Resenting the Stereotype

There is this concept that goes in the mind of many, mostly women, who are feminist activist in our society, that women are used and treated like as commodities. No one seem to be caring where all this came from and who are the one who think and treat women as commodities ? Of course, there are men in this world, who  treat women as if she is a commodity and worst part of all this is there are women in this world in every society, who are convinced; they are right. ‘In a modelling world, women are viewed as commodities. They come and go fast because there are new models lining up to join this industry. Her life is short that what they are considered as a commodities.’ I do remember , something close to this, Susmita Sen saying in one of her early interview, when she was freshly crowned miss universe - 1994. She was confident in her believe and smart in understanding the  fast moving business trend around her. She was the much like beauty in most of my friends circle and each of them had a solid reason, why they preferred her over her close rival Aishwarya, who won Miss world in the same year. But, I paid more attention to the fact, how short her own life was in entertainment industry; as compared to her so called rival Aash. This lasting ability in the entertainment industry is all made me like her as the one over her competitor, who resent the women as commodity in different way. Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell,makes us think hard for lasting in this short running show business for almost twenty years.

I remember reading Uma Thurman, ‘in Hollywood they say you last here until you are 25, I lasted until I am 35. So, I lasted here ten more years, I am still happy.’ Halle Berry, who won her Oscar only when she was 36, meaning it was the beginning of her career. Now a days, Jennifer Lopez garners all the media attention, even for her hot dress up sense; which can give run for a competition to those who are half her age in the industry. She is forty-five now.  Karisma Manandhar, Madhuri Dixit and Nicole Kidman are still in the industry after twenty years in this short shelf life show business. But Meryl streep, Judi Dench and Helen Mirren lasted longer than the pretty face girls suppose to last in this very industry with their praiseworthy work, professionalism and sheer determination.

Is this just women, who are objectified in entertainment industry ? ask Priyanka Chopra who is one of the top ranked actress in Bollywood now. She denies it sharply and added in one of the talk show with Koffee with Karan, ‘men in Bollywood is as objectified as women.’ Now a days, men in entertainment industry needs to tone their body, bare their chest, dance to lure their women audience as much as the women in olden days were required to be nothing more than eye-candy on the screen. Men in Bollywood now have to have six-pack-abs, and they have to be ready to open their shirt on screen any time, even if; it has nothing to do with the script. Good look and toned body has nothing to do with acting and yet they are in and out of the industry in no time. Exception is in every field of life.

But, why is that, when Shahrukh, Salman and Aamir show their bare-toned chest and muscle they are wowed and woman who dare wearing revealing clothes, are condemned ? Bipasha Basu, Rekha Thapa, Jharana Bajracharya, Malaika Arora and Mallika Sherawat should be lauded for their effort to daring so, at the same time maintaining their dignity and lasting in the industry longer than some thought they would for pretty face, who dress boldly. There are stories supporting enough, directors in the entertainment industry exploits men as much as they do to woman.  But, the question is women are objectified as commodity is what hits in our mind. Does this mean women cry too much ?

I remember watching a show where Leonardo Dicaprio was resenting for being liked as ‘so good looking guy’ as if; he is nothing more than a ‘sweet meat loaf’. He sure was edibally good looking in Titanic and The Beach but watching his third movie The Aviator tells us how much he resented being liked nothing more than a ‘good looking guy.’ He is bang on his work but my Leo had dropped his good look behind. Men also resent for being taken as nothing more than sweet meat loaf ? It was hard for me to accept in the beginning but he made it easy for me to understand.

Have't we heard that ‘Brad Pitt syndrome’, this means good look not for acting. Brad Pitt really had to work hard to break that good look and serious actor. Here in Bollywood Deepika Padukone also had to go through that same norms and phase, as Leo said, sweet meat loaf, now she is one of the highest paid actress in Bollywood, as he has entered in the club of 600 corod money making in box office.

Is accepting challenge is only expected from Men ? Is struggle and tolerance is only for men ? what if, if we have to face the harsh challenge ? what if we expect struggle for everyone ? My mind spins heavily when I try to understand how come a man of 45 years trying to have sex with a 12 year old  girl who gets faint in earlier effort can't leave her even after she bleeds heavily ? How come what numbs us is pleasure for them ? what is brutal and barbaric for us bring pleasure for them ? Can we have answer to all the question we seek ?

I do remember reading Al Pacino once who had slept with an old lady to fund his desire to sustain in the movie industry and the lady GaGa did not talk much about the fact that she was raped when she was a teenager. Entertainment and glamour industry teaches us so much. Rape which in number one reason behind the crime that happens based on violence against women cases in every report. Sexual violence like rape is entertainment and pleasure for men but torture for women.  Everybody struggles in their life and everyone has to struggle in life. Some has to struggle for short period some had to go through the same for longer than one expects to last it.  So are you the victim or hero of your story ? It seems its your decision, where you want to put your story on the entertainment or on page # 5 ? Now the question is do the people in Page number 5 have to compete with entertainment page or our intellect in the media will think seriously on this subject matter ?

Books that have power to shape our mind - II

1. Jivan Kanda Ki Phool :  Really, thought is a thing said by Napoleon Hill in his book think and grow rich. it's the most powerful thing on earth. I have been reading books that focus entirely our thought saying this change and shape our life in the long run and then I read this book which is the perfect example of how it its the most important part of our life. She lives that life in real.This is an autobiography by a girl who suffered from cerebral palsy. Her name is Jhamak Ghimire. Living a life of a deaf, who could not walk and move her hands to do daily basic chores. She never went to school even for a day in her life. It's the story of a disabled young girl’s struggle, how she learned to read and write, how she got dignity first in her own house and then in her society and how she earned the nation wide respect for her strong voice through her pen. Never before in my life I have read a book which is filled with loads of quotable quotes. Reading this book will give us hope, courage, resilience and determination to face our troubles and pain. If she can live life on her term, then what should stops us to live ours ?

2. How to Win Friends and Influence People : I was argumentative at one point of life but then realized it's useless thing to argue with those who do not get your point of view. I was fed up with those who indulge in criticizing, I knew it is total waste of time. Only fool defends a thought want to remain fool or change path in life ? That understanding just saved my time. I wish I had read this book long time back. This book has been one of the all time best sellers in the self help section. It was written by Dale Carnegie in 1936 and it has been staying in print since then as one of the most helpful book in human relations. All the example in the book is not pulled by here and there like Shiva Khera in his book but it was tried and tasted by hundreds of his students in his institution.

3. Steve Jobs : This book is a story of a man who is not liked and loved by many yet he changed the entire world with his invention, computer, Ipad, Iphone and movie. People who never get tired to tell you to change so that you will be liked and loved by others should read this book. If you think faith in God will make people humble and polite in their dealing with other human being then you should read this book. You will be surprised that is not true. This book also tells you god believing people are worse in human relations than atheist, here I am thinking about Bill Gates who do not demean people like Steve jobs do. Anyway be yourself with all your flaw and strength, there is no one on earth who can replace you. Walter Isaacson writing makes this book a lot more readable and interesting. His life study lets you read the life of a man that tells us its nature, not nurture which shapes our life.

4. Daydream : if you think educated people will understand what you say and will lend you their supporting hand to achieve your goal then you should read this book. This book is originally written by Gijubhai who is a revolutionary in Indian education system, mainly child education. It was he who had taught to Indian parents to respect child and try to understand their psychology. Indian society is very much like our society like the one Jhamak Ghimire has described her book who disrespects and devalue their own child. In our society children’s voice and choice are grossly ignored. However, this book is much more than that. If you want to understand the difference between leader and a jobholder then you should read this book. Just because you know your dream does not mean it's easy to get it.This is also a book that gives you clear idea about, you must have a dream, a daydream and must work hard to achieve it.  How tough it's to achieve your dream and who are the one who acts like barrier then you should read it to believe it. Sharad Chandra Wosti is brilliant in his work to translate this book in Nepali and due to his translation in Nepali it's easy to read and you can finish it in one sit down.

5. An Autobiography of a Yogi : This is the only book I have read in Hindu philosophy and by a religious leader. Originally, the writer is an Indian but when he wrote it he had spent more years in America than he had spent in his own mother land [India]. Sure, this is interesting to read for its spiritual aspect more than what it has to teach about God or afterlife. It's also helpful to read it for how to lead successful life. This book also helps you to understand the power of mind. How our thinking will change our life in long term. How your strong determination has a way to shape your life. I have to say this is more than a religious book. This book do have a reread value in time and again.

All the above books do have reread value and help us to live and lead our life than spend it like mediocre life, like little people. These books have recharged me in life and I hope this will recharge you also.

Books that have power to shape our mind - I

One of the most toughest job perhaps is to shortlist the books to top ten then when you have read hundreds of books. It's really tough in so many ways than just one. Because I am picking the books based on its reread value and how it will help an individual to shape their life. Rather than its literary importance or rich in language or which helps you to kill time. These books offers answer to the some perplexing problem of life. Tells you be be bold, strong and resilient in life rather than rant, cry or complain or take pride in art of criticizing. I am listing the name of books as I like and as it has intention to help the human race regardless of your caste, creed and culture.

1. The Fourth Dimension : This is a book written by a Korean christian religious leader leader, who is known to the christian world as the one who has the largest members in a church. Let me tell you this very clearly, me and religion won't go side by side. However, I do not see any reason whatsoever to run away from its true impact in every society or the good books that have come out from Christians leaders. There will always be people who put their faith in this or that god or religion and there will always be a true leader who would like to solve the perplexing questions that grip every society. I have not read a bible but I keep read people who read bible, teach bible, preach bible, breath bible and sleep bible. I always find it interesting to read Dr. Paul Yonggi cho, Norman Vincent Peale and Loren Cunningham or Sri Yukteswar the famous nineteenth century Indian sage who see so much similarities in what is taught and preached by top religious leaders; be it Hindu or christian or other saints regardless of their believe in religion. What is very interesting about this book is its more than a religious book. Its motivational and inspiring and it's helpful to read when we feel so low in our life.  If you read the book the magic of big thinking this man do not believe in god but he believes in the power of our thinking which do have power to shape our life. This is what this book tells you in so much easy way. Should this surprise me then Dr. Cho is also world famous in inspiration speaking than just religious preacher.

2. 

   Rich Dad Poor Dad : If you think you have to work hard to earn money then you better read this book and this will change your entire thinking, saying that there is  no direct connection between hard work and rich people. This book is all about financial literature which has power to change our thinking on money or how to make money. ‘Let the money work instead of working for money’ is what main thing this book teach us. The world is divided by two kind of people one believe money is power and another believes love of money is root of evil. This books allows us in the mind of those who ask questions, how can I afford instead of I can't afford it. Its interesting how rich people see those lines and how poor people see those lines.  I remember Ralf Smart at this point, who is a spiritual  speaker on YouTube. He said, “money is something poor people work hard  so much to hand it over rich people.” Robert Kiyosaki shares his life time experience in this book and that makes the whole difference.

3. 

   The power of positive thinking : I have heard about this book long before but read it only couple of years before. I must say this here, I regret it reading it so late. This is one of the most influential book I have read. Although, this minister teach us to respect Christ but I became huge fan of Dr. Norman Vincent Peale than the man he worships devoutly. Its really worth appreciating his desire to help not just Christians but all the humans who suffer from this or that kind of problems in life. He have covered almost all topics that ails human being and tried to answer in details one by one of those problems. This sure is one of the best self help book by a religious leader. He do have that power to make me respect christian leaders by the kind of service they give to help people at large.

4. Think and Grow Rich :  Poverty is bold and ruthless and it's everywhere but rich is shy so you have make a proper plan to attract it. This is the line from the book that gets my full attention. Napoleon Hill is the writer of this book and it  was published in  1937. This is a book which came out after 25 years of study of big money makers in US. It's not just about the study of those who made money but this also talks about what is that quality which makes you successful in life regardless of odds staring at your face. For me this book is the perfect example how our thought have power to shave and change our life.  

5. 

   The Magic of Thinking Big was written by David J. Schwartz and published in 1959. The writer of this book tells you with his years of experience that  you don't have to be lucky to be successful in life. This is one more self help book. Yes, it's your belief and thinking that shapes your life. You know what is so interesting about this book ? He do not tell you to put all your faith in god to be healthy, happy and successful in life, instead he tells you put your faith in you and yourself more than anything on earth. This is the part which I life most in about this book. This is the compact version of book by religious leader and motivational speaker.

To be continued ..

A strong message through Art

I saw this wall painting on the way to Xavier college that is in Maitighar. This is part of the town which falls in the side I do not travel that frequently. To be honest, this way falls on my way, only once in 5 or 6 years time frame. So, no wonder when I saw this wall painting with so strong social message on gender, gender equality, gender rights, choice of partner in relationship, sex, sexuality and so much more. This painting is worth a whole book study on this subject. But as they it a picture tells you a thousands words  and for me this wall painting is  worth watching a documentary compared to study of an entire book. This wall painting saves our time of reading all the book that that has ten thousand or more words.  I got so awed with its strong message I thought I should write one article on this particular painting. each piece of art has on strong message in it. could not help taking some pictures. this painting is a big picture but each has its own message like 

how tolerant are we on choice of life partner by adults ?

When we talk about equal gender, how tolerant we are on others relationship when they choose same sex partner ? Are we ready to respect their relationship ?






when a man and woman marry nature has given us a gift to create a new life and we should take pride it it. Marriage is not just fun and ending way of single life, it also means continuation of universe to go on. So we should respect the people who are baby boomers because creating new life is our basic right also and we can do it. Taking care of new generation is our major responsibility.

In our society majority of parents always try to impose their thought on their growing children, saying you should marry this or that one. or saying that they are way to young to take their own decision. Its high time they learn and accept the basic right of human body : Its my body and my choice. No one should impose their thought on their child just because they are their child. An adult can make their own decision when time is right for them. There comes a time when they remain no more a child and they must spend the life with the one they think deems right for them.

What is gender has always be a part of confusion to so many youngsters who are trying to find out what is gender and what it has to do with our sexual right. our private parts is what determines our gender.

consensual sex is not violence

Consensual sex should not be viewed as assault or violence and we should grow more tolerant on it rather than peeping in side the bedroom of many adult people and yapping mouth without getting their right to their body. in the name of protection some go over board to protect their teen age children and then try to convert consensual sex into assault or taking advantage of the innocence. 

What is violence

What is violence

When we talk about violence we think only women become the victim. just because some men do not talk about it does not men they don't get sexually abused by counter sex. men are as much used and abused as women are but it seems she cries and he do not that is the reason his voice in this matter is not heard much.






This is high time we talk about it openly and open debate on issues that concerns sexual and reproductive health. I would like to extend my special thanks to FPAN and European Union who help spread this message via wall art.

Cynics Society - II

TV Journalist Dil Bhusan Pathak

Cynic's Society - I

The height of cynicism can be seen in an interview after the April 25th earthquake. All of us were still sleeping under the tents, in total shock, suffering from the tremendous mental pressure. We were constantly experiencing endless aftershocks in our day and sleeps. Returning to normal life was a distant dream. All of us were clueless about what happened and what will happen next. In the midst of chaos and confusion, on day 3rd [April 28], there came interview on Kantipur TV, guest was Home Minister Bamdev Gautam. on very attacking mood.  There was something in it, that made me not to like it. I thought one of them will end up punching on the nose of others. Chances were very high, Dil Bhushan Pathak would have to take it on his face, as he was that journalist.  This interview, as Minister said, ‘was intended to excite mass rather than calming the panicked people’ came at a time of national disaster. One UN report says, about 8 million people were directly affected due to this mega quake. It seems most of them and almost all Nepali were expecting our leaders to come to their door to console them along with relief materials. Then, all they wanted was a tent and nothing else.

I am not implying here that journalists should not criticise our government for their delayed action, but to criticise our government and system on 3rd day of the national emergency day was simply unexpected from a responsible journalist. Even if, he was repeatedly using the word ‘for the mass you have to answer this’. How come a journalist of my country can be so insensitive towards mass and their collective fear, when we were facing mega earthquake, that hits us every 80 - 100 years ? Was not that too early and too judgmental ? If he is truly a responsible journalist, he would have picked a person or a religious figure to pacify the panicked mass. Instead, here minister was attacked and bombarded with questions, that irritated him and left him hyper and red face. It did not helped audience but sure it angered them. Here, I would like to ask Mr. Pathak, is this only our government’s problem when natural disaster like that happens in our country ?  And is that how we react in such situation ? is attacking is what you call responsibility of a journalist ?

That interview and its timing made me speechless. So, I switched to foreign channels. CNN have become the first choice then. They were talking about, how the world have poured their hearts out to send relief materials and money they collected after seeing world headlines of our 7.8 MI earthquake have hit. CNN was telling us the traffic jam in our airport, they were saying how many country came with relief team and cargo and how they were having problem unloading it in our airport. It was them telling us, who were giving us how much. But, on Kantipur paper and TV - I mostly stick with these two, all I saw news dominated by negative news about the disastrous earthquake.

This is ethic less journalism. And media involved in it, is equally responsible for such negative interviews. This is the reason, mass have lost their due respect for our journalists - Dil Bhushan Pathak is on top of my list. Because, journalist are the ones, who have been injecting hatred and anger in the mind of mass against the politicians, sometimes for the reasons; they should not be blamed for. Therefore, it should not surprise us, if our people blame our politicians for earthquake, flood and natural calamities, as if they have the mobile number of individual natural calamities handler.

Journalist should act as a mediator to help mass understand the things that goes around us. So many times, it seems that our journalists forgets they are journalist, instead; they think they are the Indian movie actors, who act in bollywood movie like Nayek. Not surprisingly, they pretends as if he is one of them and thinks just like the actor, they can protect the mass - the victims from the evil - politicians.  The reality is, they are journalist the the fan of their favorite hero who can do anything in the world of fiction. Kantipur TV never let a single person pass by when they went on field after earthquake to report about it, like who did not get relief materials from Government. Then, they focused on how Indian media was doing and how come there were so many Indian jet planes in our airport.

Now its time to switch on BBC, there they were talking about Joanna Lumle, the British actress and activist, who had teamed up with a TV channels and 13 local NGOs to raise funds for Nepal to help earthquake victims. They have raised almost 3 billions Rs in about 22 hours. We read in Facebook how the Facebook company have taken the initiative to collect funds to help Nepal and it was able to collect about 20 million dollar adding 2 million from company, in just a week and then handed over to one local NGO who will be carrying its work in Nepal.

Facebook was filled with all sorts of news that was not in our TV and Newspaper. The good news of good hearted people was in foreign channels and newspapers. Slowly, it caught the Facebook circle and suddenly it caught like wildfire to all the Nepali around the world, to come forward and then do something, whatever they could for this quake suffering nation. Ironically, all this have started with those who have posted wai wai and couple of water bottles before going to help the people they could, to the place where they can. Some of the people criticized it ‘pathetic’ looking pictures of ‘givings’. But, that small act of helping people, who are in need; caught viral in our social media and then it started snowballing. Never before, in our life we have seen Nepali rising for another Nepali and extending their hand to unknown those who have suffered, lost the home and loved ones. It took about a week or ten days, then suddenly just like that the pages of Kantipur started telling us about those good hearted people, who came forward out of nowhere to help the needy in this tragic condition. Australian businessman NRN Shesh Ghale, Russian businessman Upendra Mahato and our very own, Forbes listed billionaire Binod Chaudhary came with big heart and wallet to help those who needed help. There were other cluster groups like Bibeksheel Nepali, Help Nepal network and many more who are still working on to rebuild and reconstruction project.

If we keep aside the impact of facebook during earthquake and CNN and BBC, our negative reporting is gripping the mass with negative thinking as we hardly get a chance to read good reporting in our news. Busting scam only is not the sole job of media men.  If we keep talking about all the negative side of it, when can we eradicate the evils sides of society ? We have to show this society good path also not just the dark side of the society. The problem is all the good work is left for INGO or NGOs.

Why ? Is this only  the work of INGO or NGOs to talk about the human right, rights of  indigenous or the rights marginalized people, who have been denied their basic rights in our society, when it's the problem faced in our society ? This tells the different side of the story. How biased our journalists are, when it comes to solve the problems, our society is facing. It has been seen that journalist always see those INGO and NGO works with the doubt in their head. Why they are better paid than  them ? Needless to tell you, whole nation is infected with such a negative thinking that makes me worry hard.

Politics is not everything : Many survey have revealed that our news are dominated by politics. In fact, survey says 90% news are about politics and politicians, as if; politics have all the answer. However, if you keep reading editorial or news or letters to editors what you are going to read is, that nothing is right in this country and there you keep reading bureaucrats are corrupt, system does not work in this country, prime minister is ailing and aging. There has been very few talk about development, education, eradication of social evils, superstitions science and technology, equal rights, gender equality, what we can do to eradicate untouchables. How can we solve our society’s problem wisely that divide our nation ? be it religious, women's health, girls education. If we want to address development in our village, we have to focus on women's health, send our girls to school to reduce child death rate. Stop child marriage to save women from multiple health problems. Our county depends on agro which is labor consuming we should focus on other areas to create more job or money to new generation. For that, there should be more focus on science and technology not just IT sector but in other areas also. When we will get a chance to read good news about our society, about good future planning ? Must we protest on street to get the attention of the media boss or editors also ?

There is no doubt, good analysis and constructive criticism demands qualified professional to understand and then pen down. People who earns better than journalist are always viewed as greedy and corrupt by our media friends and they mold it as if,  it's the voice of our mass.  It is strange, why journalist whose basic salary is not even 15,000 pm views all others who makes higher than them, are not deserving for good pay ? Hard working and sweating work and people have always been appreciated, but those hard working Nepali lives has never ever uplifted the life of average Nepali, just like the low paid journalist could not come up with better thinking to shape a better and progressive society.

Note : 

1. the interview can be seen in this link.

2. This article has already been published in Samhita Magazine [2015] which is published by Press Council Nepal on trimester basis.

Cynic's Society - I

Cartoons are one of the most read and liked in our dailies. Nowadays, you can't get a chance to read a daily without a cartoon in it. Most of it appears on front page, with few exception on inside back page. Pick a national daily and see its front page for cartoon for a week. Study the sketch and few words. Majority of it are filled with deep, dark satire and sarcasm. There is no doubt, cartoon speaks the language of satire and sarcasm.

Darker it is, more successful the cartoonist is. The question is why people are so much in love with cartoons ?  One simple answer could be, it's sketch are simple and lines are humorous,  which has power to tickle most people's funny bones. No one needs to be highly educated to get its easy meaning. There is no doubt, most of the cartoonists are also a political journalists. No wonder, they give you what is going on in our political circle. It's just that they report with their simple sketches using very few words, instead of long elaborated news. I am amazed how the public like those satire and sarcasm targeted at our politicians or corrupt people in power positions. Darker the satire, better they are liked and appreciated by the mass.

Have you paid attention to the fact, that all the cartoonist focus on our daily problems ? The big question is have you ever seen a single problem being solved with the use of satire and sarcasm ? The answer is, No. This is what makes me think harder, then why do they satire  ? Sarcasm is also not the diplomatic way to sort out a problem that persist in our society. But, it's not just the cartoons that speaks the language of satire and sarcasm. Now a days, I keep reading a magazine Samhita [ethics] which is the trimester publication from Press council. This magazine focus on ethics in journalism reminding them responsibility and accountability. Even here, the language used by; is so unsuitable for wise and self respecting readers.

The truth is, most of the journalists use the kind of language that can be termed very substandard for national daily, yet there is no control on such language.  I see such language has been used by not just senior but fresh journalists, with such ease that they don't even seem to feel sorry for using in their writings. And, when I read  seniors journalists articles, then; I get where the new journalists learned. It's the same case in social networking site also. Many times, it seems, they take pride using substandard language to vent frustrations for our politicians and people in power. It makes me wonder, are not journalists trained to pour anger in decent language ? They are bad when it comes to pouring anger, venting frustrations, ranting and nagging. Must they use filthy and derogatory language, when they report negative news about politicians ? Such use of degrading language in our news means, how much respect they show to their readers. That maybe is the reason the language we see on our social sites are even worse than what we see in our media. It seems that our journalists don't care much, about the kind of language they use in men dominated newsrooms. One of the easy way to make our media men to use decent language is, to fill the newsroom with more women. So that they will be careful who are around and why they needs to be careful in their writing and who will be reading it.

Does news means negative reporting only ? We all know it, journalism is not all about putting spotlight on the dark side of society only. However, it seems, newsroom are the place; where all the cynics gather up to vent frustrations, express bitterness, anger, ranting, nagging, be mad at politicians or those who are in power positions, mock the system. They seem to be feeling so helpless [personally] all the time; not knowing how to find a solution to this kind of mess that is going on in our society. No wonder, looking at our news, it seems like Nepal is a heaven for cynics. And cynicism knows no boundary in our reporting.

Cynic's Society - II will be on next Sunday's post

Note : 1. the cartoons has been used with the consent of cartoonist except for the one by Senior cartoonist Vastsayan, who could not be contacted.

2. This article has already been published in Samhita Magazine [2015] which is published by Press Council Nepal on trimester basis.

Do You Know ?

A normal healthy man emits around 300 - 500 millions sperm into the vagina during intercourse. It may take up to ten hours to travel a sperm to reach an egg. Egg is also on constant travel once it is out from the ovary.   Around hundred sperm finds egg but interestingly, only one sperm out of millions enters into an egg and then forms a new life.

Tough competition, long before a life begins.

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84% of the crops grown for human consumption need bees or other insects to pollinate them to increase their yields and quality. Some also say it in different way that bee’s extinction can be the extinction of human life. This may be the reason some schools in UK encourage school children  to keep a beehives at home.

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Do you know yaning makes our body  more alert. It fights with sleepiness we feel as when we yaning our body gets more oxygen which makes us fresh.

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According to the food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, every year around the globe, 1.3 billion tonnes of food is lost or wasted. Food loss and waste amount to a major squandering of resources, including water, land, energy, labor and capital and needlessly produce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global warming.

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Do you know why our hair raise when we are frightened ? it's because it makes the other get scared when they look at us. During the wild time when we did not used to trim our body hair it helped us from the wild creature who got scared seeing us in big form, oh that is after we got hair raising experience.

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Do you know the wings of bumble bee is too small to carry its big body weight, yet it flies because it does know about this inbuilt mistake in its body.

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Do you know the wings of butterfly are not designed for long haul; yet butterfly migrates 5000 miles every year.

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Integrating ducks into rice farming has shown to increase yield by 20% with about 50% higher net return. The same cultivation area can be used for not only rice production but also subsidiary products like meat and eggs. At the same time, rice-duck farming reduces labor inputs through control of weeds and insects by ducks.

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There are over 1,000 varieties of banana. The most common one is the sweet and seedless Cavendish banana.

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You must be knowing curd is made of milk. But do you know, you we can't get curd from camel’s milk.

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Avocado is the only fruit on earth which has protein in it. That is why it is regarded one of the best alternative of protein to those who are vegetarian.  You also must be knowing just because you are hungry you can't eat more than half kg of avocado like we can eat mango or banana. Its because of high protein in it.  It is believed that it cures cancer.

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Durian is national fruit of Malaysia. It has so strong scent [to those who do not like it, it smells] that it's been prohibited to carry during air travel. Some also call it royal fruit, because it's not easy to cut it, if you want to  have it.

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Have you heard about the dog year ? Research reveals that a dog year equals six human years. Like if you have a dog that is ten year old this means that dog is about sixty years old. However, there is no unanimous thought with this six human years for each years of a dog.  So, do not be surprised if you read in another book or article one dog year equals nine human years. This huge age difference is the reason, it's helpful to give a puppy to your child. As they seem to grow together but a dog has a lot to teach your child while growing together. You must be knowing the best thing a dog can teach your child is to be responsible.

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Do you know the content of the five hot spices are different in India and China. Not all of them contains the same so you can make your own list of hot spices to put in meat or beans soup. 

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The first thing that develops in our body - when we are still inside the mother's womb, growing to be human one day - is our heart. It starts beating around third week of pregnancy. In an average our heart beats about 3 billion times given that the lifespan of a person is 75 years.

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