THE ASIA CUP

1983 - Asia comes together

The Asia Cup was conceived in 1983 with the creation of the Asian Cricket Council. It was housed in Sharjah and that's where the first tournament was held. Called the Rothmans Asia Cup, the tournament featured India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in a round-robin format. India won both their matches - by 10 wickets against Sri Lanka and by 54 runs against Pakistan to emerge as champions. Sri Lanka was second with a win over Pakistan.


1986 - Bangladesh enters the fray

The second edition called the John Player Gold Leaf Trophy was held in Sri Lanka. India did not travel to defend their title because of a controversial bilateral series with the hosts a year before. Bangladesh made their debut in the championship. The hosts beat Pakistan to lift the trophy.


1988 - The Cup travels to Bangladesh

Two years later, Bangladesh hosted the Wills Asia Cup. They, however, did not win any games and Sri Lanka faced India in the finals. India rode on a brilliant 76 by Navjot Singh Sindhu to lift the trophy with ease. He had already hit two fifties prior to the final and the effort earned him the Man of the Series award.


1990-91 - India's third title

The Asia Cup traveled to India for the first time. This time Pakistan pulled out of the tournament and Bangladesh yet again proved no match for the sub-continental seniors. India again beat Sri Lanka in the final to lift the trophy for the third time.


1995 - Back in Sharjah

The fifth edition that was scheduled to be held in 1993 was cancelled due to political tensions. The tournament was finally played in Sharjah in 1995, 11 years after the first edition was hosted there. After the round-robin matches, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan were tied on points. India and Sri Lanka made it to the finals on better run rate and for the third successive time India beat the Island nation in the final. This win took India's overall win tally to four, the most for the Asia Cup.


1997 - Sri Lanka exact revenge

Sri Lanka beat India by eight wickets at home in the 1997 Pepsi Asia Cup to exact revenge. The Sri Lankans had won the World Cup a year before and they displayed their prowess against Pakistan, India and Bangladesh to make it a memorable year for them with three ODI titles. Arjuna Ranatunga and Sanath Jayasuriya were the stars for the hosts with memorable tons in the tournament.


2000 - Pakistan's maiden title

Pakistan put on a fantastic display to remain unbeaten in the tournament and lift their first Asia Cup trophy in Bangladesh. India had an indifferent tournament and their lone win came against the hosts. Pakistan met Sri Lanka in the final under lights at Dhaka's Bangabandhu National Stadium and won by 39 runs. Their biggest victory of the tournament was the 223-run win over Bangladesh.


2004 - Hong Kong & UAE join

Other Asian cricketing nations like Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates featured in the Asia Cup for the first time. The tournament was held in Sri Lanka and the hosts yet again beat India in the finals to win the trophy for the second time. Pakistan started well but crashed out due to an error in net run rate calculation. And Bangladesh beat Hong Kong by 116 runs to register their first win in the Asia Cup.

Swet Bhairav

Swet Bhairav is the biggest idol of Bhairav in the entire world depicting the dangerous facet of Lord Shiva. Swet Bhairav is only opened in the entire span of the Indrajatra festival. During the festival, chhyang (locally made alcohol of rotten rice) is led out of a pipe out of the mouth of Bhairav and people rise on other's shoulders to drink it. The entire celebration is called Hatha Keu in Newari language (Nepal Bhasa), the community who celebrates the jatra.

BIHAR GOVT GULITY, FLOOD HITS BOTH NEPAL AND INDIA

AbhasDR ____

Kathmandu, Sept 1

Bihar State government's negligence to the repair and maintenance of Koshi Barrage has caused the barrage to clamp down, causing floods in both Nepal and India. Kushaha, Haripur, Shreepur, Laukahi and Bhokraha VDC of Sunsari district in Nepal and 441 villages of five districts of Bihar, India are under water, causing above 60 thousand Nepalese and above 40 lakhs Indians homeless. Over 20 deaths have been reported and many are still missing.

Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Railway Minister of India, accepted Bihar government's mistake on Aug 27, as not maintaining the barrage as suggested by the technicians. The technician's team had surveyed the Koshi River on Oct 27 and had suggested Bihar government to maintain it by Jun 28. The Central Government of India had demanded of the Koshi barrage, but was uniformed till Aug 17 when Bihar government replied that the Koshi barrage was entirely safe. Local bodies of Nepal too had informed of the weak condition of the barrage to India time to time.

The Koshi retention wall and the spurs had to be repaired by the Indian government, as per the Koshi Treaty, signed on 1954 April 25 by the-then Prime Minister of Nepal, Matrika Prasad Yadav and the-then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. Nepal possessed no right on the repairing. The project had to facilitate irrigation of 35 thousand hectares of land, but could only support irrigation of 16 thousand hectares, while India took full advantage of it. The Koshi Pump Channel and distribution system hasn't been constructed as per the treaty. Even 40 per cent of people who gave the land for the project haven't received their payment till date.

The Koshi retention wall had around 2 km of its length collapsed on Aug 18. Out of 56 doors, only 27 were opened because of which the barrage got collapsed. Experts believe that the age of Koshi barrage was about to expire as being 44 years old. Even Prof. Chita M., who had studied about the delta point of Koshi River had claimed the incompleteness of the delta. He quoted, "The barrage existent would work for a short time, but to control the river water, the soil erosion must be controlled and the debris deposition centre must be constructed." Dr. KL Rao and Sir Claud English, Director of PONA Water Research Centre had suggested the same. Another significant reason pointed is the heightening of the river bed.

The Koshi River has now diverted to a new route towards the east. After 200 years the river has changed its course, which was 120 km eastward before. Only 180 thousands cu/sec water flow has caused the change. Last 60 years has seen two great floods in Koshi with 900 thousands cu/sec water flow. These floods came in mid-October. So experts believe if the rain continues there's lot to come till October.

Changu Narayan Jatra observed in Republican fashion

* AbhasDR ________________________________

Kathmandu, Aug 18.


The Kalash Yatra of Changu Narayan has been observed on Wednesday, this time with a Republican twist.

The Kalash was taken to the office of the President, Dr. Ram Varan Yadav at Shital Niwas, where he worshipped it and received the tika, flower and prasad from the holy priest. Until last year, it was taken to ex-King's Royal Palace at Narayanhiti. Priest Chakra Dharanada Rajopadhyaya said, "Before when it had to be taken to the King, we had to wait for hours inside the premises of the palace bare-footed on the cold, cemented ground with the Kalash put on ground with no place to sit". He added, "We sometimes have to reach King's other residence at Nagarjuna. Because of this the Kalash would reach Changu at around midnight only."

But this year it was different. The President's office proved its hospitality by making the group who turned up in the Yatra stay on a sofa inside the palace and, to their surprise, offering tea to them, except the priest and two others who carried the Kalash for they shouldn't eat anything until the whole journey is completed. The Kalash was put on a table, where only after some wait, the President came to worship. Because of this the Kalash this time reached Changu at 8:30 p.m.

The Kalash was brought to Jamal from Changu carried on foot via the route of Mulpani, Gokarna, Jorpati, Bouddha, Chabahil and Gyaneswor. The jatra was welcomed by a team of Gurujyu Paltan with traditional firing. Three people carried the three Kalash, believed to be God Changu Narayan and Goddesses Saraswati and Laxmi all the way to Hanuman Dhoka in the presence of Goddess Kumari, after which as a tradition it was worshipped by the Head of the State.

According to a legend on this jatra, there was a king who used to eat only after worshipping Changu Narayan. One day a great flood came at Manohara because of which he couldn't get there. Waiting there, he fell asleep and God Changu Narayan said to come there himself in his dream. It is believed the jatra started since then, and the King is believed to be Mandev.

Priest Rajopadhyaya says this jatra can be observed by people of all economic classes, for only karkalo is to be offered to God and is feasted without any huge expenditure.

The Changu Narayan Kalash Jatra is observed twice a year, on Shrawan Shukla Dwadashi and Poush Shukla Poornima.