about nepali

ome Nepali people think the current national flag of Nepal, triangular and only such in the world, needs to be changed while others think it’s unique and it’s okay. UWB received an article by Prakash Bom about the necessity of the new flag and a photo of “a model flag for the People’s Republic of Nepal” from Shree Shrestha.

I wish the Nepali leaderships had spoken about the need of a new national flag for a new democratic Nepal before the elections of the constituent assembly. I dream of a national flag of the peaceful stars on the horizon of the summit of Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) for new democratic Nepal. The number of peaceful stars will get derived from the restructuring of the state under the Federal Democratic government system.

First of all the people did not choose the current national flag, but accepted for granted as given by the feudal oligarchic regimes to lay the Hindu patriotic values. Many of us are caught up with its unique shape without realizing its connotations with the Hindu nationalism that sustains on the royalist values.

We have decided to change the national anthem (article on English). We have suspended the monarchy. We are about to print our national currency with the pillar of national glory – the Sagarmatha. It is time for new democratic Nepal to think over changing the national flag that can symbolize our true nationalism and the value.

Our nationalism rises up to the pinnacle of the Mount Everest and our national values and pride reach to the glory of Buddha, Ansubarma, Bhirkuti and Arniko. That is how Nepal has been recognized and appreciated in the world. On the glory of our true nationalism and pride we have to begin building our new prosperous democratic Nepal.

Our new democratic national flag must be able to embrace our diverse ethnicity, culture, religions, gender, and inhabitance of different geographical regions with the promise to guarantee our civil liberty and human rights; with the federal democratic electoral system for governing our constituents by the elected representatives from each constituent residence. We must transcend all impediments to create a flag of the nation, which can unit us all to serve the nation.

Current national flag of Nepal:

The national flag of Nepal (left) is the only non-quadrangular national flag, and one of only two non-rectangular official jurisdictional flags in the world (the other is the flag of Ohio). The flag is a simplified combination of two single pennants from different branches of the previous rulers, the Rana dynasty. The flag was adopted, with the formation of a new constitutional government, on December 16, 1962. The individual pennants had been used for the last two centuries and the double pennant since the 19th century.

The blue border denotes peace and harmony that has been prevalent in the country since the age of Gautam Buddha, who was born in Nepal. The crimson color is Nepal’s national color, and it indicates the brave spirit of the Nepalese people. The triangles do not represent Nepal’s mountains, but rather denote that Nepal is a Hindu Country. The red triangular flag has been a Hindu symbol of victory since the time of Ramayana and Mahabharata. The depiction of celestial bodies represents permanence, the hope that Nepal will last as long as the sun and the moon. The moon symbolizes that the Nepalese are soothing and calm, while the sun symbolizes fierce resolve. (source)

OLD PHOTOS RECORD TIBETS HISTORY

Old photos record Tibet's history

BEIJING, Septemper 3, 2009 -- Many Tibetan families have such albums containing photos which are yellowing as time goes by. These photos, more punchy than words, have shown the pace of social changes and the historical context. Picture shows an old photo of the Horkangsa Family, an influential noble family in old Tibet. (Photo Source: 51tibettour.com) The Horkangsa (or Horkang for short) Family, with a history of 200 years, was an influential big noble family in old Tibet. Its luxury residence north of the Barkhor Street, the commercial and cultural center in downtown Lhasa, now has been moved to a newly-built mansion in the Sera Road, Lhasa. The family's 13th descendent Horkang Soinam Penba had served the Tibet's local government as a senior official before he was appointed the deputy director of the Financial Department of the PLA's (People's Liberation Army) 18th Army after Qamdo was liberated. Pointing to a somewhat obscure negative, the family's 14th descendent Qamba Dainda recalled: "This photo taken in around 1920 is the existing oldest photo in my family. The man in the picture was my grandfather Horkangtasa Phuntsoknamgyai, who was Gaxag's (Tibet's local government) third highest-ranking secular official." Horkangtasa's son Soinam Penba was born in 1918, when the Tibet's private school education was well developed. In the five years of study in Lhasa's famous Daboling School, Soinam had received rudimentary literal education and leant essential knowledge about social code. After growing up, Penba was keen on photography. Among his photographic equipment was a foldable camera made in Japan in World War II, which could produce 12 pictures with a film. At the end of the 1940s, he took a large number of photos on his way to the Qamdo Governing Office of Gaxag. Picture shows some old photos of the Horkangsa Family, an influential noble family in old Tibet. (Photo Source: 51tibettour.com) Following Tibet's peaceful liberation, as the representative of the fourth highest- ranking officials of Tibet's local government, Penba was invited to visit China's inland areas via the border city of Yadong, Gelunbao and Hong Kong. It was the first time that he guided a team in making an inspection tour in a newly-established industrial zone in northeast China. Before long, the democratic reform was launched in Tibet. "At that time, my father was working in the Counselor Office and Department of Translation of the Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee of the People's Political Consultative Conference. He was in a good mood every day," said Qamba. His mother, from a noble family in the Rear Region of Tibet, later joined the first group of Lhasa's Patriotic Sorority. "That day my parents were busy and yet their life was substantial. I could feel a congenial atmosphere teeming with my family. I still remember the photo I took for them beside our windowsill -- they looked so cheerful and contented." Influenced by his father since young, Qamba has shown a great interest in the Tibetan ethnic culture. For times, he had taken domestic and foreign scholars and philanthropists to conduct investigation in Gyiamar. They also contributed money to the renovation of cultural relics. In 1999, Qamba and several Tibetan scholars found a precious ancient Tibetan l-go board in Chikang Village, Gyiamar, Maizhokunggar County, Lhasa. Having conducted research on the board, they recommended it to the Tibet Museum for collection. These photos, spanning three generations of the Horkang Family, have revealed a kind of value and loveliness of their life. In real images, the essence and true quality of life have been reflected, giving out a streak of warmth and coziness.

What is the “Tibetan Altruism Association”?

What is the “Tibetan Altruism Association?

What are the goals of the TAA?

The primary goal of the Tibetan Altruism Organization is to aid development in three fundamental areas:

• 1 - Health:
  • To develop new primary health services and improve the general health of the people. This includes the creation of new health centers in places where there are none, educating the people about how to be healthy or to improve their current health condition, etc.
  • To develop a system by which these new centers will be self-sustaining, such as developing programs for the sale and export of Tibetan herbs to help finance these centers, among other ideas.
• 2 - Education:
  • To open new Schools or assist those that are already operating in isolated areas.
  • To help nomadic children with little or no access to education through financing textbooks, granting scholarships, etc.
• 3 - Work:
  • Promote and assist in the creation of a sustainable system of stable employment for people without resources or work, by helping them to promote their products online and teaching them how to manage their businesses.

Who finances this Project?

The Projects from TAA are financed by:
1. Individual donations.
2. The resources that each individual project can generate.

Map of Tibet

Map of Kham

Tibet Cattle Racing

Tibet Cattle Racing

You can only see this unique race in Tibet. . Each time 3 Tibet cattle do a group race. Then the group winners do the final race.
Tibet Cattle always has its own mind, very often it do what it like in the race and ignore the rider. It is extremely fun to watch the race.

Report from Lhasa (People Sport Stadium):
I was wonder why each time only 3 Tibet cattle do the race? The chairman of Tibet Photographer Society told me that Tibet Cattle are not easy to control, this rule was for safety reason. Today there are total 24 racing Tibet Cattle. A cattle of the first group ran 10 meters, then decided to leave the race path but towards the audience. Two cattle of the 3rd group forgot the race but went to stand in front of the major stage to let the race committee enjoy their beauty; at mean time the third one easily won the race without competitors. A strong handsome cattle ran as a gentleman, with rhythm sound from its nose to accompany its steps. Another cattle threw its jockey to the ground because he was too young. The audience laughed following each cattle's show.

The final started, 6 Tibet Cattle racing together. The climax of the race. The campaigners were so happily showing their awards.

Suddenly the audience applauded and shouted again, over 10 Tibet cattle ran for a free demonstration race. the atmosphere was even more ardent than before. "Oh!" a rider fallen down from the cattle. He laid down on the ground took several photos of the racing. Afterwards I learned that rider was a journalist who played the trick to get the best photos of the race.

Decorated Tiber Cattle happily waiting for racing.		What a amusing race!

Tibet Dog

Tibet Dog

Tibet Dog is the most aggressive dog in the world. Its body weight ~70 kg, length ~4 feet and height over 2 feet. It has very sharp hearing and sight, its front foot has 5 claws and the back foot has 4 claws. The dog's teeth are very sharp. Tibet Dog is the only dog dares to fight with big animals like a Leopard or 3 wolfs and win the fight. No wonder Tibet Dog has the reputation of "Goddess Dog". On the world dog market, the price of an adult Tibet Dog is US Dollar $40,000. - 50,000. A baby Tibet Dog worth $5,000 - 10,000. Tibet Dog is the most faithful guard for its owner on the Tibetan Plateau. Tibetan people love and respect their dogs very much. They would never hurt any wild dogs. Tibet Dog is caution to strangers. When you meet it in Tibet, be careful don't touch it without the control of its owner.

Yaks

Yaks Wild Yaks - Origin

Source: Fryer Yak Farm in Kooskia

Yaks (Bos grunniens) are native to high mountains of Tibet and Asia. The first Yaks were domesticated about 900-1000 B.C. in Tibet and have always been the most useful domestic animals at high elevations, above 14,000 feet. There are five types of Yaks: black, trims (black with white trim), royal (black and white pied with a white face), golden, and wooly. Only a few hundred wild Yaks remain; domestic animals number about 12 million.

Domestic Yaks Wild Yaks - Habitat

Wild Yaks inhabit treeless uplands, including plains, hills, and mountains from as low as 3,200 m up to the limit of vegetation at 5,500 m. On alpine and desert steppe Yaks are scarce, reaching the greatest abundance on alpine meadows. Their density ranges from 13 sq km/yak to 100 sq km/yak.

Domestic Yaks Wild Yaks - Adaptations

Source: Carolynn Creek Ranch

Yaks can climb as high as 20,000 feet and can be successfully raised at very low elevations. Yaks are very efficient food-converting animals and do well on a variety of pastures with no supplemental feed required. The Yak grazes on grasses, herbs, and lichens. In winter Yaks eat poor coarse grass, withered leaves and twigs, and quench the thirst with snow and ice. They are sure-footed climbers.

Yaks possess great lung capacity. Even their blood cells are designed for high elevations - they are half the size of those of cattle, and three times more numerous, increasing the blood capacity to carry oxygen. The dense coat enables Yaks to successfully survive temperatures as low as -40 deg C. Yaks' respiratory rate increases with heat and low altitudes and decreases at higher cooler climates.

Yaks Wild Yaks - Origin


Source:
Fryer Yak Farm in Kooskia Yaks (Bos grunniens) are native to high mountains of Tibet and Asia. The first Yaks were domesticated about 900-1000 B.C. in Tibet and have always been the most useful domestic animals at high elevations, above 14,000 feet. There are five types of Yaks: black, trims (black with white trim), royal (black and white pied with a white face), golden, and wooly. Only a few hundred wild Yaks remain; domestic animals number about 12 million.
Domestic Yaks Wild Yaks - Habitat

Wild Yaks inhabit treeless uplands, including plains, hills, and mountains from as low as 3,200 m up to the limit of vegetation at 5,500 m. On alpine and desert steppe Yaks are scarce, reaching the greatest abundance on alpine meadows. Their density ranges from 13 sq km/yak to 100 sq km/yak.
Domestic Yaks Wild Yaks - Adaptations


Source:
Carolynn Creek Ranch Yaks can climb as high as 20,000 feet and can be successfully raised at very low elevations. Yaks are very efficient food-converting animals and do well on a variety of pastures with no supplemental feed required. The Yak grazes on grasses, herbs, and lichens. In winter Yaks eat poor coarse grass, withered leaves and twigs, and quench the thirst with snow and ice. They are sure-footed climbers.
Yaks possess great lung capacity. Even their blood cells are designed for high elevations - they are half the size of those of cattle, and three times more numerous, increasing the blood capacity to carry oxygen. The dense coat enables Yaks to successfully survive temperatures as low as -40 deg C. Yaks' respiratory rate increases with heat and low altitudes and decreases at higher cooler climates.