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A few weeks back, on a Saturday, I was at the Bajrabarahi shrine—a 12th-century Hindu temple dedicated to the avatar of Goddess Asta Matrika with the head of a sow, Varaha (barahi in Nepali)—bajra stands for a legendary weapon of thunderbolt, or lightning. The sacred site is just eight kilometers southeast of Lagankhel, Lalitpur. Other notable Barahi temples include Nilbarahi (Bhaktapur), Dhumbarahi, Shwet Barahi (Bade Gaun, Lalitpur), and Tal Barahi (Pokhara). What characterizes the two-tiered pagoda-style structure is the lack of a Gajur (spire) or pinnacle, quotidian with the architecture of nearly all temples of Kathmandu. And what strikes visitors most is the dense forest, close to 18.5 hectares, which hugs the shrine around. An idyllic setting for birdies, ornithologists, and dendrologists, the forest is home to a wealth of flora and vertebrates—29 species of birds and as many genera of trees, including flowers. A legend board hung right at the entrance classifies in detail the species of birds and the flora for the ease of the respective buffs. For bird watchers, weekdays are best suited as weekends are bustling and noisy. Ours was a family picnic following a long hiatus. Not just my nuclear family, though. It was a large gathering of extended family members—the Singhs from the Newar town of Dolakha, some 135 km northeast of Kathmandu. Redolent of a family tree, the cluster included brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and what have you. The getaway organized each Nepali New Year at Bajrabarahi, initiated almost 15 years now, targeted at congregating the scattered members of the Singh kinsfolk residing in Kathmandu to spend time together and share thoughts amidst cheerful bonhomie and that feel-good vibe. Past traumatic happenings die hard in our minds; nothing could be more life-like. The moment I stepped into the shrine's entrance, old memories of the incident eight years ago rushed back, and I shuddered intuitively. The annual outing of the Singhs abruptly came to a grinding halt on the sinister day when the devastating earthquake of 7.8 on the Richter scale struck the country at 11:56 on Baisakh 12, 2072 (25 April 2015), a Saturday. Guess what! We all were at the shrine for the picnic when the petrifying quake took place, and, needless to write, utter pandemonium broke out. Shell-shocked, we felt desperate, vulnerable, and defenseless. The picnic turned into absolute shambles. And so was the entire premises crawling with the picnickers as everyone in panic was scurrying around helter-skelter to find a safe shelter, frantically trying to help their kith and kin and save their dear lives. Outright chaos! It looked, albeit still reeling under the shock, the country seemed destined to further dire circumstances as India imposed an over 5-month-long Nepal blockade, crippling daily life. Before long, the Covid-19 pandemic followed, causing abject misery for the Nepali people, which took an uglier turn, triggering panic, untold tribulations, life-threatening situations, and even loss of lives. With frequent lockdowns, life seemed to come to a standstill. And our annual picnics slipped into dormancy for eight long years. This year, the outing went well, and the turnout was quite a surprise, 50 family members, including the kids. Given the warm and cheerful ambiance, everyone looked like they had missed out on the yearly weekend hangouts—for ages. I was in for a surprise this time, though. First, the shrine premises looked mighty tidier. My eyes combed through the site, the paved path, the nook-and-crannies, the spots allocated for picnics, and the vicinity for filth and rubbish, mainly empty plastic bottles, plastic bags, and the like—but there seemed hardly any. “Wow, how come?” I asked myself. Did the management of the shrine minister do that? Or should I take it for granted that the Kathmanduuite citizenry has taken a turn for the better from littering public places and recreation parks? Highly unlikely! If you care to observe all getaway spots people frequent at weekends in the outskirts of the valley, the trash strewn around speaks volumes. That reminds me of a friend who is an avid bike-packer and loves camping. On every trip, he ensures he collects his trash to dispose of at a proper garbage dump. And, what is more, he rounds off scraps and junk bestrewn by others, too. Unbelievable! As our group unwound themselves, some in a game of cards, others chatting, and a few just hanging around, I strolled along the paved path through the beautiful forest surrounding the temple. Albeit, the blaring loudspeakers belonging to the picnickers belted out a cacophony of music, playing havoc to the serenity of the woods, the intermittent lusty calls of the koel (cuckoo), the chattering of the parakeets, the red-vented Bulbuls, black drongos, the common mynas and a few others could not be mistaken a little in the far reaches. It struck me then something was missing, though. Suddenly, it flashed across my mind—primates or monkeys! The Bajrabarahi temple premises and the surrounding woods are home to troops of those arboreal anthropoids. I saw none. Weird! My curiosity drew me deep into the woods on the single tracks but a cropper—not one of those critters crossed my path. In my haste to retreat, I slipped on the tinder-dry leaves and landed on my butt—nothing to fret about, however. Back at the temple premises, I stopped to talk to an elderly lady selling puja trappings about the mysterious disappearance of monkeys. "Well, a week back, a Srimad Bhagavat Katha Saptah (a week-long puja ceremony) was staged at the temple. From that day on, the monkeys, unawares, vanished from the entire shrine premises and the woods, but they'll be back soon," she said. Most likely, the blaring loudspeakers all over the environs and the hordes of devotees milling around the entire area had scared them off—I mused. But where did they go to take refuge? I wondered as I rejoined my kinfolks. [email protected]

Do you snore while sleeping? Is your sleep disturbed and you feel lazy during the day? Are you looking for treatment for sleep disorders? There is good news for you. Bir Hospital, the oldest state-run hospital in the country, has come up with a sleep laboratory. First of its kind in the government health center in Nepal, the sleep lab is a center where a comprehensive test is used to diagnose sleep disorders. Dr Prajwol Shrestha, chest specialist at Bir Hospital said: “Sleep labs are beneficial for those suffering from sleep disorders. Though the exact number of people suffering from sleep disorders in Nepal is not available, the number is increasing across the country, per Dr Shrestha. The most common one is sleep apnoea, a kind of sleep disorder in which breathing stops and resumes while someone is sleeping. Intake of junk food, sedentary lifestyle, smoking and consumption of alcohol, mental stress are some of the reasons behind sleep disorders, per the health expert. What happens in the lab? Patients’ sleep is monitored in the lab. There is recording of the brain waves, oxygen level in blood, heart rate and breathing of the patients when she or he is sleeping. Eye and leg movements are also recorded during the study to check how the patient’s sleep is. Dr Shrestha said: “During the test, surface electrodes are put on the face and scalp of the patient. The electrical signals generated by the brain during 6-8 hours are recorded and sent to the measuring equipment. An electrocardiogram is used to record electrical activities of the heart.” The hospital conducts electromyography—a procedure to test the electrical activity in muscle for patients who suffer from sleep apnoea. According to a research by New York Medical College and Department of Surgery, Westchester Medical Center, USA, worldwide, 969m people aged 30-69 years may be suffering from OSA with many more people undiagnosed. People with sleep apnoea are treated through the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) approach, says Shrestha. This approach involves wearing a mask over the nose of patients or mouth while asleep. The mask directs pressurized air from a small bedside pump to the airway of patients to keep it open during sleep. CPAP eliminates snoring and is most often used to treat snoring associated with obstructive sleep apnoea, per Shrestha. “Through CPAP treatment, patients get snoring treated, have a sound sleep, and do not have drowsiness during the daytime. Blood pressure and diabetes also come under control through this treatment.” Types of sleep A sound sleep makes one feel refreshed and active the next day. Sleep is segmented into two cycles—non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Non-REM sleep happens first and includes three stages. During the first stage there is a transition from wakefulness to sleep. The brain slows down, heartbeat, eye movements and breathing slow and body relaxes. In the second stage, one enters light sleep. Eye movements stop, breathing and heart rate become regular, body temperature drops. One becomes less aware of his or her surroundings. In the third stage, muscles are completely relaxed, breathing slows, one progresses into deepest sleep. Dr Shrestha said: “During the REM stage, the body is immobilized and dreams occur. This stage occurs during the morning. REM sleep happens about 90 to 120 minutes. These cycles get disturbed when you snore or are disturbed when you are asleep. People have difficulty going back to sleep again. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, during deep-sleep (stage three) and REM, the cells repair and rebuild, and hormones are secreted to promote bone and muscle growth. The body also uses deep sleep to strengthen one’s immunity so that she or he can fight off illness and infection. Disturbance in these stages causes difficulties in sleeping. Dr Shrestha said, “People feel lazy and lethargic and can’t concentrate on their work. There is a feeling of heaviness and a patient wants to sleep during the day time. There is also short-term memory loss.” Long-term health problems such as high cholesterol, raised body weight, heart attack, stroke, paralysis and sudden cardiac arrest can occur when one can’t sleep properly. That’s why the cause for the sleeping disorders should be identified and treated.” The patients are asked to visit the laboratory taking someone along with him or her. They should take a bath in the afternoon before coming to the hospital and carry a night dress with them. They should not wear any kind of hair oil or apply cream on their face. They should sleep after 8 pm in the lab bed. Eight hours of sleep is recorded by a sleep technician. The sleep pattern is then interpreted. Dr Shrestha said: “We advise medical treatment or behavioral changes depending upon the interpretations for a person to have a sound sleep.” “We can subject only one patient to these tests in a day.” The hospital charges Rs 3000 for the service. The test is non-invasive. How long should people sleep? The National Sleep Foundation has recommended sleep durations as follows: 14-17 hours for new-borns, 12-15 hours for infants, 11-14 hours for toddlers, 10-13 hours for preschoolers, 9-11 hours for school-aged children, and 8-10 hours for teenagers. Seven to 9 hours is recommended for young adults and adults, and 7-8 hours of sleep is recommended for older adults. All for a sound sleep The normal sleeping patterns of the people are disturbed. Sleep disturbance causes multiple health problems. When a person snores heavily in his or her sleep there is obstruction of breathing. This affects one’s sleep. Lack of proper sleep degrades one’s work performance and makes one suffer from various health problems. “This lab has been established to help people get medical services for their disturbed sleep and improve health quality.” As per Shrestha, most sleep apnoea patients, who visited the hospital within these four months of launch of the service in the hospital, required treatment through CPAP. Most of the visitors were young people, he adds. The hospital charges Rs 3000 per night for treatment for sleep apnoea through CPAP. For better sleep Don’t take stress Maintain mental peace Create a proper environment. It should be well-ventilated and peaceful. Avoid bright lights in the bedroom Avoid tea, coffee, alcohol and cigarette two hours before sleeping Do some physical exercise Take a bath with lukewarm water before sleeping Treat any medical health condition such as infections Avoid using mobiles and laptops Listen to the music or meditate

The top leaders of major political parties are incorrigible lots. They can’t change if their life depended on it. It’s a pathology of sorts, which, if left untreated, can sink their parties. The writing has been on the wall for several months. The first sign was the general elections outcome of November last year, when the newly formed Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) emerged as a moderate political force and the pro-monarchy right-wing Hindu force Rastriya Prajatantra Party also made a comeback. The two parties decreased the size of mainstream political parties: Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center). More tellingly, none of these parties could secure a simple majority in the federal parliament; this was despite the Congress and Maoists forging an electoral alliance. After the election, the major parties remained busy in forming and breaking the ruling coalition. It showed where their priority lay. They wanted power and the people wanted political stability. No wonder, the government formed under Pushpa Kamal Dahal failed to instill hope in people, particularly at a time when the country was staring at a serious economic crisis. Then came the results of the by-election, in which the RSP secured resounding wins in two (Tanahun-1 and Chitwan-2) of the three constituencies where the polls were held on April 23. The margin with which the traditional parties lost the election was yet another clear indication that the people are deeply frustrated with the old guard. The latest incident that could put Nepal’s major parties to the sword is the fake Bhutanese refugee scam involving top political leaders, their close relatives and aides, among others. Nepal Police has so far arrested former home minister and NC leader Bal Krishna Khand and former deputy prime minister and CPN-UML secretary Top Bahadur Rayamajhi for their alleged involvement in the case. The scandal has been termed by many as a state-sponsored human trafficking case, and there is a widespread suspicion that the leaders of the three major parties—Prime Minister Dahal, Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, and UML leader KP Oli—are trying to influence the police investigation. The trio has been meeting on an almost regular basis. As public anger and suspicion continue to grow against major political parties, youth leaders find themselves in a bind. They want to reform their parties, but their bosses are adamant to change. More than Dahal, Deuba and Oli, it is the youth leaders that seem worried about the future of their respective parties. The next generation leaders of these three major parties fear that Nepali voters will punish them in the 2027 general elections. Their apprehension is valid, given that scores of youth members from their parties are defecting to the RSP. While the UML has decided to launch a campaign to attract youths to the party and become the largest party in 2027, it appears to be a far-fetched dream. The popularity of RSP that started in urban centers is catching up in rural Nepal, which could potentially affect the UML’s campaign. The Nepali Congress seems to be in the most difficult position. Some youth leaders have already started a drive to reform the party. General secretary duo of the party, Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma, have warned of a revolt against the incumbent leadership, but they know that Deuba is too powerful. The dilemma of Thapa and Sharma is that they cannot leave the party, nor do they have hope that Deuba will change. The NC has not even suspended Khand from the party, which has further eroded the party's image and credibility. A senior NC leader says: “Probably for the first time, President Deuba is serious about the party's future and his own image. But he is still not ready to give up his position and pave the way for the younger generation to lead the party.” The CPN (Maoist Center), meanwhile, is trying to gain some sympathy votes with the Dahal governemnt prosecuting the accused in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam. But that will happen only if the leadership of Prime Minister Dahal showed the grit to investigate and prosecute all politicians and senior government officials involved in the case. The Maoist party is already weak, with just 32 seats in the federal parliament, and its organization is in a mess. Instead of strengthening the party, many say Dahal is busy building his personal image. It is not lost on the people that UML leader Rayamajhi, who is currently in police custody in connection with the refugee scam, and former home minister and another UML leader Ram Bahadur Thapa, who has also been linked to the case following the arrest of his son, were both former Maoist party leaders. Bishnu Rijal, a youth leader from the UML, doesn’t agree that the old political parties are losing their relevance, though he admits that they should change their ways. “The major political parties of Nepal have a long history, they have a sound ground and they must have a clear vision for the future.” He doesn’t believe the new parties like the RSP have a long-term future. “They are carrying populist agendas, whereas we have a robust system that is capable of filtering our politicians.” He went on to claim that Rayamajhi and Khand got arrested because their parties had robust systems in place. The emergence of RSP has also renewed the call for unity among communist parties of Nepal. The CPN (Unified Socialist) and CPN (Maoist Center) are already in talks to explore ways for the possibility of unification. Talks are also underway between second-rung leaders of CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) for possible collaboration—if not unification. If that happens, the Congress party will once again find itself in a fix. The grand old party that espouses democratic values is already losing its support base to the RSP. There is a choice for Dahal, Deuba and Oli: Make way for next generation leaders or leave behind horrible legacies.

Ramchandra Lamsal is a Nepali writer, poet, and literary critic. His works include poetry, prose, verses, lexicon, and criticism of Nepali literature. He is best known for his contribution to making the Nepali curriculum and works like ‘Etihasik Bhashavigyan ra Nepali Bhasha’. Babita Shrestha from ApEx talked to Lamsal about his books and literary critiques. Can you please tell us a little about your work?  Lexicography (compiling dictionaries) is a subject that only a few people are familiar with. I have written about the lexicon (vocabularies of different people or languages) present in Nepal. It’s a bulky book of around 400 pages. I wrote a book called ‘Nepali Bhasha Shikshan’ and have worked on language curriculum, textbooks, and teaching methodology. I have also written a teachers’ guide and experimental linguistics. In 2015, I published a children’s book called ‘Hitopadesh Ka Amar Balkatha’, which is a collection of stories on contemporary society. I have published more than 50 books and most of them are for educational textbook curriculum. What work of yours do you think is the most celebrated one? I wrote an epic about Dhading, my hometown, called ‘Dhading Shree’ that covers a variety of topics, including nature, culture, and society in the area. I realized that there weren’t many works that discussed the beauty of Dhading. When I published this, I recall how happy the people from Dhading were and I take pride in the effort I put in. Their appreciation means a lot to me. Another of my well-known works is ‘Kosh Bigyan Ra Nepali Kosh’,  which was published in 1989. Despite the overwhelming amount of lexicons in Nepali literature, nobody knows anything about lexicography. So, in this book, I have written information about the history, different forms of lexicons, and their significance in detail. It’s used a lot by Nepali students. Which genre do you prefer in Nepali literature?  I’m fond of literature that reflects Nepali society. Laxmi Prashad Devkota, Lekhnath Paudyal, Gopal Prasad Rimal, and Dr Naba Raj Lamsal are some of the writers whose works I love to read. Also, I prefer to write more about nature and Nepali society. I’m fond of contemporary literature as they show society through different lenses, unlike literature of the past. What do you have to say about the future of literary criticism? Different critics have different traits and personalities. Taranath Sharma, who was widely known as a literary critic, used to criticize in extreme, in both good and bad ways basing it on his sentiment while Bal Krishna Pokharel did the exact opposite. At present, I believe that creativity in criticism is declining. I have seen some critics who have lost their perseverance. There used to be less work in the past but literary criticism was picking up pace. But now literature has developed in every nook and corner of Nepal, but criticism seems to be less. I’m hoping literary criticism grows along with other forms of literature. Do you have any advice for aspiring critics? To all the critics out there, all I want to say is don’t panic if someone is dissatisfied with your work. You need to continue writing what you think and feel is right to motivate others to write better literature. Criticism is necessary to bring creativity so that a writer can realize his/her weaknesses and do better. So no matter what anyone says, continue with your work. Lamsal’s Picks Agni by Dr Naba Raj Lamsal Agni by Dr Naba Raj Lamsal is one of the books among his three epics—‘Karna’, ‘Dhara’, and ‘Agni’, that captures the plight and suffering of marginalized people in Nepal. Shakuntala by Laxmi Prasad Devkota This is one of the greatest works of Laxmi Prasad Devkota, which was published in the year 1945.