ILAM

The district of Ilam is situated in far eastern Nepal. Famous for its tea gardens, this district has various cottage and indigenous industries. Blankets, carpets, Khukuri  (Nepalese-styled big knife) etc. are made here. 

Ilam is one of the districts of Mechi Zone and is adjacent to the district of Jhapa and also the district of Diarjeeling of India. The tea produced here are is high quality and also as famous as Darjeeling tea, most probably being the products of the adjoining mountain ranges. Ilam is also famous for its scenic natural beauty and other products like black cardamom and ginger. Population of this district is approximately 282,806.

HUMLA

Humla is the most remote district of the Karnali zone. This northernmost district has extreme cold climate for most of the year. Simikot is the headquarter of this district. (Area????) Humla has a population of 40,595

HOLI FESTIVAL

Holi, popularly known as Phagu in Nepal, is a festival of colours and , thus, also a colourful festival of the Hindus. During this festival, people enjoy, spraying coloured water or smearing vermilion powder (normally) among friends and near ones. However, some people take this occasion as to indulge in evil designs e.g. annoying women and other pedestrians by doing so.

According to popular legends, the festival is in the pattern of Lord Krishna’s merry making with Gopis (the milkmaids) of Brindaban during the time of Mahabharat. It starts from the eighth of the bright half of the month of Falgun to last for a week. Phagu begins with the hoisting of a bamboo pole known as “Chir” a kind of colourful umbrella with three tiers in which colorful clothes are hung to symbolize the garments of the Gopies who were bathing in the Jamuna river. The bamboo poles are hoisted in Kathmandu at two places – one at Hanuman Dhoka and the other at Basantapur. To end the festival the poles are taken to a river bank and burnt. The last day of the festivals is observed with much gaiety when people feast and go around the city with vermilion powder to smear on friends.  

Another version about the origin of this festival says that it was first observed to commemorate the killing of Hiranyakasipu, the demon king by Narasimha, the man-lion. Or, more precisely, the festival was to cheer up the victory of Pralhad, the son of Hiranyakasipu himself (who turned up as his enemy) who was put to fire by Hilika, sister of Hiranyakasipu to kill him. But Pralhad came out of the fire un-harmed where as Holika who was blessed never to be burnt by fire, turned into ashes because of Pralhad’s devotion to God Vishnu.  

HIRANYA VARNA MAHAVIHAR

This famous monastic court is located in Lalitpur city. The three storied pogoda-style golden temple of Lokeswar (Lord Buddha), a master piece of Nepalese temple craft is the focus of this Buddhist monastery which was built in the 12th century A.D. by king Bhaskar Varma. Popularly known as Kwabahal, this monastery stands out prominently for its superb architecture and history. A big golden image of Lord Buddha, a big prayer wheel, another big temple at the centre of the courtyard (also with golden roof) and hundreds of artistic images of Gods and Goddess decorate the monastery superbly. All four sides of the courtyard are full of works of arts, images, decorative paintings and specimen of ancient architecture.

HINAYANA BUDDISHISM

Difference  of opinions, thought processes and subsequent arguments arising from time to time resulted into the formation of new sects in Buddhism. Two major sects of Buddhism are known as Hinayana and Mahayana. The Hinayana adhered more to the concept of four noble truths and eightfold paths which were primarily a philosophy with codes of conducts and ethical values. In this school of thought, the worship of deities was secondary and that the conception of Nirvana was the end objective which may be attained by freeing oneself from the vicious cycle of births and rebirths. The terminology or the nomenclature of Hinayana is derived from its basic concepts of attaining individual salvation or or an individual’s proceeding towards nothingness or getting mixed up into the non-existentiality or eternity by getting rid of all desires and vices. Each person has to work out his own destiny for salvation or Nirvana. Hinayana Buddhism is also called Theravada Buddhism. 

HINDU TRINITY

Bramha, Vishnu and Maheswar are the three main Gods known as the Trinity, the great Hindu pantheon is based on.  In actual sense, the untimate basis of Hindu philosophy is Bramhah or the eternity which is the ultimate goal of all beings. Even the above mentioned Trinity of Gods emanated from the Bramhah. However, Bramha, the creator, Vishnu, the preserver and Maheswar, the destroyer and regenerator are the main Gods who keep the universe and all beings well regulated according to Hindy theology. Also See Purans.

HINDUISM

The cultural, philosophical and religious complex developed in the Indian subcontinent as a long tradition may be termed as Hinduism. Vedas are the original basis of the tradition and the development of thought processes. Later upanishads played a very important role in elaborating Hinduism. The ultimate universal body Bramhah and the trinity of Gods who originated from Bramhah namely Bramha, Vishnu and Maheswar are of basic importance. Thousands of Gods, Goddesses, incarnations, life stories, events, philosophical texts and religious symbols along with innumerable myths and legends have enriched Hinduism in last three or four millennium years. 

It may also be termed as a multi disciplinary religious system known as Sanatan Dharma, a tradition of religious thoughts and philosophies based on the writings, teachings and accumulation of age old experiences of sages and scholars. See Hindu. 

HINDU

Hindu is the terminology used for followers of Hinduism. See Hinduism. It is a multi-disciplinary religion called Sanatan Dharma based on writings and experiences of sages and scholars through the ages. They assert the view that the permanent, unbreakable, absolute and independent existence of self is what is known as Atma or the Individual Soul. 

There are endless divisions of Hindus systems.  Briefly speaking, they may be widely classified into six fundamental schools, Vaisesika, Naiyayika, Sankhya, Mimasaka, Nirgrantha, and Kokayat or Charvaka. The first five philosophical schools hold views based on eternity oriented realismism or Saswatvad and the last one holds the view of nihilism or Echchedavad. 

Hinduism also advocates different ethical systems and meditation systems. By practicing these systems one can take birth and rebirth until getting merged into Brahmah, the ultimate realm. 

HINDI

The Hindi language is spoken by approximately 200,000 people in Nepal as their first language which represents nearly 1 per cent of the country’s population. But, this language is spoken as a link language by several ethnic groups of Nepal, mostly in southern parts of Nepal. This language is mostly spoken in the districts of Central Nepal and is grouped as Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, or Indo-Aryan group of language.   

HINAYANA

Hinyana is one of the sects of Buddhism. Difference of opinions, philosophical interpretations and arguments arising from time to time cause formation of new schools of  thought and sects.  In Buddhism, there arose two important sects of thoughts which are known as Hinayana and Mahayana. 

The Hinayana adhered more to the concept of the four noble truths and eight-fold paths which is basically a philosophy with prescribed rules and codes of conducts as also ethical norms. For the Hinayanas, the worship of deities is a secondary concept. The conception of Nirvana is the freedom from all desires and greed, and eventually to get rid of the cycle of rebirth.

Hinayana got it’s name because of this doctrine of achieving the individual salvation. According to this philosophy, each and every person has to work out his own destiny for enlightenment and Nirvana. Comparatively a few are likely to achieve the goal by their own efforts, argue the followers of Mahayana. Hinayana Buddhism is more popularly known as Theravada Buddhism.