SINGHASANA

 Singhasana is the seat of the lion. The throne of a monarch or a King is also known as Singhasana. Mainly it is the term used for the pedestal supported by lions for making it a prestigious seat for someone great himself or herself. Some forms of gods are seated on the Singhasana. See Asana

SINGHA DURBAR

 The famous secretariat of  Government of Nepal, the thousand roomed palatial building of Singha Durbar was formerly the residential building of Rana Prime-Ministers. This great work of architecture constructed in a compound surrounded by nearly four miles long wall has been almost completely destroyed by a huge outbreak of fire in the month of July 1973. The front portion which is spared by fire is still preserved. 

SINDHUPALCHOWK

This is the north eastern district of Bagmati zone sharing the borders with Tebetian region of China. This district is a major trade route for export and import of goods to and from China. Friendship bridge known as Miteri sangu,the famous border point which is a popular venue for cross border shopping lies in this district. Chatara Bazar is the headquarters of this district and its population is approximately 305857Tamang is the major population where as Bahuns and Chhetris are also the major ethnic groups of this districts. Newar communities with their traditional culture, trade  and heritage live in the market areas and townships of this district.

SINDHULI

This is a district lying partly in the inner terai and party in the mahabharat range of mountains. Located in Janakpur zone, this district is famous for orchards with plenty of oranges known as Junar produced here. Sindhulimadi is the headquarters and the population of this district is ........

SIDDHARTHA

Siddhartha Gautam was the name of Lord Buddha Shakyamuni before he became the Buddha after enlighenment. see Buddha Shakyamuni

SHRESTHA, GANGA LAL

 In 1941, at the age of 22, Ganga Lal, the energetic and revolutionary young man was shot dead by Rana autocracy. Brave and fearless as he was, he did everything in words and deeds to arouse consciousness of  people and to obtain liberty by overthrowing Rana autocracy in Nepal. Ganga Lal in one of the four most respected martyrs of Nepal who are known to be the stalwarts of revolution in Nepal during Rana family autocracy that eventually turned out be the great revolution of  1950 which ousted Rana autocracy and began the era of freedom and Democracy in Nepal. Other martyrs out of the four are Sukra Raj Shastri, Dharma Bhakta and Dasharath Chanda.  

SHREE PANCHAMI

 The day of Shree panchami that lies sometime in February indicates the advent of spring season in Nepal. A religious function known as Basanta Sharavan is held that day in the first courtyard of Hanuman Dhoka in the presence of the then King and other dignitaries. This day is, therefore, known as Basanta Panchami also. Religious verses are recited by the royal priests and hymns are sung by a consort of musicians, in tunes most suitable to the spring season. This is also the special day of worshipping Saraswati, the goddess of learning. Temples of Saraswati everywhere get crowded with devotees. Sanctuary of Saraswati in the hillock of Swayambhu is very famous where men in huge crowds join the ceremonial worshipping of the goddess. 

SHIVARATRI

 Shivaratri is the auspicious night which is observed by Hindu devotees to worship and honour Lord Shiva. It falls on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Falgun (February). Thousands of pilgrims visit Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu and take bathe in the holy river Bagmati just near the temple. Some people take fast on that day and others sit up for the whole night around burning fire to worship Lord Shiva. This being a great festival of the Hindus, a great number of pilgrims from different parts of Nepal and India pour in Kathmandu to pay homage to Lord Pashupatinath. Lots of arrangements are made by Government of Nepal and various charitable organisations to provide all possible facilities to the pilgrims including health care, accommodation, food distribution and other supplies. 

The Pashupati Nath- temple is one of the holiest of Hindu shrines and is also a very popular and  impressive temple. The elaborate workmanship of the temple, solid silver doorways in all four sides of this temple and its glittering gold plated roof of the temple are all really worth-watching for all.

There are several stories and mythological anecdotes associated with the origin of this wonderful mela or fair known as Shivaratri festival. Some of them are highly symbolical and fascinating and quite close to logical sense, the main purpose of these stories being aimed at explaining the significance of Shiva Ratri symbolically. As for an example, here goes this story:

One hunter named Chanda was once chased by a wild animal and, therefore, climbed up a tree near by to save his life. He had to keep awake whole night for the fear of the animal who was waiting on the ground. While staying in the tree, he inadvertently kept on tearing leaves from the twig. All the leaves he tore out unconsciously were falling on a lingam which was installed exactly under the same tree. That particular night happened to be Shivaratri night and that the tree was margosa or bilva, a favourite tree of Lord Shiva. Next morning when he got down and  hurried back home, he found his wife waitng for him without sleeping for the whole night. Thus their keeping awake all night and fasting brought great fortunes to them as blessing of Shiva. Since then people started fasting and not sleeping for the whole night on that particular day.

The fourteenth day of the dark fortnight is from various points of view a perfect point –free from prejudice. To put it in another words, it is a kind of spiritual night from where one can equally visualize both sides of one’s soul. It is like saying one can have the thorough view of the day and the night both at the same time from that particular  point. Chaturdasi, the midnight of the dark fortnight of this month, is considered as a divine point of self-realisation. Once one makes a little effort on this auspicious day to reach this point, he is believed to enable himself well enough to control his mind and gain good grace of god. This is the reason why in Nepalese  religion, culture this day is  regarded as a choicest day of lord Shiva and popularly called Shiva Ratri day. On this auspicious day all the Hindus are advised to keep themselves awake all the night praying and making offerings to lord Shiva. There is very popular saying that those who got off bed early that night must be sinful souls. As elderly people would say, even the dogs who are intelligent wont’ touch the food that day. 

Now a little bit about Nandi Bell, the vehicle of Lord Shiva. One might raise a question: why shiva is so fond of the bull, such a dull creature? Why Shiva is so fond of the bull, such a dull creature? According to the Hindu tradition, every individual is an expression of the principle of the creative plesure (Ananda). The most refined and truest form of creative pleasure is the creative lust (Kama). Lord Shiva typifies the divine principle of Kama being the master of the bull, the innocent one, Nandi itself means producer of the creative pleasure, though in the matter form. Nandi is also said to be the symbol of the entire bovine race for whom Lord Shiva always had sympathy and love. Hence Shiva’s another popular name is Pashupati Nath-meaning the Lord of all animals. So to say, the protector of all the weak and innocent creature. This is one of the very strong reasons why all the hindus worship this very linga-form of Shiva. As a matter of fact during the entire celebration of Shiva Ratri, lingam becomes central attraction of the entire activities of the ceremonial worship.

The main message of this Shiva Ratri for all the Hindus is that one should gradually learn to control the mind and finally stay away from it because the mind is the root cause of the entire woes and agonies. The restless nature of man’s mind is nothing but Maya (illusion) that has nothing special of spiritual value to offer to us. So it does deserve our good care. A great saint rightly says: “on Shiva Ratri day our mind should not be allowed to run on any thing but into shiva lingam-which is the perfect point to realize oneself with god.”

SHIVA

 Shiva known by various names as Mahadev, Pashupati, Shankar, Maheswar, Narteswar, Nilkantha etc, is the most worshipped among Hindu gods. As one of the trinity of Puranic gods, he is the destroyer of the universe after completion of Kaliyug, the aeon of the sinners, but he is connected with many aspects to be visualised in his incarnations and manifestations. His terrific forms are Kankala, Virbhadra and the sixty-four different forms of Bhairav where as his pacific forms are represented by his amiable poses with his wife Parvati. An exponent of music and dance, a selfless yogi (hermit), a great teacher of Hinduism, he is also the regenerator of the species. Lingam, the male reproductive organ very often in combination with Yoni, the female organ is his symbol which is widely worshipped in the Hindu world. His followers are called Shaiva.

Shiva is also known as the destroyer and the regenerator. He is believed to have three forms. Natraj in dancing position is known as the God of Dancing skill Another popular form is that of his  anthropomorphic form where as his most worshipped form is that of Lingam. In front of any Shiva temple, one usually sees a statue of Nandi, the divine bull that serve as Shiva’s vehicle. In anthropomorphic form, Shiva is depicted with his consort Parbati and usually holds a trident and a drum. 

Another popular form of Shiva is depicted in the terrifying posture when he becomes furious and in mood of destroying the creations..

SHERPA, TENZING NORGAY

 One of the two great mountaineers who stepped on top of Mt. Everest, the highest mountain of the world for the first time, Tenzing Sherpa was born in Nepal at Solokhumbu. He along with Edmund Hillary of New Zealand reached the top in 1953 as the members of British Expedition party which was led by Col. Hunt. Interested in climbing right from his childhood, Mr. Sherpa attempted for several times to get there and at last achieved success on his eighth attempt. He was accorded historic welcome in Nepal, India and many other countries as a hero who conquered the height of nature on behalf of mankind as a whole.