Nepal to nominate intangible cultures in UNESCO

BISHNU PRASAD ARYAL

KATHMANDU: The government is preparing to nominate indigenous intangible cultures to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site. To date, Nepal has 10 heritage sites, including two natural locations, enlisted in the World Heritage Site.

“We will nominate at least two intangible cultures of Nepal in UNESCO within the current fiscal year,” said the government officials, adding that they are listing and selecting intangible cultures practised across the country at present. There are 125 different groups and ethnic communities with some 120 languages across the country, according to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. They have their own unique tradition and culture, including living intangible cultures.

Til Bikram Nembang, chancellor of Nepal Academy, expressed concern about disappearing living intangible cultures.

“At a time when tangible heritage sites such as Bagmati are at a sorry state, intangible cultures are on the verge of extinction due to rapid urbanisation and modern lifestyle,” he said.

“While cultures must be a part of life, they are only confined as the stage property today.”

The government has already formulated a national cultural policy in line with the UNESCO Convention to preserve and promote the cultures of Nepal.

According to the ministry, the proposed guideline includes standards and policies of intangible cultural heritages and their preservation as per the UNESCO provisions.

In 2010, the government had ratified the UN Convention designed to safeguard intangible cultural heritage, such as folklore, oral traditions, social rituals and performing arts, the ministry informed.

“However, nothing much has been accomplished to safeguard the unique living cultures and traditions of Nepal,” said Sushil Kumar Pandey, deputy secretary-general of Nepal National Commission for UNESCO.

“The living cultures must be preserved for our own identity and integration of society,” he added.

By ratifying the UN Convention, Nepal has committed at the international level to safeguarding the rich and diverse living heritage of the country.

Nepal is the 125th State Party to the UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003).

The main purposes of the convention, which UNESCO Member States adopted in 2003, are to safeguard intangible cultural heritage, to ensure respect for it, to raise awareness on its importance, and to provide international cooperation and assistance in those fields.

Signatory governments recognise that cultural heritage is not limited to material manifestations, such as monuments and objects, but must be extended to the traditions and living expressions inherited from ancestors. Sushil Ghimire, secretary at the ministry, said the government alone cannot preserve the culture and living heritage of the country.

“The local communities should also come forward before it’s too late,” he said adding that it will be impossible to revive the lost intangible cultures even if we develop physical infrastructure.

Signing the convention binds the governments to acknowledge their roles in international cooperation and responsibilities towards implementing the provisions of the convention through adoption of necessary legislative, regulatory and other appropriate measures, the ministry said.

The ministry is preparing the final draft for the formation of Intangible Culture Heritage Council through a Cabinet decision.

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Culture of vanity mars bid to preserve culture

18-month-old body formed to protect cultural heritage of the country goes defunct

BISHNU PRASAD ARYAL

KATHMANDU: An 18-month-old body formed with a view to working to preserve intangible cultural heritage has gone defunct, without delivering on its pledge, in what could reflect the culture of non-performance that has seeped into majority of government organisations.

“The body is defunct, and its targeted objectives are in a state of limbo,” said officials at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, the line ministry that is responsible for preserving country’s cultural heritage. According to officials, the body failed to perform after it ran into controversy over vaguely defined roles. “The body was formed illegally — by then culture minister, not by the Cabinet — clearly against the rules that are enshrined in the policy,” said the officials.

Intangible Heritage Cultural Council in line with the

UNESCO Convention in a bid to preserve and promote the cultures and cultural heritage of Nepal.

“However, no significant activity has been carried out so far,” said Bharat Mani Subedi, Joint Secretary, MoCTCA. “We are formulating a new regulation — or a guideline — to set up an ‘eligible’ cultural body. We hope to complete it by the end of current fiscal year. It will then be sent to the Cabinet for approval and accordingly a new council will be formed.”

The government is yet to do any tangible work to safeguard intangible cultural heritage of the country, even though Nepal, which boasts diverse culture and heritage, is a signatory to the UNESCO Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage. There are about 90 ethnic communities with about 120 languages and different living traditions.

The government in 2010 ratified the UN Convention designed to safeguard intangible cultural heritage, such as folklore, oral traditions, social rituals and performing arts, according to MoCTCA. The nine-member IHCC is chaired by the culture minister.

The committee was given authority to carry out different activities on folklore, festivals, fairs, customs, traditional crafts, performing arts and cultural practices.

The committee had plans to prepare inventory of intangible cultural heritage of the Kathmandu Valley by the end of the last fiscal year and was to work in districts in the following fiscal years. But nothing significant has been achieved so far. The officials admitted that the past commitments were not translated into action by exploiting culture, the skeleton of booming tourism industry of the country.

By ratifying the UN Convention, Nepal committed itself at the international level to safeguarding the rich and diverse living heritage of the country. Nepal is the 125th State Party to the UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003).

The main purposes of the convention, which was adopted by UNESCO Member States in 2003, are to safeguard intangible cultural heritage, to ensure respect for it, to raise awareness on its importance and of mutual appreciation, and to provide international cooperation and assistance in those fields. Ratifying governments recognise that cultural heritage is not limited to material manifestations, such as monuments and objects, but must be extended to the traditions and living expressions inherited from ancestors.

Signing the convention binds the member states to acknowledge their roles in

international cooperation

and responsibilities towards implementing the provisions of the convention through adoption of necessary legislative, regulatory and other appropriate measures, according to MoCTCA.

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PADT demands review of 99-year land lease

BISHNU PRASAD ARYAL
KATHMANDU: The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) has demanded review of the lease contract of its 1,162 ropanis (61.15 hectares) of land with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.

The PADT and CAAN signed the contract on January 7, 1983 for 99 years, according to the PADT documents. The CAAN agreed to pay 23 pathis (one pathi=3.2 kg) of paddy per ropani of land to the PADT each year. Interestingly, both the PADT and the CAAN are autonomous government bodies under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA). CAAN has dealt the PADT land with third parties on contracts, earning millions of rupees, said the PADT officials. “The CAAN has given our land to a golf club and private companies. However, we are paid very low compared to the present value,” they said. CAAN has used PADT land for domestic and international terminals of Tribhuvan International Airport, which occupies 3,020 hectares. Of the total airport area, 61.15 hectares is PADT’s.

Narottam Baidya, PADT treasurer, said PADT Council has recently decided to forward the procedure to review the contract. Joint-secretary Bharat Mani Subedi, chief of the Culture and Heritage Division at the MoCTCA, also said that the issue of reviewing the contract has been raised seriously. A meeting chaired by Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Ram Kumar Shrestha and held on May 28 discussed the issue of reviewing the contract. Minister Shrestha is chairman of both the PADT and CAAN as a sitting minister.

Baidya said Minister Shrestha was interested in reviewing the deal. “We will forward the decision to the MoCTCA asking to review it after a decision is minuted.”

Tilganga pays nothing
KATHMANDU: Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology has not paid anything to PADT for about two decades despite an agreement to pay 20 per cent of the hospital income, according to PADT. A lease contract on five ropanis of land between PADT and Tilganga Eye Care Hospital was signed on September 21, 1992, with the hospital agreeing to pay 20 per cent of its profit to PADT. The hospital has used five ropanis of land on lease for 20 years. “We have not got a penny from the hospital in about two decades,” said PADT treasurer Narottam Baidya. Dr Sanduk Ruit, executive director of the Tilganga Institute, said, “We are incurring losses and thus unable to pay the agreed amount.”

Baidya said the Office of Auditor General (OAG) questions about the deal every year. “It has asked us to review the contract rationally,” he claimed. “The OAG has also questioned about arrears of land given on contract to the Tilganga Institute of Opthalmology,” he added. “We want to help both of the institutions, but the contracts should be based on a win-win situation.”

Joint-secretary Suresh Acharya, chief of Aviation Industry Management Division at MoCTCA, said he has no idea about the deal. “If the PADT forwards e documents to the ministry, we will look into it.” “Then, we will forward files to the CAAN for further action. The PADT and the CAAN are the ones that should seal the final deal,” he added.

The 99-year deal was signed during the period of main priest Padam Naabh Shastry of the Pashupatinath Temple and Shiva Sharan Rajbhandari, chief of Pashupati Area Reformation and Development Committee.

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Pashupati heritage pressed to donate land to NGOs

Culture Minister recommends PADT to distribute its land to NGOs


PADT officials object the proposal and decide to get approval from its committee

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, May 29

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Ram Kumar Shrestha has recommended the Pashupati Area Development Trust to provide the land of heritage site to the NGOs.

According to the PADT sources, Minister Shrestha recommended the PADT in written to provide about three ropanies of land to the private organisations. A meeting of the PADT Council chaired by Minister Shrestha was held yesterday to discuss on the issues.

Gajendra Narayan Singh Memorial Academy chaired by former minister Anil Kumar Jha and Bal Sarathi chaired by social worker Mala Kharel asked Minister Shrestha to provide two ropanies of land owned by the PADT at Gothatar of Kathmandu and nearly one ropani of the PADT land at Tilganga respectively.

The issues were tabled yesterday at the PADT council meeting held first time at the PADT premises after Minister Shrestha was appointed. Minister Shrestha was appointed in the cabinet in the recommendation of Pulshpa Kamal Dahal-led Maoist Party.

"However, the proposal was rejected in the meeting terming it as illegal," said the PADT officials. "We proposed to forward such proposals through the regular meeting of the PADT executive committee," they said.

Minister Shrestha might have personally recommended the PADT to provide its property to the NGOs, said the officials at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. "We are officially unknown about it," said Jaya Ram Shrestha, chief of Culture and Heritage Section at the ministry.
Sushil Nahata, member-secretary at the PADT said that seven agendas were discussed on the PADT council. "However, they are yet to be approved," he said. "The state property cannot be given to any private organisation."

According to the PADT, the agendas discussed during the meeting are land issues recommended by Culture Minister, making Bagmati pollution free river, contract review of PADT land leased to then Hawai Sewa Bibhag (presently Civil Aviation Authority), providing a piece of land site to Madan Bhatta whose land was pooled during the PADT Master Plan, waiving interest and cost of land given to poors in place of pooled land and widening road at the PADT area.

Gargi Gurukul Pratisthan, chaired by Prof Angur Baba Joshi, also proposed to provide 25 ropanies of the PADT land at Gothatar of Kathmandu on lease. Pratisthan serves educating girls and women on Sanskrit and Hindu culture. "We decided to provide a building to the organisation at Gaurighat to run a school until it makes its own building," said Narottam Vaidya, treasurer at the PADT.

Vaidya further said that the PADT has also decided to amend PADT regulation regarding gratuity for retired caretakers, manage directives for priests and caretakers of the Pashupatinath Temple and effective management of auditing accounts.

The pagoda style Pashupatinath Temple, which is believed to be more than 2,500 years old, is enlisted in the UNECSO World Heritage Site.

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UNESCO objects to Dahal's Lumbini plan

BISHNU PRASAD ARYAL
KATHMANDU, March 17: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), has objected to the plan to erect the biggest Buddha statue inside the Lumbini Master Plan containing major components of New Lumbini Village, Cultural Centre/Monastic Zone and the Sacred Garden.

The government had formed Lumbini Development National Directive Committee under Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal to develop Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha. Dahal has been advocating development of Lumbini as per the plans of a Chinese company.

Beijing Zhongtai Jinghua Investment Co (BZZH Inc), has plans to develop five big projects including a five-star hotel on the land of Lumbini Development Trust (LDT). Dahal is one of co-chairs of Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation that forwarded documents in the name of BZZH Inc to Nepal Government with a plan worth billions to develop Lumbini into a Buddhist ‘Mecca’.

According to the Ministry of Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture (MoFACAPAC), the five projects include the world’s biggest 80-metre high Buddha statue, archaeological landscape garden, a five star hotel with 120 guest rooms, Buddha museum and research centre and electric transportation and boating canal on the land under the Lumbini Master Plan. However, the master plan does not allow building hotel in the area.

“UNESCO has also strongly objected to erecting the statue and hotel inside the master plan area,” said undersecretary Rishi Kesh Niraula, chief of the cultural section at MoFACAPAC. “In the many rounds of talks, UNECSO rejected the plan every time. As a result, the process has halted,” he said.

The United Nations Development Programme contributed nearly one million dollars to prepare a Master Plan for development of Lumbini.

The plan, designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange and completed in 1978, aims to develop about 7.7 square km as Lumbini Garden with an additional area of 64.5 km to be developed in its support.

“The government had approved the plan in principle,” said MoFACAPAC officials. “However, the Cabinet is yet to approve the plans of the Chinese company, which go against the spirit of the Master Plan.” UNESCO can enlist Lumbini in the endangered list if the plan is approved.”

MoFACAPAC documents show the proposal was submitted to Culture Minister Dr Minendra Rijal in 2009. The cabinet then granted permission on October 23, 2009 to move ahead with the project. MoFACAPAC issued a letter of intention on November 7, 2009 regarding the BZZH proposal and decided on November 17 to allow the process.

According to a BZZH letter, the concept, design, report, cost estimate and work plan was submitted on March 16, 2010. All of these projects— archaeological landscape garden, Buddha Museum and research Centre, electric transportation and boating canal were proposed for development on the LDT premises.

The LDT finalised the deal on April 20, 2010, allowing BZZH to use its land for the projects.

Japan, China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand among other countries have constructed monasteries in the LDT land. However, hotels have been built on private lands. The LDT and Hekke Club of Japan agreed in 1986 to open a hotel on LDT premises but did not build it.

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Waste from Everest being taken to Kathmandu

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Namche (Solukhumbu), May 30
About five metric tonnes of waste dumped in the Everest region will be brought to Kathmandu within a few days..

In the initiation of Everest Summiteers Association (ESA), the government of Nepal, Eco Himal, Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee were involved in the collection of the waste from April 17 to May 27. The government provided Rs 7.5 million, Carlsberg Beer Rs 2 million, NMA Rs 2 Million, Laxmi Bank Rs 500,000 and donors from Sweden US$ 110,000 for the Saving Everest Campaign attempted from 2008 by ESA.

A total of 29 mountaineers were involved in collecting waste from base-camp to 8,700m of Everest more than a month.

They collected 8.1 metric tonnes of waste dumped in the Everest region since 1953 at Namche where 3.2 metric tonnes of waste, specially plastics and papers will be disposed within month at Namche and rest of the amount including oxygen cylinder, helicopter debris, metals, cans and bottles will be send to Kathmandu.

Wongchu Sherpa, president of the ESA, said that 4.9 metric tonnes of waste would be brought to Kathmandu by air by tomorrow. “We will suggest to keep some of the materials in museums and others will be handed to the government,” he said.

Sherpa further said that the campaign was initiated after the foreigners asked me garbage dumped in Everest dirty persons who dumped the waste at Everest. "Then we started campaigning to clean Everest targeting to collect at least 8 tonnes of garbage dumped in the highest peak of the world," he said.

"We will continue to clean the region next year too," he said. "Cleaning once is not enough but the government should make policy to discourage abandoning waste on the Himalaya," he said.

Carrying about 150kgs of materials each person, about 35,000 foreign visitors accompanying some 80,000 porters and helpers trek to the Everest every year, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA).

Pasang Sherpa, mountaineer involved in collecting waste, said that they had to work up to minus 40 degree Celsius amidst challenges of death threats. "We had to spend 18 hours at a camp of about seven hours at the high altitude," he said. "We slept only two hours few nights on the high snow during the campaign."
However, the government was indifferent to clean the waste for about six decades, Wongchu blamed. “It failed to address the issue taking legal action,” he added.

Murari Bahadur Karki, joint secretary at the MoTCA, said that there was law of confiscating desposit of US$ 4,000 to trek on Everest if they throw waste on the Himalaya. "However, it is yet to be implemented fully," he said. "Both private and government should work jointly to get success," he said.

Karki also said that there was a need of cleaning other Himalayan peaks of the country.
About 2,000 metric tonnes of waste has been dumped in the Himalayan peaks and some 80 metric tonnes of waste at Everest region since 1953.

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Rare and old coins sold away against laws

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, June 19

Although a coin or currency more than 100 years older is prohibited by law to sell abroad, the historically and culturally important old and rare coins of Nepal are being taken to other countries without interruption.

Numismatics is a hobby of collection of coin or note of any country. A coin or currency is archaeological, historical and cultural asset, which is used to carry out a research or study on culture, history, politics, society and anthropology of antiquity.

According to the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act 1956, any coin or denomination older than 100 years is restricted to send away from the country or move from one place to another. Clause 13, Sub-clause (1) of the Act clearly mentions that a prior permission from the Department of Archaeology must be taken before moving such monuments, archaeological objects and curios abroad or inside the country. However, there is no such practice.

“A bulk of such entities is being taken away from the country without any obstacles,” said Jal Krishna Shrestha, joint-secretary at the Ministry of Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture (MoFACAPAC).

Old coins of Lichhavi, Malla and Shah period, other belonging to even 300-200 BC, are available in Nepal. The DoA purchases or collects the older and rare coins to enhance the national museum. Among others, a very rare coin belonging to unifier of Nepal Prithvi Narayan Shah has been decorated in British Museum, London, said Shrestha, who is spokesperson for MoFACAPAC and also a collector.

The coins, archaeological sources, are generally sold ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 600,000 per piece. They are made of gold, silver and copper. Old and rare Nepalese coins issued by Man Dev, Trailokya Bikram, Prithvi Narayan Shah, Pratap Singh and Rana Bahadur Shah among others are sold on higher prices. If a foreign collector wants to have it, one may pay more than the aforementioned amount.

Ghana Shyam Rajkarnikar, a collector of coins dating from Man Dev to present period and president of Nepal Numismatic Society, said that people use the coins issued by Prithvi Narayan Shah and Chakra Bratendra Malla as medicines during the delivery problems. “Coins are also used as ornaments in the festivals and special occasions,” he said.

The coins are smaller in shape and easy to carry. “If a person keeps it in a pocket or anywhere, it will go unnoticed and will be easily taken away,” said Shrestha. “This is the reason behind smuggling of archaeological entities,” he added.

There are about a dozen of local collectors including Bhupendra Narayan Shrestha, who owns coins worth about Rs 10 million, in the country. They also sell the coins when they are in need of money, said Shrestha.

A person who trades monuments or illegally carries is fined from Rs 10,000 to Rs 100,000 and six months to three years jail term separately or both, according to laws. SSP Rana Bahadur Chand, chief at the Department of Crime Investigation, said that there was no record of coin cases. “If we are informed, we will take action as per the law,” he added.

During British queen Elizabeth’s Nepal visit in 1956, she asked about coins of Nepal. Four years after her visit, DoA initiated to establish museum in the country but it is yet to manage well. However, there is not a specific data of coins available. “Before the time of then king Mahendra, who died in early 1970s, there was no cataloguing system of coin issuances,” said Rajkarnikar.

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Swami Ram Dev Yoga Camp in Kathmandu

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, March 27

Yoga Science Camp is being held from March 27 to April 1 at Tundikhel of Kathmandu in Nepal. Yoga Guru Swami Ram Dev and Ayurved Acharya Balkrishna from India are teaching yoga about 40,000 people in the camp, which is operated 5 AM to 8 AM.

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Not all sages are holy but some more unholy too

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, March 13

Not all sages are holy but some are involved in unholy and criminal activities. Some sages or other persons in guise of sages, who come to shelter in Pashupati vicinity, are reported to be involved in smuggling arms and narcotics.

According to the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), some sages sheltering illegally in Ram Mandir at Pashupatinath are also reported to be involved in weapons and narcotics smuggling. There are about five dozens of sages and sadhus hailing from Nepal and India often live in Ram Mandir. "We are scrutinising the matter in cooperation with the Department of Crime Investigation that informed us about the arms and drugs smuggling by the sages," said Sushil Nahata, member secretary at the PADT.

Sources at PADT, which is enlisted in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, informed that it aimed to vacate fake sages from the Ram Mandir area before February 12, citing suspicion of involvement in arms and drugs smuggling. "PADT has warned us to remove from the area by mid-April," said Lal Baba, 83, who has been regularly living at Ram Mandir for last 26 years. "We are troubled due to the suspicious activities in guise of sages," he said. "However, I will not go away."

Lal Baba said that the smuggling of narcotics from the area including Tilganga was rampant. "Even the school and college students come to buy those intoxicating drugs," he said. "The smuggling of weapons also cannot be denied as many people in guise of sages come and go frequently," he said. "Only about a half dozen of sages stay inside the temple premises, rest of them frequently go away."

Baba complained the PADT and other government mechanism were unable to identify who is guilty or not. The criminals can disguise to earn money safely, he revealed.

The new sages should register their names to PADT, however, they all don't abide by the rules, according to PADT. The PADT lacks orderly registration system at Ram Mandir besides its office time. PADT permits them to shelter in the temple upto five days.

"We have recently requested the District Administration Office to remove illegally settling sages and persons from the area," said Bhola Prasad Sitaula, director at PADT. "We are not against the true sages who are not involved in illicit activities. They will be allowed to stay here."

The attempts of authorities to quell illegal and criminal activities in the past could not be successful owing to the lack of effective governance and willpower of political parties.

The crimes in the society are alarmingly increasing making commoners' life vulnerable, said Shiva Sharan Rajbhandari, local and storekeeper at the Pashupatinath temple. "It will be hard to subjugate illegal activities unless the efficiency and performance of the government and police are professionalised," he said.

SSP Rana Bahadur Chand, chief at the Department of Crime Investigation, said that they have assigned a team to watch the activities in the area. "They will face at least 12 years of jail term under the Arms and Ammunition Act and Narcotics and Drugs (Control) Act if they are caught," Chand said, urging all to cooperate with police to punish the criminals.

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Glimpses of Hanumandhoka Durbar Square in Ktm

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu: Feb 27

The artistic views at the Hanumandhoka Durbar Square in Kathmandu, which is enlisted under the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of 10 UNESCO heritage sites in Nepal.

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Moments at Pashupatinath during Mahashivaratri

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu: Pashupatinath Temple falls under the World Heritage Site enlisted by the UNESCO. There are eight cultural world heritage sites and two natural heritage sites in Nepal.

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5.5 lakh throng Pashupatinath for Mahashivaratri

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, February 12

Number of visitors and devotees at Pashupatinath Temple on the Mahashivaratri went higher by nearly 40 per cent than in the previous years following well management and tight security situation along with increased facilities. Despite rain for about three hours in the afternoon and a few burglaries, devotees thronged the Pashupatinath with their faith in sanatan Hindu religion.

According to the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), more than 550,000 visitors paid homage to the temple. However, number of sages, sadhus and visitors from India decreased this year because of the Kumbha Fair coinciding with other big fairs in India, said Sushil Nahata, member secretary of the PADT.

In the previous years, only one door of the temple was used to be open for worshiping. But this time, all the four doors were open for visitors. Another privilege of paying ticket of Rs 1,000, which was first time delivered, additionally attracted the visitors. About 2,000 tickets were sold this time, said Rajendra Dhar, coordinator of the media centre that was set up first time.

PREZ, EX-KING VISIT the TEMPLE 

KATHMANDU: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav paid homage to Lord Pashupatinath today on the auspicious occasion of the Mahashivaratri. President Yadav arrived at 5:25 PM and returned at 5:37 PM after worshipping at the temple. Dr Yadav said that he wished successful conclusion and timely statute writing. “It is the need of time to write constitution in time and conclude peace process successfully,” he said on the occasion of Mahashivaratri.  

Following President’s visit, former king Gyanendra Shah visited temple at about quarter past 7:00 PM and worshiped as usual. Shah stayed at the temple for about half an hour to complete the rituals of worshiping. Speaking briefly with media, Shah wished peace and progress of the nation. “We worshipped wishing peace and prosperity of the country,” he added.

Ordinary people were blocked for visiting temple during both of President’s and Shah’s visits. --

Devotee Suyasana Shrestha, who came from New Road with her family members, was happy with ticketing system and cooperation from the volunteers in the area. “We experienced easier moments avoiding long rows after we got the privilege of paying tickets,” she said.

Other visitors expressed qualms over the serpent-like rows to reach temple. “I am following row for about four hours to enter the south gate of the temple,” said Gita Karki from Bhaisepati in Lalitpur. “However, it was better than the previous years,” she added.

However, PADT, which offered Prasad for every visitors first time, officials claimed that it did not took more than two hours in reaching to the temple. Another local visitor Ambika Bhatta from around the temple area criticised the paying system to worship god.

Although having hashish and opium strictly restricted in the area for ordinary people, a bulk of youths were seen puffing hashish along with sadhus and sages, who are permitted to have as Prasad of Shiva. An Assistant Sub-Inspector on duty at Mrigasthali said it was impossible to control it without the government’s will.

EGO CLASH BETWEEN POLICE & SCOUT
KATHMANDU: A tense environment was created at Pashupatinath Temple after volunteers of Nepal Scout and officials of Nepal Police misunderstood each other with the ego clashes. Nepal Scout volunteers blamed DIG Binod Singh of Traffic Police misbehaving the volunteers while entering to the temple. “DIG Singh was entering the temple with his family members, violating the rules set by police themselves. When we asked his family members to show official IDs, they demeaned us by asking our status,” said Scout Master Ranjan Lal Shrestha. “We were asked—What is your status to ask our IDs,” he claimed. When DIG family was en route to out, slogans were chanted against DIG. It was widely reported that Scout volunteers were also misbehaving the visitors enquiring them more than necessary. --

PADT and volunteering organisations managed food, accommodations and refreshment services to the needy visitors from different places. Health workers and camps provided the free services and medicine to the people who fell ill during standing on row. About 200 people including two serious cases were treated yesterday and today.

Dr Minendra Rijal, Minister of Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture, said that the programme was successful. “Everything including security services were well managed this year,” said Rijal, who is chairman of PADT.

Mahashivaratri Festival 2010 was jointly organised by PADT, Indian Embassy and Nepal Manv Sewa Dharma Samiti. The festival is being observed from February 11-13.

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5.5 lakh throng Pashupatinath for Mahashivaratri

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, February 12

Number of visitors and devotees at Pashupatinath Temple on the Mahashivaratri went higher by nearly 40 per cent than in the previous years following well management and tight security situation along with increased facilities. Despite rain for about three hours in the afternoon and a few burglaries, devotees thronged the Pashupatinath with their faith in sanatan Hindu religion.

According to the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), more than 550,000 visitors paid homage to the temple. However, number of sages, sadhus and visitors from India decreased this year because of the Kumbha Fair coinciding with other big fairs in India, said Sushil Nahata, member secretary of the PADT.

In the previous years, only one door of the temple was used to be open for worshiping. But this time, all the four doors were open for visitors. Another privilege of paying ticket of Rs 1,000, which was first time delivered, additionally attracted the visitors. About 2,000 tickets were sold this time, said Rajendra Dhar, coordinator of the media centre that was set up first time.

PREZ, EX-KING VISIT the TEMPLE 

KATHMANDU: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav paid homage to Lord Pashupatinath today on the auspicious occasion of the Mahashivaratri. President Yadav arrived at 5:25 PM and returned at 5:37 PM after worshipping at the temple. Dr Yadav said that he wished successful conclusion and timely statute writing. “It is the need of time to write constitution in time and conclude peace process successfully,” he said on the occasion of Mahashivaratri.  

Following President’s visit, former king Gyanendra Shah visited temple at about quarter past 7:00 PM and worshiped as usual. Shah stayed at the temple for about half an hour to complete the rituals of worshiping. Speaking briefly with media, Shah wished peace and progress of the nation. “We worshipped wishing peace and prosperity of the country,” he added.

Ordinary people were blocked for visiting temple during both of President’s and Shah’s visits. --

Devotee Suyasana Shrestha, who came from New Road with her family members, was happy with ticketing system and cooperation from the volunteers in the area. “We experienced easier moments avoiding long rows after we got the privilege of paying tickets,” she said.

Other visitors expressed qualms over the serpent-like rows to reach temple. “I am following row for about four hours to enter the south gate of the temple,” said Gita Karki from Bhaisepati in Lalitpur. “However, it was better than the previous years,” she added.

However, PADT, which offered Prasad for every visitors first time, officials claimed that it did not took more than two hours in reaching to the temple. Another local visitor Ambika Bhatta from around the temple area criticised the paying system to worship god.

Although having hashish and opium strictly restricted in the area for ordinary people, a bulk of youths were seen puffing hashish along with sadhus and sages, who are permitted to have as Prasad of Shiva. An Assistant Sub-Inspector on duty at Mrigasthali said it was impossible to control it without the government’s will.

EGO CLASH BETWEEN POLICE & SCOUT
KATHMANDU: A tense environment was created at Pashupatinath Temple after volunteers of Nepal Scout and officials of Nepal Police misunderstood each other with the ego clashes. Nepal Scout volunteers blamed DIG Binod Singh of Traffic Police misbehaving the volunteers while entering to the temple. “DIG Singh was entering the temple with his family members, violating the rules set by police themselves. When we asked his family members to show official IDs, they demeaned us by asking our status,” said Scout Master Ranjan Lal Shrestha. “We were asked—What is your status to ask our IDs,” he claimed. When DIG family was en route to out, slogans were chanted against DIG. It was widely reported that Scout volunteers were also misbehaving the visitors enquiring them more than necessary. --

PADT and volunteering organisations managed food, accommodations and refreshment services to the needy visitors from different places. Health workers and camps provided the free services and medicine to the people who fell ill during standing on row. About 200 people including two serious cases were treated yesterday and today.

Dr Minendra Rijal, Minister of Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture, said that the programme was successful. “Everything including security services were well managed this year,” said Rijal, who is chairman of PADT.

Mahashivaratri Festival 2010 was jointly organised by PADT, Indian Embassy and Nepal Manv Sewa Dharma Samiti. The festival is being observed from February 11-13.

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Sages smeared in hues throng for Mahahivaratri

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, January 29

They emerge in all hues, appearances and semblance around Pashupatinath. Their rugged appearances, matted hair, and smeared body with ash resemble the perfect disciple of Lord Shiva. There will be droves of them at Pashupati during Mahashivaratri, the night of Lord Shiva on February 12, exhibiting strange and bizarre conduct and behaviour.

These people have renounced all the worldly pleasures and comforts and want to find solace by praying Lord Shiva and experience sartori in hemp and marijuana, and making wild merriment replicating the Dynossiac culture of medieval Greece. Drug addicts also throng the shrine to have intoxicated in on the very occasion.

Sushil Nahata, member-secretary of the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), said the sages have started arriving, earlier than a week than previous years. “This year will be different from past years in every thing. Mysterious great sadhus like Chandra Swami will also be here”
They are treated as guests and housed and fed for free. Elaborate preparations are being made to cater to thousands of their tribe who will be visiting the Pashupatinath Temple for the festival, making the pilgrims feel homely and facilitate them whatever they need.

“Accommodations for the yogis and the beggars will be separately arranged,” said Bhola Prasad Sitaula, director of PADT.

Sadhus are welcome lots. But there will be beggars as uninvited guests. Hundreds of beggars have already arrived - some of them in unimaginably wretched state. They are found all over the Pashupati area with hopes for generosity from the devotees who come there.

Nahata said that the beggars always outnumber the Sadhus. “Still by treating them as pilgrims we will do whatever we can,” he said.

The sages and the beggars will be settled separately, and that will be managed by the PADT and other organisations from the private sectors. All the necessary security facilities will be provided to the visitors. For that, security posts and camps will be set up mobilising the police and the army to control possible mobs in the adjoining areas of Pashupatinath Temple.

Number of devotees is increasing every year. At least half a million pilgrims and other visitors are expected for Shivaratri this year – 25 per cent more than last year. It is estimated that the number of sages alone will exceed 5,000 this year coinciding with Kumbha Mela in Kavre, Hridwar and Kuruchhetra, said Raj Babu Pandey, chief of the Pashupati Guthi. More than 150 sages and yogis have already arrived from India. The Naga Babas (naked sages), one of the attractions of Shivaratri, will come soon.

The accommodation facilities will be provided free to all the sages and beggars during the celebration. When they leave, they are bid farewell with rudrakshya, clothes, sweet and cash ranging from Rs 350 to Rs. 1,100.

The Sadhus are provided with logs for bonfire during the cold February nights and marijuana as a 'prasad' of Lord Shiva while they remain here. “However, we are facing difficulty in getting logs. While we need some 60,000 logs, we have only 15,000 pieces,” Pandey said.

Twelve different subcommittees have been formed aiming to make the festival successful and different than the previous years.

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Dilapidated temple of Manakamana being rebuilt

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, January 19

The widely famous temple of goddess Manakamana, which is on verge of collapse, is being utterly renovated. The centuries old temple will be dismantled and restructured preserving the originality based on historical and cultural values.

Located at Manakamana VDC in Gorkha district, the temple of Manakamana Bhagawati, a very popular Hindu pilgrimage of the country where some 7,000 devotees visit shrine daily, is believed to have the power to fulfill wishes. The temple has bent six inches down to south, shaken by quakes in 1934 and 1988.

Dr Minendra Rijal, Minister for Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture, said the ministry had initiated the process of renovation from today. "The renovation of the temple will start within the current fiscal year as soon as possible," he said exclusively.

KATHMANDU: A meeting held between the representatives and officials from the MoFACAPAC and Manakamana Temple reached to a conclusion to form different committees for renovation of Manakamana Temple. They proposed an Advisory Board headed by Minister, a Steering Committee coordinated by secretary and a Working Committee led by MADC. "There will be four committees under the working committee namely Financial Management Committee, Technical Committee, Worshipping and Security Management Committee, and Public Relation Committee," secretary Mod Raj Dotel floated concept. Another round of discussion will be held at Manakamana in Gorkha on January 27. --

A delegation including priest of temple, chairman of the Manakamana Area Development Committee, CDO and local development officer from Gorkha district met today with Minister Rijal, who assured to carry out renovation project sooner. A team from Department of Archaeology and Guthi Corporation also joined the meeting.

Bishnu Raj Karki, Director General of DoA, presented a study report on the renovation, estimating a cost of about Rs 25 million. "The inner parts of temple walls are rotten, hollow and crumbled by mice. The renovation will take two fiscal years to complete," he said.

According to the ministry, funds will be managed by the government, MADC, donations from devotees and other resources.

Deenesh Joshi, chairman of MADC, said the government should enforce its order to make the donations offered from devotees transparent. "Upto Rs 30,000 is offered daily. However, the MADC receives no penny," he said.

Priest Insan Thapa Magar said that he had deposited Rs 2 million in the bank collected from donations and was ready to help maintain transparency. "I don't object transparency but I should be paid for livelihood of my family," he added. "I am also ready to collect funds to renovate the temple."

The legend of Manakamana dates back to the period of Gorkha king Ram Shah (1614-1636 AD). Story says: His queen possessed divine powers revealed only to her devotee and religious preceptor, Lakhan Thapa Magar. Once, the king chanced upon revelation of his queen as goddess and Lakhan as a lion. As soon as he told the queen what he saw, king died.

When the queen approached funeral pyre to commit sati as was the custom back then, she consoled lamenting Lakhan by saying she would reappear soon near his home. After six months, a farmer ploughing field hit stone, cleaved it and saw blood and milk flow forth. When the news spread, Lakhan knew that his wish came true. The flow ceased as Lakhan worshipped it using his tantric knowledge. Then ruling king of Gorkha donated land along with grant to perpetuate worship of Manakamana.

Present Thapa-Magar priest is the 17th generation descendant of Lakhan Thapa. The four-storey temple on a square pedestal has pagoda style roofs, and the entrance is marked by one stone, the sacrificial pillar.

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Inventory of historical monuments to be collected

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, January 18

The Department of Archeology (DoA) is all set to collect the data of historical and archeological monuments, temples, monasteries and cultural sites of 72 among 75 districts first time in its history across the nation by the end of the current fiscal year.

Although the Culture Division (CD) was established 50 years ago to look into preservation, excavation and research of heritages in the country known as temples and diverse culture, the DoA is yet to enrich it with data of its historical monuments and assets. The CD was later incorporated with the ministries in line with culture.

"We are working to collect the data of historical monuments and sites throughout the nation," said Bishnu Raj Karki, Director General of DoA under the Ministry of Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture. "The data of the heritage in the 72 districts excluding three districts in the Kathmandu valley will be collected by mid-July this year," he told this daily.

KATHMANDU: The website--http://www.doa.gov.np/index/about.html-- of MoFACAPAC, which was named as the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation in 2000, is yet to be completely updated. The ministry got a new nomenclature--the Ministry of Culture and State Restructuring on August 31, 2008 just after the abolition of monarchy. It was restructured as MoFACAPAC in mid 2009. However, the website still contains the name of MoTCA and 'His Majesty'. The officials expressed ignorance over it. --

The classification of the historical monuments was started in the fiscal year 2007-2008. The classification of 39 districts was already completed in the last two consecutive fiscal years. Only 437 historical monuments, temples and sites in 39 districts of four zones in the country have been recognised through the classification, said Mohan Singh Lama, research officer, DoA.

 Lama said Rs 3.3 million has been allocated for the project. "The census will begin in about a month through the selected bidder," he added. "It will be categorised in three groups based on religious, cultural, historical, artistic and archeological aspects with focused importance on construction material, style, form and cultural value."

There are about 1,300 historical monuments including private buildings in the seven world heritage sites located in the Kathmandu Valley. The DoA authority claimed that they had already collected the data of monuments in the three districts of the valley.

However, the DoA could not furnish the total historical monuments in the three districts of the valley. "We are under process to collect the data," said Bharat Raj Rawat, Division Chief at the Monument Protection Zone, DoA. "The government has neglected this sector," he said.

Jala Krishna Shrestha, spokesperson for the MoFACAPAC, said that it was the responsibility of DoA to keep the up-to-date records. A total budget of some Rs 180 million has been allocated for the DoA in the current fiscal year.

No significant work has been performed in the department, according to Rawat. "The rampant culture of manipulation instead of dedication in performance of the government offices has resulted into poor outcomes," he added.

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Ministry of Culture proposed to Planning Commission

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, January 13

A proposal to set up a separate Ministry of Culture has been proposed to the National Planning Commission to incorporate it within next three-year periodical Tenth Plan, which begins from mid-July.

A draft of the proposal was submitted to the NPC yesterday, said Jala Krishna Shrestha, spokesperson for the Ministry of Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture (MoFACAPAC). "A proposal has been submitted for a separate culture ministry for the effective outcome in the culture sector," he told this daily. "We can not say that how the NPC will respond to it," he added.

The government is giving a short shrift to culture, inarguably, the bedrock of the nation's identity. Though the world recognises and fetes Nepal for its fascinating and intriguing social mores, the powers-that-be back home seems to have no time for such 'trivial pursuits', said Shrestha.

According to MoFACAPAC, the proposal contains of long-term strategies in the preservation of culture and heritage, integration among various ethnic and indigenous communities as per the national needs.

KATHMANDU: A line ministry working team under newly Central Technical Committee of NPC is being formed in the MoFACAPAC to look into the cultural affairs. "The committee will include two secretaries, two joint-secretaries and two departmental heads," said Jala Krishna Shrestha, joint-secretary at the MoFACAPAC. "It will come into existence soon." --

It may be recalled that culture was incorporated with the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation in 2000. Earlier, it was a part of Ministry of Education as well as Social Welfare although the Culture Division was established in the country 50 years ago. The ministry got a new nomenclature--the Ministry of Culture and State Restructuring-- on August 31, 2008.

When the UML-led government assumed office on May 23, several new ministries like Federal, Constituent Assembly and Parliamentary Affairs and Culture were all clubbed together. Consequently, culture took a backseat, lost in the maze of sundry unrelated ministries looking into novel areas of governance, said Rishi Kesh Niroula, under-secretary at the MoFACAPAC. "It is an irony that the ministry is almost definct," he added.

The nation is home to around 100 ethnic and indigenous groups with their own unique culture. The constitution, however, recognises only 70 indigenous and ethnic communities. Besides, there are 10 World Heritage Sites, including seven in the Kathmandu Valley, as per the UNESCO list. Of these, eight are cultural sites and the rest showcase nature and wildlife.

There is also clearly an overlap of governance when it comes to culture. For instance, the Ministry of Local Development has been handling monastery management. The Ministry of Home Affairs looks into organising various festivals and Hajj Committee for Muslims. The Ministry of Land Reforms has an assigned role to play in running the Guthi (Trust). While, the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works is engaged in construction of the shrines. The ministry of Finance is entrusted with Kaushi Tosha Khana, which loosely translates to funds collected from cultural bodies.

"It will be possible to work in conserving the culture, language and heritage of every creed and cast, if a separate culture ministry is set up in the nation," Shrestha concluded.

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Guthi Corp in mess, its lands in grips of tenants

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, January 9

The Guthi Corporation (GC), culturally most valuable institution administering the religious shrines, world heritage sites and cultural activities, is quite unknown to the land belonging to it. Majority of its land is in grips of tenants across the country.

Among the 10 world heritage sites in the country, eight are cultural sites. They include Pashupatinath Temple, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Hanumandhoka Durbar Square, Changu Narayan Temple, Bouddhanath Stupa and Syambunath Stupa, which are operated under the trust.

According to the GC central office, there is no specific data on land related to it although the trust was recognised through the Guthi Corporation Act 1964 despite its operation since ancient period of Nepal. There are about 2,100 state trusts (Guthis) in 68 districts among 75 districts across the nation. 

“There is no specific data and records of Guthi land yet,” said Saroj Thapalia, deputy administrator at the GC. “We have recorded about 1.4 million ropanies of land in total throughout the nation,” he told this daily. “We are still collecting the status of its land,” he added.

Deepak Bahadur Pandey, deputy administrator at the GC, said that the land belonging to the trusts was widely misused. “Majority of land has been personalised and misused, which is against the spirit of the trust,” he said.

The law of the country allowed people to transfer the Guthi land to its tenants, said legal officer Hem Raj Subedi. “The GC Act 1976 provisioned to transfer the trust land to the ownership of the tenants. It became worse when the GC Act 1984 widely permitted to do so,” he said.

There are four kinds of Guthi land, which totals to 561,991 ropanies in hills and 66,330 bighas land in Tarai as per the available present data in 68 districts of the country. Of them, Guthi owns only 243,608 ropanies in hills and 2,196 bighas of land in Tarai, according to the GC.

Remaining amount of the area has been transferred to the tenants, Thapalia said. “However, we are ignorant of the fact that how much land Guthi owned in the past,” he said.

Subedi said that the process of transfer was restricted by the Apex Court in 2008, terming it as ‘virus’ against Guthi. “Since then, the misuse has been checked,” he said. “The GC was defamed because of the land transfer, which should not have been dealt by the trust itself,” he added. “The responsibility should have been given to the Land Revenue Office.”

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Pashupatinath Heritage encroached by street vendors

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, January 8

Despite attempts to remove unauthorised mess of traders, more than 200 sellers and shopkeepers have been illegally setting up huts in the vicinity of Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), enlisted in the World Heritage Site. However, the PADT has failed to evict them or make them settle in the area allocated by the PADT.

The shopkeepers were making money for years by trading goods such as belts, clothes and other items even unrelated materials to worshipping rites and rituals in the Pashupatinath Temple.

"We've been selling goods, chains, decorative ornaments and garlands for more than five years," said a local shopkeeper on the temple premises. "We have not taken permission from the PADT to operate shop here," she said, requesting anonymity. "Neither have we paid any charge to any trade committee although a trade committee has been mobilising the shop owners here," she said.

She admitted that she was operating shop illegally at the site. However, she claimed that she was forced to sell goods for their livelihood. "The PADT issued notice calling us to leave the area. But we are not ready until the alternative management is settled for us," she said. She earns upto Rs 2,000 daily.

Ram Bahadur Karki, another shopkeeper among dozens of cloth sellers, admitted that he was running his business without permission from authority. "I am registered with a trade committee here by paying Rs 200 about four years ago. However, I have paid nothing to anybody till now," he said. "I've lived on this profession here," said Karki, who hails from Jhapa District. "I came and built my hut myself," he added.

According to the PADT, 30 stalls were made for the displaced people in course of land management in the area and flower sellers. However, the stalls are yet to be utilized. The PADT had issued notices with a deadline for evacuating the land many times. The last deadline expired two months ago.

"Those places were misused in grips of powerful ones. We are deprived of the rights to use stall though I was selected for the quota," the anonymous lady said. "The authority cheated us and cancelled my name," she added.

It was completely illegal settlement inside the world heritage site, said Sushil Nahata, member-secretary of the PADT. "There are about 300 shopkeepers running their business illegally. We've not allowed any trade committee to run business here," he said, adding that only 30 stalls were made for the genuine displaced ones.

"It's not their property to stick to the illegal business here," said Nahata. "One day they might claim that the Pashupati Temple belongs to them," he said. "If they're not ready to leave the place, we'll be obliged to use legal way," he warned.

"The given time has already passed and we can evict them any time," said Nahata. "When we informed them frequently, they said they would leave the area but still hanging around the restricted zone," said Nahata.

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Messed-up rich govt trust with 5 computers in Nepal

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, January 6

The offices of the Guthi Corporation (GC), culturally most valuable institution administering the religious shrines and cultural activities, are equipped with only five computers across the country. Despite its initiation in 2002, a plan to set up Guthi Management Information System has been still paralysed after the government failed to allocate budget in time.

According to the GC central office, the proposal was tendered consecutively to the National Planning Commission in 2003 to establish GSIM and Guthi Records Building with a proposed estimated budget of Rs 8.5 million.

"There is no specific data and records of Guthis and its entities belonging to number of trusts, temples, assets, cultural monuments and other amenities due to the lack of data keeping records and appropriate building," said Saroj Thapalia, deputy administrator at the GC. "Everything is messed here in the absence of a proper system," he told this daily.

The plan was included in the NPC, which was extended as three-year tenth plan after the end of five-year tenth plan in 2006, only in the fiscal year 2006/07. However, no budget was allocated for the purpose then.

"The Ministry of Finance approved a budget of Rs 1.5 million in the last fiscal year only," said Thapalia. "The amount has been issued in the current fiscal year," he added. "We are preparing to invest this amount to develop basic amenities and infrastructure."

The GC under the Ministry of Land Reforms owns only five computers presently in 10 branches including one in Birgunj of the corporation located in seven districts. Of them, five offices are situated in the Kathmandu Valley. There are about 2,100 state trusts (Guthis) in 68 districts among 75 districts across the nation.

Earlier, there were only two computers in the central office while one computer was added last year. "One is being added this year," said Thapaliya.

The GC is not furnished with any data nor its website is enriched with important information. The government has owed the GC Rs 1.25 billion, according to the GC, which has deposited Rs 1.5 billion in the bank. "Neither the government returns our fund nor it proceeds its work as per the plan," said Thapalia.

Thapalia said that there was only six months remaining to end the first tenure of the plan. "It needs additional three and half years to complete the project," he worried.

There are about 1.5 million ropanies of land under some 2,100 Guthis throughout the nation. "It has been completely a scare-crow organisation," said legal officer Hem Raj Subedi. "The responsibility of the GC is to work on preserving culture, festivals and trusts. However, it is confined to land administration against its objective," he said, adding that maintaining its inventory has become a mirage.

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