Pashupatinath Chhaya Darshan/World Cancer Day

The divine day to observe and worship the water reflection of PashupatiNath
In the bank of Bagmati River and under the lap of mountainous range, there lies the supreme form of Lord shiva in the holy Pashupatinath temple. The fate of Bagmati River is to integrate in Ganga and eventually to the ocean, similarly Pashupatinath manifests the ultimate energy and awakening about the life and death of mankind. This is the holiest place for Hindu and a full circle of Hindu pilgrimage is incomplete without stepping in the holy pashupat area. This prehistoric religious avenue is sited in several ancient texts and incidents of sanatan philosophy. Surrounded by devpatan, jayabageshwori, gaurighat, Chabahil, Kutumbahal, Sifal, Gaushala, Pinglasthan and Slesamantak forest, Pashupatinath area extends up to 264 hectares including about 492 temples/ monuments and more than 1000 shivalingas.

Today I will be narrating this specific day when devotees are offered the water reflection glimpse of Pashupatinath. This is not an ordinary ceremony or a mediocre ritual, it happens once a year and is observed by hundreds of devotees. Since several centuries, the local people from Newa community are involved in this divine day. These community people wash the main shivalinga and put on a new crown over it, the water reflection of the shivalinga is created by filling the southern part of temple with water. This divine reflection underneath the open blue February sky is observed by pilgrims and devotees till the dusk.

Lord shiva manifests the energy of creating, protecting and transforming, Pashupatinath itself means the lord of every creatures of this universe. The serene environment of pashupatinath translates a different energy and a new meaning of existence, make sure you don't miss this specific day of observing Shivalinga in its water reflection.
Om Namaha Shivaya

World cancer day

Uniting our voices and taking action
2023, is the ultimate year of voices and taking actions. This year, world cancer day strongly demands our commitment for a cancer-free world. The most crucial effort against cancer is determining who are you and what will you do against this pandemic? Let's create a solidarity against cancer and create a change in our neighborhood, community, and cities.

World cancer day is an international day observed for raising awareness and encouraging treatment, detection, and prevention of cancer. This is also a global initiative that targets supporting the cancer community, minimize the the global burden of cancer prevalence, advocate for gender equity, and to ensure that the integration of cancer will be done in global and national development agendas and strategic planning. This day of February 4th is a single initiative where an entire world can gather together to fight against the global epidemic of cancer.

Before some decades, cancer was a rarely heard disease in Nepal but these years it's been a common phenomenon of death. Let's just relook, how many neighbors, dear ones, relatives, family members, and friends have we lost due to cancer? The cancer epidemic is rapidly expanding and we all are under the radar of cancer. However, the early detection of cancer and proper treatment can avoid cancer-related death and deliver a normal life to the people, so every February 4th of the year is globally driven by the motive of raising awareness and commitment against cancer.

Considerable facts about the global cancer epidemic.
Every year almost 9.6 million people die from cancer.

This is more than HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis combined. This is the second leading cause of death on this planet.

It is projected that by 2030, cancer-related deaths will hit 13 million every year. More than one-third of the cancer cases are preventable and the remaining one third can be treated if diagnosed in its earlier stage, by early detection and treatment we can save 3.6 million lives per year.

So this is the time to act against cancer, it’s a high time to speak out and stand up for a cancer-free world. World cancer day delivers a global message to the world and asks to catalyze the government, personal and collective actions against cancer. Cancer has been a major cause of death on this planet and its increasing trend will sooner have a devastating impact upon the world population. This day aims to save millions of preventable deaths each year by raising awareness against cancer, raising education about cancer, and sensitize governments and individuals across the world to fight against the cancer epidemic.

The medical science that studies cancer is called "Oncology" and cancer is called "ArbudRog" in Nepali and Hindi.

What is cancer?
Cancer refers to a large number of disease characterized by the development of the large number of abnormal cells that divides uncontrollably. This development dictates the infiltration and destruction of normal body tissues. Normally cancer holds the ability to spread throughout the body.

The risk factors of cancer are your age, your habits, your family history, health conditions, and the environment you live and work.

To how prevent cancer generally?
Stop smoking, avoid excessive sun exposure, eat a healthy diet, exercise most days of a week, maintain a healthy weight, drink alcohol in moderation if you choose to drink, schedule cancer screening tests, and ask your physician about immunizations are considerably the generic steps in preventing cancer.

Today we know more about cancer than ever before, through investing in research, innovation, and root causes, knowledge, and interventions, we have witnessed extraordinary breakthroughs. The more we know and raise awareness, the more we can progress in reducing risk factors, increasing prevention, and improving cancer diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and care.

Commenced in 2000, world cancer day has grown into a positive movement for everyone, everywhere to join hands together for a single voice against cancer in combating the greatest health challenges in the history of mankind.

This year's World Cancer Day's theme, 'I Am and I Will', is all about you and your commitment to act. Believing that through our positive actions, together we can reach the target of reducing the number of premature deaths from cancer and non-communicable diseases by one-third by 2030.

Join us on 4 February and speak out and stand up for a cancer-free world.
Our time to act is now.

Suyog Dhakal