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KATHMANDU, NEPAL, July 16, 2008: Nepal’s main royal palace will soon open as a public museum offering a glimpse of centuries of royal life, including a jewel-studded crown, a king’s throne, royal attires and a vintage car with a peculiar history, the government said on Monday. Home Secretary Umesh Mainali said the target was to complete work in a month and half before opening to the public, though a firm date has not yet been set. The palace in Katmandu was formally renamed the Narayanhiti Palace Museum at a government ceremony on Sunday, days after deposed King Gyanendra moved out.

Artifacts on display were accumulated by the Shah dynasty in its 239-year rule of the Himalayan nation. The Narayanhiti palace had been Gyanendra’s home since 2001. A 1939 Mercedes Benz given by the German Nazi leader Hitler to King Tribhuvan, Gyanendra’s grandfather, will be restored and displayed at the museum, Mainali said. But the main attraction will likely be the king’s extravagant crown, decorated with peacock feathers and yak hair, studded with precious stones including diamonds, emeralds and rubies and made for King Mahendra, Gyanendra’s father, half a century ago.

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JAFFNA, SRI LANKA, July 16, 2008: Dr. Thangamma Appakutti passed away on Sunday noon, at the age of 84 in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Her contributions toward the Tamil Hindu community of Sri Lanka in the areas of social services and education made her one of the most outstanding Sri Lankan Tamil Hindu leaders of the last decades. In 2007, Hinduism Today presented the Hindu Renaissance Award to Dr. Thangamma Appakutti for her five decades of religious leadership.

Born on January, 7th 1925 in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, Miss Appakutti dedicated herself to the development of Saivism and Tamil language, becoming the trustee of the Tellipalai Thurgaiamman Temple thirty years ago. She founded, and actively worked with, several institutions: the Saiva Tamil Research Library, Sivathamilchelvi Annai Illam (an elderly Home), Sri Thurga Devi Annachathiram (a food giving charity) and the Thurgapuram Women’s Home (a girls orphanage). Her non-political and religious selfless services never ceased even during the difficult times of civil war.

The Saiva community of Jaffna conferred her with the title “Thurga Thuranthari” for her services to Saivism and Tamil. The Sri Lankan government Social Service Ministry conferred the title “Kalasuri” on her in 1991 and the Jaffna University conferred her an honorary doctorate in 1998 for her services rendered for the development of education and religion in Jaffna. In Tamil Thangamma means “golden mother,” and Dr.Thangamma Appakutti was one person who lived up to her name.

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“Find God. That is the only purpose in life.”
    Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886)