Ramanujacharya Jayanti/2072 Earthquake rememberance day/World Malaria Day

How fast are these days passing?
Today is the  eighth year of the 2072 BS earthquake. The terror of that great earthquake remains. And the structures it destructed are yet to stand. The earthquake taught many other lessons, caused loss of life and property, all of which are being reviewed today.

In that great earthquake and aftershock that took the lives of thousands, human structures were on their knees with nature and people were just in survival mode for their lives, and human relations and numbers were not the floors of the house but the contentment of the mind. When we see the same structure and construction methodology in less than 6 years now, it seems that we have easily and quickly forgotten the great earthquake.

Nepal earthquake of 2015, also called the Gorkha earthquake, severe earthquake which struck the city of Kathmandu and other cities in central Nepal on April 25th. 9000 people lost their lives and several thousand injured, damaging millions of infrastructures including heritage sites and ancient structures. Felt throughout central and eastern parts in Nepal, northern India, northwestern Bangladesh, and western Bhutan till the southern parts of the plateau of Tibet.

The initial shock of 7.8 magnitudes stuck shortly before local noontime on Saturday afternoon followed by two huge aftershocks of 6.6 and 6.7, and several dozen aftershocks occurred during succeeding days. Today is the fifth annual day of the devastating earthquake, recalled as Mahavukampa or the remarkable earthquake of Nepal.

The terror of the Baishakh 12 earthquake of 2072 BS is still in our minds in various forms. Fear has not stopped us from panicking, we fear even when a heavy vehicle passes by our street and we feel some shakes, our heart still beats like a drum when people shout loud in some other reasons, the aftermath of the earthquake remains in psychological, economic and social dimensions of our lives. After 5 large years of the earthquake, after a half-decade of ancient Kathmandu city withstanding without Dharahara finally the construction of Dharahara reached some tangible edge. Starting from this positive news, let's remember how we survived and sustained the Mahavukampa of 2015 AD.

It seems necessary to move forward by embracing the destruction, assimilating the reasons for devastation, and implementing the knowledge of the earthquake.

The earthquake of 2072 BS not only damaged the structure but also our identity and historical heritage.

The quake-hit cities, villages, and capital still hold the hope of rebuilding its identity and originality with the townspeople.

The wooden mandapa, after which the city of Kathmandu was named, was reduced to dust by the earthquake. Similarly, the Dharahara tower was also reduced to dust where hundreds of people got killed, this earthquake brings a lot of tragedies and demands for commitment and solidarity for an earthquake resilient values and system.

Nepal is also a high-risk country in terms of seismic risk. Despite the high seismic risk, the lesser initiative has been taken to reduce the risk. Since earthquakes don't alarm before coming, in the present day, it is necessary to concentrate on the construction of the structure and focus on the awareness to reduce quake-related destruction. Even if we cannot cope with nature, let us all be aware of the risks involved.

Earlier, the stories of the 1990 BS earthquake have been replaced by the 2072 BS quake stories. Due to the mobility of the underground plates, the next generation will also have to bear the risk of earthquakes.

Even if we can't stop the earthquake, let's construct solidarity for everyone to reduce its risk, Today, we also want to pay tribute to the unknown and unknown souls who lost their lives in the earthquake.

Remembering and loving everyone.

Ramanujacharya Jayanti

Who is Ramanucharya?
The birth anniversary of Ramanucharya, a devotee of Vishnu, is celebrated on this date every year. Like Shankaracharya, Ramanucharya is an eternal philosopher, although Ramanucharya's philosophies are Vishnu-centric. He was born in 1017 AD in ancient Madras. He came to Kancheepuram under the pursuit of Veda's study, he studied Adwita Vedanta under teacher YadavPrakash.

Let's honor this Guru Ramanuja Acharya on his birthday, he is a revered guru in the ocean of BhaktiMarga lineage. He also initiated the Bhakti poetry and saints of Alvar poetry. His mantra was "Om Namo Narayana", his utmost belief was upon a monotheistic manifest where lord Vishnu was the center.

Ramanucharya, a campaigner for the Bhakti campaign, is also considered a guide for Vaishnavism.

His contributions
He wrote his commentary on Brahma Sutra which is known as the Sri Bhasya, he was a profound scholar of the Sanskrit language and he also crafted Srimad Bhagwat Geeta in the Sanskrit language. He traveled across the length and breadth of the Indian subcontinent to disseminate the path of wisdom and reformation. He is also known for his balanced verdict upon the dispute of Vaisnavism and Saivism.

We need more Ramanujacharyas in this world, may Bhakti magnify across the globe.

World Malaria Day

Today marks world malaria day, every year on the 25th of April this day is celebrated. This year World Health Organization promotes the "Zero malaria starts with me" campaign and calls for individual solidarity for community and global protection against malaria. This is a day that advocates for a grass-root movement that aims in prioritizing malaria on the political agenda, mobilize additional resources, and empower communities to take ownership of malaria prevention and care. Reducing the suffering and death from malaria has been one among the top agenda of this millennium, this day speaks every dimension and statistics of malaria on a global scale. Between 2000 and 2014, the number of malaria-related deaths fell by 40% worldwide, from an estimated 743 000 to 446 000. But in recent years, progress has ground to a standstill. According to WHO's World malaria report 2019, there were no global gains in reducing new infections over the period 2014 to 2018. And nearly as many people died from malaria in 2018 as the year before. One simple bed net can save people from a mosquito bite and malaria-related death, today is the day to be aware of that fact.

Urgent actions are needed to get back on track, Corona crisis of this year is redefining a new form of national power, now onwards the power of the nation will not only depend on artilleries and amenities but also its degree of the resilient health system. Malaria is an immediate threat and a challenge to mankind, let's develop solidarity to combat this.

Let's join in our effort to get zero malaria.

Suyog Dhakal