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Two infants died after being stung by hornets at Dhaune Village in Kushe Rural Municipality-1, Jajarkot.

The deceased have been identified as nine-month-old Nirjala and three years old Sushmita, the daughters of Bir Bahadur Singh.

Bijuli Singh, the grandmother of the two, was injured in the hornet sting, chief of Talegaun Health Post Sher Bahadur Basnet said. 

According to Basnet, Nirjala died on the way to the health post on Monday while Sushmita breathed her last on Sunday evening.

The trio were stung by the hornets while they were heading towards the field.

Lochan Rijal, the head of Kathmandu University’s Music Department, holds a pioneering doctorate in Ethnomusicology from Kathmandu University, Nepal, and the University of Massachusetts, USA. He initially started his career as a pop/rock singer-songwriter but later delved into ethnomusicology to become a music scholar. 

A multi-award-winning multi-instrumentalist, Rijal has enriched the world of music with his unique contributions. Some of his well-received songs, such as ‘Chandrama,’ ‘Samaj,’ ‘Paurakhi,’ and ‘Chetana,’ can be found on his critically acclaimed albums like ‘Coma’ and ‘Kancho Awaz’ (Raw Sounds). In addition to his musical achievements, he has collaborated closely with local Nepali musicians from various communities, including Gandharvas, Santhals, Rautes, Chaudhary, Rajbanshi, Limbus, and more.

Internationally recognized, Rijal has received honors from institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Particle Physics Laboratory (CERN), where he was celebrated as a guest artist and lecturer. For the past decade, he has dedicated his efforts to preserve Nepal’s tangible and intangible musical heritage. Ken Subedi engages in a conversation with him, exploring his deep passion for music, culture, tradition, and heritage preservation.

You do not seem to follow the popular music trend. Rather, you like experimentation and try to set a new trend. Is that due to your focus on ethnic music?

Yes, I prefer experimenting with music and setting new trends rather than following popular trends. This preference is indeed related to my focus on our own musical heritage and world music. Our musical traditions and instruments provide a rich source of inspiration with its unique sounds and traditions, allowing me to create something distinct and innovative. 

You hold a doctorate in ethnomusicology. Can you please share the title of your dissertation and findings in brief?

My dissertation was titled “Transmission of Music in Nepal: The Gandharva Tradition”. In this study, I aimed to revitalize and contemporize traditional Nepali instruments like Arbajo and Sarangi, create a music education database for Nepal, and develop a model for preserving the endangered musical heritage and local musicians of Nepal. The findings emphasized the importance of preserving and contemporizing our musical heritage.

How do you evaluate the current Nepali music scene? 

The current Nepali music scene has a mixture of quantity and quality. While there is a diverse range of musical expressions and talents rooted in the traditional settings, there is room for improvement in both quality and diversity. Many contemporary artists are experimenting and pushing boundaries, but it’s essential to balance commercial trends while preserving cultural authenticity.

There are a lot of discussions among government bodies regarding the preservation of tradition and culture of different tribes. I hope you agree that language alone is not enough for such preservation? Where does music stand for that mission?

No, language alone is not sufficient for preserving traditions and culture. Music plays a vital role in this mission. It encapsulates the emotions, stories, and values of a community, making it a powerful medium for cultural preservation. Through music, traditions are passed down through generations, fostering a sense of identity and belonging. The Government of Nepal should focus on creating job opportunities for the local musicians as music teachers in all the public schools and universities.

Preparations, conferences and background studies are ongoing for developing Nepal Studies as a discipline in Nepal. As a scholar and expert in music, what are your messages and recommendations to the concerned authorities?

I would suggest recognizing the interdisciplinary nature of music and its role in understanding culture and society. Including the study of music in Nepal Studies can provide valuable insights into Nepal's diverse heritage. Additionally, investing in Intangible heritage, music education and research can help preserve Nepal's rich musical traditions for future generations.

You have been a singer, musician, lyricist and arranger. What area do you find the most joy in?

Being a scholar-musician brings me the most joy. This role allows me to bridge academia and artistic expression and encourages me to sing, write texts, arrange and perform music for the future. Through research, I am in the process of gaining a deeper understanding of musical traditions and other related fields like music and heritage, instrument making etc. Which enhances my compositions, performances and amplifies my craving to build a better Nepal. This synergy between scholarship and creativity brings me immense satisfaction.

These years, from Smule to StarMaker, there are lots of Karaoke Apps where people can record songs in their voice. This has led to loss of originality and increased copy versions. How does that impact the original artist and the music industry?

The explosion of Karaoke Apps can impact original artists and the music industry. It may lead to a flood of copy versions, diluting the uniqueness of original creations. This can affect artists financially. However, it also offers a platform for aspiring talents. To mitigate the impact on original artists, it's important to protect their intellectual property rights and ensure fair compensation for their work. 

Ethnic music is connected to ethnic tradition and language of ethnic communities. Picking up select rhythms from such ethnicity can be a daunting task. That’s where you utilize your research skills. Can you please share an incident regarding how you add their musicality in your songs?

One notable incident is when I worked closely with the Santhals, Damai and Limbu community of our country. In our recording session, they shared their traditional instruments with me. I incorporated these elements into a song composition, creating a collaborative effort that honored their musical heritage while creating something new and meaningful. This song is called “Nepali”.

The world we are living in is turning more and more homogenous. From language to culture and tradition, capitalist mode of production, consumerism and the current world order are threatening the diversity of populations. To what extent can they dismantle the age-old music and tradition of ethnic people? How can we save their legacy for future generations?

Globalization and modernization can indeed threaten the music and traditions of ethnic communities in no time. To preserve their legacy, we should urgently but systematically document and utilize their music and traditions, support cultural education, and advocate for the preservation of music of all the Nepalese of all the times. Creating job opportunities in Universities and Schools across Nepal, promoting Nepal based curriculum, cultural exchange and celebrating diversity can also raise awareness about the importance of preserving these invaluable aspects of our global heritage. The smart thing to do is invest in scholarly research because Nepal itself is a vast laboratory consisting 125 ethnic groups and 123 different spoken languages. 

The government has decided to provide Rs 1m in relief to the families of Nepali students who lost their lives in Israel.

Government Spokesperson Rekha Sharma informed that an emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers on Monday decided to allocate the amount to the families of 10 Nepalis who were killed in Saturday’s Hamas attack on Israel. The meeting also resolved to find ways to relocate trapped Nepali citizens to safe areas.

Similarly, the government has declared a national mourning day on Tuesday. National flags will be hoisted at half-mast in all government offices and diplomatic missions of Nepal to mourn the victims. 

A rapid action team has been formed under the leadership of Foreign Minister NP Saud to rescue the Nepalis trapped in Israel. The team has decided to have an airplane on standby and establish coordination with the Israeli side to repatriate the bodies of Nepali students. 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal spoke with a Nepali student hiding in a bunker following the attack. Dahal held a video call with Bipin Subedi, and assured that the government was doing its best to rescue all Nepali citizens from Israel at the earliest. 

Dahal’s personal secretary Ramesh Malla said that the prime minister told Subedi that the government has been making efforts to rescue Nepalis based in Israel for the past three days. 

“Conversations are happening at the foreign ministerial level, and regular talks are taking place with the Embassy of Israel,” Prime Minister Dahal told Subedi.

Prime Minister Dahal has instructed authorities concerned to understand the situation in Israel and to identify the deceased and bring their bodies to Nepal at the earliest. 

Malla said that there was a delay in evacuating the students hiding in bunkers, because the Israeli side considered it a security risk.

Social media posts and videos suggest that around 32 students from the war zone were taken to a safe place on Monday. The Israeli army has initiated the movement of students in Israel’s Sedot Negev to safe locations.

Meanwhile, the Sudurpaschim provincial government has also announced to provide Rs 200,000 each to the families of those students killed in Israel. In a statement issued on Monday, Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah announced that the provincial government would provide support to the families of the deceased. He also requested the federal governments of both countries to conduct search and rescue efforts and assist in bringing back the bodies of Nepali students.

The opposition parties, CPN-UML and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), have asked Speaker Devraj Ghimire to pass a special resolution from Parliament to rescue Nepalis stuck in Israel. In a meeting held at Singha Durbar, the two parties emphasized that they would raise the Israel issue intensively in the Parliament through adjournment motions, motions of public importance, or resolution motions.

UML Chief Whip Padam Giri urged the government to take a serious interest in the situation of the 10 Nepalis who were killed in the Hamas attack, emphasizing that the condition of other Nepalis there is critical.

Nepali Congress MP Arjun Narsingha KC also strongly demanded that the government immediately bring home the bodies of the students who died in Israel. 

Addressing the Parliament session on Monday, KC urged the government to promptly repatriate the bodies of the 10 Nepali students. He also asked the government to ascertain the number of Nepalis in Israel and inform Parliament. 

“We have received news that about 123,000 people have been displaced in Israel. The details of how many Nepalis are among them should be presented to the Parliament,” he said.

Several other parliamentarians, including Gokul Prasad Baskota, Ishwar Bahadur Rijal, Chitra Bahadur KC, Anjani Shrestha, Anisha Nepali, Abdul Khan, Amanlal Modi, Amar Bahadur Raymajhi, Amrit Lal Rajbanshi, Ishwari Gharti, Urmila Majhi, Kiran Kumar Shah and Geeta Basnet, also demanded for a prompt rescue of the Nepali citizens from Israel. 

Late on Monday, Prime Minister Dahal called an all-party meeting where he requested parties stand united on the Israel incident. One of the leaders in the meeting said all  parties share a unified stance on the issue of Israel. “The cross-party leaders suggested that the government provide  accurate and timely information about the state of Nepali there,” he told ApEx.

Janakpur youth killed after leaving for Israel just 26 days ago

Family members of Anand Sah have been devastated after he was killed along with nine other Nepalis in Saturday’s Hamas attack on Israel. 

The 25-year-old from Laxminiya Rural Municipality, Dhanusha, had left for Israel just 26 days ago. Eldest among four siblings, Anand was his family’s only support.  

His parents Soman and Shuvakala, and sisters, Sunita, Saraswati and Aarati are inconsolable. Neighbors and relatives have gathered at their house to comfort them, but to no avail.

Soman and Shuvakala have been drifting in and out of consciousness. When they come to their senses, they cry out for their deceased son. “Where did you go? Why don’t you come back? Who is going to look after us?” 

Neighbor Mithilesh Sah says Anand’s death has dealt an immeasurable blow to his family.

“Anand was the eldest of the four children and the only son to his parents. So his father and mother had high hopes for him,” says Mithilesh, recalling how Soman had worked in the Persian Gulf for 10 years so that Anand could go to school. 

Despite a poor family background, Anand was able to attend a boarding school and study science at Mithila College. Neighbors and friends remember Anand as a diligent student

“His parents had sacrificed a lot to educate him,” says Mithilesh. “One can only imagine what they must be going through after their son’s tragic death.” 

Anand had last talked with his sisters over the phone on Friday. He could not speak with his parents that day. Soman and Shuvakala tried contacting Anand on Saturday, but they could not get hold of him. There was a ringing tone, but no answer. 

The world record climber and mountain guide, Tenzen Sherpa (Lama), has gone missing in an avalanche at Mt Shishapangma (8,027 meters) of Tibet, China.

American national Gina Marie Rzucidlo has also gone missing along with Sherpa in the avalanche that occurred on Saturday in Shishapangma, the world's 14th tallest peak, according to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.

Issuing a press release today, the Ministry said that the whereabouts of both climbers is still unknown.

Similarly, information was received that Karma Gyalzen Sherpa, Mitra Bahadur Tamang and Kami Rita Sherpa, have been critically injured in the avalanche, reads the statement.

The Ministry has been taking necessary efforts to carry out a search for the missing ones and some of the climbers were rescued and are receiving treatment.

The Ministry and the entire mountaineering sector are shocked from the news about the missing of the renowned world record keeper climber Sherpa and the American climber.

According to the Ministry, guide Mingmar Sherpa and US national Anna Gutu were found dead in the avalanche, who went missing in the avalanche on October 7, on the same day.