Take care That the newly appointed priests or bhattas were meted out inhuman treatment at the hands of the UCPN (Maoist) cadres comes as a shock to all the Hindus who revere Lord Pashupatinath. It must be regretted that once again the priest appointment issue has been blown out of proportion by the Maoists who seem to have unleashed their brutality in matters that should have been untouched. It is another mater that the priests appointed are from India, as per traditions that goes back a few centuries. The controversy over the nationality part seems irrelevant when the crux of the matter is that the priests should be Hindus. Of course, the appointment has been made as per the time bound traditions by the government, and it was probably aware of the fallouts from the clue provided by the past Maoist-led government at its bid for a similar move earlier. The incidents after the appointment is rather shameful, and the attempt of the Maoists to step into the religious field cannot be said to be in keeping with the way religious matters have been allowed to function on their own. This all has raised the specific question as to what should be the nationality of the priests. A Hindu temple that Pashupatinath is, any qualified Hindu meeting the set criteria can be appointed. Herein, harping on the boundary specifications cannot lead us anywhere considering the fact that Hinduism, tho-ugh specifically a way of life, has its presence globally. This obviously leads us to the basic principle that dictates to us that religion must not be a playground for politics to desecrate. And, this is what transpired last December, and once again the disruptive activities have come to the fore through the protests that have taken place allegedly by the Maoist cadres. Peaceful protests can be understood but violently targeting the venerable priests who have been duly appointed by the Nepal Government is condemnable. On this score, there is room to meditate over the relation of the state and religious practices. Nepal is home to countless beliefs and faiths and all have equal status, yet when it comes to Hindus it makes news because of the very fact that they are a majority as the census points out. However, this is not the basis that is being discussed. But, with the stakeholders being the Hindus, their religious sentiments has to be respected, and no one else has the authority to cry foul for no reason whatsoever. The government did what was considered to be the right decision, yet the question emerges as to whether Nepali priests could also have been up for consideration. There is no doubt about it as any qualified Hindu can be appointed. However, the fact remains that the present bhattas were found to be the best, and thereby the responsibility given to them for conducting the sacred worship of the reigning deity of the Hindus in the form of Pashupatinath. As they have been officially appointed, their functions have to be given the place of honour and they allowed to go along with their duties with dignity. The government, as it has appointed the priests, has the responsibility for their security and well-being. This can only appease the Hindus, not only in Nepal, but worldwide.

Help the vultures There has been an alarming decrease in the number of vultures in the past few decades. It is estimated that their population has dwindled by as much as 90 per cent during this period. Nepal is home to eight of the nine vulture species found in South Asia. Of the species of vultures found in Nepal, four are found to be critically endangered. The decrease in the population of vultures is attributed to the widespread use of a pain killer called Diclofenac used to treat domestic animals. There is a need to create awareness about the dangers of using this medic-ine for 97 per cent of the deaths of vultures can be attributed to vultures consuming animals on this pain killer. The decline in their number has serious implications for the entire ecosystem and the food chain. As a result, the number of stray dogs and jackals are now increasing. These animals are carriers of the dreaded rabies. Therefore, in conservation efforts some restaurants now only serve meat of animals that are free from Diclofenac. This campaign should be carried out with more vigour so as to help in the preservation drive of the endangered exotic species of vultures.