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The Gen-Z United Paribartan Group organized a mass Bhai Tika program at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu to pay tributes to Gen-Z martyrs.

On the occasion, the martyrs were offered tika and garlands. Families of the martyrs, injured, and other youths attended the program.

At least 74 youths died during the protests led by Gen-Z groups against the government's decision to ban social media platforms and corruption on September 8 and 9 which forced KP Sharma Oli to quit as the Prime Minister.

President Ram Chandra Paudel received the Tihar 'tika' from his sisters Sharada Pandit and Chanda Ojha at the auspicious hour of 11: 39 am at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Shital Niwas, on the occasion of Bhaitika festival today.

On the occasion, the President's sisters put the ceremonial 'tika' on the forehead of the President and presented to him gifts. 

​​Similarly, the President put 'tika' on the forehead of his sisters and offered them with money, as per the time-honoured tradition.

The ceremonial 'tika' comprises of blob of seven colours marked on a vertical thick line of white paste of rice flour on the forehead.

The Nepal Calendar Determination Committee had fixed 11: 39 am today as the most auspicious time for the Bhaitika rituals.

However, the Committee has stated that the rituals can be conducted throughout the day today.

There is a custom of the sisters putting 'tika' on the foreheads of their brothers and vice-versa on Bhai Tika, the last and main day of the five-day-long Yamapanchak or the Tihar festival, the second biggest festival of Nepal.

On the morning of August 30, 2025, Khusi Sunar was excited and delighted.

She left home early in the morning to take part in the Snow Leopard Scout’s Monitoring Camp, held around Khinga Village and Muktinath Temple premises in lower Mustang, the snow leopard’s habitats.

She was wondering how the event would be and who would accompany her. Only Khusi and two of her schoolmates from Janakalyan Basic School, Syang got an opportunity to participate in the camp. Along with her, 42 people were taking part in the two-day residential camp including school students, teachers, rural municipality officials, ward chairperson, journalists, field rangers, scientists, locals and conservationists.

Such camps have been held in Mustang since 2012 to familiarize local students with snow leopard habitats, monitoring techniques and tools, and to help them identify the snow leopard’s prey, species blue sheep. 

Khusi joined the art, face and stone painting sessions with the group where the trainer Sweta taught them how to create symbolic sketches of the snow leopard, its prey, and habitat. “I am passionate about sketching, so I enjoyed the session”, she recalls, “I never imagined that a sketch could focus on just one body part of an animal too. For example, I drew only the tail, while one of the group members drew the snow leopard’s head, body, and tail—and he won first prize.”

In any kind of conservation field programs, such an initiative engages local children, nurture their artistic talent, express their feelings for nature, and promote coexistence and the message reaches the community.

During the art session, attended mainly by eight students of her age from grades 6, 7, and 8 of six schools of lower Mustang, Khusi was surprised to see one adult participant joining the group, eager to learn sketching. “He was a high-altitude health technician from the Baragung Muktichhetra Rural Municipality,” recalls Khusi. “Later, he sketched a group of snow leopards and was very happy to be with us.” 

Among the students was Kittu Thakali, a bright and confident seventh grader from Janahit Secondary School, Jomsom,  who eagerly participated in the art session. When I asked her how she found the camp, she smiled and proudly showed me her painted stone with mountain and blue sheep, the main prey of snow leopard in the campsite. Her artwork reflected what she had learned about the snow leopard and its mountain home.

Kittu’s mother Laxmi shared that she was so happy that Kittu learned new things from the camp. “I hope Kittu will continue learning about conservation”, she says. Out of thirty-two students in her class, Kittu was selected to attend the camp because of her confidence and the essay she wrote about the snow leopard that impressed her teacher.

“Art is one of the hobbies that children truly enjoy”, says Sweta, “Engaging them through their hobbies helps them remember for a long time”.

Sweta feels that such camp leaves a lasting impression, reinforcing the importance of conservation. Through art, they can express what they know about snow leopards, their habitat, prey, and more. “Most importantly,” she says, “Children love nature and color”.

The two-day camp left a lasting impression on everyone, especially children like Khusi and Kittu, who knew that learning about snow leopards could be both fun and creative. Beyond sketches and colors, the camp fostered connection—between students, adults, and nature—and reminded all participants that conservation is a shared journey, where everyone, young or old, rangers or citizen scientists, community people or conservationists can contribute.

(Anil leads the Community-Based Snow Leopard ConservationProject in the Nepal’s Himalaya) 

With the beginning of the second biggest festival of Nepal, Tihar, the number of people leaving the Kathmandu Valley for their home districts for the festivities has increased.

Forty-four thousand five hundred and nine people have left and 31,012 have entered the Valley from various checkpoints, said Naresh Raj Subedi, spokesperson and Superintendent of Police at the Traffic Police Office. 

Data shared by the Valley Traffic Police Office shows that Nagdhunga checkpoint is the busiest checkpoint. From this checkpoint alone, 18,920 passengers have left the valley. 

Similarly, 285 people have left the valley through Thankot checkpoint, 845 through Tinpiple and 692 through Sankhu checkpoint.

Spokesperson Subedi stated that a special traffic management plan has been implemented to reduce incidents such as traffic jams, vehicle accidents, and passengers facing fraud that may occur during festivals.