers had left at the entry post of the Khadape Police Post.
It has been learnt that the relatives of a local of Patan-8 had sent medicines in the bag from Kathmandu. Police said that they have kept the bag in a secured place.
A team deployed from the Area Police Office, Patan under the command of Inspector Kamal Prasad Chaudhary had recovered the gold. The gold has been taken to the Area Police Office, Patan.
Police said that they are looking into the case.
Schools shut down with conjunctivitis outbreak
Bharatpur metropolis has decided to close the schools for five days after an outbreak of conjunctivitis (eye infection).
Issuing a public notice on Sunday, the metropolitan city has decided to close down the operation of all public and private schools.
Municipal Education Officer Mahendra Prasad Poudyal said that all the schools operated in the boundary of the metropolis will remain closed on August 7-11.
The leave will be adjusted from the winter and summer holiday, he said.
The cases of eye infection have been widespread in Chitwan of late.
Ratnanagar Municipality in Chitwan also closed all the schools due to outbreak of the infection.
Issuing a public notice on Sunday, Ratnanagar Municipality has requested the private schools operating classes up to grade 12 to shut their operation from August 7 onwards for a certain period.
The municipality has also asked the schools to conduct eye infection sensitization before it issued a public notice for the closure of schools.
Earlier, Khairahani Municipality in Chitwan had decided to close down educational institutions to check rising cases of eye infection among students.
The municipality decided to shut the schools for Sunday and Monday.
Three injured as landslide falls on moving jeep
At least three persons were injured when a landslide fell on a moving jeep at Siddababa area along the Butwal-Palpa road section of the Siddhartha Highway on Monday.
According to the Highway Security and Traffic Management Office, Butwal, three persons including the jeep driver sustained injuries when the landslide with boulder fell on the jeep (Lu Cha 2849) in front of Naag Mandir (temple) nearby Siddababa area headbox at Tinau Rural Municipality-3 along the Butwal-Palpa road section this morning.
Bishnu Prasad Pandey, a local, informed that three people including the driver were injured when the landslide fell on the moving jeep.
The injured are undergoing treatment at the Lumbini Provincial Hospital.
The landslide with boulders completely damaged the front part of the jeep, Pandey said.
Though the landslide obstructed the Butwal-Palpa road section for some hours, it has now resumed, the Traffic Management Office, Butwal said.
Feminism, literature that inspires, and the feel of books
Hima Bista is the executive director of Women LEAD Nepal. The versatile woman in her forties has been educating young Nepali women to take leadership roles. She is also an avid reader. In a conversation with Babita Shrestha of ApEx, she spoke about her reading habits and preferences.
What types of books do you enjoy reading the most?
I enjoy reading non-fiction books about feminism, history, and other fiction. Horror and science fiction aren’t my thing. Apart from that, I’m pretty open to literature. My favorite genres are memoirs and Greek mythology. I mostly enjoy reading works by female authors.
Can you name a few of your all-time favorite books?
My all-time favorite novels are Orhan Pamuk’s and Elif Shafak’s works because I love Turkish literature. I also love reading books on the Ottoman Empire. For now, I’d like to say Pamukh’s ‘My Name Is Red’ and ‘Museum of Innocence’, as well as Shafak’s ‘Bastard of Istanbul’ are my favorite books.
Moreover, I enjoy reading feminist writing, especially memoirs like ‘The Glass Castle’ by Jeannette Wall. I also enjoyed ‘My Life on the Road’ by Gloria Steinem, ‘Kara’ by Sushila Karki, and ‘Karnali Blues’ by Buddhisagar. I can’t overlook Gurcharan Das’s ‘The Difficulty of Being Good’, which contextualizes the idea of righteousness by mentioning the Mahabharata, which discusses fundamental human nature like love, hatred, compassion, and fear. Given how materialistic the world is, reading this book’s discussion on spirituality helped me process my thoughts.
Do you prefer reading physical books, e-books, or listening to audiobooks?
I love physical books. They are the keepers of my soul. I must always have a book with me. I need to feel the pages to fully immerse myself in a story. I need to take notes and I highlight lines I love. I’m not sure if there can be anything more satisfying than appreciating the beautifully crafted aesthetics of a book.
Is there a book that significantly changed your perspective on something?
Reading Gloria Steinem’s ‘My Life on the Road’ changed my life. The book’s representation of political activism and feminist road mapping not only clarified the waves of feminism but also helped me understand political advocacy and women in leadership. I’m using the lessons I learned to improve leadership among young Nepali women.
‘Bad Feminist’ by Roxane Gay had a significant impact on my life too. The book helped me understand my thoughts and how feminism is evolving in terms of women’s rights and intersectionality. ‘Caste: The Genesis of Our Discontents’ by Isabel Wilkerson is the book I’m reading right now. I haven’t finished it yet but I feel I’m able to think clearly as I read the book. For the time being, I’m aware that I want to make our society better and I’m conscious that there is still plenty to learn and unlearn.
If you could meet any author, living or dead, for a conversation, who would it be and what would you want to discuss with them?
Without a doubt, I’d want to have a chat with Agatha Christie. She created stories that seem to be centuries ahead of her time. I will undoubtedly discuss how she created the two fantastic characters, Hercule Poirot and Lady Marple, that got global recognition, and is still being talked about today.
Bista’s picks
The Last Girl by Nadia Murad
In her memoir, Murad discusses the Yazidi community as well as the larger problem of human trafficking and sexual assault in conflict areas. In Nepal, gender-based violence isn’t given the attention it requires. This book, I believe, can be a crucial tool for bringing these issues to light and underlining the need for action and commitment.
Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk
I’m fascinated by the literary style of the book and the way it’s connected to an Istanbul museum. I highly recommend this book that explores the nature of love, nostalgia, and memory as it challenges readers to think about their own emotions and experiences.
Dulari by Muna Chaudhary
This is most likely the first work of fiction in Nepali literature that centers on the life of a Madhesi Dalit woman. It’s a tale about the predicament of the average Madhesi Dalit, their battles for cotton, grass, and homes, as well as how they use politics to achieve their seemingly limitless ambitions. To acquire insight into the necessity for activism and to learn more about a vulnerable community, I recommend you read this book.
Deep Work by Carl Newport
Maintaining intense focus and concentration in the current digital age is challenging due to the presence of social media platforms. So, I highly recommend ‘Deep Work’ which specifically covers this issue and offers solutions to overcome the constant distractions.
