Welcome to this year's Papankush Ekadashi Mahatmeya. The Navaratri days are over however, in some parts of Nepal daughters and in-laws are expected to arrive and receive Tika till the Kojagrat Poornima.
Considering this Dashain reviving with the post-covid world, Tika recipients have become very low and the distancing is maintained. The 11th day of the Hindu date is called Ekadashi, Ekadashi i.e. the eleventh day it is customary to fast on this date, eat only fruits and listen to the story of Ekadashi Mahatmaya.
According to the Bhagavata Purana, such Ekadashi has special significance for the devotees of Lord Vishnu, i.e. Vaishnavas. This Ekadashi, which falls on the eve of Dashain Tika, also has its special significance. This Ekadashi, named after Durga Bhavani's Navratri, is famous as the Ekadashi that destroys sins.
This Ekadashi is described in the dialogue between Lord Krishna and Yudhisthira. According to Krishna, fasting on this Ekadashi and worshiping the Lord will atone for all sins by the grace of Lord Padmanabha. It is said that it is very important to listen or study Vishnu Sahasranama and Ashtotara of Sri Rama and Sri Krishna and make the pilgrimage on this Ekadashi.
Krishna has mentioned that if one performs devotional rituals by fasting on such days, one will get more results than Ganga, Gaya, Kashi, or Puskar River dives (Nadisnan). It is said that if one fast during the day and chants the Lord's hymns at night and does Hari Kirtan, one can attain many virtues and attain salvation in the footsteps of Lord Vishnu after death. This Ekadashi is equally important for both Vishnu devotees, Vaishnavas, and Shiva devotees.
In the Vishnu Purana (5:33:46) section, it is stated that if one thinks that Shiva and Vishnu are different, he/she is mistaken and is condemned from salvation and going to heaven.
It is customary to get up in the morning, take a bath, put on clean clothes, and start fasting. After worship and temple visits, it is customary to listen to the Ekadashi glory of this Ekadashi. In today's Ekadashi, it is believed that ten generations from the maternal side, ten generations from the patriarchal side and the ancestors from the devote's wife's or husband's clan will attain Vaikuntha.
People are living and social beings, so the scriptures have inspired us to give alms to the poor and miserable, no matter how little we have. There is nothing greater in the world than serving the needed. Good luck to all of us, by being helpful today and doing things that can make others smile.
World Food Day 2021: Our actions are our future 
To mark and commemorate the anniversary of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, every year, World Food Day is celebrated across the globe on October 16. This day aims at tackling global hunger and striving to eradicate hunger across the world.
World Food Day was established in November 1979, suggested by former Hungarian Minister of Agriculture and Food Dr. Pal Romany. It is celebrated by more than 150 countries around the world.
On October 16, 2021, the world is again celebrating World Food Day as in other years, but in a different context and in a different way. The theme for this year is "Our actions are our future". The day has come for human civilization to return to its basic needs due to the horrors of Covid 19 and the changes it has brought. Today is a very important day to teach the generation which is entirely just connected to the keyboard and WiFi about the importance of soil and crops and the relationship between the roots of the plants, soil, and the food on their table.
Filled bhakari, sacks of rice, wheat, millet, and corn hanging on the railings, these and many other grains and foodstuffs are found in Nepali homes and villages. It should be considered as the grace of Pashupati Nath, till now in Nepali society and Nepali soil, by the grace of Machhindranath, greenery is being maintained with drops of water, and hunger is addressed.
Two decades ago, when more than 80 percent of the total population was engaged in agriculture, most of the households in Nepal still make a living by digging up soil and agriculture. It is estimated that more than 60 percent of the Nepali population is still, directly and indirectly, involved in agriculture. If we look at the family profession of many of us, we find that one or two generations ago there is a substantial trace of the farming profession.
The gradual cessation of production of locally grown crops, the use of highly toxic pesticides to reduce the capacity of productive soils and the gradual disappearance of indigenous species are the challenges of food management in the 21st century. Nepal commenced its modern development but abandoned its participatory social engagement in agriculture and this is why today such a fertile Nepal has been importing foods from foreign markets. Today is also the day when Nepali must understand that agriculture is the most glamorous and responsible profession to undertake and lucrative also. Especially in Nepal, we are still not able to engage in commercial agriculture and the main reasons for this are the inability to encourage and attract students in agricultural education, this could be because of the lack of actions in government policymaking or many other reasons.
In the 1960s, Nepal was one of the sixth largest exporters of rice in the world, but agriculture in Nepal has been declining and today Nepal is at the peak of importing many agricultural products including rice.
If we compare the city of 50 years ago with the city of today, only the mouths of food grow more than the hands that grow, this is a problem for food crisis management. World Food Day is also important to make the world, which enjoys technology, communication, and physical infrastructure, aware of future problems due to declining investment and enthusiasm for slow food production. According to a statistic, by 2025, due to food shortage in the world, large corporations in developed countries have been claiming to invest in the vacant lands of developing countries. In the post COVID era, food security and sovereignty is more vital than ever before.
Every year on October 16, World Food Day is celebrated to fight the food crisis and hunger around the world. World Food and Agriculture Organization F.A.O. According to, the biggest challenge posed by climate change is the food crisis. On the other hand, the population of the earth is increasing day by day, and to bring this proportion of the growing population towards food security, it is necessary to make the traditional methods of agriculture more productive and commercialized by adapting to climate change. Today's need is to be able to produce as much as possible by cultivating seasonal and non-seasonal crops even on small land and to use food sparingly.
The movement of middlemen between farmers and consumers should be reduced and transparent relations should be maintained between producers and consumers. Land distribution should be productive, irrigation facilities should be simple and market management should be fair. Let's remember, food is the essence of our survival and the bedrock of our culture and communities.
Happy World Food Day everyone!
Suyog Dhakal
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