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Gaijatra, a cultural festival of the Kathmandu Valley and other parts of the country, is being observed today with various programs filled with fun, humor, and satire.

The eight-day festival typically begins on the first day of the waning moon in the month of Bhadra (Bhadra Krishna Pratipada) and concludes on Ashtami, according to the lunar calendar. 

Gaijatra is dedicated to commemorating those who have passed away within the one year. 

The tradition involves cows or people dressed as cows parading through the streets. 

Observers offer them milk, fruits, beaten rice, traditional bread, curd, grains, and money. 

It is believed that such rituals help the deceased in their 'heavenly' journey. 

The origin of the festival dates back to the reign of King Pratap Malla. Following the death of his son during a smallpox epidemic, the king initiated Gaijatra to console his grieving queen. He encouraged his citizens to engage in humor and satire and public performances throughout the city so as to make her realize that such loss is a universal human experience.

Over time, Gaijatra evolved as a means of satirical expression, often targeting political and social anomalies and malpractices.

The festival was banned following the royal 'coup' in 2017 BS but was revived in 2033 BS by the then Nepal Royal Academy (now Nepal Academy).

In addition to the three cities of the Kathmandu Valley, Gaijatra is also observed in Banepa, Dhulikhel, Panauti, Barhabise, Trishuli, Dolakha, Khotang, Bhojpur, Chainpur, Dharan, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Hetauda, and Pokhara, particularly by members of the Newar community.

The government has announced a public holiday in the Kathmandu Valley today on the occasion of the Gaijatra.

The Ministry of Home Affairs is preparing to airlift a critically injured inmate to Kathmandu for further treatment from Kailali.

The Ministry has stated that it has taken the incident seriously and has further tightened the security situation in the Kailali Prison.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak took stock of the incident from the Home Secretary and the heads of the three security bodies regarding the overall situation of the Kailai Prison today.

Following the appraisal, the Ministry decided to airlift the injured one who is receiving treatment at Seti Provincial Hospital to Kathmandu via the Nepali Army helicopter.

“The Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force will strengthen security provisions to ensure full security of the jail and to prevent any further untoward incidents,” Home Ministry Spokesperson Ananda Kafle said.

A sky truck of the Nepali Army has already been sent to Dhangadhi to airlift the one who is critically injured in the clash, Kafle stated.

An inmate died and 44 other prisoners were injured in the clash that erupted between inmates residing in Block 'A' and Block 'B' of the jail on Friday night.

It is said that a large number of police personnel have been deployed to normalize the situation arising from a clash between inmates at Kailali Jail in Dhangadhi.

Currently, there are altogether 680 inmates in Kailali Prison despite its capacity to house just 100. (RSS)

A person died and three others were injured in a landslide at the construction site of the Super Nyadi Hydropower Project in Lamjung on Saturday.

The project with a capacity of 40.27 MW is under construction in Lamjung.

According to Ramesh Bohora, Deputy Superintendent of Police of the District Police Office, Lamjung, the landslide occurred this afternoon buried 44-year-old Lagan Dhowj Gurung to death. He was temporarily residing in Besisahar Municipality-8 in the district.

Similarly, the injured have been identified as 21-year-old Biraj Gurung of Dordi Rural Municipality-5 and 35-year-old Pritam Lama of Madhya Nepal Municipality-7 from Lamjung district, and 25-year-old Bikash Bista of Jhimruk Rural Municipality-6 of Pyuthan District.

The injured are receiving treatment at the Provincial Hospital in Bensisahar. According to the police, the landslide occurred during the lunch hour.

A total of 40 workers were residing at the camp near the construction site, the police said. (RSS)

TikTok announced the rollout of a new search guide in Nepal aimed at providing timely help and critical support to users who may be at risk of, or impacted by, sexual abuse in Nepal.

The new feature is part of TikTok’s wider safety initiative to ensure that the platform remains a space where users feel safe, supported, and informed.

Users in Nepal who search for terms with keywords related to sexual abuse, such as sexual assault, abuse hotline, MeToo, among others, will now be shown a dedicated banner connecting them to local helplines and TikTok’s Sexual Abuse Support page within the platform’s Safety Centre. This page provides educational content, external reporting pathways, and direct links to professional support services.

“At TikTok, user safety is our highest priority,” said Waskito Jati, Outreach and Partnership Manager, Trust and Safety, at TikTok. “We know that many users turn to online platforms during difficult times. By proactively surfacing support options and credible resources, we hope to guide people towards professional help and reinforce our zero-tolerance policy towards sexual abuse in any form.”

The Sexual Abuse Support page within the Safety Centre educates users on the different forms of sexual abuse—such as child sexual abuse material (CSAM), grooming, sexual harassment, and non-consensual sexual acts—and offers guidance on how to report such content. It also strongly discourages interacting with harmful material and emphasises TikTok’s confidentiality in handling user reports.

In addition to TikTok’s in-app reporting features, users are informed about available external reporting options. The support page also makes it easier for survivors and their supporters to locate professional help. It includes access to a searchable database of local organisations and international support providers who specialise in survivor care, trauma response, and legal assistance. For those seeking community and empowerment, TikTok also highlights relevant hashtags and content created around healing and recovery.

This initiative builds on TikTok’s ongoing efforts to improve digital safety and well-being through community guidelines enforcement, educational partnerships, and platform-level interventions. TikTok continues to collaborate with experts, survivor advocacy groups, and mental health organisations to ensure users are protected and empowered. (RSS)