Bala Chaturdashi Barta | Shatbij charne din | International Day of Persons with disabilities

Today, Mangsir Krishna Chartudashi or Bala Chartudashi and today is a very important day for the salvation journey of the deceased members of family and society.

Today, various Shakti Peeths and Triveni Dhams in Nepal and India are crowded with pilgrims scattering Shatbij. Shatavbij means seven types of grains to be sown in religious forests such as Kailash Danda, Shleshmantak forest, and other forests for ancestral salvation.

To sow the Shatbij, one day before Chartudashi, that is, on the day of Triodashi, it is customary to stay awake at night, light the lamp, and chant hymns without blinking one's eyes. It is believed that the seeds scattered in the world will be germinated in another world of the deceased ancestors and they will never go hungry due to these reasons.

Special fairs are held at Pashupatinath of Kathmandu and surrounding Kirateshwar, Gaurighat, Guheshwari, coast of Aryaghat, Shleshamantak forest including Chatara, Barahkshetra of Eastern Nepal, Setiveni Dham of Parbat district, Chakreshwar temple of Gulmi Santipur, Devghat Dham of Nawalparasi, Kshireshwar of Dhanusha and Shivalayas and Triveni Dhams. However, the prevalence of COVID might have adverse impacts upon these pilgrimages in past years and gradually things are being normal.
The most interesting context today is related to the idol of Ganesha next to the Pashupati Vishwarupa temple. The idol of Ganesha is considered as a symbol of the deaf ear and therefore the devotees try to make the idol hear by shouting, yelling, and shaking loudly.

Happy Bala Chartudashi to all of us, may the departed souls have eternal peace, and may our friendship be maintained. Until then, use Hamro Patro, the most downloaded mobile application in Nepal and the most liked by Nepalis.

International Day of Persons with disabilities

Asha Sunar, 15, lives in a mountainous district of Nepal. She can't get to the second floor of her school because she has polio on both legs. Her school is not disabled-friendly and it and she has limited access to her school.

 Asha Sunar's life is even more difficult in the post-covid world. Life has become even more difficult for people with disabilities, such as Asha, due to the Covid's adverse effects this year.

There are millions of other people like Asha, 15 percent of the world's population live with some form of disability who do not have equal access to most of the manmade physical structures.

In the post-Corona world, the complexity of life for people with disabilities has increased. With this in mind, the slogan for World Disability Day 2021 is "Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities towards an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world."

Nations and communities around the world are celebrating World Disability Day today with the advocacy of an inclusive, accessible and long-term postcovid society through the participation and leadership of persons with disabilities.

Kashi Sah of Mahottari district is blind. According to him, People with disabilities do not have equal access to many such offices and structures.

"I don't understand the news coming on TV and I don't understand the serials no matter how much I like it," says Kashi.

When I see others laughing while watching comedy programs, I also like to understand and laugh, but I can't. Baglung district's deaf sister Vinita DC said in a conversation with Hamro Patro. It is important to make society and the world disability-friendly. Inclusive means not only language, culture, geography but also to make the disabled people successful in the pace of development by bringing them together easily.

Even now, the hardships of life for people with disabilities have become more intense. People with disabilities have more problems with the COVID epidemic. The slogan for International Disability Day this year is "Building Back Better: Towards a Disability-Inclusive, Accessible and Sustainable Post COVID-19 World".

Everyone can join on social media by using the hashtags #IDPD | #EveryoneIncluded | #CRPD and promoting this year’s theme on “Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-COVID-19 world.”

If people with disabilities are given equal opportunity in a positive environment, they can face any challenges. Whether it's a writer like Jhamak Kumari or Helen Keller or Stephen Hawkins. World Disability Day has been celebrated around the world on December 3 every year since 1992. Today, various programs and seminars, rallies are organized, slogans of equality and encouragement resound and it is hoped that these voices will resound throughout the year.

Today, the positive and achievement stories of people with disabilities are observed and listened to by the world community through various mediums, while on the other hand, they are also lobbied for a disability-friendly society and structure.

Friends with disabilities need love, harmony, equal care, and encouragement. May their self-confidence always remain and may their continuous meaningful participation in creative and structural work sustain. Self-esteem and a sense of equality develops only when one does not have to depend on others for one's livelihood. The government, the international community, and non-governmental organizations also focus on creating livelihood and income-generating activity for disabled friends, which is a very good thing.

By enabling disabled people to make a living by doing skill-based business, they should not be deprived of the warm light of education due to disability, get equal treatment in the society, and have easy health care accessing system.

Happy December 3rd, this special day brings energy and solidarity for a better world.

Suyog Dhakal