Two manuscripts Register in UNESCO’s

Two manuscripts Register in UNESCO’s

The Ni?v?sattatvasa_hit?, the earliest surviving tantric manuscript, and the Susrutasamhita, the oldest document in the field of Ayurveda medicine, have been added yesterday to the prestigious list recognizing documentary heritage of outstanding value. They are the first inscriptions from Nepal in the Register, UNESCO Kathmandu Office said in a press release on Wednesday.

“I congratulate Nepal for the inscriptions of the two manuscripts in the Memory of the World Register. I am confident that their inclusion in the Register contributes to creating greater awareness of the need to preserve Nepal’s memory held in the country’s archives and libraries”, said Axel Plathe, UNESCO representative to Nepal.

The Ni?v?sattatvasa_hit? Manuscript, which is deposited at the National Archives, is said to be the earliest surviving tantric manuscript and as such it is important source for the early history of tantrism. It has had a great influence in shaping other tantric texts. Tantrism has had impact on many major Asian religions and even influenced Islam practiced in India. The Western World has been influenced by tantras through the practice of yoga, which has its roots in tantrism (Bjonnes) as well as through the New Age groups in America. The 1134 year old palm leaf manuscript of the Susrutasamhita (Sahottartantra), held by the Keshar Library in Kathmandu, is considered as the oldest document in the field of Ayurveda medicine, a systematic and formal tradition of healing that became South Asia's principal medical system and has profoundly influenced all cultures surrounding South Asia including Tibet, Central Asia, China, South-East Asia and the Middle East. The manuscript focuses especially on surgery and discusses various kinds of diseases related to heart, skin, gynecology, etc. It also describes various methods and use of herbs in curing diseases.

The two manuscripts from Nepal are among 54 new additions to the Memory of the World Register, approved yesterday by UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. Among the others are The Life and Works of Ernesto Che Guevara: from the original manuscripts of his adolescence and youth to the campaign Diary in Bolivia, presented by Bolovia and Cuba; the Pages of Testimony Collection, Yad Vashem Jerusalem, 1954-2004, presented by Israel; and Maha Lawkamarazein or Kuthodaw Inscription Shrines, presented by Myanmar.

The Memory of the World Register now includes a total of 299 documents and document collections from the five continents, safeguarded on various supports from stone to celluloid and parchment to sound recordings. UNESCO established the Memory of the World Programme in 1992. Impetus came originally from a growing awareness of the parlous state of preservation of,and access to, documentary heritage in many parts of the world. Sources: Ekantipur

NA continue flight schedule from Kathmandu to HK sector

Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), which had decided to suspend its Hong Kong flights from July 10 due to its failure to install ‘Required Navigation Performance (RNP)’ equipment to abide by international flying norms, has been given 17 more months to do the job.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) extended the deadline after a number of international airlines failed to install the latest technology. “We were worried about losing one of the lucrative destinations due to the mandatory requirement,” said NAC Spokesperson Ganesh Bahadur Chand. “We will continue with same flight schedule on the Kathmandu-Hong Kong sector.”

At present, NAC operates three weekly flights on the route. Chand said NAC plans to lease an aircraft by October and that it will not face much pressure to suspend its existing flights on the sector.

The ICAO had asked airlines to install the equipment after its regional workshop in Hong Kong in 2010 decided to this effect. The workshop had decided that the system implementation would be started from Hong Kong and gradually would be expanded to other countries by 2016. NAC started its Kathmandu-Hong Kong flights in 1982. NAC’s annual occupancy on the sector stands at 78 percent. “We have got a huge relief after the deadline has been extended,” said Dwarika Joshi, NAC’s manager in Hong Kong.
“Otherwise, it would have been a big blow to our business.” (Source: RSS)

Japanese climber becomes oldest Everest summiteer

An 80-year-old Japanese mountaineer on Thursday became the oldest person to climb the Mount Everest, as Nepal's Min Bahadur Sherchan (81), who held the previous record, prepared to climb the peak. Japanese climber Yuichiro Miura, 80, and his son Gota (L) at their 8000 meter camp on Mount Everest. (Source: AFP)

Yuichiro Miura reached the summit at 9:05 a.m. Thursday; APF said quoting mountaineering officials and Miura´s Tokyo-based support team. Miura had conquered the 29,035-foot (8,850-meter) peak when he was 70 and 75.Miura and his son Gota called them from the summit, prompting his daughter Emili to smile broadly and clap her hands in footage on public broadcaster NHK, the report said. "I never imagined I could make it to the top of Mt. Everest at age 80. This is the world´s best feeling, although I´m totally exhausted. Even at 80, I can still do quite well."

Nepalese mountaineering official Gyanendra Shrestha, at Everest base camp, confirmed that Miura had reached the summit, making him the oldest person to do so. Meanwhile, Nepal's octogenarian climber Sherchan, who set the record of oldest Everest summiteer at the age of 76 in 2008, is also in Everest expedition and expected to start climbing in a few days.

Indo-Nepal military team scales Everest

Members of an Indo-Nepal army team who were taking part in an Everest cleanup campaign successfully made it to the summit on Sunday morning. The expedition included Nepal Army officers Major Samir Basnet, Captain Kishor Adhikari, Sergeant Gyanendra Loudari, and Corporal Dhiren Shahi.

Similarly, Indian Army officials Major Ranbir Singh Jamwal, Subedar Mingma Gurung , Havaldar Chatar Singh, and Lance Naik Sukbir were also part of the team. According to the NA's Directorate of Public Relations, team collected picked waste from the base camp area, and above during thirty-day long campaign.Source RSS reports.