PATAN, NEPAL - MARCH 23: Kumari Devi (means Royal Living Goddess) Chanira Bajracharya, 12, blesses Nepali women in the puja room March 23, 2007 in Patan, Nepal. As a royal Kumari, Chanira doesn't leave the home except for special holidays, and is tutored since she isn't allowed go to a public school. Nepal has countless gods, goddesses, deities and Buddhas. The Kumari Devi is a young girl who is prepubescent, considered to be a real goddess, worshipped and revered, the practice going back hundreds of years into Nepali culture. She must meet 32 strict physical requirements ranging from the color of her eyes to the sound of her voice. Her horoscope must also be appropriate as well. Although there are many Kumaris in Nepal, the Kathmandu goddess is the most important and only makes rare public appearances. The Kumari's reign ends with her first period, after that she reverts back to the status of a normal mortal. (Photo by Paula Bronstein/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chanira Bajracharya
Kumari Devi
MOUNT EVEREST : The Pride of Nepal
The official altitude of the world's highest peak is 29,029 feet (8,848m). However, the National Geographic Society has determined the height to be 6 feet taller, 29,035 feet, but the Nepali government has not yet been made this new altitude official.
Shifting tectonic plates continue to push Everest upward, along with the whole Himalaya mountain range, at 1.6 to 3.9 inches (4 to 10 centimeters) per year.
Everest is part of the Himalaya mountain range along the border of Nepal and Tibet. It is located 27° 59' North latitude, 86° 55' East longitude.
In 1841, Sir George Everest, Surveyor General of India from 1830 to 1843, first recorded the location of Everest. It was subsequently named "Peak XV". In 1865, it was renamed Mt. Everest to honor Sir George.
Everest is also called Chomolungma in Tibet and Sagarmatha in Nepal.
Selengkapnya......CHITWAN NATIONAL PARK
Chitwan National Park in the central Terai lowlands and Bardia National Park in the western Terai provide some of the best wildlife and nature viewing places in Asia. Visit a wonderful world of lush sub-tropical jungles, tall elephant grass, lakes and rivers - home to some of the most endangered animals on earth, the elusive tiger and the prehistoric rhinoceros, including many species of mammals, birds, insects and reptiles. Tour by elephant back, jeep and boat. Savor the forest and its unique sanctuary on a quite nature walk with a local guide. For the more serious bird watcher the Kosi Tapu Wildlife Park, in south-east Nepal, provide a unique venue for watching migratory waterfowl, waders and shore birds that congregate along the Kosi River from December to February every year. We have a choice of Jungle Lodges, Tented Camps and Guest Houses from where you can explore the Himalayan parks and its wildlife.
At the foot of the Himalayas, Chitwan is one of the few remaining undisturbed vestiges of the 'Terai' region, which formerly extended over the foothills of India and Nepal. It has a particularly rich flora and fauna. One of the last populations of single-horned Asiatic rhinoceros lives in the park, which is also one of the last refuges of the Bengal tiger.
