1. Mark Whitaker 2. Change and Continuity in Maoist-led Nepal: Maoist Nepal selects 'living goddess' (see picture)
3. After the removal of the monarchy recently in Nepal, it seems that cultural traditions are more durable than state traditions. The 'living goddesses' of pre-pubescent girls at major Hindu/Buddhist temples are being maintained. They are appointed by the secular government now instead of previously the royal religious allied elite that has lost legitimacy and was dismantled. However, the cultural traditions are still strong. One might consider the international tourism issue and the commodification of Nepal's 'native sightsTM' as important to consider as important rationales to maintain their traditions as well.
This is only one interesting story about the wide variety in Central Asia.
------------------------
Maoist Nepal selects 'living goddess' author: Gopal Sharma BHAKTAPUR, Nepal - Nepal's new Maoist-led government has appointed a 6-year-old girl as a "living goddess" in the ancient city of Bhaktapur, for the first time snapping the link between the ancient ritual and the ousted monarchy.
For centuries, the head priest of the Nepali monarchy appointed the "Kumaris" in several towns in the Kathmandu valley. But with the abolition of the monarchy in May, that position has also disappeared.
Instead, officials at the state-run Trust Corporation overseeing cultural affairs appointed Shreeya Bajracharya as the new Kumari of the temple-town of Bhaktapur near Kathmandu, Deepak Bahadur Pandey, a senior official of the agency said.
"The government authorized us to appoint the Kumari and we have done that for the first time," Pandey said.
The Himalayan nation abolished the 239-year-old monarchy and became a republic in May, following elections in April that saw the country's Maoist former rebels emerge as the biggest political party in the 601-seat constituent assembly.
The Maoists now head the new government.
Shreeya was enthroned on Sunday amid prayers by Buddhist priests and will be worshipped by devout Hindus and Buddhists until reaching puberty, the girl's caretaker Nhuchhe Ratna Shakya said, adding: "She is pretty and nice."
Shreeya, in a golden costume with her eyelashes blackened by mascara, was sitting on a carved throne, a butterlamp burning by her side, when a Reuters team visited her on Monday.
Asked what she wanted to become in future, a quiet Shreeya just said: "nurse." She loves to eat biscuits and flattened rice, a common Nepali food, her aides said.
Shreeya replaces her controversial predecessor, Sajani Shakya, who retired earlier this year, after nine years in the divine role.
Sajani made international headlines in 2007 after she visited the United States to promote a film by a British company about the Kumari system.
Some religious authorities criticized the trip, saying it was against tradition. She retired at the request of her family.
Under the Kumari tradition, girls selected from Buddhist Newar families through a rigorous cultural process become the "living goddesses."
The Kumaris are a major tourist attraction and are considered by many as incarnations of the goddess Kali and are revered until they menstruate, after which they return to the family and a new one is chosen.
Nepal's Supreme Court ordered the government last month to safeguard the Kumaris human rights after complains that the practice went against the child living a normal life.
1. Sukyung Kim 2. Nepal: Riots as Maoist governments cut sacrifice subsidy
3. As the articla Mark showed, Napal's cultural traditions are still stong,and Maoist government seems to encourage them. However, there might be several difficult situations like protests. Of course, even though the government decided to fund the festival again, I don't think it's a fundamental solution.
----------------
Nepal: Riots as Maoist governments cut sacrifice subsidy
Nepal's Maoist government has sparked rioting and allegations of launching a "cultural revolution" by withdrawing funding for animal sacrifices at a popular religious festival.
By Thomas Bell, South-East Asia Correspondent. Last Updated: 1:35PM BST 22 Sep 2008
Last week the finance minister, presenting the national budget, announced that a £100 allowance to buy sacrificial goats and buffalos would be withdrawn.
The animals are decapitated at the culmination of the Indra Jatra festival, when Kathmandu receives the blessing of its "living goddess" – a young girl regarded as an incarnation of the goddess Teleju.
"The Maoist government is trying to stamp out cultural and religious festivals," said Rajan Maharajan, one of the living goddess's guardians. "It's their first step towards a cultural revolution."
Young men from the conservative Newar community, which dominates central Kathmandu and reveres the living goddess, went on the rampage over the weekend, throwing bricks and clashing with police amid the city's ancient temples. The police responded with tear gas.
In an attempt to end the chaos the government agreed on Sunday to continue funding the festival, and to pay the medical bills of injured protesters. But it was too late for the conclusion of this year's Indra Jatra.
For the first time in history, Nepal's new president was due to receive the living goddess's blessing in place of the king but the ceremony had to be cancelled amid the continuing protests.
Earlier this year the country's monarchy – traditionally seen as a guardian of religious traditions – was abolished and a Maoist government installed following national elections. After a decade of civil war the world's only Hindu Kingdom became a secular republic.
3.It knows well that Tibet is occupied by China illegally, and many people who participate in independence movement is threatened. but there are very few, someone knows well about Tibet. To understand clearly about Tibet,I posted this article. This is sort of information about Tibet.
---------------
Tibet, the remote and mainly-Buddhist territory known as the "roof of the world", is governed as an autonomous region of China.
Beijing claims a centuries-old sovereignty over the Himalayan region. But the allegiances of many Tibetans lie with the exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, seen by his followers as a living god, but by China as a separatist threat.
Overview Overview Facts Leaders Media International attention was focused on the territory in 2008 during the run-up to the Beijing Olympics. Fatal clashes between anti-Chinese protesters and the authorities in Tibet were given wide publicity and the torch relay in London, Paris and San Francisco was dogged by pro-Tibet protests and stunts. KEY ISSUES
Sovereignty: The Dalai Lama says Tibet was independent and has been colonised. China says its sovereignty over Tibet goes back over centuries. What is Tibet? China considers this to be the Tibetan Autonomous Region. Dalai Lama says it should include neighbouring provinces with Tibetan populations. Repression: Dalai Lama says 1.2 million people were killed under Chinese rule. China disputes this. Culture: Dalai Lama says China actively suppressed Tibetan identity. China acknowledges some abuses but says it is helping the revival of Tibetan culture. Development: China says it has brought improvements in health and the economy. Dalai Lama says development has favoured Han Chinese immigrants. International response: No country openly disputes China's claim to sovereignty, and China has blocked all UN resolutions on Tibet. The free-Tibet movement: The Tibetan cause has won the sympathy of individuals and groups, many of whom campaign for an independent Tibet.
More on key issues Q&A: China and Tibet
Tibet has had a tumultuous history, during which it has spent some periods functioning as an independent entity and others ruled by powerful Chinese and Mongolian dynasties.
China sent in thousands of troops to enforce its claim on the region in 1950. Some areas became the Tibetan Autonomous Region and others were incorporated into neighbouring Chinese provinces.
In 1959, after a failed anti-Chinese uprising, the 14th Dalai Lama fled Tibet and set up a government in exile in India. Most of Tibet's monasteries were destroyed in the 1960s and 1970s during China's Cultural Revolution. Thousands of Tibetans are believed to have been killed during periods of repression and martial law.
Under international pressure, China eased its grip on Tibet in the 1980s, introducing "Open Door" reforms and boosting investment.
Beijing says Tibet has developed considerably under its rule. But rights groups say China continues to violate human rights, accusing Beijing of political and religious repression. Beijing denies any abuses.
Tourism and the ongoing modernisation drive stand in contrast to Tibet's former isolation. But Beijing's critics say Tibetans have little say in building their future.
China says a new railway link between Lhasa and the western Chinese province of Qinghai will boost economic expansion. The link is likely to increase the influx of Chinese migrants.
Buddhism reached Tibet in the seventh century. The Dalai Lama, or Ocean of Wisdom, is the leading spiritual figure; the Panchen Lama is the second most important figure. Both are seen as the reincarnations of their predecessors.
The selection of a Dalai Lama and a Panchen Lama has traditionally followed a strict process. But the Dalai Lama and Beijing are at odds over the 11th incarnation of the Panchen Lama, having identified different youngsters for the role. The Dalai Lama's choice, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, has not been seen since his detention by the Chinese authorities in 1995. Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, leads a government in exile
There have been intermittent and indirect contacts between China and the Dalai Lama. The exiled spiritual leader advocates a non-violent, negotiated solution to the Tibet problem and accepts the notion of real autonomy for Tibet under Chinese sovereignty. China has questioned his claims that he does not seek independence.
Tibet's economy depends largely on agriculture. Forests and grasslands occupy large parts of the country. The territory is rich in minerals, but poor transport links have limited their exploitation. Tourism is an important revenue earner.
A very down to earth* kind of guy. I'm an environmental sociologist interested in establishing material and organizational sustainability worldwide. I'm always looking for interesting materials/technologies, inspiring ideas, or institutional examples of sustainability to inspire others to recognize their choices now. To be fatalistic about an unsustainable world is a sign of a captive mind, given all our options.
*(If "earth" is defined in a planetary sense, concerning comparative historical knowledge and interest in the past 10,000 years or so anywhere...) See both blogs.
3 comments:
1. Mark Whitaker
2. Change and Continuity in Maoist-led Nepal: Maoist Nepal selects 'living goddess'
(see picture)
3. After the removal of the monarchy recently in Nepal, it seems that cultural traditions are more durable than state traditions. The 'living goddesses' of pre-pubescent girls at major Hindu/Buddhist temples are being maintained. They are appointed by the secular government now instead of previously the royal religious allied elite that has lost legitimacy and was dismantled. However, the cultural traditions are still strong. One might consider the international tourism issue and the commodification of Nepal's 'native sightsTM' as important to consider as important rationales to maintain their traditions as well.
This is only one interesting story about the wide variety in Central Asia.
------------------------
Maoist Nepal selects 'living goddess'
author: Gopal Sharma
BHAKTAPUR, Nepal - Nepal's new Maoist-led government has appointed a 6-year-old girl as a "living goddess" in the ancient city of Bhaktapur, for the first time snapping the link between the ancient ritual and the ousted monarchy.
For centuries, the head priest of the Nepali monarchy appointed the "Kumaris" in several towns in the Kathmandu valley. But with the abolition of the monarchy in May, that position has also disappeared.
Instead, officials at the state-run Trust Corporation overseeing cultural affairs appointed Shreeya Bajracharya as the new Kumari of the temple-town of Bhaktapur near Kathmandu, Deepak Bahadur Pandey, a senior official of the agency said.
"The government authorized us to appoint the Kumari and we have done that for the first time," Pandey said.
The Himalayan nation abolished the 239-year-old monarchy and became a republic in May, following elections in April that saw the country's Maoist former rebels emerge as the biggest political party in the 601-seat constituent assembly.
The Maoists now head the new government.
Shreeya was enthroned on Sunday amid prayers by Buddhist priests and will be worshipped by devout Hindus and Buddhists until reaching puberty, the girl's caretaker Nhuchhe Ratna Shakya said, adding: "She is pretty and nice."
Shreeya, in a golden costume with her eyelashes blackened by mascara, was sitting on a carved throne, a butterlamp burning by her side, when a Reuters team visited her on Monday.
Asked what she wanted to become in future, a quiet Shreeya just said: "nurse." She loves to eat biscuits and flattened rice, a common Nepali food, her aides said.
Shreeya replaces her controversial predecessor, Sajani Shakya, who retired earlier this year, after nine years in the divine role.
Sajani made international headlines in 2007 after she visited the United States to promote a film by a British company about the Kumari system.
Some religious authorities criticized the trip, saying it was against tradition. She retired at the request of her family.
Under the Kumari tradition, girls selected from Buddhist Newar families through a rigorous cultural process become the "living goddesses."
The Kumaris are a major tourist attraction and are considered by many as incarnations of the goddess Kali and are revered until they menstruate, after which they return to the family and a new one is chosen.
Nepal's Supreme Court ordered the government last month to safeguard the Kumaris human rights after complains that the practice went against the child living a normal life.
---
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2008/09/380160.shtml
1. Sukyung Kim
2. Nepal: Riots as Maoist governments cut sacrifice subsidy
3. As the articla Mark showed, Napal's cultural traditions are still stong,and Maoist government seems to encourage them. However, there might be several difficult situations like protests. Of course, even though the government decided to fund the festival again, I don't think it's a fundamental solution.
----------------
Nepal: Riots as Maoist governments cut sacrifice subsidy
Nepal's Maoist government has sparked rioting and allegations of launching a "cultural revolution" by withdrawing funding for animal sacrifices at a popular religious festival.
By Thomas Bell, South-East Asia Correspondent.
Last Updated: 1:35PM BST 22 Sep 2008
Last week the finance minister, presenting the national budget, announced that a £100 allowance to buy sacrificial goats and buffalos would be withdrawn.
The animals are decapitated at the culmination of the Indra Jatra festival, when Kathmandu receives the blessing of its "living goddess" – a young girl regarded as an incarnation of the goddess Teleju.
"The Maoist government is trying to stamp out cultural and religious festivals," said Rajan Maharajan, one of the living goddess's guardians. "It's their first step towards a cultural revolution."
Young men from the conservative Newar community, which dominates central Kathmandu and reveres the living goddess, went on the rampage over the weekend, throwing bricks and clashing with police amid the city's ancient temples. The police responded with tear gas.
In an attempt to end the chaos the government agreed on Sunday to continue funding the festival, and to pay the medical bills of injured protesters. But it was too late for the conclusion of this year's Indra Jatra.
For the first time in history, Nepal's new president was due to receive the living goddess's blessing in place of the king but the ceremony had to be cancelled amid the continuing protests.
Earlier this year the country's monarchy – traditionally seen as a guardian of religious traditions – was abolished and a Maoist government installed following national elections. After a decade of civil war the world's only Hindu Kingdom became a secular republic.
---
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/nepal/3049047/Nepal-Riots-as-Maoist-governments-cut-sacrifice-subsidy.html
1.Park so jung
2.Regions and territories: Tibet
3.It knows well that Tibet is occupied by China illegally, and many people who participate in independence movement is threatened.
but there are very few, someone knows well about Tibet.
To understand clearly about Tibet,I posted this article.
This is sort of information about Tibet.
---------------
Tibet, the remote and mainly-Buddhist territory known as the "roof of the world", is governed as an autonomous region of China.
Beijing claims a centuries-old sovereignty over the Himalayan region. But the allegiances of many Tibetans lie with the exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, seen by his followers as a living god, but by China as a separatist threat.
Overview
Overview Facts Leaders Media
International attention was focused on the territory in 2008 during the run-up to the Beijing Olympics. Fatal clashes between anti-Chinese protesters and the authorities in Tibet were given wide publicity and the torch relay in London, Paris and San Francisco was dogged by pro-Tibet protests and stunts. KEY ISSUES
Sovereignty: The Dalai Lama says Tibet was independent and has been colonised. China says its sovereignty over Tibet goes back over centuries.
What is Tibet? China considers this to be the Tibetan Autonomous Region. Dalai Lama says it should include neighbouring provinces with Tibetan populations.
Repression: Dalai Lama says 1.2 million people were killed under Chinese rule. China disputes this.
Culture: Dalai Lama says China actively suppressed Tibetan identity. China acknowledges some abuses but says it is helping the revival of Tibetan culture.
Development: China says it has brought improvements in health and the economy. Dalai Lama says development has favoured Han Chinese immigrants.
International response: No country openly disputes China's claim to sovereignty, and China has blocked all UN resolutions on Tibet.
The free-Tibet movement: The Tibetan cause has won the sympathy of individuals and groups, many of whom campaign for an independent Tibet.
More on key issues
Q&A: China and Tibet
Tibet has had a tumultuous history, during which it has spent some periods functioning as an independent entity and others ruled by powerful Chinese and Mongolian dynasties.
China sent in thousands of troops to enforce its claim on the region in 1950. Some areas became the Tibetan Autonomous Region and others were incorporated into neighbouring Chinese provinces.
In 1959, after a failed anti-Chinese uprising, the 14th Dalai Lama fled Tibet and set up a government in exile in India. Most of Tibet's monasteries were destroyed in the 1960s and 1970s during China's Cultural Revolution. Thousands of Tibetans are believed to have been killed during periods of repression and martial law.
Under international pressure, China eased its grip on Tibet in the 1980s, introducing "Open Door" reforms and boosting investment.
Beijing says Tibet has developed considerably under its rule. But rights groups say China continues to violate human rights, accusing Beijing of political and religious repression. Beijing denies any abuses.
Tourism and the ongoing modernisation drive stand in contrast to Tibet's former isolation. But Beijing's critics say Tibetans have little say in building their future.
China says a new railway link between Lhasa and the western Chinese province of Qinghai will boost economic expansion. The link is likely to increase the influx of Chinese migrants.
Buddhism reached Tibet in the seventh century. The Dalai Lama, or Ocean of Wisdom, is the leading spiritual figure; the Panchen Lama is the second most important figure. Both are seen as the reincarnations of their predecessors.
The selection of a Dalai Lama and a Panchen Lama has traditionally followed a strict process. But the Dalai Lama and Beijing are at odds over the 11th incarnation of the Panchen Lama, having identified different youngsters for the role. The Dalai Lama's choice, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, has not been seen since his detention by the Chinese authorities in 1995.
Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, leads a government in exile
There have been intermittent and indirect contacts between China and the Dalai Lama. The exiled spiritual leader advocates a non-violent, negotiated solution to the Tibet problem and accepts the notion of real autonomy for Tibet under Chinese sovereignty. China has questioned his claims that he does not seek independence.
Tibet's economy depends largely on agriculture. Forests and grasslands occupy large parts of the country. The territory is rich in minerals, but poor transport links have limited their exploitation. Tourism is an important revenue earner.
--------
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profiles/4152353.stm
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