Slip of the Pen: Formally known as Speak Out!

Because Tibetans in Nepal Also have Rights!

2011-11-02T09:35:00.000-07:00

Yet another prayer gathering by Tibetans in Kathmandu was busted. This now seems like a regular affair. And that is sad.

Given the geopolitics of the region Nepal's decision to adhere to the "One China Policy" cannot be criticized. But these over zealous attempt to please our Chinese friends (read overlords) by equating any Tibetan gathering as anti-China and cracking down on it brutally must stop. There needs to be an internal dialogue in Nepal about how important we think freedom of speech is in this country, and how far we are ready to go for the sake of friendship. As far as I am concerned: while in Nepal if someone wants to question the nature of Chinese governance in Tibet, Sri Lankan governance in Northern Sri Lanka, American bases around the world, or Indian governance in Kashmir, we should allow them the privilege. That's what free societies do.

I have nothing against a friendly relations with China. I think its much needed. The Chinese have been good friends to Nepal. But the last time I checked Nepal was not a part of China. So lets stop acting as if we are! It also surprises me that not many Nepali "pro-freedom", and "human rights" advocates cry out about this.

No one here promotes anti-china activities in Nepal. But we need to support human rights in China, and freedom of speech in Nepal.

Monsanto: Our Savior?

2011-11-02T01:47:00.000-07:00

Stop Monsanto in Nepal screams a Facebook page. But why? Why should I stop something that promises higher yield for farmers, and food security in country where millions go hungry every day.

Well, this uproar is about USAID and the Ministry of Agriculture's decision to promote Monsanto hybrid maize seeds in key maize producing districts of Chitwan, Nawal Parasi, and Kavre. This controversial pilot project targets 20,000 farmers and includes training on hybrid maize production practices. The purpose of this initiate according to the USAID- Nepal website is to “improve the business environment, work with the Government of Nepal (GON) to strengthen fiscal and trade policies, encourage competitiveness and exports, enhance food security and increase access to financial services.”

Sounds good right! So why the noise? Apparently, all is not as bright and cozy about Monsanto and its hybrid seeds. Critics of this initiative have two major problems: first, the problem with hybrid seeds; second, the problem with Monsanto.

To start off- let be fair - there is a widespread confusion about what hybrid seeds really are. Most people seem to confuse them with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s). They are not the same thing. Hybrid seeds are the offspring of a cross of two different varieties or species, GMO’s are plants whose genes have been altered in the lab to insert foreign genetic material. It’s important to know that not all hybrids are GMO’s. A hybrid is a GMO only if one or both of the parent plants had been genetically modified. Most hybrids do not have artificially manipulated DNA and are therefore not GMOs.

Pro-hybrid seed folks argue that hybrid seeds are attractive because of their “hybrid vigor” which ensures higher yield, more uniform looking product, longer shelf life and relatively cheap price in the short term. Hybrid critics on the other hand argue that while the product looks better it taste like salted cardboard, requires more fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and water to achieve their high yields than “traditional” or heirloom seeds, and are more expensive in the long term especially taking into account soil and water degradation.

Another big disadvantage of the hybrid seed is that farmers cannot save the seed. Saved seeds are either sterile or produce plants that are different from the original. This means that the farmer will have to buy a new batch of hybrid seeds every year.

For example, an average farmer from Kavre, let’s call him Ram dai, decides to buy the Monsanto hybrid maize seeds that USAID promises will give him higher yields and plants them. And like a good Nepali farmer, Ram dai does what the “foreigners and educated city folks” tells him and uses the prescribed fertilizers and pesticides the seeds need to fulfill their potential. Lo and behold! The seeds produce higher yields than usual. Ram dai is smiling from ear to ear! Everyone is happy until Ram dai realizes that the seeds from the hybrid crop cannot be saved for another year, and he has to buy the seeds again the next year and again the year following that. He's also angry about his soil is slowly turning into dust. Further, excuse his impertinence if he’s not too thrilled about the fact that the seeds also need a special kind of fertilizers, and pesticide for the wonder seed top work.He’s pissed to find out that the ones producing the wonder seed and the wonder fertilizers to sustain those seeds is the same company. Yes, you guessed it- The big M.

Which brings us to the second major problem: Monsanto- voted the world’s most evil corporation. Ask most environmentalists and they will probably say Monsanto makes Hitler look like a pink unicorn. So evil is Monsanto that when it offered to help a desperate Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, the smart Haitian farmer decided to the burn the seeds. Monsanto is accused of almost single handedly strangling small farmers, producing GMO’s that have harmful side effects, producing the infamous Agent Orange, and many other horrors that can be read about on any environmental blog online.

Also, surprising is the confusion USAID is under. USAID has somehow decided that the words " food security" and "promoting specific Corporate interests in the third world countries" mean the same thing. And while English is not my native language I am certain they are wrong. While USAID is "From the American People"I am sure the American people aren't too thrilled about improving Monsanto's bottom line.

So here we are: Is Nepal hungry from maize? Yes, we are. Will hybrid seeds increase our production? It will (at least in the short term). Is Monsanto’s hybrid seeds our best option? History and smarter people than me seem to think not.

So what are you going to do about it? My advise is to join the protest! Mail the US Ambassador and tell him he's wrong. Get in touch with the Ministry of Agriculture and tell them they are wrong. Spread the word!!

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P.S- Remember to spread the word in way that people understand and in a way that is respectful enough to be taken seriously.

What’s a game of Football after all?

2011-10-20T01:21:00.000-07:00

I stood in a hot and sweaty classroom talking to a large group of older students about the “issues” they face.As I looked outside the room, I couldn’t believe what I saw. I was too distracted to continue that I took an unplanned break. In the
middle of the afternoon under the scorching heat of the relentless sun, a group of shalwar clad girls, were playing football with a group of boys. Yes, football. Even from my limited knowledge of the sport I could see that they have done this before, and had done it for a while.I looked around to see if anyone else was amused by this seemingly baffling scenario, but no one seemed to notice anything different. As I saw what I saw, I qucikly snapped a picture and sent it to my brother ( the self appointed guardian of my rightfull place as a women) with a caption that read, in bold, “ a man’s game! my foot”.In a futile attempt to unconfuse myself I tried telling myself “ So wh

at’s the big deal, it’s just football afterall? right?”...... wrong!.

I was so completely distracted at the time that it did not even occur to me that these students were playing in an area only recently cleared of landmines. Earlier that day, I met these students, trying to help them figure out these so called “issues”. However, their issues were somewhat different from what one might ex

pect.In this particular group, every single student had lost a family member due to death, detention or succumbed to the infamous lable “missing”. Most of them were forcefully conscripted to fight a grusome, bloody war they had not asked for, but nonetheless paid for it dearly.On average each student had been displaced and resettled 8 to 12 times within the past 10 years. They had suffered immensly at the hands of those who fought for, and aganist their rights, just two sides of the same coin depending on how one chooses to see it. Raped, orphaned, abused, maimed, detained, totured , the so called “issues” are endless.

A year ago when I took up an assignment to work in post war are

as, I was told of how backward this war ravaged community was. In order to be accepted I supposed to wear a saree ,pull my hair back , not look at men straight in the eye,speak the correct dialect etc. I had to play the part of a conservative women as this almost primitive society expected nothing less. I had no choice, as my oragnization explained it, but to be culturally sensitive. “I had to be accepted” according to their definition of how a women ought to be and therefore had to play the part accordingly.

This was the first time I travled so far into the interior of this isolated area, where firece fighting had ta

ken place toward the end of the war. The students and their families were resettled recently and were still trying to adjust to their new post war lives, away from detention, rehabilitation and refugee camps.Them playing football did not shock me beacuse I expected them to be traumatized or depressed as many would expect they would be. I was only confused beacuse this was the last place on earth that I thought I would see girls play football, (let alone play football with boys). In my defence, I was asked to be culturally sensitive.

As I travelled back to the city that night, I couldn’t wrap my brain around the fact that these girls were playing a “man’s game” fearlessly in a place where women and men

had a clear understanding of “how women should be”. How could this so called backward community allow girls to play a “man’s game” ? and that too with MEN? (while I in a progressive city am asked to just watch the game).

Fortunatly that day, I was travelling with a senior counterpart who had worked in these areas through the thick of war. In a futile attempt to downplay my ignorance, I casually inquired of her about this incident that had now become an obsession. She, casually, told me how the traditional role of a women, and what she should and shouldn’t do are none exsistant in this part of the country. At the end of the conversation, she said with a h

alf smile “ They’ve seen women in every possible role, you city folk can’t even imagine”. The rest of the 12 hour journey back home my thoughts were flooded with unstoppable memories of stories I had heard during this assignment and during the past year. Why didn’t I realise this truth before?

I was made to believe that the definition of “how women should be” was well defined in this community. They were right, it was well defined, however the problem was that the definition I was given was wrong. The reality is that this community has seen their women fight in the frontlines of battle, detonate themselves as suicide bombers, manufature small ammunition, launch guerrilla attacks from within dangerous jungles,dress bloody wounds, lose limbs, carry the wounded and bury the dead ( at times the almost dead). Some of them followed the lead

of the women who taught them to assemble a bomb and defuse others, read mine maps and kill themselves when captured by the enemy. They have seen themselves, their mothers, sisters,aunts and girl friends agree to have sex with higher officers, in exchange for front line fighting. Women drove armed cars and tankers, bombed cities, trained fighters,lead battalions,smuggled tractor loads of weapons,dug bunker holes for protection, drank alcohol and roled joints, farmed, foraged and fished to feed their troups. They did all this and more, all in par with men; and in this the land of “how women should be” sometimes....just sometimes..... they also played football together.

This is not another quasie hero sob story of how this community has made it through tough times. While a handfull of resilient ones have re adjusted to their new lives, most of them have not yet made it through the tough times, (and might not anytime soon). The war has left more scars than what are seen outside. Greif, loss, poverty, coruption still continue to plauge them as they struggle to survive just one day at a time. Although the worst is over, and there are small but sure signs of positive change, to most of them them the absence of war is just the absence of war. Nothing more, nothing less.

In this community,one generation has lived to see how a war changed the so called traditional roles of a women upside down. While they were forced to re define the roles of women, they passed on the re-defined version to the next generation who live that reality today. So what’s a game of football afterall? for surely it’s not a man’s game anymore.

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Article written by Annamika.

The identity of the author has not been disclosed for security reasons.

Interesting Fact of the Day or "The Nepali PM That Helped Win a War"

2011-10-16T22:34:00.000-07:00

While Nepal’s contribution of 160,000 soldiers to the allied cause during WW2 is widely known in Nepal and not unheard of in the rest of the world, its Nepals non-personnel contributions that I wish to highlight today.

Not many know, but in addition to the men Nepal, under PM Juddha Sumsher Rana, also contributed 3,000 walnut trees for the purpose of making rifle butts, 8000 sal trees for railways sleepers, 192 service revolvers, 145 binoculars, and 95 machine guns. The PM also donated Rs. 115,500 to various Imperial Relief Funds from his personal family reserves. Further (and this is where it gets interesting), the magnanimous and clearly very rich prime minister sent 50 cigarettes, a pound of tea, a pound of sugar, a pound of biscuit, and a photograph of himself to each leaving solider. Tell me that is not awesome!

The reason for Juddha Sumsher’s generosity was clearly political; and alas lady luck is no man’s mistress. Things didn’t turn out the way JSR had hoped. Winston Chruchill’s Conservatives lost and the new British Labor Government wanted out of the subcontinent. The Rana regime was left on its own, and didn’t make it much longer.

Regardless of how history turned out, Nepal’s unheard, albeit invaluable, contributions to the cause is worth remembering. Also worth remembering is the man who gave away photographs of himself to soldiers going to war.

Information provided by: Nepal Under the Ranas, Adrian Sever, pp. 350.
Photograph taken from ancestry.com

50 Biggest Football Egos

2011-09-27T13:44:00.001-07:00

While I am not thrilled about seeing 3 Milan players on the list, I really can't complain. Also missing from the list are: Pique, Rafa Benitez, and the entire Inter Milan team ( well maybe not Zanetii and Forlan), and Sanchez.

For the list PLEASE CLICK HERE

Getting the timing right in Palestine.

2011-09-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

US wants peace, Israel wants peace, Palestine wants peace, the world wants peace. That much we all agree on. But neither wanting peace, nor agreement on a 2- state solution is the problem. The problem, sadly for the millions Palestinians, is timing.

Of all the years to pressurize the US administration, forcing a yes/no stance on the issue of UN membership for Palestine a year before an uncertain US reelection campaign hardly seems like a wise choice. So why do it? Surly, the Palestine leadership must have known that US will veto such a reckless move. Its done so time and again on issues half as magnanimous as this.

Mr. Abbas must have surly known his low odds of getting this resolution passed. But by charging head on with his demands he has forced the burden of action (or inaction) on Israel and the US. Internally, there is a growing support for the end of settlement, and mutual peace and recognition in Israel. Polls conducted by PSR in March, 2011 shows that 52% of those polled in Israel want a mutual recognition of identity as part of a permanent status agreement. Further, among Israelis, 74% oppose settlers’ actions which damage Palestinian property and block roads (labeled “price tag”) in response to removal of illegal outposts by the Israeli government. Nethanyahu has to answers to this growing section of his constituency.

Externally, the growing isolation of the Israel is old news. Weakening relations with historically supportive Arab states, and questionable legitimacy amongst US and European public is documented. Most members of the community of nations support Palestinians claim for statehood; and at least 11 members of the Security Council are in favor for such.

US too is in a bind. Obama must tip-toe the line between losing the Jewish vote (79% of the Jewish vote went to Obama- Biden in 2008), and hurting larger American interests in the Middle East. Also, the moral question of supporting an occupying state over the occupied is increasingly weighing on American conscience. And while avoiding the veto in the Security Council might the help save face, all doubts of Americans flip flopping on the Palestine question will be put to rest. Critics will argue that USA and Israel are thick as thieves and it will take more than a liberal president and couple of democratic revolutions to change their thinking.

As I said earlier, it all about the timing. “Last week, the Quartet of mediators - the US, the UN, the European Union and Russia - called on Israel and the Palestinians to resume peace talks within one month and aim for a deal by the end of 2012.”, reports BBC. The end of 2012 will show us the results of the US Presidential elections. The diplomatic gamble for UN membership for Palestine depends highly on an Obama reelection. Once reelected, Obama does not have to worry of a third term in office. He will be relatively freer to pursue the goals laid out by him in the famous 2009 Cairo speech.

So the best option for Palestine is to come back in 2 years, September 2013, having negotiated the details of statehood with Israel. This way Israel and USA will have exhausted all excuses, everybody can save face, and legitimate concerns of statehood can be addressed. We will then see Palestine as a nation among the community of nations.

Palestine must continue to use the wave of international legitimacy to force Israel to the table under the conditions of "no new settlements". Israel must get serious about settlements and an inevitable Palestine state, and US must realize that the new political reality in the Middle East demands it ensure a fair solution.

The Palestine leadership can take these two years to resolve some of the questions that are bound to be raised after a state is created : better their case for a state, remove all doubts. They should address detailed peace based upon 1967 border, and security agreement with Israel; address concerns about Jerusalem, and settlements, trade agreements, economic restructuring, political restructuring, securing of loans. Securing its boundaries from non-state extremists and pacifying legitimate concerns about Israel’s security. It can and must also raise concerns about Israel refusal to give a police or a military force.

For the next two years, an increase in violence between Israel and Palestine would be unwise for Palestine. Another problem will be the election of a hardliners in Israel and US.

Timing is the key. It always has been. Mr. Abbas played his hand wisely, lets hope he continues to do the same.

Another reason to save the planet!!

2011-09-05T11:36:00.000-07:00

Don Cheadle is Captain Planet from Don Cheadle

Plant trees or I'll turn you into a fucking tree!

A Citizens Letter to the New Prime Minister

2011-08-28T16:24:00.000-07:00

Congratulation Dr. Bhattarai, to you and your family! We wish you all the best for the future. May you be a better leader than we hope, and are hitherto accustomed to.

I have no doubt that you shall find your term in office challenging and awfully frustrating. You now bear responsibility for a politically fragmented country that has lost trust in its leaders and has been robbed of optimism. These are times when grand decisions must be made with urgency and wisdom. A balance many consider impossible.

Having irreparably cast off the shadows of 240 years of apathy we find ourselves ill prepared to face what we were promised would be a better future. Years of wasted opportunity and petty squabbling have undermined the aspirations with which we poured onto the streets in April 2006. And while the political future of the present Constituent Assembly members will be determined in time, the future of the nation and all its citizens is under threat.

While we recognize that the tangles of the political system ensure that you will not govern us alone, you alone will be held responsible for the accomplishments of your administration. The moral obligation of the CA is the completion of the peace process and ensuring we have a constitution within the prescribed time. Anything less will be deemed a failure. Is that fair? I don't know. I wish it were different, but it isn't.

You, being an educated man, carry additional burden of expectations. We, as a people, keep telling ourselves that our politicians are fools because they are uneducated, and if only we were to have an educated person leading us, we could overcome the perils of these testing times. As of right now, you’ve become a symbol of what an educated Nepali can offer this wronged nation, and if you disappoint there is much to grieve over. Have no illusion, we will hold you to a higher standard than we have held your predecessors.

We hope you remember –what many forget –that you are a public servant. Through you were voted in by the few elected members, we the people legitimize you and your office. Your priorities are to represent the nation and its interest. The interests of you party, your friends, and yourself are and must be subservient. Keep in mind that the country suffers each day under the brutal incompetence of the system you now have the reins of. How best to ease that pain is up to you?

Also know this: regardless of how you govern us in the next few months, and what its consequences are, the resilience of the Nepali people will ensure we survive this political hurricane. We have endured much and are thick skinned to political belittlement. But when our patience runs out, it will give way to an anger that has shaped the course of our history time and again. When the dust settles we will hold each of you accountable for wasting our time, resources, and hopes. I only pray we act more responsible than you and your colleagues.

We don’t expect great things from you. We only hope you do your duty.
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P.s- Please share if you like it. Please comment if you have a problem. Praises and insults are much appreciated.

and the Lucky winner is...

2011-08-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

Nepali politics reminds me of a sport, but I can’t seem to remember which one.

Cricket? Nah, that’s requires integrity. How about Football? Nope, it requires team work.
Perhaps Tennis? No. Chess? Close but not quite.

Common on, you know the game. It’s based solely on individual push and shove. No team work involved. No scope for corporation. No give and take. Its requires very little skill and excellent timing.

Anything? Any idea? More hint? Okay.

Winning the game always gets you a handsome prize; which the winner flaunts in the face of the prize giver like an annoying child teasing its parents. Also, in all their impudence, the winner uses the prize to seduce other players into playing more games. More games mean more opportunities to win.

And the dance carries on. Push and shove till there is a winner. The winner gets a prize. The possibility of winning that prize lures people to carry on playing the game. All is dandy except for the person giving away the prizes. Every time there is a new winner grand spoils are doled out to the victor. Ever wondered where the money comes from?

I swear the name of the game is on the tip of my tongue. What is it?

Polo? no. no. no. Elephant polo? you’re just being silly now.

"Mother father swear"* it’s almost there. Yes.

Eureka! Eureka! Yes, I remember.

It reminds of musical chairs. That’s it. A selfish dance round chairs where the sole purpose is to eliminate the other players –by hook or crook –till there is only one winner. And the winner is rewarded handsomely by the prize giver –that’s us, the general public.

Except this is worse. Nepali politics is nonstop game of musical chairs that’s fixed. If you let me win this time, I’ll let you win the next time and in the end we all are winner. I apologize if I said Nepali politicians can’t cooperate? Thick as thieves the lot of them!

Like any fixed game there needs to be a show of competition to avoid suspicion. 5 point agreement, 2 point agreement, 7 point agreement followed by months of disagreements on the agreements already agreed to be agreed upon. He says this, shouts at that all the while confounding us till we stop caring. Yet, like fools, we give out Pajeroes and clear the roads for the prime minister. And the dance goes on.

If we move to stop the game they scare us witless with threats of incomplete peace processes and standing armies. And so the dance goes on.

* mother father swear- in desi lingo that is the most serious oath of honor one can possibly take.

Freaky Love Song of an Geek.

2011-08-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

------------------------------------------------
I am addicted to you.
As if you were the never ending seduction of Facebook.
you open more windows into my soul
than Google has pages.

ages to come will copy and paste
our story in their lives and blogs
to unclog poetry-less hearts
reciting mantras in our praise,
Saying “these were love, real lover, true lover.
They skyped their amour through tentacle of time and space”.
Yes, we are lover, real lovers, true lover.
Indeed we have routed
through the precarious web of 1G, and 2G, and 3G, and 4G
In my nights and your days
And your nights and my days.

I promise to Explore
my way to you.
and if I fail I will follow
the trail lit ablaze by the burning fox
and it will guide me through the
tempting hoax of having won things I don’t want
cause all I want is you
I want to slide my fingers through the touch screen of your face
I realize your body has more apps than my soul has space
so I’ll save you
little by little in my lungs, and toes and knees.
And if I crash
Your one tweet can bring back my wits.
and in the off chance jealously hacks into my system and deletes you,
remember you are the password to my soul
and the secret answer too.

2011-08-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

Its time to get ready for Christmas?

With Friends Like These Who Needs Enemies.

2011-07-31T08:40:00.000-07:00

“Also, with the dream America everyone carries round in his head, America the Beautiful, Langston Hughes’s country that never existed but needed to exist –with that, like everyone else, I was thoroughly in love. But ask the rest of the world what America meant and with one voice the rest of the world answered back. Might, it means Might. A power so great that it shapes our daily lives even though it barely knows we exist, it couldn’t point to us on a map. America is no finger-snapping bopster. It’s a fist.”

- Salman Rushdie, The Ground Beneath her Feet

We react differently to the news of death. Were rejoice when the baddy vanquished, cry when heroes die, swear revenge when innocent are killed. But, let’s face it, if the killing or death -even of the innocent- happens in a far off land to people with names we can’t pronounce we don’t give two hoots. We read about it, think about how horrible it is and move on. Ignorance is bliss, the pleasures of apathy and so on and so forth.

"They call it "bug splat", the splotch of blood, bones, and viscera that marks the site of a successful drone strike. To those manning the consoles in Nevada, it signifies "suspected militants" who have just been "neutralised"; to those on the ground, in most cases, it represents a family that has been shattered, a home destroyed." writes Muhammad Idrees Ahmad in his article Fighting Back against the CIA drone war. Imagine the helplessness, the anger, the need for vengeance when a drone attacks a village. Its amazing that someone sitting in Nevada can destroy a village near Rawalpindi, but what is even more mind blowing is: that someone in tribal Pakistan will never know who destroyed his house. This videogamization of war has real consequences.

More than anything else drone attacks have been an major issue for the Pakistanis. It kills innocent civilians, it is extra judicial in nature, it violates Pakistan’s national sovereignty and a whole range of complains that help feed the national paranoia and conspiracy theories already abundant in Pakistan. Drone attacks are not worth it. For those who view the world through the bifocality of cost benefit analysis let just say the cost outweigh the benefits.

This aggressiveness has become the public face of America. The face that the common man with common problem in Pakistan sees. When the mighty American “fist” swings it's their jaws that receive the blow. No wonder the American image is this bad. No one sees the aid money -most of it is lost in the many pockets in line between Washington and Islamabad, and then between Islamabad and the provinces. The US troop withdrawal has begun. Fear is abound in Pakistan that has inherited a war and millions of displaced and desperate people. And while it’s easy for America to pack their bags and check out it’s the Pakistanis that have to live in the mess.

And this time it’s different from the 1990’s. The geopolitical reality of the region has changed. The last time a superpower power left Afghanistan, Pakistan helped the Taliban fill the vacuum and bring stability, at what ever the cost, to the region. But after 10 years of war, and 60 years of political mismanagement and corruption Pakistans economy is hanging by the branch. Anytime the international partners and aid agencies pull the rug, Pakistan will have a real trouble in its hand. The war has left Pakistan broke, unstable and weak; nation building in Afghanistan has failed and with America itching to get on the plane back home Pakistani have been left to wonder was it really worth it? For them USA is the double faced one. The friend that acts like a foe, a friend that disrespects its national sovereignty. An ally.. ya right!!

No one knows if OBL was hidden by Pakistan or it was an intelligence failure; whatever it was its messed up the US-Pakistan relation. And if people are serious about mending the relationship, using drones that kill civilians is not the wisest way to go.

Darshan Rauniyar Goes to Washington.

2011-07-23T19:47:00.000-07:00

Darshan Rauniyar declares his run for the U.S. Congress and the Nepali diaspora in America is abuzz with pride. We shower him with praise and call him the “Nepali Gaurav”, the pride of Nepal, and beckon every Nepali from coast to coast to support him. A Nepali in Congress, what a sight that would be!

But before you get catch the “lets help Darshan because he’s from Nepal” flu, take a step back, hold your horses if you may, and think about what you are doing and what the stakes are.

There is nothing wrong in expressing solidarity with people you share commonalities with. It is only natural to feel affinity towards someone who has beaten the odds, especially if he is the first of a kind. And Darshan has indeed broken grounds for the future generation of the Nepali diaspora. But in our nationalistic frenzy we must remind ourselves that he deserves our support not merely because he is a Nepali but also because he has his own ideas and positions on issues that Americans think are important.

There is much more to Darshan than him being a Nepali. His stance on the economy, immigration reform, women rights, education and American foreign policy are noteworthy. And that is more important than the venue of this birthplace. Dr. King once said he wants his kids to “live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character,” so be it with Darshan. It’s only fair. I say question the content of his character. Question him about where he stands on the important issues of the day, issues that matter to the Nepali community as much as they matter to any other community in America.

I have talked to Darshan and I believe he has answers, and he is willing to give them provided we ask (lets be real, he is in politics after all. And limiting him solely as the “First Nepali to run for Congress” would hurt his chances more than help it.

But if you are looking for Nepal specific reasons to rally behind his cause I hope these help: his presence in the Congress can contribute considerably to better U.S-Nepal relations. His closeness with the old country can only benefit it. Plus, he will be understanding to the problems facing the Nepali American diaspora, and Nepal in general. His presence in Congress ensures we have a voice in the House -a luxury we haven’t had thus far.

However, let us be clear in our expectations. Darshan is not a running to be the Representative of Nepal to the U.S Congress; he is an American concerned about the people of the 1st Congressional District in Washington State who so happens to be Nepali. And as such his first responsibility is towards the people of the United States, and the people of this district. They are his constituency and expecting anything else is shallow on our parts.

The biggest help we can give Darshan right now is to educate ourselves about him, spread the word and raise funds.

Having a voice in Congress does not come cheap. It takes a proper campaign to get to Congress and a proper campaign needs money.

So go to his website. Read about him. Decided whether you agree or disagree with the issues he plans to raise, and the position he plans to take; if you do then support him. It’s only the American (and Nepali) thing to do!

In defense of the Nepali government?!?

2011-07-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

I apologize for starting on a defensive note. But any accusations of my surrender of integrity, or financial enrichment arising from this blog post is a purely fictional i.e. I have not been paid to write what I have written.

Having said that, let’s get on with the question at hand: Do we blame the Government (Nepali) more than necessary? And by Government I don’t mean this government or any governments prior to this one. I mean the institution of Government.

Reading the newspaper today, I wasn't a least bit surprised to find at least 3 different groups threatening agitation against the Government if its demands were not fulfilled–their words not mine. And this is not new; three groups threating agitation within hours of each other is simply a snapshot of larger problem.

The already rotting political (dis)order in Nepal is challenged day in and day out by groups that “demand” and “threaten”. No one wants to sit down and debate what these demands are, what the consequences of these demands might be, and why the government should fulfill them. For example, yesterday the Private and Boarding Schools' Association of Nepal(PABSON) handed out a 20-day ultimatum to the government to fulfil its five-point demand to scrap the 1% education tax, saying the “one percent education service tax has only added economic burden to the parents' woes and maintained that it was against the government commitment to free education.” O wait a minute now, let’s think about that for a moment. So PABSON does not want private schools, to pay a 1 % tax because of the "government’s commitment to free education". O really, but what about the often humongous fees PABSON schools charges its students? Where will that money go?

Further, “PABSON has also demanded its representation in every committee formed by the Ministry of Education (MoE), Department of Education, District Education Offices and other government bodies.” lol. Why on earth would the government agree to a set up in which PABSON can hold the education system hostage when it feels like? I pick on PABSON because it was recently in the news, but a host of organizations have been known to do the same. Anti-Government agitation always gets the people excited, doesn't it?

Our distrust of the government is often legitimate. But just because the Government is "the Government" does not make it wrong in everything it does. Let’s look at the Government’s actions on a case by case bases rather than passing a sweeping judgment on its incompetence.

The fear of reasonable dialogue falling on deaf ears has such a grip on everyone that the only option left is “demand” and “threaten”. And while this interest group menaces the government for this, another group is pestering the government for an opposite that.

And what is the government limited by political will, resources and priorities. Should the government be addressing the needs of the Christian community threatening agitation if government does not grant them land, or should it be concerned about the Chinese, or the threats of Madhesi parties blocking the budget, or should it be concerned about locals disrupting hydropower plant development, or the problem with army integration, or the concerns of the indigenous people, or working out the constitution?

Is it true that Nepal politician’s lacks accountability? Yes. Is it true that governance in Nepal is weak? Yes. Is it true that our politicians suffer from the acute lack of competence? yes, most of them ( lets give them the benefit of doubt). Is it true that the bureaucracy is laden with dead weight and red tapism? Yes. Is it true that we elected our representatives? Yes. Is it true that we need to change the way our Government works? Yes. Yes. Yes. But is senseless demand making and threats the only real way forward?

The major failure of the Nepali civil society, judicial system and the Government is the failure to create space for dialogue. A national obsession of a zero-sum game has taken over us. An either or mentality. In these years of crisis there is an tacit fear that if things do not before the constitution is written, it is all over! The golden opportunity to turn the tide will forever be missed. Are these fears legitimate? Only the future will tell. But by acting on these fears through a tactic that destroys the present we ensure that the future is bleak.

Two Afghan MPs throw punches.

2011-07-06T19:32:00.000-07:00

Why should only men in Afghanistan have the right to punch each other, its time for the women to share the responsibility as well.

Here is the video of two MPs in Afghanistan duke it out. Plus this is what Pakistan's involvement in Afghanistan politics does- Are we beginning to see signs of civil strife?

Sikhs at home in Peshawar

2011-07-06T19:20:00.000-07:00

Finally some positive news out of Pakistan! I thought the day would never come. Sikhs and Muslims living amongst each other in Peshawar. Bloody brilliant! There is still hope, I say. There is still hope!!

The Sub-continent has always been a melting pot. So don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It has always welcomed all kinds of people into the society. And that is what makes the region a web of the most complex contradictions. It is only when we have stubborned ourselves in our “dreary desert sand of dead habit” that we have digressed from what South Asia has historically been.

Whatsobloodyever may be the official state policy, we as people, have always welcomed cultural diversity; and we should not allow extremist to voice our regional –and personal –narrative whether they be Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh or Buddhist.

A Comment on Nepal's Other Neighbour

2011-07-05T19:41:00.000-07:00

Nepal police has explicitly warned Tibetans against chanting anti-China slogans in Nepal reads the attached link.

The Nepali Governments’ shameless attempt to pacify the “other neighbor” has made it lose track of what this State led repression does to Nepals social fiber. The Government of Nepal supports the One China policy and that is alright with me –I perosnally support the Dalai Lama’s position on Tibet-China relationship, which does not seek complete independence, - but not allowing the Tibetans, many of whom are Nepali citizens, to speak their minds is legally and morally wrong.

There is a large Tibetan population in Nepal, and they are an important part of our society. It is the duty of the State to protect their right of free speech. And if that freedom means shouting anti-China slogans then so be it. Or has the Nepali state decided to handpick the people who “deserve” freedom and those who do not! The Nepali-Tibetan community regardless of where they have come from, or what their ideological stance is deserve all the protection a democratic state promises to give to its people.

The biggest problem for Nepal being a stronger democracy is the Government. By threating to use force against people who want to speak their minds the government is encroaching on individual rights –or can we exercise that only when it’s convenient?

The problem here is not so much the Chinese government as the Nepali government. China may not be a democratic country and it does not pretend to be one. Nepal pretends to be a democratic country all the while cowering to the pressure from Beijing. There I said it!

The Nepali civil society has to wake up from this kiss- China’s rear mentality. We are very good at criticizing India, but I hope we do the same to China when it deserves it. And its arm twisting of the Nepali government regarding anti-China rallies, and the Nepali governments harsh and repressive actions against pro-Tibet activists deserve criticism.

Do not get me wrong, if people within Nepals boundary were to pick up arms against China, I support action against them; but this is not the case. Regardless of how good China is to us what is wrong is wrong!

Image taken from AsiaNews.it

All's well in the States

2011-07-04T12:23:00.000-07:00

American Nepalese Association just concluded its 29th annual convention. A candid look for those who missed it.

You would have thought someone important was getting married. Women in flashy sarees, men in pristine topees, the countless handshakes, million namastes, loud music, men eyeing women, women eying men, drunks, cacophony of guffaws and shhs, aunts and uncle connecting family trees, and countless kids running amok under signs that read “Welcome to 29th ANA Convention, Washington DC July 1- 3, 2011”.

Around 4000+ Nepalis from all over North America gathered at the Westfield Marriott Hotel, Chantilly, Virginia for the 29th annual Association of Nepalese in Americas (ANA) convention –the largest gathering of non-residential Nepalis in the world. Amazed by this grand orgy of the American Nepali diaspora, the few non-Nepali guests at the Marriot where left bewildered by the ecstatic chaos that we Nepalis seem to bring along.

There was mix of Americans, Nepalis, and American-Nepalis –one poet called them Nepalicans –who were kept busy by a host of programs: Poetry festivals, yoga sessions, movies, speed dating, discussion forums, food stalls, and cultural and fashion shows were organized. And while laurels are due for the ambitious plans of the organizing committee, constant delays wreaked havoc all convention long to the annoyance of everybody present.

Anyone who doubts the adage absence makes the heart grow fonder should talk to a Nepali away from home. Like all Nepali gatherings in far of lands, national flags were waved and long speeches’ about our responsibility to give back to the motherland were delivered. And while some walked the walk other walked away from N.G.O booths that actually help build schools for children in rural Nepal. It was good to see young professional from all over America laboring for their causes, and that good hearted and deep pocketed people insured a successful fund raising initiative. The two notable fund raisers promoting their cause were Grassroot Movement in Nepal (GMIN), and Nepalese Youth Foundation.

Fundraising was on everyone’s mind. Congressman hopeful Darsan Rauniyar was also spotted touching base with the Nepali community. Mr. Rauniyar was well received and is quickly becoming the hot topic in Nepali households. As the first person with Nepali origin to run for Congress, Mr. Rauniyar has kicked open many doors –is the diaspora is finally coming of age?

There is a genuine sense of pride amongst people here about his decision to run for the U.S. Congress from Washington States, 1st Congressional District. But if pride and blessings alone won you elections my mother would ensure I became Prime Minister. This is America and money talks. Mr. Rauniyar hopes that along with the good wishes Nepalis in the U.S. will also wriggle their pockets to help him win the seat. As an immigrant himself he is passionate about immigration reform and believes everyone should have a fair shot at the American Dream. He also hopes to strengthen the Nepali voice in the Congress.

At night, with the children and oldies gone, the drinking crowd was seen loosely swaying away at the bar. Under the careful eye of the hefty bouncers, Nepalis were clinking glasses –social networking at its finest. The bar would have made more money had it not been for the hopelessly slow service, and the good old Nepali sensibility of bringing liquor from home and drinking it in the room.

Once the bar shut, there was a mass exodus of people towards the nearest exist where hundreds could also be seen puffing away at their cigarettes. And in pure Nepali style most of them refused to throw the stub in the bin –who said we don’t stick to our roots!

The cultural program was one of the main attractions of the event. There was an entertaining jumble of shows: Lakhe dance, pop song from a number of Nepali artists, martial arts, prayer, and folk dancing. However, even as the rhetoric about the need to pass on the Nepali culture to the next generation dominated the event the only people missing were the next generation. Kids that grew up in America were a no-show in large numbers. I talked to some of these kids who made for the door exactly 3.5 minutes into the program; they thought that the program was catered for “the pure Nepali types” and just not their thing. It must be said that there were a small number of American born Nepalis who did show up and even put on a good show.

ANA also showcased the sporting abilities of the Nepali diaspora. A variety of sports competitions were organized that saw a number of teams and individuals from multiple U.S. cities duel it out. The younger crowd was enthusiastic about its participation and one could sense genuine rivalries brewing.

The long awaited DJ Night saw a mass of sober, semi-sober, semi-drunk and absolutely drunk Nepali’s party it out. It was a gala time for the young and old alike who grooved to classic Nepali and English tunes. There was additional entertainment for the controversy hounds when an impromptu mini-julus broke out after the event. Hordes of dissatisfied patrons could be heard shouting “ANA sucks!” after the DJ began to pack his bags at 1. Apologizes were sought, explanations were given, angry words were exchanged, and the security crew was alerted.

All in all the 29th ANA was a success. There are disappointments and criticisms but that is part and parcel of organizing an event of this magnitude. This annual gatherings of Nepalis in America is a must visit for anyone looking to get in touch with his/her roots while having an interesting time (understatement!). Now that the event is over, 4000+ Nepali are returning to their homes in America having found friends and family; and reconfirmed their Nepali identity.

Found in Neil Douglas-Klotz: The Sufi Book of Life.

2011-05-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

In the tarot, the high princess
expresses that veiled self
that cocoons mystery.
Like her, you seem to guides me into the realm
of back stage,
as if to keep me protected from behind woven
images of firmness,
as if to preserve me
till the time is ripe
to be given openly again.

Cycles, Oil and National Security

2011-05-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

Does the boring wait outside Kathmandu petrol pumps count as torture under the United Nations Convention against Torture? It might as well. The physiologically and psychologically devastating wait at the petrol pump (gas station) from the moment you stand in the line to when that black gold finally fills your tank wastes the entire day. Imagine all the things we could be doing.

And it’s not just the wait. It’s the entire setting that takes its toll: the narrow streets, the traffic, the (c) rowdy Micro buses, the slow Safa-tempos, the holy roads, the constant honking, the pollution, the dirt, the poverty, the ugly billboards, the even uglier Bagmati, the street kids, the garbage, the street dogs, the anger —Surly this has an aftermath in our physical and mental wellbeing.

All that time spent standing the line, cooped up in a car or on a bike- in the heat- in the rain- has beat down on us. It has turned this once tranquil loving city into a nightmare of a town. Imagine what the exotica searching tourists are whispering about us. Never ending peace and love, ya right!

We have created a system that feeds into this fire, says Anil Bhattarai, in his April 18th, 2011 Oped (un) Common Sense in the Kathmandu Post. He explains Nepal’s helplessness to tackle the supply side of the oil market and the urgency to address our demand. This is a zest, of how the aforementioned system works-- when the public transportation is inefficient and private vehicle is a status symbol, cars become more popular, leading to an excessive surge in traffic in an ill-constructed city, which in turn makes motor bikes more popular, which in turn worsens the traffic; all the while increasing our demand for oil. And since we don’t have any oil it’s important we control how and why we demand it.

Plus this over dependence on oil is weakening our national security, both in terms of defense and the environment. Notice how we seem so vulnerable every time India decides to cut oil supply. No one nation should be so reliant on this one commodity that it buys almost exclusively from this one nation. Our present national security policy is a joke. The answer is clear: controlling our oil usage can trigger a lot of positive changes.

The article suggests some eco-friendly approaches. Encouraging a (bi)cycle friendly culture could be a gate to other avenues of change. As more people get on their cycles, or use public transport we can collectively demand better service and more efficient roads. This can snowball into a solution that can address many woes. So far the (bi)cycle has been the uncool choice of conveyance- a play thing of the children. The Cycle, as we call it, has been replaced by the more alluring motor bikes. But motor bikes, like cars and taxi's burn oil - an energy source we do not own. The grand Cycle is one of the solutions to our so many problems. I think everyone should hop on their cycles, and this taboo against the adults and “respectable” people riding cycle is ridiculous. It’s ecologically responsible, way cheaper, and better for our national security. Plus it’s plain old fun.

As citizens of Earth, consider the implication oil extraction has elsewhere. Our dependence of oil effects ecologies and communities where oil is extracted, whether it be the Middle East or the Niger Delta. And our use is having a notable effect at home. This surly has to affect our rational.

Clearly this initiative to make Kathmandu into "an eco-friendly city" will need political will but that political will shall never come till there is social push for it. Shall we as free people do nothing till the Government decides to do something? Are we that dependent on the government that we cannot move till the oligarchy wishes us to move. This is not a UML vs Congress vs Monarchist vs Maobadi’s vs Madhesi’s vs Khas vs Kiratis vs etc…issue. This is about our city, our community, our home.

Support groups like Kathmandu Cycle City 2020 - Ride with Pride!!. The goal of this group is to Make Kathmandu a cycle friendly city till 2020. Contact them regarding what you can do to help.

The cost of using oil goes beyond just what you pay in the pump. The more oil we use the worse our community gets. Our over dependence on oil is the reason we stand in lines at petrol pumps leading us to feel mentally beat down, it’s the reason why our national sovereignty is so compromised, it’s the reason for our unhealthiness. And this won’t change till we change our lifestyles.

Related article: More energy, please; Paavan Mathema, Nepali Times, FROM ISSUE #552 (06 MAY 2011 - 12 MAY 2011)

A Kathmandu Sunset

2011-05-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

The sun left a myriad blue in its wake.
A moment to gaze the
legacy of weepy Monsoons.
Grandmothers graze terraces,
moving between cloth lines,
and playground deprived children.
And babas honk and curse
to reach home
to bell jingling ammas
calling the attention of million gods
to thank them for the terrace,
the air,
and lights that swallow stars.

A bitter free trade pill to swallow - Manmohanama care anyone?!

2011-03-27T06:53:00.000-07:00

If the generic pharmaceutical companies in India are to forced to raise costs due to increased pressure from the European intellectual property rights laws, the cost of medicine is going to sky rocket. While the EU-India free trade deal seeks to increase the market accessibility and trade volume between these two regions, the implications of this deal on public health throughout the developing world is dire.

Besides providing relatively inexpensive drugs to the population rich Indian market, these Indian companies also export cheaper yet effective substitute to other developing countries in Asia and Africa. This deal is EU-India on paper only, its implication will be felt by a lot of countries.

The rise in cost of drugs means people will have to delegate more of their income to the purchase of medicines. With the price of food already rising this could be a burden not many shoulders can bare.

Is it time for other countries to put diplomatic pressure on the Indian government to do the right thing. What is the rationale behind providing big pharmaceutical companies such easy access to your markets even though the risk to the Indian public(and others) are so high? Who benefits from this deal?

Tansen

2011-03-12T12:33:00.000-08:00

A few hours away from the buzz of Kathmandu in the southern slope of the Shreenagar hill in the Lesser Himalayas resides the medieval town of Tansen. This World Heritage Site is lined with Newari shop-Houses and temples. Besides being known for its excellent traditional metalwork, Tansen also boasts the production of the Dhaka cloth and traditional Nepali topis. Tansen is a testament of the architecture and artistry of the Newari people.

The history of Tansen started from around the 11th Century AD when the region was part of the Bara Magarat, the twelve territories administered by the Magar rulers. Tansen was the center for many historic battles in Nepal, namely the famous Anglo-Nepal war of the early 1800s. Col. Ujir Singh Thapa who commanded the army in the region was in an extremely trying situation; his men were outnumbered four to one by the English forces. He desperately asked for divine help before going into battle, promising a temple in the name of Goddess Bhagwati (who is ferocious and loves blood sacrifices) if she would help him. He won. In 1815, he kept his word and built a temple to the goddess. The most important landmark is the octagonal Pavilion in the middle of Sitalpati, the main market square.

Tansens charms are expounded by its traditional lifestyle and its awe inspiring location. Shreenagar Danda (hill) offers a panoramic view of the high Himalaya. From west to east, the Kanjiroba, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Mansiri, Ganesh and Langtang groups are in sight. Other nearby attractions include Ranighat, a Rana palace next to the Kaligandaki River, and Ridi Bazaar,a major Hindu pilgrimage destination at the auspicious confluence of the Kaligandaki and Ridi Rivers. A large mela is held there on Maghe Sankranti (about January 14). The jamre folk song performance of the Magars are colorful. Dancing and feasting are accompanied by drumbeats of the madal during festivals.

The hilltop town of Tansen exults in a week-long festive spree beginning with Janai Purnima, when Hindus change their sacred threads. The next day, Gai Jatra is marked by parading figures of cows made of bamboo and cloth. Ropai Jatra is the rice planting ceremony and participants perform plowing and planting acts on the streets. During Bagh Jatra, actors dressed up like tigers and hunters march through town. Then there are the parades. Images of Ganesh, Bhimsen and Narayan are placed on palanquins and carried around Tansen. The celebrations climax on August 12 with Bhagawati Jatra, the procession of the town's protective goddess.

Regular bus services are available from all major places like Kathmandu, Pokhara etc. The nearest airports are in Pokhara and Bhairahawa. Several hotels are located in Tansen. The number of travellers to this "hill station" have increased over the years, and so have tourist facilities.

Doomsday Kathmandu

2011-02-10T11:02:00.000-08:00

Imagine waking up in a shaking building echoing with your mothers screams. You try to run but it’s too late. The next thing you remember is being pulled out from the rumble. Your house, your roof, your shelter is now ruble; scattered onto the streets. Someone gives you water, you sip and look around to realize that you are not alone. Your city has crumbled into a human tragedy. You hear screams, calls for help from every direction. You realize your family is not around. You call for your amma and baba. No answer. You shout again and again. They are buried. You start shoveling with your hands. It hurts but you must go on. They are in there and you know it. It hurts but you dig- clothes, glass, bricks, cement, utensils, but no life. No amma, no baba. No answer.

Shiva has just danced the Rudra Tandav; everywhere you look there is destruction. The houses of Kathmandu that have leaned on each other have fallen. There is telephone, no water, no electricity (and its not coming back), no internet. The Kathmandu you’ve known and loved lies buried under its self. What do you do? Who do you call? Where is help? Where is relief? Who will give you food? Where are you to go and to whom?

The cries to make Kathmandu earthquake safe has fallen on deaf ears of make a pick: bureaucrats, politician, monarchy, the public, God, me, you, Rajesh Hamal, Rajnikanth- at this point it doesn’t matter. For more than 50 years Kathmandu has boomed into a chaos: houses mushrooming everywhere; streets slithering around buildings at whim; people on the road; vehicles on the footpaths, a free for all city where malls tower next to houses, temples placed in the middle of the streets, bricks everywhere, schools buildings as feeble as our government, and no open space. We have slowly suffocated ourselves, and while these peculiarities are part of the Kathmandupan its very existence seem idiotic given the threat of a massive earthquake hitting Kathmandu is quite real. The romantic in you withers when you remind yourself of the warning: It’s not the earthquakes that kill people it’s the buildings.

If an earthquake similar to the infamous 1934 earthquake hits Kathmandu, GeoHazards International says, it would destroy 6 out of 10 houses in the city. That’s 60% of the city. Baneshwors gone. Ganeshwor no more, Thapathali, Kupondole. Jhamsikhel, Maharajganj, Teku, Aason, you take your pick -all gone. Kathmandu is a time bomb. Claire Cozens (AFP) writes that, “Geologists believe it (Kathmandu) is at risk from an earthquake with a magnitude of around eight -- 10 times as powerful as the Haiti shock that killed more than 212,000 people.” This is our city she is talking about. We are ranked one in terms of vulnerability. We cannot remain desensitized from such a grave omen.

Lets face it we are in big trouble; we have completely failed in taking safety measure. But what next, are we doomed or is there still a chance? Well in terms of precautions we are doomed- sad but true. We cannot easily reverse what has already been, at least not in time, however what we can do is educate ourselves on survival mechanisms, both during and after the earthquake.

Authorities need to tell us what to do during an earthquake, where to hid, what is the safest place to be in. In case of a disaster where do we get the food we need. What happens if all the roads to Kathmandu are destroyed? Where and how will we access the relief. They need to take a better look at where the tents are going to come from, where do we get the doctors from, and how and when do we rebuild. Sadly, its time to focus on the cure. We cannot prevent an earthquake, we can’t even prevent the destruction of life and property it’s going to cause, but we can prevent the spread of disease, and we can be prepared. Many earthquake education foundations focus on prevention, and more power to them, but the time for prevention is over. We must change our focus from prevention to cure. If we have some preparation underway we need to educate the people, we need to equip them to make rational choices. It must be obvious that I don’t mean we go on building houses the way we have in the past, prevention is still better than cure, but as a city the time for prevention is over.

Remember Haiti, remember how the entire world banded together to help, goodwill all over, and humanity was at its finest, but as time moves on so do people but those in Haiti still have to live with the horrors everyday. Those horrors will soon be ours. We are the unfortunate custodians of Haiti’s sorrow.

It’s a scary feeling not knowing what to do next. Its scary to be hopeless and alone, and yet most of Kathmandu will find itself in that situation when an earthquake hits. We need to empower ourselves, educate ourselves, and think long term. The government and the civil society, you and me- needs to work together, with each other, for each other. Is that too much to ask?

(Nicholas Pitt / Alamy)

Blogging for Nepal: Jazzmandu

2011-01-12T10:47:00.000-08:00

The first thing on my list of 20 amazing things and/or places about Nepal. p.s- this is not a ranking.

Jazzmandu:

One of the fastest growing tourist attractions in Kathmandu is the Kathmandu Jazz Festival, a.k.a Jazzmandu. Since its inception eight years ago, this festival has slowly begun to cement its place in the “Kathmandu experience”. The festival features local and international bands, and has seen the likes of : Trilok Gurtu Don Burrows, Jesse Van Ruller, Adrian D Souza Quartet, Cadenza Collective, Kutumba, Gandharva, Natalie Williams, Urban Connection.

Jazzmandu is an excellent example of the ever molding face of the Nepali culture and is a must for all; foreign tourists and Nepalis alike. The festival promotes peace and cultural interaction and has positively put Nepal on the Jazz map.

The most impressive thing about this festival is that it bridges so many gaps. It bridges the gap between different cultures around the globe, and the gap between traditional and progressive Nepal; all the while being non-political and (even more important) cool.
For more information visit: http://www.jazzmandu.org/index.html

Blogging for Nepal!! Nepal Tourism Year 2011- let the party begin.

2011-01-02T16:09:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everybody! Here it is-2011. And after the marvelous year we just bid adieu too, the bar for what counts as a good year has risen. Here is hoping that 2011 is an even more joyful year.

But I am not sitting on floor in my room two days into the year desperately trying to catch up on the wishes. I am here for two important reasons: firstly, to make a pitch, and secondly to put my money where my mouth is. For those cynics out there who vehemently tried to convince me that the new year is just another day on the calendar I say - Ha! I am believer still, and am holding onto this mantle of hope. New Years is like spring in the middle of winter. But even for those of you who have a rather meek view of the mighty leap from 10 to 11 here’s hoping that you make most of the next 365 days that the rest of us will call 2011.

But 2011, looks likes terribly normal year, you know the kinds with its ups and downs, its twists and turns, the usual. Unless of course you are in Nepal. 2011 is Nepal Tourism year. A time to open our already gaping doors to welcome the world to be a part our home. A time to be on our best and think of the greater whole a little more than we normally do. To proudly dawn our topi of manners and put our best feet forward.

The importance of tourism to the Nepali economy cannot be overstressed, so I won’t even go there. My purpose of writing this article is to request the Nepali diaspora to contribute towards making this year a success. Remember all those times when you sitting around complaining about the amazingly “ pathetic situation” in the country; the feeling of overwhelming helplessness of not being able to do something; not knowing where to start- well your wishes have come true and your prayers have been heard. 2011 presents an inexcusable opportunity to pitch in towards a constructive purpose.

And it doesn’t have to be anything fancy and there are enough things to do for everyone. Those in Nepal can do their little ( but significant) bit like- help a tourist if he asks for help even if it’s a little inconvenient, not littering tourist area ( or any public place for a matter a fact, but let’s start small), pick up the litter if there is any , be friendly and show up and enjoy the various attractions. Simple things done by simple folks can make all the difference. Further, let this also be the time for those bound down by the fetters of Kathmandu to leave the sometimes suffocating precincts of the valley and travel beyond. Be tourists ourselves. See and experience a country so desperately in need of some soul searching.

For those of us unfortunate people, away from the land of our birth we can do our bit by spreading the word; furthering the invitation, if you may, to our friends and acquaintances in these foreign lands. A year to be vocal about the wonders of Nepal. Again nothing too fancy- share links and videos, talk to friends, have fun with spreading the news, and assure them that the land of never ending peace and love knows how to live up to its name.

And while we do this great service let’s make it clear that Nepal goes beyond its National Geography image. Yes, we have ancient temples, and mystical hills and gorges, and dense jungles with exotic wildlife; a haven for the spiritual. But here is more to it. Let’s make sure that people experience Nepal as it is; not just the dead habit of yesteryears but the vibrant culture that exists and shapes up everyday. Experience the old with the new. From our rock bands to jazz festivals, from our beer and our villages, to our salsa festivals, from lok dohris to our momo’s and bungee, paragliding and pottery, from street theatre to street vendors, monkeys and tea stalls, and highway eateries. There is much more to Nepal than that which meets the eye. We are shaping the Nepali culture every day and we want the tourists to celebrate it with us. In its completeness.

Coming back to the second reason for this write up ( “the money where my mouth is” part). I am going to write about 20 amazing things and/or places about Nepal this year. And even though 20 sounds like a stunted number given that there are 365 days in this year, considering the absolute lethargy with which I update my blog I thinks it’s a fair target.

So Happy New Year everybody and let’s make this a positive year.

Paras Should Be Made An Example Of.

2010-12-15T09:15:00.000-08:00

Paras should be made an example of.

The Nepali justice system, police and democracy in Nepal have a great opportunity staring at at them. They have in there hands a high profile drama. The arrest of Paras Shah and his admission that he fired a shot in anger with a unauthorized firearm clearly puts the law in favor of those charging him. The government and political entities can get involved and completely humiliate the former royals and treat this a lesson to be taught to them. Or they can go a completely different route and drop the case because it is so controversial. Either of these options makes a lot of political sense. The former in its action and the latter in its inaction guarantee political brownie points. By taking the first course the parties can reignite the wanning anti-royal sentiment, and by taking the second they can avoid having yet another problem to deal with, and ensure peace in the country.

Or it can pursue a third course;a much radical path for a country like Nepal. It can make a example of him. A public display of the entire situation; making an example of how unlawful activity is handled in a sensible country. An example of justice. The people in the government and other political parties should stay away from the issue and let the police and the courts handle it. They should allow justice to take its course in a swift and fair manner. And even if the parties comment on it its acceptable, but the courts should remain clear of its purpose, the police should hold on to its principles, and the journalist to there. Let all citizen know that there is still hope for a fair trial, and rule of law in the land. Treat him no better or worse than any other citizen of Nepal. Send a message through this saga that if Paras can be treated with respect and in accordance to the law then all citizen will be subject to the same standards. Lady Justice is supposedly blind - this would be a good time to reassure us of it.

On the other hand Paras Shah and other royals should recognize that he cannot hide behind his family name anylonger.They are not politically special anymore. If given a fair trial and fair judgement for his actions he too should set an example and accept the verdict. if he is unsatisfied with the verdict challenge it in the courts. Further he should stop using nationalistic sentiments as shameful excuse to cover his drunk actions.

This sudden wave of support Paras is receiving is surprising. Supporters argue that his action is justifiable because he got up to defend the honor of the country. Nonsense! Absolute bull feces! A monkeys red arse! Nonsense, not because I doubt his patriotism, but because that is not what a patriotic action looks like. If every citizen were allowed to use violence against those who speaks against Nepal we would have a lot of bloodshed on our hands. Violent action could be justifiable by this "saving the honor of Nepal" excuse. Do we really want to set such a precedence. Such an excuse is not only laughable but also undemocratic. A person, regardless of his nationality, should have the right to say what he wants. Rubel Choudhary, the Bangladeshi citizen, might have used distasteful words against Nepal. He might have even called us a country of idiots, run for idiots, by idiots. He might have gone far enough to suggest that Nepal and Nepalis are good for nothing. Most insulting indeed but does this give all Nepali citizen to fire at him, or atleast punch him where it hurts most? Absolutely not.Yes, they where distastful, and yes they where hurtful, but thats the price you pay for living in a democracy. Thats the beautiful cost of freedom of speech. You dont have to agree with it, you can even mad about it, but you do have to allow it. Suppose I where to call Bangladesh a country of fish eating cowards who wouldn't have acheived there independence without India and especially General Sam Manesksaw and his Gurkha solider, I am guessing some Bangladeshis are going to be upset. Are my words insulting- yes. Would it be justified for a Bangladeshi to come and kick me. Absolutly not.

Here lies another opportunity for setting another example. Let all the people of the world know that Nepal is a becon of free speech, it is a place where regardless of nationalisty, color,sex and sexual orientation people can come an express themselves and go unhurt and unafraid. A place where I can say what I want and not be afraid of violent repercussions.

Ultimetlty this drama will lose steam. People will move on. The question now remains will people move on knowing they live in a just and reasonable society, or will they move on knowing that the laws that govern this country are so shady that all hope is lost.

Arrest order for WikiLeaks' Assange - Europe - Al Jazeera English

2010-11-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

Arrest order for WikiLeaks' Assange - Europe - Al Jazeera English

Is it just me or does some else also smell the stench of conspiracy in this? Julian Assange, the Australian founder of the whistleblower website WikiLeaks to be arrested for sexual harassment and rape accusations. His lawyer, and thousand others ( including myself) do not think it is proportional to demand his arrest just to interrogate him. Don't get me wrong if the accusation are serious then by all means interrogate him. Issuing an arrest order puts the credibility and the intention of the entire process under question.

2010-09-12T13:48:00.000-07:00

Its a strange world!!!

Its time we rethink how the world works. A reevaluation of what we think is right and what is wrong. About the things that matter beyond the i-pad and the Dolce and Gabana. Is this what being human really is? Humanity is not something you do, it is something you live. Its a unfair world when pets are being treated better than 2/3rd of humanity.

Photograph by Kevin Carter. He committed suicide 16 months after taking this picture

Image provided by blog.pawshpal.com

Sri Lanka set for constitution vote - Central & South Asia - Al Jazeera English

2010-09-08T00:56:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka set for constitution vote - Central & South Asia - Al Jazeera English

a perfect example of the one man thinks he knows the best for the nation. How one man is arrogant enough to think that out of all the people in the world him and him alone has the capability to led the nation in the "postwar" period. And that people have a problem with him seeking a third term not because hes raping democracy before our eyes, or even because hes acting like a pompous ignorant , no people have a problem because of his background...yes everyone is as shallow as you.
All the best Sri Lanka...the war might be over but this non retiring self proclaimed savior of your nation is gonna create a whole new set of problems.
Speak Out for Democracy and the rule of law.

A hundred years from today

2010-09-06T21:47:00.000-07:00

think about it.

A Hundred Years from Today

-by Rabindranath Tagore

A hundred years from today
who are you, sitting, reading a poem of mine,
under curiosity’s sway -
a hundred years from today?

Not the least portion
of this young spring’s morning bliss,
neither blossom nor birdsong,
nor any of its scarlet splashes
can I drench in passion
and despatch to your hands
a hundred years hence!

Yet do this, please: unlatch your south-faced door,
just sit at your window for once;
basking in fantasy, eyes on the far horizon,
figure out if you can:
how one day a hundred years back
roving delights in a free fall from a heavenly region
had touched all that there was -
the infant Phalgun day, utterly free,
was frenzied, all agog,
while borne on brisk wings, the south wind
pollen-scent-brushed
had suddenly arrived and in a flash dyed the earth
with all youth’s hues
a hundred years before your day.

There lived then a poet, ebullient of spirit,
his heart steeped in song,
who wanted to open his words like so many flowers
with so much passion
one day a hundred years back.

A hundred years from today
who is the new poet
whose songs flow through your homes?
To him I convey
this springtime’s gladsome greetings.
May my vernal song find its echo for a moment
in your spring day
in the throbbing of your hearts, in the buzzing of your bees,
in the rustling of your leaves
a hundred years from today.

This poem written in 1896 by Rabindranath Tagore(1861-1941) Indian poet, playwright, internationalist,painter and essayist;won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. He was knighted in 1915--but, after the massacre in India in 1919, gave up his knighthood in protest.

On Nepal and its need to buck up.

2010-08-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

I may have gone beyond the limitations permitted by philosophers and logic while searching for an appropriate analogy; yet, as with individuals, nation states too are incomplete, unsafe, and in a serious threat of failure without defining for themselves a national identity. I see this dynamic process of identity formation as a process consisting of three very important aspects: a) tradition, b) vision, c) and social conditions. I am in no manner arguing that identity formation happens exclusively through these three ways- much seasoned and wiser people may disagree- what I am saying though is that these three forces must be considered while shaping up the national identity. Another important feature of shaping the national identity is that because it is a concept that is so reliant on, what we call ,the aam Jaanta ( the common man) the citizens of the nation are participatory members ( voluntarily or involuntarily) of the process.

Nepal is in a strange conundrum regardless itself. Either Nepal needs to come out of the closet that our vision less leaders have forced us into, or be prepared die a slow suffocated death as a nation. Let all be clear about one thing, Nepal as a sovereign nation stands no chance in the international arena if it does not strengthen its weak national roots. No country harboring within itself the flimsy doubt of who it is has been able to stand the inevitable test of time and the inevitable notions of separatist aspirations. So let us first see whether or not, Nepal as it stands today has a strong national identity in terms of the aforementioned aspects.

Traditionally, because of the short sightedness of the fools “leading” our nation ( to god only knows where) we have been left to wonder where we find our roots. We have been left seeking our national soul amongst the glorious mountains, and beautiful plain; and although it sounds amazing, these have led us to neglect the great tradition of philosophical and spiritual development that we were a part of. India has unjustly hogged the glory of all ancient Hindu scriptures and knowledge by claiming it as exclusively its own, leaving us with only high mountains, beautiful landscape, couple of ancient temples and an apathetic debate over Buddha to seek our national soul from. I say India has hogged the glory of the ancient Sanatan Dharam because I believe, she as a nation-state does not have a monopoly over it. India as it exists today did not exist in the days of the past. The Vedas, the Upanisads, the Gita, the Ramayan is as much ours as Indias’, as a matter of fact, it is as much Sri Lanka’s, and Bangladesh’s, and Pakistan’s as ours and India’s. The greatness of this legacy is a shared heritage of the Indian subcontinent as whole- regardless of present day national boundaries. A very significant chunk of the Vedantic and Buddhist philosophy found it birth in the present day India but claiming it solely of India( as we define it today) would we wrong.

In terms of vision, Nepal lacks both the ingredients that can lead a nation to know itself: visionaries and a vision. Great nations that have survived myriad of political crisis have done so because they had a number of great thinkers who could provide a blue print for the nation; India with its great thinkers like Tagore and Gandhi, America with its Jefferson, Madison and Lincoln have shown us that all nations need a vision. This vision needs to be debated by all, and is dynamic in nature. Nepal embarrassingly lacks this. Firstly, there is no vision worth debating and secondly, even if there is a debate worthy vision no serious debate takes place because we have no means of doing so.

Finally, the national identity of a nation depends heavily on the social conditions of the people, in other words the ground reality. Social conditions of the nation provide a reality check to empty dreamers as well as a chance to aam janta to shape the will of the nation. But the social condition needs to be evaluated, it needs to be studied and understood- a colossal task.

What I am saying is Nepal needs an insurgency of new thinkers soon or Nepals days as a nation-state are unfortunately numbered.

The Whore and I

2010-08-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

I lay awake
on the roof
as Kathmandu slept in thirst.
My alert twisting and turning on the cold cement
disturbing
the street whores
privacy.

She was up, like me, to find some peace
in the soothing night;
away from the relentless
bickering of
idle know its alls
in the nooky tea stalls
and unemployed dream makers.

I, having apologized for my manners,
seduced her to accompany me that night
to spectator the glory of the lifeless city
Hiding its ugliness under the burkka
of corrupt street lights.

We exchanged glances over
the snores of the crowded city.
And like the much laughed ancients we fell in love,
Only through the shy glances in the beautifying dark.

My sweetheart and I romanced.
The blank paint overwhelmed
the still surprised roads,
the stone eyed children,
the moody garbage- that decides to stay
a few days longer,
the random reflection of the rooted stars,
and the chaos that we had come to accept
as a part of our charm.

In the cool night
we cozzied in the theater
of my roof
and her street.
Naively basking in the moonless sky,
ogling at our perfect city
Until unkindly awakened by the
the bloody heat
that washed the makeup off my city’s face
to expose ,to that bitch and me,
the flaws in our world.

For Hindus Only

2010-07-29T20:48:00.000-07:00

The other day, while I was at one of the marvelous temples that stand around the Valley the most eye-opening thing happened. At this relatively slow temple I was accompanied by four of my friends, a foreign tourist and her guide. As we climbed the small flight of steps to get a closer look at the idol of the temple, the foreign tourist (she accent suggested German) was abruptly stopped by the grumpy old priest and her attention was directed to a board that read “Entrance for Hindus only”. The flabbergasted tourist looked at the equally dumbfounded guide for an explanation. And while the guide was blabbering something incomprehensible we departed with our usual “that sucks” and “it’s not fair”. But this episode started debate in me, the eternal debate between progress and maintaining the status quo, the debate between doing what is morally right and maintaining the culture.

The rule to allow only Hindus into the temple stems from the present, non-Vedic, ignorant, concept of caste in the Hindu social system. Non-Hindus are considered casteless people, and therefore there admittance into the temple is unacceptable to the old guards. But there are some loopholes in restricting people on bases of religion in such a manner.

The problem with this criterion for differentiation is that there is no one way to become a Hindu. Hindu is not something you can become. You cannot be baptized into being a Hindu, Hindu is more a way of life than a religion. Because of the vastness as to how a person expresses his faith under the general umbrella of Hinduism there is no one distinctive characteristics of a Hindu. Because of these complexities in defining a Hindu, the only way to differentiate between a Hindu and a non-Hindu is on bases of race. A white person can be a more devote follower of Shiva while a person born in a “Hindu” family can be a atheist, and the only reason the atheist, or for that matter any brown skinned person, gets to go into the temple is because of the color of his skin or because he happened to be born in a particular family. That, regardless of how you sugar coat it this is clearly discrimination. The distinction of a Hindu from a non Hindu is clearly based on the age old notion of race and caste.
Further, the temples are not only the symbols of our religion but also a relic. A reminder of our glorious past. This past is a heritage of not only the Hindus that reside in this nation but also of the Sikh, the Muslim, the Buddhist, the non-believer, and all the other people who are its citizens. Discriminating a section of the society from gaining access to our past on bases of religion is not only unjust, but also sickening.

Also this rule does nothing to preserve our culture. I am not willing to accept such a perverse definition of what my culture is. And even if some argue that the rule to allow only Hindus into the temple is a part of our culture; it still does not prove that the rule is right. Just because it has been a part of our culture does not automatically justify it. Slavery, bonded-labor, the perverse caste system, and Sati -were all part of our culture but most of us agree that they are wrong and we have moved on from it. Preserving the culture is no license to continue with the senselessness of age old tradition. In fact the rule runs contrarily to our culture. The sanctity of our temples should not be measured by who is allowed in but through how we treat the poor children begging right next to it. The hallow symbols of our faith will forever remain hollow if we do not change the imposed bigotry of few men a century or two ago.
Some people also argue that it is okay to not allow non-Hindus into the temple because other religions institutions too do the same. To them the reply is simple- they are wrong too. What is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular. Discrimination is discrimination whether one person is doing it or everyone in the world is doing it.

As far as I am concerned Hinduism has always been an inculcating religion. A religion flexible to time and place. And if we continue to follow senseless rules like this one the charm and essence of the Satanan Dharma will be lost forever. We cannot let rules like these be the tools we use to preserve our culture. And preserve our culture we must, but not by methods that run contrary to the very thing we need to preserve. Let us not be a party to this nonsensical system of discrimination; an unjust system that our forefathers fought against, and we are the first ones to point out when we go abroad.

A walk around a rising world.

2010-07-20T22:55:00.000-07:00

In the summer heat when the world was
on its feet
ready to clap at every move
from the shores of the rainbow.
Having drowned myself in the mugs of
Glory days and forgotten friends
I escaped to walk about in the Pathans bazaar
To inspect the gossiped rejuvenation of the golden bird .

Walking through the uncertain hordes
I witnessed among familiar faces
Strange looks of unisex salons
and broad noses of owning this
and having two of that.

Stumbling across narrow street
Burning with the aggression of the most new steel
I ventured into hood-wink den
Where spirituality was traded and taxed
to poor believing aliens and the better lot (often with funky hair)
who come searching
in this profound land of ours,
to return sickened with what
we have caught from them.

The shaan of forefathers whored out
to brands unrecognizable but which must be had
Because he has it and she has it and
They have it.
O progress what crimes are committed in thy name.

Embarrassed by my intoxicated existence
I returned to the merry
one more round with
the world to celebrate
the coming of age.

Few thoughts on the “modernization” of Kathmandu

2010-06-20T02:55:00.000-07:00

There is a sudden growth of “Western” style buildings in Kathmandu. A mushrooming of three to four storey houses with glass as their main façade. Everywhere the eyes meet the dreadful sight of ugly, stunted skyscrapers. A pitiful attempt to “modernize” the city of ancient temples. This sudden conversion of our city is analogous to many of the changes we seem to have made to our life styles.

Due to a sense of Western Universalism, we have come to unquestionably accept anything that the western nations do to be the standard by which we measure ourselves. Their art, their buildings, their food, their music, their history, their language is deemed modern, while our heritage, our art, our language, our dress is backward and orthodox. We need to stop equating modernity and Westernization. This dichotomy between Westernization and modernity is a very powerful idea. The west doesn’t have, nor does it claim to have, a monopoly over the definition of progress. Progress and science are not western concepts; they are universal. We can take the most modern of ideas and use it to fit into those aspects of our culture that are good, but which need to adjust to the change in environment. We need to realize that we can preserve our heritage through modernity. At the same time we can also use the modern ideas to challenge those assumptions in our society that we have for granted. I would rather eliminate the nonsense of “my” culture with the borrowed sense from others, but it is also true that I would keep the sense of my culture over the nonsense that I am blindly borrowing from other.

This reckless growth of ugly “modern” building in Kathmandu is a result of a deeply infested mentality of inferior complexity. We can have the tallest and the most modern of building while still preserving the architecture of our past. One of the few intellectually designed and aesthetically pleasing buildings in the city is the Dwarika Hotel. The Dawrika’s is an example of how traditional architecture can be “adapted to the needs of the modern world”. The Dwarika should be hailed as the symbol of the modern nepali. A Nepali that salute the finest in its culture while always flexible to progress and adaptation with time.

Countdown: 30 days

2010-04-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

I’m an eleventh-hour person. Even if I’m given a month to submit a 10-page assignment, I will wait for the last week to start it. I might even follow my teacher around negotiating an extension on the deadline. Eventually, I will be scrabbling to finish it a night before the submission.

I have, but myself, to blame for it and I understand it when others procrastinate. However, you would think that if 601+ people are made responsible to write their country’s constitution in 2 years, the cut-off date wouldn’t be such a problem.

But no, even as the countdown flashes just a month till the constitution-writing deadline, much of it remains unwritten. In fact, we don’t even have a draft ready. Only three out of eleven thematic committees of the Constituent Assembly (CA) have submitted their full reports at the Constitutional Committee. Compiling the reports alone is expected to take a month.

So will our elected CA members achieve their purpose by May 28? “Neta haru lai ek arka sanga jhagada gardai ma fursad chaina” (these politicians are too busy fighting each other) is a sentence you won’t miss if you listen to the political chit-chats of the ‘common people’. The parties are yet to resolve differences on key issues including the form of governance, army integration and state restructuring. The sense of euphoria, of hope… of change brought by the April Uprising and the elections thereafter have long been replaced by frustration or worse, a sad acceptance of the situation. The completion of the constitution was not just a political process, Nepali people fought for this revolution and it symbolizes victory of the cause.

Consensus is the magic word but even if all the parties come together and work, a month is too short for the kind of constitution the people had hoped for or even for a short version for that matter. The simplest way out now is to extend the tenure of the CA. The Maoists, as usual, are already throwing a tantrum- they won’t allow an extension of the CA unless the government is formed under their leadership (someone should remind the Maoists that the people chose them to form the government, they chose to resign and quit). NC, on the other hand, is pitching for another election altogether. As unrealistic as it is, another election would mean that all the resources spent till now on the CA will be a waste. All this, at a backdrop of Maoist running para-military trainings and threatening of Jana Andolan III. The streets of Kathmandu are already marked by processions hoisting a red flag around.

I am not a political analyst and I don’t know enough to make correct judgments here. But I am a Nepali citizen. I had voted for change, for stability, for development and right now I am disappointed watching our so-called leaders in a power-hungry blame game. If the parties could unite ‘against’ monarchy can’t they once again unite ‘for’ the people and live up to their commitments?

Written by: Paavan Mathema for Speak Out.

Just spent 3 hours of my life reading about the Gayatri Mantra.

2010-04-11T14:26:00.000-07:00

A lot of us, good old Hindu’s, are told to recite the Gayatri mantra. And me being the unquestioning simpleton that I am did what I was told. But after a few years (yes... I took me few years) of off-on recitation I began to question as to what the Gayatri mantra actually meant, where it came from, and why the hell( pardon my language) am I parroting this random Sanskit shlok. ( yup…I just used my own name in a sentence…did I blow your mind..Or Did I blow your mind!!!)

Gayatri Mantra is a highly revered mantra, taken from a hymn in the Rig-Veda ( which is the oldest and the most scared of Hindu texts) (3.62.10). The mantra is repeated and cited very widely in vedic literature,and praised in several well-known classical Hindu texts such as Manusmriti, Harivamsa,and the Bhagavad Gita.

Originially, the mantra was recited only by Brahmin males as part of their daily rituals. However, with the help of the modern Hindu reform movements the mantra is chanted by all and its use is now very widespread. It is bad analogy but think of it as a equivalent (in terms of popularity) of the Lord’s Prayer for Christians.
One thing I learnt from the little “research”of the Gayatri mantra is that, no one has the answer to my questions. No one really knows what it means.
The meaning of the mantra itself has changed over the years. Because the mantra is written in old Sanskrit (a beautiful language which, unfortunately, has one of its legs dangling in the grave and another on a banana peel) there is the obvious problem of translation. The Gayatri is also subject to personal translation. Because the mantra extends and reaches to encompass everything (seriously Everything) it can be translated to mean whatever I chose it to be.
Here is the gayatri mantra and some of its translations.

Devangri:
ॐv भूर् भुवः स्वः
तत् सवितुर्वरेण्यं ।
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि ।
धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ॥

English:
Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah
tát savitúr váreṇyam
bhárgo devásya dhīmahi
dhíyo yó nah pracodáyāt

Word to Word: see more in http://www.swamij.com/gayatri.htm
AUM/OM: Absolute reality. That which encompasses the three states of waking, dreaming, deep sleep, represented by AUM, the three levels of gross, subtle, causal, the three levels of conscious, unconscious, subconscious, and the three universal processes of coming, being, and going. Absolute silence beyond the three levels is the silence after AUM.

Bhur: Physical realm or plane; earth.
Bhuva: The subtle or astral plane.
Svah: The higher, celestial plane.
Tat: That, the essential essence.
Savitur: Bright, luminous, sun-like, inner power of spiritual light, which brings one to Self-realization.
Varenyam: Finest, best, choicest, fit to be sought.
Bhargo: Destroyer of obstacles. Effulgence
Devasya: Divine, resplendent, shining
Dhimahi: We meditate.
Dhiyo: Our being of intelligence, intellect, understanding, mind/heart
Yo: Who, which
Naha: Our
Prachodayat: May enlighten, direct, inspire, guide, impel
Some translations include: see more in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gayatri_Mantra

• Sir William Jones:
"Let us adore the supremacy of that divine sun, the god-head who illuminates all, who recreates all, from whom all proceed, to whom all must return, whom we invoke to direct our understandings aright in our progress toward his holy seat.”

• Swami Vivekananda:
"We meditate on the glory of that Being who has produced this universe; may He enlighten our minds.”

• Two interpretations by S. Radhakrishnan:
1. "We meditate on the effulgent glory of the divine Light; may he inspire our understanding”
2. "We meditate on the adorable glory of the radiant sun; may he inspire our intelligence."

• The Arya Samaj interpretation:
"O God ! Giver of life, Remover of all pain and sorrows, Bestower of happiness, the Creator of the Universe, Thou art most luminous, adorable and destroyer of sins. We meditate upon thee. May thou inspire, enlighten and guide our intellect in the right direction”

• Brahmo Samaj interpretation:
"We meditate on the worshipable power and glory of Him who has created the earth, the nether world and the heavens (i.e. the universe), and who directs our understanding.”
• William Quan Judge
"Unveil, O Thou who givest sustenance to the Universe, from whom all proceed, to whom all must return, that face of the True Sun now hidden by a vase of golden light, that we may see the truth and do our whole duty on our journey to thy sacred seat."

This kind of relativity is in line with the modern tradition of “ do what you want …how you want …as long as you have faith..and are good person…or even not have faith and are a good( whatever that means) person”.
For me, however, the best translation of the mantra is provided by some person known as shantimayi at http://www.shantimayi.com/gayatri_sm.html. The translation goes as:
Throughout all of existence
"That" essential nature
illuminating existence is the
Adorable One.
May all beings perceive with subtle intellect
the magnificent brilliance of enlightened awareness.

All it says, to me, is that there is something more than us and having recognized that we hope attain knowledge and awareness to understand it through our capabilities.

I think I can live with it. I probably won’t recite it 7 times in row..but every once in a while I can acknowledge there is something greater than me …and recite the Gayatri mantra with the knowledge and awareness of what I am saying.

GPK: A legacy to debate

2010-03-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

Girija Prasad Koirala, former Prime Minister and president of Nepali Congress passed away Saturday at 12:10 p.m. GPK has been a towering figure in Nepali politics for over 4 decades. The death of GPK generates a big void within both the Nepali Congress and as an over-arching figure in Nepali politics. While much of Nepali media and politician seem to have suddenly found their long lost love for Koirala, people seem to have mixed feelings about his legacy.

There seems a difference in opinions regarding GPK between the mainstream media and the blogs. This difference in opinion steam out from what face of GPK people remember. Those who knew the pre 1990 Girija vs those who knew Girija post 1990. The post 1990 generation, who dominate the blogosphere, tend to have a more skeptical image of GPK. It’s the image of an old man holding on to power even if it means compromising on the principles so many say he holds dear. It an image of a man who was prime minister the country five times; a country bounded by the shackles of poverty, smeared with corruption and blooded by violence. Girija became the face of the dirty politics in Nepal (see my criticism of him in 5 worst people of Nepal). And although many of us did respect the man during the April revolution and its immediate aftermath, we were quickly disenchanted by the blatant nepotism he seemed to encourage. Unlike the pre 1990 generation, we never saw the Girija who was arrested and imprisoned by King Mahendra following a failed armed revolt against the 1960 royal coup. We never saw a Girija who was sent to exile and masterminded a plane hijack. We never saw Girija as champion of secular democracy in the nation.

Sketch by Dewen via the Kathmandu Post

If you glance through the Grijababu gone, the obituary written by Kanak Mani Dixit (probably the most read article on GPK’s death) you will find an array of comments that range from a proclaiming GPK as the father of the nation to accusing him of “raping the country”. The comments on mysansar.com are even more interesting. As a youth oriented blog the comments on mysansar are seem more critical of Girijababu. Try blog.com.np, there you will find people calling him a “monster”, and another calling the person who called him a monster an “idiot”.

While the media has tried to sell the death of GPK as a loss of a “national guardian”, many nepalis, especially the youth are not buying that. And while it would be unfair to say the GPK wasn’t a great spokesperson for democracy in Nepal it is also unfathomable to think of him as a “universally loved leader whose death has shocked the nation”.

However, given the fact that he did dedicate his life to help the country (I must admit that I do not doubt the man’s convictions) I hope his soul finds peace.

To the angels on earth

2010-03-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

After much debate with myself I decided to post this. It can be taken as a poem of bad taste, but it is all in good humor so i wont apologize.And if you are offended, "frankly my dear(s) I don't give a damn". No seriously it was written as a joke.... So the story behind this poem is that one of my friends commented that the best thing about spring is girls and how he wished to read a poem about it. So I took it up as a challenge. I hope you guys like it.

As prudent winter sleeps

And warmer breeze heroically peeps

With the blooming of the flower

The sun generously adds some hour.

In these bright sunny days

I am amazed by your ways.

When you break that cocoon of white

My soul dances with elfish delight

The sizzling heat does rise

The skirt, bounces and my heart joyfully dies.

When the tailor labors a little less,

Those glossy people, may god bless.

The bosoms finally breathe

Heavy, with chemicals my body shaking does need.

Through the cloudy linen your mounts peak

Erect, my imagination, and my eyes hauntingly left to seek

Those naked limbs, with sinus so tight

Me my “y” chromon’s have to fight.

In the twin mountain subtle glow

A deep flirtis cleavage does flow.

Through the wavy mysterious fur

My hopeful fingers do passionately lure.

And I glance from the rear

At those carnal twain so fair.

And I a prisoner of your charm

That which rattles my mind also does calm.

O angels, beautify personified

To convey my noblest intent I have tried

My humble earnest respect you

And to the god blessed spring

To our Manhood this favor does do.

Bounce freely, shake, feel the air

And those divine jewels with us do religiously share.

Holy S*#t Man!!!

2010-03-08T14:17:00.000-08:00

The spring session seems to have led to a sudden boost in the sex drive of Hindu holy men. Three swami-self-proclaimed spiritual leaders, have been involved in three separate sex scandals in the last two weeks.

Personal Note to the swamis
Now boys, I know it’s the session when the sun is shining and the weather is sweet and you are on your game but remember you have a reputation to uphold. Just because you dress up in funky orange robes and talk about universal love does not mean you practice it on anything that moves. Have some shame. Did they not teach you any manners in spiritual school or wherever it is you got the authority to preach from?

First it was the Hindu guru in Delhi who was arrested for using his ashram (meditation and prayer center) as a “front office for high-class prostitution racket involving airline hostesses and college girls".Then it was the Paramhamsa Nityananda; the leader of the Life Bliss Foundation, who claims more than 30 million followers in 33 countries, whose ménage a trios was recorded, and broadcasted on TV. However,Paramhamsa and his organization has denied the video by calling it a fraud and a work of graphics. And finally (I hope..) Mr Sahai, Head of the Centre for Excellence in Vedic Vangmay Research and Development Foundation, who kidnapped a girl after she refused to marry him. And the reason why she refused to marry him is that he has a wife and a seven year old daughter. The first time she refused, this moron offered her 10 million rupees, the second time around he kidnapped her. I guess he really wanted to marry her huh.

Now I personally do not have any problems with swamis. I have met quite a few of them and seen dozens more on TV; and they seem nice (except that one guy who thinks homosexuality is a disease and can be cured—he’s a jackass), but these scandals are taking it a notch too far. News about holy men engaging in not the most moral of activities was not unheard of, but three sex scandals in a week would make the promiscuous of Catholic priests blush.

What these recent scandals tell us is that not every bloke that comes around wearing the stereotypical “religious” clothing and speaking about semi-profound things is virtuous. Just because he looks like a holy man, doesn’t mean he is one. History has taught us, time and again, that religion can, has and will be used to make a fool of people. And that holy men are men as well.

Image from southcine.blogspot.com/

Here is some post-colonial thought for you

2010-02-16T13:15:00.000-08:00

Here is some post-colonial thought for you
Stop telling me the past is past
And what happened happened, and that my life is better for it
Can’t you see what has been done
How I have changed because my father changed who changed because his father
was chained
because your great grandfather wanted us to be
like you
With your good morning maam’s and spoons and knifes
And A for apples and B for Ball
To civilize me …
Don’t you fucking tell me its ok.

Don’t you fucking tell me its ok
Because the fact that I am standing here
Spitting to you my anger
in a language that is not mine
That was not supposed to be mine…
in small town Missouri is not ok.
You cant see yourself in Kathmandu
Slamming in Nepali can you …

Don’t you fucking tell me to calm down
Cause you think the way are is the way to be
With your “its so funny you eat with your hands”
And its so funny you use water to clean your bums
and its so funny this and its so funny that
why the fuck are we the anomaly.
Is it because you wear a tie and a dress
And define freedom to mean
generating small talks about sex…
I refuse to be a victim of inferior conformity
especially if its shrouded in a fake veil of progress

And don’t you impose Kant and Smith and Marx on me
judging our lives
Through the bullshit in yours
And I am taught that they are great cause they knew
They knew my ass is what they knew
And fuck your materialism and capitalism
And while you are fucking fuck socialism too…

So don’t tell me colonization is over
cause its not
And I am a living proof.

Buddha: And the Problem with his citizenship

2010-01-26T20:59:00.000-08:00

Fareed Zakaria in his book, “The Post-American World” claims that Buddha and Buddhism were born in India. Now if you know a Nepali or are one you are fully aware of how touchy this subject is. This incident like the Chadini Chowk to China saga and numerous other incidents are proof that Buddha is a subject Nepalis and Indians are, ironically, ready to pick on arms for.

Siddhartha Gautama (who after enlightenment became Buddha) was born in a place called Lumbini, in the principality of Kapilvastu to King Suddhodana of the Sakya clan. Having lived a good chunk of his life in Kapilvastu he decided to leave his royal privileges and responsibilities in search of the truth and be a mendicant. After years of meditating in the areas near the present day Northern India, Buddha attained Enlightenment under a Bodhi tree in Gaya( there is much more to the story but I have an assignment due in a couple of hours so pardon me if I don’t give the details).

In poor Buddha’s time there were no borders, and the fairly recent concept of the Indian state and the Nepalese state did not exist. However, when the present day border was drawn Lumbini became a part of Nepal. So Nepalis proudly claim Siddhartha Gautama and "Buddha" ( the man) to be born in present day Nepal. On the other hand Gaya is in India, and since Siddhartha Gautama did received enlightenment in Gaya, Buddhism and "buddha" ( the enlightened teacher) do find its birthplace in present day India. The problem also finds its roots in ancient texts which referred to the entire sub-continent region (east of the Indus) as the generic “India”. So when ancient texts state that Buddha was born in “India” they mean the sub-continent and not the present day India. India’s constant use of advertising itself as “Buddha Birthplace” as an effective tourist attracting mechanism and in its movies has not helped the situation either. Many Nepalis also take offense that a significant number of Indian historians have taken upon themselves to write history text books that claim Buddha to be born in India.

Not many people get the importance of Buddha to Nepal. The fact that Buddhas birthplace is in Nepal is a matter of great pride to us Nepali’s. Even though we are a Hindu dominated nation, Buddhas message and teachings is a part of everyone’s upbringing. The concepts of peace and live and let live is universal and it’s a shock when its abrupted, but for us Nepalis, Nepal being Buddhas birthplace is a justification wildly used and believed in to maintain peace in the country. Ask any Nepali on the street what she thinks of the violence and she will tell you that it’s a shame these acts of violence are happening in the place Buddha was born.

Nepal is going through a period when we are questioning our national identity. And we are doing so in a time when we see ourselves as having lagged behind our neighbors. The once proud Nepali does not have much to be proud of and if at such a moment its most cherished symbol as a nation is threatened it becomes a big issue. Buddha and Mt.Everest are symbols all Nepalis grow with and when someone else claims it it does hurt our pride. India borders Nepal in three directions and provides invaluable aid and assistance to Nepal. And by the virtue of being the bigger and more developed country it does take interest in Nepal’s politics. Further, it has also encroached on the Nepali border on several occasions, about which Nepal as of now (let’s face it) cannot do much, and this angers Nepali’s. By further proclaiming to the world that Buddha was born in India and not Nepal it indirectly attacks Nepal national identity and this is our problem. Therefore everytime someone in India claims that Buddha was born in India almost all Nepalis are hurt while some are ready to pick up arms.

Does it matter where Buddha was born? Personally, I have to say no, it does not matter where Buddha was born and fighting over someone who taught non-violence all his life is stupid. However, claiming something that is not yours is not right either.
(( last edited 02/01/2010...))

My Personal War on Terrorism

2010-01-07T22:53:00.000-08:00

My Personal War on Terrorism

Its official, I have finally entered the War on Terrorism. It was high time I committed myself to this struggle that President Bush so intelligently thrust us into. And in this war my weapon of choice is- Not shaving my beard. Yup you read it right I am planning to grow a beard every time I am scheduled to fly around.

Now this may seem odd, even weird perhaps, but a better weapon you will not find. Hear me out. Being brown in America and flying around is, let’s just say, not the most enjoyable experience. Every time I decide to take a flight I am asked by my concerned family and friends to take a shave (and I am not even Muslim, I am South Asian, things are a lot difficult for my Muslim friends). And their concerns are justified and appreciated. Growing a beard means that you risk being profiled, have to undergo “random” checks at airport security, basically it a pain in the rear. But by taking a shave I and my fellow beard loving brown people are giving the terrorists and profilers exactly what they want. By taking a shave the only people who lose is us.

We are free men and live in a free country and have as much a right to grow a beard if we so chose as any Tom, Dick and Harry. Shaving the beard in fear of being profiled because some crazy zealot decides to blow up a plane somewhere means that we are giving up our freedom to live and do what and how we please within the jurisdiction of law. It’s like deciding not to wear a red shirt during McCarthyism for the fear of being thought of as a communist. What’s next? Just because many terrorists have black hair we change our hair color? Trust me blonde hair on brown people don’t even look that cool.

We are not terrorists and have nothing to fear. By blowing planes up terrorists want to strike fear into the hearts of people. And if the reason we shave is us being fearful then they succeed in what they set out to do and that is unacceptable.

I mean if you don’t like a keep a beard than by all means shave, but if the only reason you are shaving is your fear of being ostracized than everything that you as a responsible citizen of the world should be fighting for is lost.

So there you have it. I have decided to grow my beard for my next flight and every other flight I take in the near future. This time I support keeping the bush ;-)

Nepal’s Most Horrible People in 2009

2010-01-01T09:55:00.000-08:00

Nepal’s Most Horrible People in 2009

Bye Bye 2009, welcome 2010. We takethis opportunity to say farewell to 2009 and look back at some of the most horrible people in Nepal this past year. Here is my list( not in order), please make and rank your own.

Sujata Koirala- Sujata Koirala finds a spot on this list on the basis of her own merit ( for the first time in her life) and not because of her father. This lean ( jk) mean crying machine is both the minister of foreign affairs and the Deputy Prime Minister at the same time, without having to work at all ( unless you call being Girija’s daughter work) . Her determination to make nepotism a part of Nepali politics cannot be emphasized. This amazingly horrible person does not shy away from criticizing her party and its uncomprehending Committee members if need be. Her foreign policy tactics are as much a mystery as her credentials. She enjoys her role as the most powerful women in Nepal and we all appreciate how she thinks she must fly to a new country every second week for reasons only she knows. Speak Out salutes your genuine disregard for refusing to do the right thing.

Karima Begum- This heavyweight stole the limelight late in the year when she slapped a public official and refused to apologize. Her sheer stubbornness and embarrassing interviews have earned her a spot in this list. She was willing to play the “ It’s not my fault I am Muslim women” card in the most effective of manners. She is a symbol of women empowerment in Nepal having inspired millions of women into believing that using violence and then playing the victim card is Ok. She is also accredited with wasting an entire nations time. For this madam we thank you and place you in the list.

Rishi Dhamala- 2009 was all about him. From his arrest early in the year to his inclusion on the UN delegation later on he has stolen limelight (which he is a master at doing) throughout the year. This self created colossus of Nepali Media is an apple of every rotten politician’s eye. A reversal in his arrest over involvement in murder, kidnapping and treason was an issue all parties could agree on. His undying efforts to legitimize illegitimate political behavior for his benefit cannot be described as any other thing but selfish. As one of the greatest dicks of our times his gigantic assholism has left the scribe speechless. Thank you for showing us that if you are important enough to give the politicians what they want they might work for you. We place you in the list and wish you all the best for the future.

Pusha Kamal Dahal a.k.a Prachanda- No list is complete without the “fierce” one. This great man is the first prime minister of the new Nepal. Having promised the nation time and time over during the civil war that when the time comes he himself will never hold any official position in the government he was not ashamed to grab the post when he saw fit. The man has proved time and again that he can fool and lie his way out of most humiliating of circumstance, and still convince people he is the victim. He is a master at passing the blame, foreign forces and royal outfits being his favorite culprits. He is confused about his two names: Pushpa Kamal ( meaning Soft Beautiful Lotus) and Prachanda ( meaning The Fierce One). Much of what he says makes no sense and he reminds everyone of a really fat and ugly Bhuvan K.C. The sheer ugliness of his sweaters are enough to put him on any Worst Person list. Congratulations Sir and I am sure I’ll see you in more of these lists in the future.

Girija Prasad Koirala- The grand old man of Nepali politics has been in his absolute worst his year. From compelling the Prime Minister to appoint his daughter the Deputy Prime Minister to being a royal pain in the butt for everyone including his party member he has been there and done that. This past year is a culmination of decades of hard work at deceiving a nation and cheating his way through much of life. He is a solid pillar of lies, selfishness and political immorality. His great vision of a better Nepal is as boring as his speeches. This long nosed giant with a never give in attitude is an idol to all those who think the country is their fathers property to do as they please without having to answer to anyone. GPK has been included in this list because of his nonchalant attitude towards anything that might help the country prosper. Thank you!

Other notable names include Madav Kumar Nepal, Babu Ram Bhatterai, Vice President Pramanand Jha, Gyanendra Shah, and Matrika Yadav.

Please rank these people as you like.

Rishi Dhamla

2009-12-29T00:28:00.000-08:00

Rishi Dhamala is your typical sleazy character. The kind of guy you don’t want to trust but end up trusting anyway cause he knows how to work his way up the ladder. This wanna be journalist/ political activist is friends with almost all major political leaders in Nepal. When he was arrested earlier this year ,for masterminding 3 bomb blasts in Kathmandu, members from all parties united to get his bugger out of jail. Koirala, Prachanda, and Nepal are all pals with this guy. He runs a forum for people to come and debate called The Reporters Club Nepal where from political leaders come and give their version of the story. This “debating” forum provides an opportunity for the leaders to justify their actions in front of journalist, whereby covering their action with a veil of legitimacy. It provides a chance to politicians to offer a cover up. A cover up which is neither debated nor questioned. And by presiding over this cover up providing ceremony he has come to be pally with all those he extends his service to. Don’t get me wrong ,I am all for giving people an opportunity to debate their ideas and providing their version of the truth but the allowing them to go unchallenged seems kind of unreporter like.
He is so liked that the Prime Minister thought it was necessary to add him in his entourage in for the UN Summit. I guess Nepal needed someone who could woo some other fishy characters over. Why on earth would you take this guy as one of the members of your delegation to the UN of all the places? It is like Obama taking the Nigerian Terrorist guy to the UN summit. One has to question why on earth is this guy to liked by everyone in power. First it was the former king who gave him an award of some kind, then Koirala came to his defense when he got arrested, then the home minister (the ministry which in charge of the nations police) Bem Dev Gautam came out and shed a tear on his behalf and even Sujata Koirala, DPM, seems to love him.
Dhamala now plans to join politics (formally) and mess Nepal up in the open. After having failed to write a sensible article he now plans to write a book. But hey he did donate Rs 15,000 for the care of the struggling journalist, I guess that makes everything alright.

Maoist and India- A match made in heaven

2009-12-22T11:15:00.000-08:00

http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/news-archive/1-top-story/3030-maoists-ready-to-talk-with-india-instead-of-current-puppet-governmentend-three-day-nationwide-strike.html

Maoist chairman is ready to talk to India about civil supremacy and national sovereignty in Nepal. He further added that by doing so he is actively reducing India's involvement in Nepali politics. Reports suggest that this new strategy of "involving those who you suggest should not be involved" is one of the many grand tricks in Chairman Prachandas bag. Other such thoughtful tricks included: firing the chief of army staff who had couple of months left in his tenure, speaking grandly of him fooling the UN while being video taped, quitting the government after having won the election with a landslide, forming a alliance with RPP and other right parties in the name of national sovereignty.
People are trilled to see what happens next or rather what India will show them next. New Delhi has not responded to this urgent call by the Maoists to aid Nepal with its national sovereignty. However, unconfirmed reports suggest that they don't care and won't really bother about it.
After this historic three day protest that saw the country lose some more of its dignity and millions of rupees, the Maoist leadership rendezvoused in Prachands house in the evening for an ugly sweater party ( every one was dressed prior to the occasion).
Prachanda came in a narrow first ahead of Badal. Dr. Bhattarai who was the judge was reported saying that the chief was first because of three primary factors a) ever successful cliched trick of wearing red to a Maoist rally, b) the sheer ugliness of his sweater, and c) he is the boss.

The Tale of Karima Begum

2009-11-26T12:14:00.000-08:00

The Karima Begum- CDO Bhandari saga does not seem to end. And frankly speaking, as a follower of Nepali politics it entertains me. Yes, the entire story makes Nepali politics look ridiculous but, let face it, what does not. This story is a fine refreshment from the daily news of bands, riots, and deadlocks.

Karima Begum, the state minister of Agriculture slapped Chief District Officer Durga Bhandari. The CDO has accused the minister of manhandling him, while the minister has responded with an accusation of “misconduct to her body”. Talk about the fight between bureaucracy and politics.

After having watched Karima Begum’s thunderous interview it was clear that she was angry at the CDO and his apparent incompetence. Although I think Mrs. Begum’s “attempt to pull her into his chamber” argument is shrouded in “bull feces”, the CDO seems to be a complete nincompoop. Clearly he has not been doing his job well. But does he deserve being beaten up and humiliated in public is the question. This saga also raises question on the lack of limitation and judicial restriction of ministerial power and freedom to do what s/he pleases. Karima Begum sees no wrong in what she has done and she will not back down.

However I must congratulate Mrs. Begum for her success and undying efforts to empower the Nepali women and start a new era of revolution. At first Karima Begum seems to be an aggressive women looking for any excuse that would allow her to wriggle herself out of this unwanted limelight. But now it seems she has developed a fondness for this attention. Just look at her blasting the journalists and their questions. Although half of what she says is illogical and nowhere related to the topic at hand, she seems adamant to say what she feels she must. In her search for excuses Mrs. Begum is ready to bring out the much awaited feminist argument. I am sure she could convince us that her slapping the CDO was a valiant attempt to empower the Nepali women. It was a call to arms, she might add. Mrs.Begum has shown that one does not need to be a man to be a thug. Thuggery is based on the policy of nondiscrimination. For this madam you will go down in history as one of the first women thugs in Nepali politics. Congratulation!

Mrs. Begum has suggested that she beat up the CDO because he was no doing his job well. If that is so then I hope Karima Begum’s slapping the CDO was only the first step towards higher goals. Next on her list should be high profile office holders and power players, so MKN, GP, Prachanda beware the hand of wrath. This can start a new era of revolution. A revolution in which people have the liberty to slap anyone who does not do his job. A revolution based on limited violence and complete irradiation of corruption. Thank you Karima for showing us a new inexpensive way to solve so many of our problems.

Go on Karima, go on. Your historic slap can be the start of the beta version of the “new Nepal”, and for this I salute you.

The Pen is Still Mightier than the Sword

2009-11-16T21:46:00.000-08:00

Whenever a nation has fallen victim to its faults, its desperation and greed; when society is reduced to a savagely fight for more power and the dark abyss of hopelessness envelopes the most optimistic of men, it fall on the duty of a brave few to do what their morality deems necessary.
Today Nepal finds itself in a state of political, social and moral chaos. There is neither a believable ideologies to guide the cause of a nation nor patriots to carry the responsibility of building a nation for the nation. What we have today is a strange concoction of aristocracy; nonsensical democracy and socialism that would make that Marx shave off his glorious beard in shame. Who then shall the motherland turn to in these grave times?
I see these heroes in the ones holding the pen. If ever this nation needed to remind itself that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword, it is now.
The media is educated and sensible enough to see through this pathetic tragedy the power players have reduced this country to. Regardless of where you find yourself in the political spectrum it is impossible to deny the sheer incompetence of the rascals that have benefited from this national robbery. The role of this profession is not only to parrot the daily happening of the day, but to act as watchdogs of civility and democracy. Everyday people watch the news, listen to the radio or read a newspaper believing that the media knows more that the common man. Media, the common man hopes, will hold the power players accountable for the authority we have given them to make rules for us.
The government is nothing but an idea. People like you and me give it authority and legitimacy. They cannot seek legitimacy from us and then use the same to make our lives more inconvenient. Not only is that wrong, it is shameful. The media has to expose this shamelessness more. If the people of the country are apathetic towards the violation of their rights it because the nations media has failed in its purpose. I urge the media to unmask each of the power brokers. I urge the media to give air time to public oriented debates. More interviews, harsher questions. Questions that the public wants to ask, and verify the response and hold them accountable for their response. Run profile checks on the qualifications of each minister. Search the skeletons in the closets of the main hustlers in Nepali politics, and knowing them they will have plenty. I urge the media to shift form a political friendly attitude to a citizen oriented attitude. To break the political “mumbo-jumbo” and translate it into something the layman can understand. For if he understands the depth of hypocrisy that this country is innocently subjected to, he will neither tolerate it any longer nor let it happen again. The layman needs guidance and the media needs to provide it. Real journalism, the reason most of you look up this profession, is calling.
In Nepal’s recent history we have had numerous revolutions against ideologies and institutions. One revolution after another we fell prey to the same parasitic tendencies we where revolting against. It is now time to sprinkle salt on the hordes of leeches sucking on the blood of national progress and prosperity. The media must take up “arms” and leak its blood for the sake of the nation that absolutely needs it to do so.

The Long Awaited Death of the Koirala family Legitimacy.

2009-10-16T11:21:00.000-07:00

The Long Awaited Death of the Koirala family Legitimacy.

What a sad fate for the Koirala family hegemony? I am personally not a very big fan of dynasty politics; however I can’t help but admire the rise and fall of this family. No other family has dominated civilian politics like the Koiralas. They have developed a love-hate relationship with the country. There are those who think the Koiralas are the pioneers of Nepali democracy and can always be trusted. While there are those who hate the constant nepotism and abandonment of the ideologies that is associated with the family. However, the recent appointment of Sujata Koirala as the Deputy Prime Minister is so shameful, that the last ounce of legitimacy that the Koiralas enjoyed historically in the Nepali Congress party and the country has been exhausted.
On January 26,1947 when The Nepali Congress was inaugurated under the Presidency of Tanka Prasad and the Acting Presidency of a certain B.P. Koirala things were different. The call for an armed struggle against the Rana’s was in the air and the Nepali congress was leading the charge. The Koiralas were in the center of the action. Girja babu was in his youthful prime and lead demonstration of the jute mill workers in Biratnagar. Even after the fall of the Rana regime in 1951, the Koirlas contribute in shaping the destiny of this country. B.P was so liked that half a million showed up for his funeral. The countless number of times we’ve had a Koirala prime minster shows that Nepali’s have provided the Koirlas legitimacy to lead us in the frailest of times. We have turned to the much “hated” Koirlas for reconciliation trusting in there legitimacy to hold the country together as recently as the April 2006 when we handed over the top position to Girja babu. Koirala’s have earned this legitimacy on bases of sacrifice and worth in the past. They have made personal sacrifices for the country and the people have rewarded them with love, respect and political authority. But now rewards they are reaping have far exceeded the service they are providing.
Blatant nepotism, ceaseless personal glorification and embarrassing hold of the power structure within the party and the country has drained there political authority. The “new” generation of Koiralas has taken more from the system than put into it. There is no struggle behind their words and hallow promises mar their speeches.
Being able to persuade one’s father is not reason enough to be appointed the DPM of a country.There seem to be no Koirala heavyweight in Nepali politics once Grirja babu kicks the bucket (touch wood!), and his attempt to make Sujata the custodian is to say the least pitiful. The relatively weak political careers of Shekar and Shashank Koirala, the switching of sides of Prakash Koirala and the death of Sushila and Nona Koirala has not helped to maintain the power either. All this drama has even blemished Sushil Koiralas comparatively “respectful” political life and families hold on politics.
People now view the Koiralas as an old and desperate family clinging helplessly to power cause they don’t have an idea of what will happen if they let go. They have enjoyed political limelight for so long that it scares them to think about being “just another family”. They are unpopular among the youth. Although vaguely loyal the congress party youth is fed up, seeing the family as a hindrance to the democratic transfer of power within the party. For the educated youth the Congress is unattractive to follow. The youth knows that worthless and boring ideas of the previous decades do not work in the 21st century. And the Koiralas have been justifiably reduced to a personification of those decaying ideas.

Are you crazy???

2009-10-12T15:13:00.000-07:00

Sujata has been appointed as the new Deputy Prime Minister. WTF??????
This is bloody ridiculous. What is happening? i guess if i cry my eyes out and bug my poor old father ill be appointed Agriculture minister to say the least. What kind of a unethical, illogical, moronic move is this. What is the explanation of this appointment? "New Nepal" ..is this what they were so excited about?
The reason the prime minster gave for this appointment was to mend relations between Girja P. Koirala and himself.What???? The government is not your fathers property you power hungry assholes. It belongs to the people. The people have to pay for Sujata as a DPM. And here comes the worst part...she is not even the sole Deputy Prime Minister..we already have one...shes is the second......what the hell is happening here? where is the public outrage..is everyone angry about this nonsense or is it just me.

We- the Bigots

2009-09-10T22:22:00.000-07:00

“We –The Bigots”

We are a diverse country. With over 92 different living languages, and countless different ethnicity and religion we have a wide variety of culture and people. However, only few individuals from the minority communities take part in policy formation and decision making at the government level. The government and bureaucracy are filled with people from either the Bahun or the Chetri community. They have dominated politics, army, bureaucracy, education and most of the other institutions.
However, over the past few years the political awareness of the masses has increased by a significant level. The oppressed have begun to raise their voices. The government and people in general cannot ignore the fundamental ethnic polarization in our culture for long. The issue needs to be addressed. I am not talking about addressing the issue at the government and bureaucratic level. With the increase of political power of the minorities, especially the Madhesi community, I am sure at the government level some improvement will come. But I wonder whether or not we as citizens are ready for intelligent and meaningful debates about letting our bigotry go.
A Madhesi should not have to undergo the humiliating treatment, and stereotyping he/she has been subject to in the past. They should not have racial slurs hurled at them for something they have no control over. A Pahadi in Tarai should have the right to live without harassment. It’s the 21st century and we are still categorizing people based on ascriptive characteristics. And this is being done not only by people who are uninformed and uneducated, but disappointingly by people who we are hoping will change the way our country is. The youth all over the country is still engaging in what they so loudly preach against. So how are we to change a system in whose formation we all are equally and presently guilty.
For this type of bigotry to end we must engage the civilian population in meaningful conversation. We have to inculcate the idea of equality and anti-discrimination in our educational and social system. Educated youth must challenge the bigotry of the past. Are we going to build a nation where we hate and hold prejudices based on our skin tone and accent? Is that what we want to leave behind for our children? A messed up country with so many unresolved issues, like the one we have inherited, courtesy our unquestioning forefathers.
We all think everyone should be equal (at least I hope we all do), then why not practice what we preach. It’s not that difficult. Engage someone who is being a bigot in a conversation, ask them for their logic. Stop your friends when they pass a racist judgment. Talk to people, friends from different backgrounds, about the situation and work with them and through them to make a difference. Question your parents, teach them, and learn from them. Change does not come from sitting on our fat and lazy posteriors and complaining, it comes from active engagement and debate. And if and when you debate remember what Aristotle so wisely said, “The end result of a debate should not be victory but wisdom”.

A Call to All Moderates.

2009-09-08T15:13:00.001-07:00

A Call to All Moderates.
Madhesi movement was overdue. After the April revolution, the political conscience of the Nepali population was revived. By the conclusion of the restoration of “democracy” and commencement of the nation building process, Madhesi who were discriminated against found the opportune time to start their greatest battle for equality. Madhesi from all over pitched in to support for the fight. Blogs rallied for support and momentum to the movement. Student, political parties, businessmen, farmers, academia, someone from every strata of society demonstrated on the streets for equality in Nepal. The movement was an example of how nationalistic and humanitarian integrity can be achieved.
However, some over zealots administered into this movement that which changed the noble grounds on which the movement was founded. The policy of attacking innocent Pahadis was inculcated into the movement. And a feeling of revenge was installed. These uncalled for revengeful attacks on Pahadis has inspired a new wave of skepticism among the already skeptical Pahadi community. The policy of reverse discrimination is tainting the struggle for equality. Incident like these prevent meaningful debates from taking place. Emotional bias and ethnic pride has prevented intelligent conversation among all communities.
The Madhesi moderates must recognize and articulate that a mutual better future is possible if they work with and through Pahadi moderates. The same holds true for Pahadi moderates. The two communities cannot hide from each other. It is the mutual interest of both to build new equal relations. Madhesi are politically powerful in the parliament and in masse to make sure equal opportunities are guaranteed this time.
In the long run Pahadis in Tarai will prove to be a vote bank and financial assurance that will be much needed for regional Madhesi parties to gain more seats. While Tarai, the economic and farming heartland, will be an important base for any of the big national parties.
Another problem with the Madhesi movement is the lack of leadership in both the social and political fronts. Bickering and personal agendas have over taken the common mans interest. Thugery and stupidity is on the verge of taking over. The political decision makers in Madhes will need a coherent ideological stance once federalism is achieved. If a regional and ethnic political party is to be a national powerhouse it cannot go on beating the same drum. It has to appeal to more than one ethnicity or else eventually its existence will be unimportant. Moderates in the Pahadi community too must understand that for a better future instead of ignoring the issue we must find common grounds to thrive on.
If the Madhesi population is to achieve emancipation that it will have to be aware of the potential “it’s because of the Pahadi” rhetoric by the politicians. Let them not fool anyone anymore while remaining unaccountable to their constituencies. The average Madhesi has suffered long for equality, and should not rest till he achieves it. And let not equality be limited only in terms of ethnicity but extend to caste, creed, gender and sexual orientation. Moderates from all communities can and must come together; there are enough people who want positive change in the system we just have to reach across.

Nepal 09/03/09

2009-09-03T21:53:00.000-07:00

A mere glance at the news in Nepal, is enough to tell you how bad the situation is . Check this out.
Nepalnews.com reports "Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala has said the sustainability of the coalition government will depend on the actions of the Prime Minister. Koirala's reaction comes amid speculations that he is not happy with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal after he refused to elevate Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala to Deputy Prime Minister." ARE YOU BLOODY SERIOUS???? Sujata is not even qualified to be coolie, she has nothing on her resume. Her work experience is the only thing that is smaller than her intelligence.
But can't complain much. Even if she does become the Deputy PM, its to a man who LOST general elections and wasn't even a MP prior to the coalition building to form a new government.
My history teacher in high-school used to say, "democracy does not always have to be Of the people, By the people, For the people( pardon the order), it can also be Of the idiots, By the idiots, For the idiots." Chew on that!
Vice-president Jha is still adamant that he will not take oath in Nepali. My question to Mr.Wanna Be Madhes is " Are you stupid?"
If the answer is yes, than I forgive you stupidity, but if the answer is No than- WTF are you doing? Because of your stupid regional pride you are causing so much inconvenience to normal people. You are the personification of the division in the country. If you want to take oath in any of the wonderful languages spoken in Tarai,that's fine with me, but Hindi or French or Korean or any other language that is not spoken by a significant number of the Nepali population is unacceptable. Grow the Fu** up and follow the bloody law.

"New" Nepal

2009-09-03T21:37:00.000-07:00

I remember when the great 19 days began.

They said it was the final push,

To end what started in the villages a decade ago.

Time to overwhelm the capital with people

in hundreds,

in thousands

or perhaps a hundred thousand.

Chanting ,singing,

shouting on top of their voices.

In urgency and anger

while many spectacle seekers present

because everyone else was.

Holding small branches with leaves as placards

and partisan banners,

while the silver moon and sun lost

amongst the tree, the yellow sun, the hammer and sickle.

The home dwellers poured water

and mercy and blessings to quench

what only change could quench.

A day turned to 2 and that into a few.

Till the master was master no more

but the slave still the slave.

United on the streets, as one nation

divided by flags and banners and who out does who.

Throwing stones like bullets and upholding chest

like shields

till someone was shot

for what they believed and shouted, and all would scatter

when eyes were filled with tears.

And the police are confused

and reluctant to fight a fight that is not theirs .

Striking blows at someone he would have smiled and greeted

In and around the tol, or in the footpath vegetable stall.

Only doing what he does to feed his wife and kids

while the others do what they do to feed their wife and kids.

And those who were always feed

stayed locked up at home

dreamy castles growing taller

as people got louder

whenever someone got shot.

And when the “ruler” of the land bowed down

To secret telephoned deals and the might of the people,

Like vulture they tore his flesh

And when he was devoured

They eyed each other

And our saviors became cannibals.

Let's Shoot Chivalry Dead

2009-09-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

I see a reflection of a beautiful girl behind me, so being the gentleman, I hope I am, I humbly open the door, and stand holding the door with a moronic smile on my face. The girl stares at me; I stare back hoping that this exchange of glares turns into romantic barter of love (just like the movies). She moves closer to me…. “O, wow…this cologne really works” I think…and then she moves her lips to say, “Why the hell are you holding the door, you think I can’t get it myself, do you think I am weak?” My smile turns into a confused look; I am embarrassed. I feel like a sexist, while all I was trying was to impress the girl with my manners. A lesson learnt I pacify myself.

A couple of days later, I see another girl behind me, and this time, being the “feminist” that I am, I don’t hold open the door for her, and she gives me a highly disgusted look. I am confused yet again. I feel like a pathetic Hamlet, in limbo between “to open” or “not to open.”

Many men today are confused as to how to go about in treating a “lady”. The previously mostly muted, often helpless dame has broken the shell of traditional conformity and embarked on a journey of independence. While leaving her male counterparts mostly clueless about what they need to do to assure her of manners, while not threatening her independence.

In the days gone by, women were considered “weaker” than men, thus they needed that extra protection, that extra care. But being a “feminist,” I feel I am insulting my ideology and women in general, if I were chivalrous for that reason. If I hold on to my belief that women are no less than men, then why all this fuss about chivalry towards women? We should scrap the idea of “ladies first.” And a true lady should not be expected to be treated any differently than a man. Though I condone any kind of violence, why are people not shocked when a woman raises her hand on a man, but make a commotion when the visa versa happens? Violence of any kind should generate the same reaction.

I have heard my female friends say, “We like it when we are treated well and appreciated. ” So do we, I naively respond. “No, but it’s different, we are girls, we are equal but we need to be treated better, we are more equal that you”. More equal? How sexist is that?

My male friends on the other hand think that a woman must we treated well because she is a woman. I question about equality and they say “Treating a woman like a woman does not harm equality”. Like a woman? What does that mean, I ponder.

Treating women equally is a must. When women raise their voices, other women who have not had the opportunity to do so, feel inspired. This leads to a wider awakening of the silently suffering masses. The concept of equality is trampled upon by stupid rules of unnecessary manners. I think it’s unmannered to treat women differently. Treating women differently shows that you are not ready to accept them as equals, while allowing someone to treat you well just because you are a woman shows that you do not consider yourself an equal.

I am not saying that men and women are the same; they are different. Neither am I suggesting that you treat your better half the same way you treat your friends. I suggest that you treat your better half well because she/he is your better half, and not because he/she is a woman or a man.

I see another beautiful lady walking behind me, but this time I hold no doors. I put my morals before my manners. And even though manners, honor, and respect for a fellow human being should never die, any social norm that treats one gender different than the other should be shot dead.

The Art of Inarticulation

2009-09-03T21:32:00.000-07:00

The Art of Inarticulation

by Slok Gyawali 10 July 2009

It amazes me to see how inarticulate I am in Nepali. My writing skills are deplorable, my reading is slow and unsteady, and my speaking could use a lot of work. Although I speak and understand my language, I wish I was better. The sad thing is I am not alone in this rather shameful situation. I see this epidemic all around me. Not many people educated in the English medium can even consider Nepali their first language. Many of us are most comfortable speaking and understanding the adulterated version of Nepali, but would we prefer to read or write an article in Nepali or English? Not many of us can converse in Nepali using only “Nepali” words. The question is –is the middle class urban Nepali losing their ability to communicate in Nepali?

I challenge the readers of this magazine to speak 15 sentences in Nepali without using an English word. Or if that’s too easy, write 15 sentences in Nepali and see how long it takes, and now do the same in English. I am sure the latter was a lot quicker.

So what went wrong? Weren’t we always proud (and loud) about our identity? Wasn’t our identity one thing that we never compromised; and yet we find it difficult to communicate in our own language?

Since primary school, English is of prime importance. Nepali becomes secondary, and sadly the vernaculars have no spot. The use of this uninformed education policy has lead to the extinction of many vernaculars, while producing a generation of educated Nepalis who consider English their language of choice. Kathmandu, which on average has a higher literacy rate than the rest of the country, also houses the largest number of people who prefer English over Nepali. So even if the educated urban youth comes to power, many in that demographic will have difficulty communicating in Nepali. Kathmandu dwellers will have once again alienated themselves from the rest of the country.

The previous generation grew up in awe of the English language. Those who could speak, read and write it were granted more opportunities. It was one sure ticket to a good job. This attitude, coupled with globalization, fostered this generation of English-speakers. This trend continued, implanting within this generation the English learning zeal. Music, news and television all aided in the dominance of English. Writing in English seems normal, while writing in Nepali seems exotic. Nepali has been reduced to the contaminated form we usually speak. Everyday the art of writing Nepali gets lost among SLC books and the old manuscripts that grandpa reads.

Many of us were angry (this scribe included) when our vice president took the oath of office in Hindi. Speaking in Hindi was blasphemy, but if he would have done the same in English, would that have brought about a similar outcry? Is English “cooler” than Hindi? Or is it the whole hatred of India? Let’s face it: more people in Nepal understand Hindi than English. Have we been so blinded by our awe of the English language that we’ve forgotten that it is still a foreign language like Hindi, Korean or Swahili? So why the different standard?

I can not help but admit that English helps, not just when it comes to education and communication with the outside world. It would be preposterous (and hypocritical) to suggest that we should stop studying English. English helps you to read books and understand things that have not been translated. Learning English is a door to the rest of the world; it is the world’s lingua franca. However, let’s not forget to teach ourselves our own language. Let’s not let any of our beautiful vernaculars die in the shadows of English. Rex Harrison once sung as an irritated linguist “Norwegians learn Norwegian; the Greeks have taught their Greek”, and I am sure he would have wanted the Nepali to learn their Nepali.

We vent our much justified anger at anything and anybody who disrespects our culture, tradition and heritage but have our own hands bloody with the slow murder of our language, literature and with them, a very important part of our Nepali identity.