On resignation of Madheshi leaders

I was just wondering why people make a hue and cry over the “resignation” of some impotent leaders from their corrupt parties. On one hand they themselves were doing nothing for the country and nobody would be sorry to see them leaving, on the other, the new “front” is also not dong anything ground-breaking, the way they have mobilized poor and innocent Madheshi fellows in past one year have proved it.. Rather, lots of people would be happy that they will not have to see their wicked faces through the TV screens.

NC nominated Minister for Science and technology minister Mahantha Thakur, Hridayesh Tripathi, an MP from Nepal Sadbhawana Party-Anandi Devi, Mehendra Yadav of CPN (UML) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party lawmaker Ram Chandra Raya announced their resignations on Monday.

What the state and the people have gained from their presence or rather existence in our holy country? Will anybody tell me what misfoturne our country would have gone through if they were not ministers or lawmakers? Did you ever hear that minister Manata Thakur, for instance, doing some thing to save Nepal’s environment from further deterioration? Has he done something to encourage, honour or facilitate Nepal’s emerging scientists or their technology? No. Then what so fuss about his leaving?

Then, do you remember what good other “bhagoda” Madheshi leaders Hridayesh Tripathi and others?

Their political parties gave them a space, a platform to do corruption and to become leaders at their locality for past several decades. See what their neighbours earned in past 17 years and what they earned in the same period of time. The “profession” of polics is indeed a lucrative one in our context. And now, after licking the cream of party policis, they think Madheshi policis is better than the party politics. What a great idea!

Among others, I would like to ask the former Panchayati leader Ram Chandra Raya what could he do/ why he could not do anything during the Panchayati period and the King’s dictatorship that now he thinks that he could do with the alliance with the Madheshi leaders?

I have no grumble against the Madheshi antolan going around in some Terai districts. They have genuine causes to battle against this centralist political system. Still, I wonder why they cannot do so in their own parties and make their suprimos understand? It was not the failure of their respective parties alone, the same blame could also go to themselves. I’m I right dear Madhshi leaders?

I'm sorry, you died at wrong time

I’m sorry for Birendra Shah, the unfortunate journalist from Bara who was killed by the dirty hands of the Maosits, (who say they do everything for the people and for poor, marginalised and suppressed class of people).

Shah’s body was found today afternoon. The body was to be found after it was buried. I’m not talking about the killers who are buried in laps of Prachanda or Baburam Bhaatrai.

I’m sorry in many senses. First being a journalist, I am sorry because I see my face in his photograph when his photos were pinned on my friends’ T-shirts. I can imagine what payment he had from the four media houses he worked with – Avenues TV, Nepal FM, Drishti and one other. I was looking at the eyes of his wife and I could see so many unwritten stories of Shah. It was like I read all the stories he could not write.

Next sorry because he was killed by the Maoists. I’m not personally biased for or against the revolutionists. But I was concerned because I was hearing too much of their kind of press freedom when the started the strategy of blocking newspapers at Kantipur, Nepal Samacharpatra and Annapurna Post. I could imagine how they could support press freedom. And when I look at their faces in the TV programmes, either sitting on the pile of newspapers at the office of Annapurna Post or smashing the windscreen of vehicles at Kantipur Publication premises, I can see who were behind him and why it took place.

Now, for the third sense. I’m sorry that he died in this critical condition. No doubt, he was a supporter (or a cadre) of CPN-UML. One can imagine how difficult it is for common people to be member of the UML-affiliated Press Chautari and how meaning for it is to be in that position who dream of being in the UML politics. See, he died………..he really died. But the party has been silent for whole month. When the journalists were making all hue and cry in the capital and also in other districts. The only person we see in the crowd is Raguji Panta, who come to the mass as an ex-journlaist than a UML central committee member. We know, the UML is intereseted to bag the prime minister’s set with the help of Maoists and it is the worst time for the Maoists to say thing thing that counld be unpleasant to the Maoists (If the UML only could remember the slogan of the Maoists to “dhad ma chadera tauko ma hirkaune”). Otherwise, the UML knows the best way to do politics over dead bodies. I’m sorry Shah was not fortunate enough to receive party flag on his body. This is politics. Sorry man.

Discussion on Newar art in a blog

An interesting and intelligent discussion on Nepali/Newar painting is taking place at a blog these days. I want to share this feeling, looking at the height the old topic has recently gained.

On 13 August 2006, a gentleman named Lain Sinclair presented a “nice” piece of comment on Vajrayan art. The piece, entitles “Naïve Vajrayana Art (III)” which is flanked by Dinesh Charan Shrestha’s famous painting ‘Bajrayogini’. The piece can be found in www.jinajik.blospot.com

Here goes the text what he has written:

“The depiction of a deity whose visage obscures her own mandala would be considered in unthinkably poor taste in premodern Nepal. Such mutations are triggered by the needs of the thangka industry, in which output increases while profit margins and overall levels of knowledge decrease. Hence the requirement for cheap (uninformed) differentiation, to generate new 'product lines' and revenues.

The style of this Vajrayoginī reflects that of Uday & Dinesh Shrestha, whose recent oils-painted 'Annapūrna Devī' (=JñānaDākinī) at Āsan turned heads in the Kathmandu Valley. But there is miscalculation in the details as well as in the bigger picture: emaciated Cāmundā is voluptuous, while vāmana Bhairava is vīra — and these figures are extraneous to the deity's iconography anyway.

It's one of many Nepalese paintings peddled by dealer Siddhartha Shah to his mostly Californian clientele. In some cases they might be offered something semi-authentic and new: this portrait of "courting" Amoghasiddhi and Tārā is a startling example of forward thinking within tradition. But any endeavour to act as "God's Pimp", as the dealer puts it, is not likely to find much favour in the West these days.”

Though there the illustrated painting depicts Vajrayogini, the write up basically concerns Annapurna Devi.

There is no dobut, the author has deep knowledge on Newar style of thanka painting and iconography. Still, he has come up with some unacceptable words and phrases.

And after 15 months, the blog was accidentally read by Udaya Charan Shrestha, another famous artist, who had painted Annapurna, which was a topic of the blogger’s discussion.

Naturally, it caught Shrestha’s eyes and he sent his comments. And the give-and-take took place for quite some time.

Please feel free to what the healthy communication took place afterwards. I feel sorry I could not beg the blogger’s permission to cite the stuff.

“Anonymous said...

regarding the images posted to your blog, is it not true that Vajrayogini stands on Kalaratri and not Chamunda, neither of whom should be depicted as "voluptuous"?? Just curious...

2:24 PM

Anonymous said...

What is Vajrayogini ?

10:00 PM

ratna said...

This post has been removed by the author.

12:01 AM

Udaya said...

Glad to see our own Newar Ranjana script as the title "Jinajik" . I can’t say anything about other artists and their works. But I want to clear my view. – About my art work "Annapurna Devi" at Asan . First of all, it is not my recent work, I painted it in the year 1993 and was published in the local Newar newspaper "Swonegaa" as a calendar of Nepal era 1120 (almost eight years back). It is one of my most copied paintings by others. The original painting is in the collections of Mr. Narottam Das Shrestha, one of the best collectors of antiques and paintings in Nepal. After published as the calendar, one can see it everywhere in Kathmandu, framed and offering with "Khada" and Tika in most the houses, shops and Temple’s "Bhajan Ghars". It was appreciated by the contemporary artists as well.

It is not a Thanka painting or any substitute to Thanka.

Though I paint "Paubha"(Thanka ) too and my background is traditional painting. I never claim myself as a pure Thanka painter and I do not want to be one either . I study and try my level best to paint according to Iconography. Annapurna is not "Jnana Dakini" . Jnana Dakini is principal deity of the Janadakini Mandala of the Nispannayogavali . She is described thus :

"Janadakini nilasya ….. savyam suklam……….. vamam raktasringaram ……….. daksinabhujatraye urdvikrtakhatvangam parasum vajranca vamatraye ghantaraktapurnakapala,khadgah"

NSP, p. 12

Translation of above Shloka :

"Janadakini has a blue face ….the right hand is white …..the left hand is red and amorous ……….in the three right hands she carries the raised khatvanga , the axe and the vajra …In the three left hand there are the bell, the skull cup full of blood and the sword".

In some ancient inscription at Ason, Annapurna Temple, she is also called as "Annapurna Gyaneshwori"and "Yogamber Gyaneshwori" but not "Jana Dakini" anywhere.

Lastly, it takes months even years to complete a single original painting. It took eight years to complete "SHAKTI" ( 1995- 2003 ) for me . It is in the permanent collection of Fukuoka Asian Art Museum. Artists are not machines to mass product.

"Vajrayogini" not only reflects the style of Uday and Dinesh Shrestha but it was painted by Dinesh himself . In the ancient temple of "Akashayogini" (Bidhyadhari or Bijayashwori ) there is also a mandala behind the goddess which we cannot see clearly because of the main figure, though it is not considered poor taste in Nepal.

Thank you

Udaya charan Shrestha

12:49 AM

Razeno said...

Udaya Dai,

Jwajalapa. I agree with you. And also congratulate for your spirit to throw the candid comment.

Razen

8:59 PM

I. S. said...

Dear Mr. Shrestha,

Delighted to have some feedback from one of Nepal's leading painters. Allow me to briefly address your points:

- By referring to your work as "recent", I mean recent in the history of Newar painting.

- I referred to your work "Annapurna" as "oils-painted", not as a thangka.

- The Nispannayogāvalī is not the only source for iconographic prescriptions of JñānaDākinī. Perhaps you could share your source for the description of Annapurna as seen in your painting?

- The identity of the deity at the Asan Annapurna temple was confirmed to me by a purohit who performs rituals there. The ritual identity is of course the actual one, regardless of what name(s) are used in public. As you say, the inscriptions at the temple mention Yogāmbara, so it is undoubtedly associated with that deity couple.

- Traditionally a mandala is not supposed to be painted with something else covering it up. They are complete depictions of the deity and its retinue, and meant to be shown as complete. When I say that showing chunks of mandalas is poor taste, I mean poor taste according to traditional prescriptions. Though I appreciate that hardly anyone in Nepal knows what those are.

Hope this helps, yours, etc.

6:35 PM

Anonymous said...

Thank you Uday, for your comments on this web page. I never check any web page and I don’t have time to think what people saying about my art-works (specially those who doesn’t know how much time a art work takes to finished.). When I do the paintings I always follow the iconography, which were available.

Isn’t it ridicules, if some one knows about thangka (Paubha) but use “Thangka Industry” for the Artist who paints thangkas. If you do only those things which these types of web page says OK, then you never can do a new things. Do you know what, I did Vajrayogini as contemporary art in oil paints and that is not Thangka but Len Sinclair using “unthinkable pore test, profit, cheap and new product line” these words for my painting. I don’t understand what he thinks about art? Art is not a goods, which produce in Industry.

Dinesh C Shrestha

11:01 AM

Anonymous said...

I will forever be astonished by Western "experts" proclaiming their profound understanding of Eastern culture to us "Easterners". It's not even worth discussing really...

11:50 AM

I. S. said...

No expertise is needed to point out simple mistakes. This is basic stuff. And try not to worry too much about whether information comes from "Western experts" or "us Easterners". Yours respectfully, etc.”

I don’t have much to say about it. But it is important piece of discussion to show that though we Newars have little time to think about what our grandfathers have left for us, foreigners have spent plenty of energy to study on Newar iconography. We should thank them for really taking our heritage to the whole world.

On the other hand, we also should be aware of what is being written in public about our art, culture and tradition. One person’s wrong information in the Internet may cause havoc among new scholars of Newar art and culture. The authors, bloggers and others should pay little more attention to respect what we have gained in past 1,000 years. It is not a matter of Western experts and Easterns. It is a matter of fact and understanding the fact. All, who love to study and write about somebody’s culture, should be very much careful that their one intentional or unintentional word can hurt feeling of six hundred thousand people, who have done no harm to the westerners or others.

For example, how can somebody be “God’s pimp”?

UML is threatened by press freedom

Raghuji Panta is a known feltist politician of Nepal. He belongs to a party called CPN-UML (which partially supported the king when he started his coup move against democracy). He even won a seat of parliament some eight years ago.

Surprisingly, on Wednesday, the 17th of October, he charged Nepali press of overdoing journalism and enjoying too much of press freedom. He said that Nepali press is given too much of press freedom and they are not at all responsible to the readers. He was addressing an interaction on constitutional crisis and press freedom. He spoke a lot about politics, ie, critised the Maoists (this is what they do, to coverup their plan to avoid the election of constituent assembly) in the programme organised by Nepal Press Institute at Hotel Himalaya.

He also chraged that Nepali Press does mistakes and character assassination every day and opined that they should be penalised. "The law against media in Nepal is very weak. In other countries, many of the newspapers get bankrupted just because they failed to pay compensation against the crime they do to others," he said.

But he failed to name a single crime done by the media and also he did not remember when he or his party filed case against the media and what punishment the court annouced for the media.

In fact, what I know is that, Nepali media are the cheapest parrots to the polticians and they never venture to criticise the leaders. They just make news out of the bullshit bhashan they make here and there. Many of the reporters are just in pockets of the leaders and they do what the leaders want. Some are given political promotion for what they write supporting the impotent and unethical leaders.

Still, the UML leader is not happy with the media. What could be the reason? I guess, he is being appointed as a communication minister. Excactly, the king's communication miniser Shreesh Samshre used to say like that.

I know Raghuji since the time when he was living in a a rented toom at Pulchowk.

In this context, it is to be noted that Nepal surges 20 places in World Press Freedom index. Nepal has surged more than 20 places to be placed at 137th position in the ranking of the world press freedom index owing to revival of basic freedoms after the end of war, according to a report published by Paris based Reporters Sans Frontiers Tuesday (www.nepalnws.com).

Nepal's crown prince did it again

The Crown Prince of Nepal Prarash Shah made an accident again. He hit his vehicle on the middle or the road and got it badly damaged two days ago. Unfortunately, he was safe. He was driving carelessly in the Chabahil area and failed to notice the cement dividers and jammed on it. It is not known whether he was driving but it was clear he was in stress.

And you must be surprised that this republic-oriented government did nothing to the wrong-doer prince. Instead of it, the Traffic Police crane helped the crown prince to take his vehicle safely out of the troubled street.

He had already killed a man named Pravin Gurung some six years ago and he was left free to move wtihout the slightest penalty.

The crown price was found psychologically disturbed when he understood that he would not succeed his father's throne which was acquired through the massacre drama. He had a big dream of being called the king of Nepal (that was impossible, as he was a son of a younger son of the past king Mahendra Shah, and thanks to the massacre he got the right to dream of the impposible). But sad, it happened that the king Gyanendra overacted and even ventured to do a crude coup. What was the result? he even lost the throne for himself.

Since then, Paras was out of order and he stopped driving his Harley Davidson. He drank carelessly and was almost got heart attack.

This, Maobadi press freedom

The Maoists today exhibited the extent of their totalitarian vision.

The Maoists leadership must be happy to know that their cadres today successfully demolished printing press of Kantipur Daily and also tried to set fire in the premises of Kantipur Office. Of course, they have to be. This did not happen in 238 years of monarchy, 15 years of king's democracy and 18 months of king's dictatorship. I do not remember anything similar could take place in "glorious" insurgency of Maoists (though I have not forgotten the mruder of journalist Gyanendra Khadka). In all sense, it was a history and the dates could be improtant for lecturers of Nepali journalism.

"Press is dangerous". This is the most common welcome note you will find when you visit a government officer. They want to stay at the office and wait the "sanktranti" to grab the salary. They just do not want to be in problem by telling the journalists what is truth. Similarly, the party leaders also consider the media persons as their enemies. They want the journalists to be either their puppet and work as their "Prachar Prsar Bibhag" or do not want to talk with them.

We know quite well, none of the governments - either in the Panchayati regime, during the king's democracy, or any other period - were tolerant to the press. They want all the newspapers to be the pet dogs of the government, mainly the ministry of information is set up to control the media and to force them to speak in favour of the government. That is why none of the governments were ready to privatize Gorkhapatra and The Rising Nepal, which toot the government's horn out of the tax payers' money. And that was the reason the Maoists were doing all the "nakhara" to get hold of the ministry of information.

And this is the climax of Maoists are showing dictatorship's character. They have let some of its cadres in the publication house and forced the management and the journalists to obey to what their leaders say. When they failed to make the journalists write positive of all the indirect insurgency they are carrying out in the country , the came to the level of "dadagiri".

Otherwise, how can you take everything naturally, when there are hundreds of factories, industries and other service centres in the country but only the employees of the media houses are ill-treated? And even in the media houses, there are other trade unions, which are affiliated with other parties. Why those trade unions do not see any problem anly only the Maoist trade unions are feeling unethical suppression? It is as clear as day, the Maoists want to quell press freedom.

The king's day came to the end right from the day when he started to quell the press freedom. Does the Maoists of Nepal also want the same? I really believe the Maoists do not like the same thing to happen to them.

Prashanta and Nepali nationality

I was surprised to see the mass of youths thronging to Jawalakhel to see/listento the Indian Idol Prashanta Tamang.

I find no reason why should Prashanta Tamang be adored, loved by Nepalis. He is by no means Nepali just because he speaks Nepali and because his family name is like a Nepali? This might be a trick of those Indians (specially belonging Darjeeling, Asaam, Sikkim and Meghalaya) to win the title. They suddenly remember that there is a country called Nepal to win more and more SMS and let the Indian company make profit.

Otherwise, language alone cannot make somebody Nepali or British. An Indian can sing in English. Will it make George Bush happy?

Have you ever heard Prashanta sining in Nepali or for Nepal earlier? Have you see in in Nepal? Can you quit Indian citizen and come and live with us like a Nepali? No. All 76ttares are like that. We must be clear at this turning point of time who is Nepali adn who is not. Superficial slogan of blood relation will finally leave us nowhere.

I also believe that nationalism is not only citizenship card. But it should also be feeling. That feeling should not be selfish, business-minded or ill-guided. I love all the Nepali speakers in Darjeeling, Sikkim and other places. But ask your heart, have they been Nepali earlier? They enjoy working in India, win Indian citizenship card and subsidy and facilitiy provided by the Indian Government. And whey they are knocked down by Bangalis, or when they see some attraction in Nepali, they suddenly change their colour and come to Nepali for some profit of other kind.

Actually, Prsahanta did not win the title of Indian Idol because of his voice or talent. The Indian government itself want a kid of tie between the Indians of Darjeeling and Nepalis of Nepal. They want us to feel a kind of love for the Nepali-speaking Indians. They want to make us feet that they are Nepali and would be used as the Sikkimis to have Nepal annexed in India. This will eventually make Nepal a Sikkim.

See, we cannot accept a Madheshi as a Nepali just because he cannot speak Nepali and we are ready to welcome a man with Indian citizenship as our fellow being. Shame, Prime Minister also had time to meet that Indian child. This is a high time to discuss about our Nepalism. Janani Janmabhoomisxha Swargadapi Gariyashi.

Long live Paras

I'm very sorry to know that our once-upon-a-time His Highness Crown Prince Paras had a minor heart attack. I will certainly commit suicide if I come to know that he is dead. I will not tolerate any other tragedy in this world.

Paras (for he has created himself an institution in Nepal's history of monarchy) has to live long. There are lots of things in this country that he must see. How can he simply close his eyes so soon? He has to read newspaper every morning and watch TV every evening to know how people think about the gift of Baba Gorakhnath? And how will Jana Astha etc have scoop every other week on who thrashed whom in which discotheque at what time of the night? Let more people speak about monarchy, the king the queen and their son.
He also has to see how the election of constituent assembly take place (and how the Hanuman Prasad Koirala will betray the people and again turn his family property of Nepali Congress into a Rajabadi party) and how the people will shake the name of monarchy from the history of Nepal.

It was nice that the dose of "Kalo Padartha" was not enough to make him sleep long. That was enough. Please come up from the bed and take part in the active politics.
Long live Praras.

Review of a drama on a dramatist

There is nothing wrong for dramatists to write drama. But it really worths blogging if a dramatist is found making his life a drama. Sorry, you won't find anybody to come to watch your performance.

And when I say about this drama, it is surely going to be interesting for all the audience, not only our neighbours. I'm not interested to review when a wife hits a husband with a dadu or vice verse. Let me be open. I want to review a drama, which was not meant to be performed in the theatre ( or in the streets as many NGOs prefer these days).

Well, there was a hero and a heroine (but this drama is not a romantic one). But I would like to beg your pardon, being in a patrimonial society, I will be writing more about the hero and the heroine's role in this drama is not very clear; and because though a feminist, the heroine plays little in this drama (at least her on-stage part was weak. The hero was is acute enemy of monarchy. He has written a number of dramas to bring people's attention to monarchy and to create a sensation in the street against this old feudal system. It was the reason his dramas became particularly popular during the Jana Andolan II days. And in less than a year, he becomes a talk-of-the-town matter. I did not mean that the hero had done nothing before the Jana Andolan II days. I became fan of the hero specially because of his debut production during the Panchayati Time, based on a French novel. Well, this very craze paved a way to make him an autocrat these days.

After successful (?) culmination of the Jana Andolan II, the hero catches the craze of the donors and he earns series of "project" of disseminating information about democracy, competition and of course the election of the constituent assembly. As the usual donors, they give the hero (who plays the role of a director) mountains of money so that the artists find enough money to feed their wives and children a good stock of "dalbhat". But, as the hero finds the "royal" blood in his democratic veins, he suddenly changes his role and instead of backing the backbone of democracy, the performers, he takes the role of the king and acts like that. He takes his troupe to villages to perform dramas on constituent assembly and so forth. But he takes all the money which had to be in the artists' pockets (as TA and DA) for this drama and lets the newcomers perform with half-filled bellies. That is the creativity of the drama. Before the climax the hero buys a home in the capital that costs Rs 70 lakhs at Dhapasi. It was big irony in the drama that when pioneers of Nepali drama are living in rented houses, this hero taps the donation dollars and makes luxurious home for himself, at the cost of his junior artists, or say, the disciples.

The climax comes - The obedient and sincere junior artists come to the office of the hero and puts their dissatisfaction forward in gentle way. Since, the hero has turned a real king, he refuses to listen to them and keeps bullying on them, just as Kind Gyanendra did for 18 months. What was the result? , just the poor, dissident and skilled junior artists open their own theatre and continue their contribution to performing arts. I have heard that the hero is not happy with the climax.

Moral: Lobh le labh, labh le bilap.

This is Moist press freedom

A group of Maoist related workers today refused to distribute Annapurna Post and The Himalayan Times, two of leading daily newspapers of Nepal.

This is the third attack Nepali newspapers have faced from the Maoists - first there was a scuffle in Kantipur, then the same problem was created in Nepal Samachar Patra. It came to the climax today morning there. It was nice to see the scene - piles of newspapers were spread in front of the office and some 10-20 cycle-boys, fed with Maoiis brain-washing were challenging the whole information system. And bichara journalists and other staffers were distributing the newspapers to the passersby and others free of cost. God knows, how long it can go.

We all know, those poor cycle-boys are not to be blamed. They are all directed by the Maoist leadership. The news in The Himalayan Times says they could not contact Mahara and Dr. Bhattarai. This clearly shows the picture, who is behind this problem.

It is clear that the Maoists do not want free media here in Nepal. They wan to pamper Gorkhapatra, which has already become a mouthpiece of the Maoists. And they are doing all these thing so that other big newspapers either have to die or have to surrender to the Maoists authority. It is sad there is no harmony between what the Information Minister said and what he has asked the workers to do.

Indeed this very incident shows what the Maoists are going to do for the free press. It is not only a matter of the newspapers but also of the whole population because it will hamper their right to information. Watch out, this is the time for all to say no to suppression on media. The journalists have defied even the king's control what is this Mahara?

Birthday of Nepali king

The king of Nepal, Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah is celebrating his birthday with all "royal" elegance. Though he has lost all what he used to possess, in term of power and number of chamchas. But still he has money. And we bhokha nanga Nepali can enjoy some peanuts shown by the "magera khane" king.

Some student and youths wings are all determined to foil the pro-monarchy gimmick. But the leaders are still all silent on this issue.

In this collenction, I would like to tell you how much the king snatches form the tax payers' purses. This is a data I recieved around two years ago from a person called "Nepali Janata". Here it goes

Dear Nepali citizens and foreign lovers of Nepal,
You might be wondering why Nepal is still poor when its countries of
equal economic status has reached the sky with booming economic
development.
Let me try to answer – this is one of the reason, I have recently found.

Nepal is one of the poorest counries of the world but Nepal's king is
the highest paid king of the world.

The income of Nepali king Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev is :
2,426 times higher than that of Chinese president
318 times higher than that of Indian president
301 times higher than that of Pakistani president
173 times higher than that of Russian president
57 times higher than that of French president
30 times higher than that of American president
15 times higher than that of British president

Netherlands queen's income : Rs. 22,32,00,000 (per capita income Rs 17,25,120 )
American president earns Rs. 3,24,00,000 (1,15,20,000 returns in tax),
(per capita income Rs 25,24,320)
Japanese king earns Rs. 22,23,52,000 (per capita income Rs.24,15,600)
Chinese president earns Rs. 1,35,000 (per capita income Rs 67,680)
Indian president earns Rs. 10,11,000 (per capita income Rs 34,560)
French president earns Rs 57,96,000 (per capita income Rs 15,84,000)
Pakistani president earns (after the coup) Rs 10,94,000 (per capita
income 29,520)
British Queen does not get any salary from the state. She has a
property of Rs 30,24,00,00,000 (the profit of investiment, after
paying the tax, is hers) but even her neckless is the property of the
country.
British president earns Rs 2,19,58,000 (per capita income is Rs 18,16,200)
Russian president earns Rs 19,03,000 (per capita income is Rs 1,54,000)
Belgean king receives salary as a civil servant (per capita income is
Rs 16,74,000)
And,
Nepali king earns Rs 61,91,00,000 (per capita income is Rs 16,560=US$ 230)
[This means the Nepali king earns Rs. 19,878 times higher than a
citizen. Last year it was 37,385 times higher. Thus a citizen can earn
as much as the king earns in a year only after working for 19,000
years or in 316 lives. Ho la!]

Appendix
Nepali royal family is involved in various business.
A king does not have to pay tax according to Nepal's constitution.
The present king has inherited the property of earlier king's family
and nobody knows how much it is.
This king has taken Rs 1,06,45,00,000 in past three years for his small family

Courtsey: Surya Thapa, Mulyankan Monthly (Nov-Dec 2005)
US dollar 1 = Rs 72
Nepal has a writing system of giving comma after two digits except the last.

REQUEST
PEASE PRINT THIS AND PASTE IT ON THE NOTICE BOARD OF YOUR OFFICE. THIS
WILL GIVE ANSWER TO THE QUEST WHY NEPAL IS ALWAYS SO POOR. PLEASE
CIRCULATE THIS PAGE TO YOUR FRIEND – YOU WILL NOT GET ANY FORTUNE BUT
WILL CERTAINLY OPEN THEIR EYES.

This shortage miniser of Nepal!

Look at this great man. This man is taking the office of minister for supplies. But don't just get shocked if I say that he is responsible for the shortage of petrol the Kathmaduites are facing these days. Can we call him Shortage Minister Rajendra Mahato of our [Loktantrik] Government of Nepal?

You all know, he belongs more to the agitating Terai movement than to the government. And in this connection, you don't have to be surprised if he takes side of the agitators. It has been months the petrol shortage is hitting the valley but the minsiter is as cool as ever. All he can do is that raising the issue of Terai bandh and petrol sharotage and be hero of shortage. How long do you think it can go?

I was wondering what would be more easy job than to become a minister in this country if you can spend days only by mud-sludging and blaming one another. A minister, who is qualifed as a supply minister has nothing to do with the petrol for weeks. We are the people - the tax payers - we cannot live by doing politics or enjoying the government allawance. We have to work day by day and for this, we need petrol for our duty-paied vehicles.

Do you know how much three-hour-and-a-half costs for a common Kathmanduite? We don't have any chamcha to do our job and I was one among the thousands of people who stood in queue to have six litres of petrol. Oh minister! I don't know how much enjoy our sufferings, but you are really a rocord-breaking sadist. And who will suffer when a sadist minister occupies in the caiblet if we don't?

It was really a shocking interview I listened to in a local FM station on Teusday morning. He was as careless and happy as he has done everything to supply what people need. He said directly - "People will have to suffer this as long as the situation becomes normal" but he did not say when it will be normal and who will have to work to make it so. He does not have word of sorry or promise to provide petrol. It was as if his success lies in making the people suffer.

I'm sure he will not release the tankers form Terai till he finally makes Terai a part of India (this is what he is trying to do for years or he is sent here for), or at least, since he came to Nepal from India.

Abolish monarchy, cry citizens

When the prime minister is using all his strength to save monarchy with all the possible prefixes like child, baby, ceremonial and what not, the citizens, not belonging to any party, cried to the sky, "abolish monarchy", don't give a single penny to the royal palace". This is what is the people's volice.

Nilambar Acharya, a member of 1990 constitution drafting committee, today said that the issue of the republican system should be cleared before holding election of the constituent assembly to assure its fairness and acceptability.

“You cannot imagine of free and fair election of constituent assembly when there is remains of monarchy in Nepal,” he said, while addressing the “warning mass meeting” of Civil Movement for Democracy and Peace.

He said that when the declaration of the House of Representatives has already decided to nationalise property of the late king Birendra and King Gyanendra, the king should not be allowed to reside in the Narayan Hiti Palace.

He also said that only making the names of the convicted from the Rayamajhi Commission is not enough, the leaders of the February 1 suppression should be penalised to keep the report’s legitimacy intact.

Member of the legislature-parliament Malla K Sundar said that the civil society are not convinced that the election of the constituent would be held in November because the leaders of the parties had cheated the people two times in giving dates of the election and not withdrawing.

The leader of CMDP Dr Devendra Raj Panday said that king must be ousted to hold free and fair election of constituent assembly.

“The king should go first to hold the election. We are spending our time and energy on king when we have to devote ourselves on what kind of constitution we are making,” he said.

Dr Sundar Mani Dixit, another civil society movement leader, said urged the political parties to go to the villages and disseminate information about the election.

“We do not want to see political leaders enjoying easy life in the capital. They must be holding mass meetings in villages, if they are committed to constituent assembly,” he said.

He also said that the newly passed Member of Constituent Assembly Act is also misleading which says that the convicted of the Rayamahi Commission would not be able to candidate when the commission is not made public.

Leader of Nepal Students Union Gagan Thapa urged the leaders of eight political parties to come up with straightforward opinion on monarchy and the convicted of the Rayamajhi Commission before holding the election.

“The king is not going to say good by after the first meeting of constituent assembly. When the leaders are delivering ambiguous comments here, the king must be working to divide the top leaders in all parties,” he said, adding that most of top leaders will show their “real face” concerning monarchy very soon.

“The youths, who trust NC, have recently have urged the leadership to abandone love for monarchy. Now the president of NC must respect the voice of the youth, who constitute 51 percent of Nepal’s total population,” he said.

Story of a wise man

Once upon a time, there was a wise man. A man with European height, thick glasses, and long bear – the very appearance will remind of a great Russian poet or a scientist. But, fortunately enough, he is a lawyer. A lawyer with a very dashing logic and amazing willpower to win the whole world. His name indicates that he is a thinker. Let's remember the days when he was honoured by the locals of Kali Gandaki. He loves poor people, people conserving water and drinking it too.

From the very beginning of the Melamchi story, he was against the ambitious project. From both the end, that is, from Melamchi valley as well as from Kathmandu Valley he won support from the locals. He is very good at collecting protest. He really did it. Thanks to the advocacy of his kind, a strong group of consumers at Melamchi are ready to jump into the river at his signal. I salute him. He has a machine in his pocket, which issues press releases on any trivial issue.

And his voice was on the highest pitch when the government tried to amend the ordinance on the NWSC etc that would open door way to "privatisation". He has always said no to privatisation in all places - in Kalimati and in Basantapur.

He had a great skill to ignite staffers of NWSC and raise a typhoon in Tripureshwor.

His valuable speeches, which reminds us of those of Churchill, are as adorable as weekly newspapers. I heard that he has seen Pashupati Shamsher Rana as Nepal's future prime minister.

So much so, he did not let a public hearing continue at Basantapur and he was the hero at hurling chair on the stage.

Now, thanks to Minister Yami and others, the Severn Trent have run away from this Valley and she is thinking about letting the Melamchi project run in some other way. The latest development of the whole story is that as the story took some positive turns, the wise man suddenly disappears from the scene. Incredibly.

No doubt, we know that he is a lawyer and he can keep him busy with cases of any nature, just for money's sake. But it is mysterious, why he is silent for months, when such and such pleasant changes are taking place in Singha Durbar. I wonder, how he can remain indifferent.

I know that ADB is strange. It can spend any money on anybody, just to let things go in the way the bank wants. I also know that it even pays money to those who oppose the it in the public. May be, it has some staffers here who go to the street and chant slogans like "ADB, go home". But still, I don't want to think that that beared man is an ADB-agent. Just leave him alone.

We remember, Wrold Bank left Melamchi, saying that there is a single bidder. Now, ADB wants an excuse to say good bye to Melamchi. It's just a wild guess, who knows.

But I certainly would like to see him coming to the street and saying something from his heart. He is a man of my fathers' age, but to be frank, I miss him a thousand time these days.

This wiered jatra at Kupandole

I was more than shocked to see some cops stopping me from entering my home yesterday at noon. It was okay for me to come out of my home at Kupandole and cross the bridge in the morning but when I wanted to return home, the cops said it was not allowed. For what good reason? They said there is "Kupandole Jatra". Hell.

A couple of gundas - on behalf of 'Friends Club' wanted to have fun by blocking the main road and letting some fashionable girls stroll all the day along the road. Does this mean that one million residents of Kathmandu and Lalitpur have to suffer? Is it what you call Loktantra?

It was surprising enough to see the Maosits cadres at the Janabargiya Office in the middle of Kupandol were just helpless and watching in the mood of Lata-le kera hereko jasto. And you know better what kind of police we have - you pay them thick bucks and they will help you commit the most heinous crime in the broad day light. Their support for the jatra is just another example.

We know Kupandole and the Thapathali bridge is the only (usable) link between Kathmandu and Lalitpur. Nearly one-third the population of the valley live there. It is the only straight link road to Sainbu, Bhainsepati, Khokana, Bungamati, Satdobato, Thaiba, Thecho, Harisiddhi, Chapagaon and many more villages of the south. People do not use the road only for merrymaking. It helps people to bring commodity to bazaar, take necessary things from Kathmandu, take patients to hospitals and also to visit people for socialisation. See what a small whim of a group of people can destroy the whole chain of civilisation.

I wonder, have the Friends taken any permission to hold that chaos in their area? What kind of administration is it if they really had. And what makes somebody authority to let a group of people to use the road in a what that it violates rights of millions? What is the use of the tax we pay on road if we cannot use it when we want it? We now and again condemn the bandh-callers. But, is there anybody to say something on this kind of bandh, which is in fact a blockade of the kind PrithiNarayan Shah slapped 240 years ago to have things done in the way he wanted.

Speak up man, or I will hod another jatra in front of your house tomorrow!

Tale of Two Ministers

It was a nice evening yesterday. I went all to Soaltee to listen to two ministers all the in the rain. And I found two jokers, begging for alms there.

One was Dr Ram Sharan Mahat. He had a lot of things to say. He says that we need all - big hydro-projects to export electricity to India, medium-size projects to consume in our cities and small projects to electrify small villages. He knows all that. I bet, we did his doctorate in the importance of hydro-electricity projects and this is why he was made finance minister, without counting the votes he earned. What else he can say? There are much to preach to criticise others. But he cannot say one thing. He cannot say how much Finance Ministry is going to invest in developing one single hydroelectricity plant in the year to come. This is indeed a fun time for the ministers. They don't' have to do anything than assuring that the election of the Constituent Assembly will take place in time (may by mid November these days). Thank God, he did not have anything to say that Severn Trend is the best company to handle Kathmandu Valley's water.

And then the great Environment minister Mahantha Thakur. What else he could say? He sincerely read out the handout he was given with. All he could do was to beg the European Commission to extend the project of Renewable Energy Project. Very honestly, he did what he was told to.

Friends, I lately came to know that the whole programme was held (in the invitation, it was said that a workshop was taking place) to pressure the donors, that is, European Commission, to extend the project, which is scheduled to be complete by 31 December 2008. As the government and the NGOs were more busy in enjoying the project facilities (loot ko dhan phoopu ko shreaddha), the government fails to complete it in the given time and there was no other option than to beg the donors for more money (to swim in the dollar-pool) for some more years.

And you see, the failure project implementers had at least money to host a cocktail dinner at the Soaltee hotel ! This is Nepal, man, try to understand.

Celebrate World Environment Day with dielsel tempos

We really celebrated the World Environment Day, didn't we? We did it because we had to. After ebbing of all the gimmicks, now remains the question - with what? With rallies, seminars, press releases, paid-messages in broadsheet newspapers and what not? Only one think lacked in the chaos of celebration - a promise to upgrade pollution scenario in Nepal.

When the journalists were thinking about the best peg to write a story on World Environment Day, some officers in the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (http://moest.gov.np) were trying there best to let diesel three-wheelers ply again in the Kathmandu Valley ! Just remember it took a mountain of efforts for us to ban Bikram Tempos three and a half years ago (ad it was again replaced with a hell of micro-buses). Shame on you, shame on me!!!

Sad but true, melting of snow is not hot topic here, but melting of commission at the cost of the country's environment is hotter. May be security of Sitaram Prasai is the hottest.

I have lately known that a direct pressure from the cabinet of ministers brought a quake in the ministry to let diesel tempos enter the valley, though it is not allowed by the present legal provision. I won't still say that any minister or his daughter is involved in this masala.

None other than Morang Auto Works (the infamous importer of two-stroke RX 100) and Chaudhary Group were in search of some loopholes in the ministry and the government laws to let innumerable tempos run again in the valley. The Marwadis ( have have to go to their jatts, because it matters) could not find worse ways to pollute this poor, small and sacred valley than again importing diesel vehicles. They are just a handful of outsiders, who will collect all their money and run away to India after they find that it is impossible to live here in valley and make money out of black smoke. And tell me dear minister, what we poor residents of this valley are going to do, who have done nothing harm in past 2000 years in this valley?

Meantime, some of the key conservationists are enjoying junket in Netherlands to participate in the CITES (http://cites.org/) COP14. Those "conservationists" who could not save rhinos, tigers or monkeys must be drinking beer with the award-winning crocodile tears. I'm afraid they will ask the CITES authority to let red-sandalwood come to Nepal for smuggling - for it was making a good money for top-level leaders.

Melamchi – a story within the story

The tussle between the Ministry of Physical Planning and Ministry of Finance came to the magnitude these days on the dilemma whether to accept ADB’s condition over Melamchi or not.
It has been passed over a decade since some “development doctors” started to write a script for a drama called Melamchi Water Supply Project. The film imagines that the residents of the Katmandu Valley are dying because they don’t have enough water so they must bring it from Melamchi river after constructing some 100 km road and 26-km tunnel !

The film was released in most of government and NGO cinemas. It hit most of the box offices because of good lobbying, western tailor-made architecture and “gwajyo” residents of the valley. Thanks to the project, some selected actors of the film were enjoying as much as over 120,000 rupees of salary per month and the residents start facing dramatic decline of water supply day by day, year by year. The more consultants, the bigger expenditure; the more the discussions the longer their tenure. What an idea to fool the people and make money out of the dream project. I never knew dreams are sold here so cheap.

What is now clear is that the Melamchi-architectures have deliberately destroyed the local water sources, indigenous technology of deriving water from stone spouts and creating a scarcity. In one decease over 30 out of 300 plus water spouts have been dried (Sundhara of Kathmandu is just one name), the Nepal Water Supply Corporation lets 40 per cent of the total water leak on the way. It has neither repaired the stone spouts, not controlled the leakage. As the simple theory goes – the demand looks for supply. So the people of the valley start believing that there is no other solution than welcoming, waiting for and buying the dream called Melamchi.

Nobody is going to give us Melamchi free of cost. Apart from small amount of grants, the Mealmchi is being constructed on the basis of loan money. Out of the 500 million US dollars for the whole project, only 120 million is being lent by the ADBbut just look at its “dadagiri”. It says that it will forward the loan money only if Nepal agrees to hire a foreign management on contract, to manage NWSC. Nepal has to welcome any Tom Dik or Harry though it is going to cost Nepal as much as Rs 11 million dollars, which is equivalent to the budget NWSC needs for running 27 branches of NWSC all over the country.

The bank has a firm of its choice called Severn Trent Water International Limited (STWIL). God knows how much money this company is going to pay to the head of ADB but it is pressurizing the Nepali government to accept it blindly. We know that this company has a very bad working image in different countries and this company came to Nepal without facing any competition. What is ADB trying to prove itself by imposing a lame candidate to participate in athletics? To me it is just like selling a packet of date-expired noodles to a boy and yelling at the boy after he falls sick.

Let ADB advocate about STWIL. But I wonder why our so-called doctors are running after the ADB as sales agents? I wonder why to brothers, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat and Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat are dying to see STWIL ruling Nepal’s Khanepani Sansthan, just because it is not their father’s property? They do not have time to go to their constituency and find proof they have their listeners/ followers there but they have plenty of time to dance according to the ADB’s rhythms.

In conclusion, I would say that the first and only right of making decision on Melamchi goes in hands of the indigenous residents of the Kathmandu Valley. What if a whimsy prime minister thinks to bring water from Gangaji for the Katmanduites? I request all the outsiders, to keep quiet. You may come here, enjoy all facilities, our forefathers have brought for you, you enjoy being a Kathmandu Basi and pollute this poor city more and more. But you do not have right to say whether Kathmandu needs Melamchi or not. You better think about your villages or towns and ask the government to provide your hometowns with this or that. We will help you fight for it. This way, we can make a whole developed Nepal.

Doctors and drinks

Doctors and drinks - both the words start with Ds, though they are just different in nature: One saves live and other just is a killer. How does it look when they came along? You certainly would not tolerate it, will you?

But it happens in Kathmandu. A group of drunk "doctors" ( I deliberately cramped them in brackets because the news said they were, whereas I'm not ready to call them with the holy word) broke into a government-run hospital, thrashed not only their fellow workers but also some patients. And they did not let even the policemen breathe in peace.

"Police arrested four drunken intern doctors from Bir Hospital early Friday morning, after the latter attacked other medical staff and disrupted services at the emergency ward," it was reported in The Kathmandu Post. Let me give you the names of the get doctors. Here goes the addition : "Dr Bishesh Sitaula, Dr Shivaji Bikram Silwal, Dr Prasanta Adhikari and Dr K I Singh KC were arrested from the hospital emergency ward after they started beating up doctors and other staff on duty and throwing furniture at them.

What has happened to this poor country? What will the mawalis, gundas and politicians will do if the doctors come to do what Sunil Thapa does in Nepali films? I'm afraid the doctors will be playing the Rate Kaila's role and Thapa himself will have to find his apartment in Bombay.

Well, the doctors were finally arrested and taken to Hanumandhoka khor. And looking at the seriousness of the event, the police has decided to keep them in custody for seven days.

Jokes aside, this incident has certainly raised some serious questions.

First, what does actually it means by intern doctors? Why are they allowed to touch a patient if they are not doctors in the hospital with the longest history? If they are working as doctors, they can't run away from the responsibility of the grave medical profession just because they are intern. Similarly, you cannot forgive them for what they did or could do just because they are interns. Sending them to the serious duty means that they are capable of handling the patients. The word "intern" is misleading.

Second, are they really doctors? Even quacks have some manners and at lest keep some knowledge of doctors' ethics and why those gangsters did not find any to remember? What kind of education they have obtained and from which college in the world? I read that they studied in China but I doubt if China can produce such drunkards or if it can offer white coats to hooligans. I demand, not only the drunkards but even the medical collage should be punished.

Third, what was the so-called Medical Council was doing here? Does not the council has any mechanism to find if the certificate-holders also have some commonsense? Otherwise, any Tom, Dik and Harry would hold that piece of paper.

Fourth, what the hell the security was doing when the gangsters in white coats entered the government. At times the patients have to follow rules to be on the emergency ward bed. And how the drunk guys could go there and do things like Chakre Milan does? Security must give answers.

Fifth, when all the people are working hands-in-hands, the doctors are now in strike. Why do the state has to invest on them if they are there to raise strikes on every other day? Those doctors who even think about strike must be penalised. They never think about going to Manag or Dolpa but they want every facilities under the sky. This is too much.

I believe this small piece of information tells you why the doctors are beaten up and hospitals are attacked by the public every month here in Nepal.

Goog bye Severn Trent !

It is matter of joy, I say. Nepal said good bye to the infamous company, which wast trying to handle water mangement of Kathmandu Valley, that was just like fishing in the troubled water. The minsitery of Physical Planning and Workls turned deaf ear to so called ultimatum of Severn Trent Water International (ST). Bravo!!!

I would like to congratulate the ministry and minister Hisila Yami for her stand not to accept any foreign company with bad work history. Despite pressure from the Asian Development Bank the government ignored an ultimatum of a foreign company which is the only bidder for taking over Kathmandu Valley’s drinking water supply. Can you imagine, that the Melamchi project was going to pay that corrupt company as much as 8.5 million dollars in six years?

ADB is gonig to lend 120 million dollar to us (remember, it is a loan, not grant, we have to pay it back one day) so that Nepal may construct a tunnel to bring water from Melamchi river and provide it to the residents of the Kathmandu Valley. Indeed, it is the major lender for the country’s biggest drinking water project in Nepal and it is mysterious why ADB want ST to manage our water (of course, there is commission everywhere).

But I wonder, whether the government or the donors ever really asked the people of Kathamndu valley (I mean the genuine resident of the valley, not like those of Gopal Man Singh or Madhav Kumar Nepal) if they really need that costly water. Everything is being done by those people who present the valley as water-trapped city and by creating artificial scarcity, they want to provide us a solution which is goning to cost us as much as 500 million dollars. Shame on those selfish technicians, who sell their mothers' milk for petty profit.

For over 300 years, the residents of valley have been drinking water from stone spouts. Those spouts quite older than ADB, Suman Kumar Sharma, Sima Rajauriya or Gopal Man Singh himself. We did not have to worry about any other water sources for centuries. Now, they all are creating problems for their benefit. See, in past one decade or two, over 20 major water spouts have been deleberately damaged - one after another - so that the people may feel th irsty adn say ok to Melamchi project. Who is gonig to stop those sadists?

Let the governmet first decide that the valley need no more water sources than we have and then we will be wroking in real strenght.

I don't say that we can say no to Melamchi at this turn of events. The population of the valley has been increased by 10 times. Many of our water sources have been damaged; and in the name of modernisation, we have developed a culture to use more water and waste it.

In this situation, we should better be more cautious and take more responsibility so that no other Kuire guy come and sell any such dream which is going to cost us or our children very very much.

Happy World Press NGOdom Day!

I did not know that being a journalist could be as easy as running an NGO. No, let me put the same thing again - I did not know that the principle of running an NGO could be applied in working as journalists as well.

Today is World Press Freedom Day - the only day we can talk about press freedom (and you know what we are allowed to talk on other days). But to my disgust, even in this day, the NGOism worked well among jouranlists.

Does the movement for journalism means only collecting donation from INGOs, organising programmes for their interest and then saying that they have done great job? I only see the same old faces in the dias, holding microphone and banner in the rally.

I am not against any orgnaistaion of the joruanlsits. Rather I say that we need a strong organisation or federation or union or whatever to protect us, to help us to guide us and to criticise us. But I do not see any of these mushrooming organisations formed in the name of organising journalists have done or doing somehitng like that. Most of the post-holders in such organisations are pet-dogs of one or another political parties, to be very frank. I don't belong to/ trust any party. Does it mean that I am not suitable to be a jorurnalist? Why does it happen? It is because the seft-proclaimed journalist-leaders follow that path and as role models, we also tend to run after those bullshit leaders, wagging our tails ( I mean to say those who run after those leaders have tails). Or, they are running after the donors - they prepare a proopsal for a talk programme, speak out same stale issues and enjoy free luch or dinner. Or they fight for chance to go in some foreign free trips. Can they think more than that?

And they take themselves as great leaders and do not contact us, the voters and try to run way even when we contact them for some news - as if we are all their jilla-basi and try to meet them to find a job. Shame.

I'm tired of the same old faces, same old speeches and way of working. Is there anybody or any organisation who will come and fight with my boss or employers if I'm tortured, abused or simply sacked? No. So, they are all making their political images on our names, jobs and simplicity. Should we let it go?

And I could not see any movement of bloggers today. May be they are doing something and I could not find. I thing it is a day for the bloggers as well, what do you think?
=

Tailpiece: And the scene at BICC after the talks programme was really newsworthy. A mass of 'journalists' thronged to the teller where snacks and tea were being distributed. Those jouranslits, who talk big things about mismanagement in the governmetn and "luchhachudi" of parties became a part of it.

Happy Loktantra Day! Pooh!

We are all celebration loving creatures. We celebrate everything - and celebrating anniversary is something we have in our veins. It is the easiest because if someone or something is born it will continue to live till it dies and it makes enough room for us to keep celebrating it every year.

Loktantra Day is a kind of it. It was given (I don't thing we took it) as somebody said let there be Loktantra and there was Loktantra. And it came to the pockets of those political leaders free of cost. Around 20 persons died and hundreds injured. And the reward went to those political leaders to become prime minister, vice-prime minister and vice-vice prime ministe r and so on. In reality 365 days are enough to utilise political supremacy and keep all possible threats at bay, but what have the political leaders done in that time? They could release many rhino-killers and red-saldalwood smugglers but they could not hold election of conistituent assembly.

Today's gimmik at Basantapur in the name of celebration of Loktantra Day was really a nice thing to mention. Prachanda, Madhav Kumar, Shambhu Thapa, Padmaratna Tuladhar as well as Madan Krishna, Hari Bansha, Manoj Gajurel, Rubin Gandharva, Badri Pageni, Ramesh and others were as usual. NC leader Ram Chantra Paudel was the hero, he earned hundreds of water bottles and what not for his prize-winning remark on constituent
monarchy. I heard that there was a Golchhe Sarki in the parliament who gave him a benchmark slap at teh House. The audience there were indeed very self-controling.

Another hero of today is undoubtedly King Gyanendra, who refused to be part of the Loktantra Day celebration and went to Dashinkali temple for animal sacrifices. May be, this is what is called "Dubte ko tinke ka sahara" in Hindi. But I'm sure while Daskhinkali is not at all a tinka and equally sure that she will support the truth and power of the people, who have nothing to offer but keeps right to ask for more.

All through the sun, rain and strom, I was just wondering five good reasons to celebrate Loktanra Day. Will anybody help me?

Sell the TIGER to save it?

It was an extraordinary symposium. The invitation card said it was an "international symposium" on "Sell the Tiger to save it". Before I got the card, I had never imagined that selling tiger can save it. An idea hit my mind - if this theory is gong to work, I will fist sell my motorbike because I want to save it!
I was surprised to see the people in the dais: They were all seven and two among them were Nepali. Generally, when we go to participate in symposiums, we make up our mind to see experts in the dais - who will come up with their ideas and discuss on various aspects. I could not say about the foreigners but the Nepali gentlemen were certainly not tiger experts. To be precise, they, picked up from Tribhuwan University have nothing to do with tigers.
As it was written in the invitation card, there should be presentation by a panel of international experts, including conservationists, economists and wildlife enthusiasts" but I saw only business men there. On the dais were Laxman Khanal, Mohit Satyanand, Hank Jenkins, Kirsten Conrad, Dr Madan Koirala, Rakesh Wadhwa and Jia Quian were al ready tell the people that government should allow people to sell everything which had market.
On the table, beside the VOW and Boss, the magazines, photocopies of articles by Pallavi Aiyar and Barun Mitra were on display, which all said that selling is the solution. And a hand out from Mr Jia Qian states that legalization of the use of farmed tiger bone may meet the market demand and significantly reduce the illegal trade by cutting down its price (You can write to him at jiagin@istic.ac.cn). But, to my surprise, there was not a single-page document which supports that the wild animals should not be traded.
One after another, al the business giants said that the ban should be lifted because there is big demand and by selling the tigers, they can earn money. Even two Nepali gentlemen, said to be brought from concerned departments of Tribhuwan University also did not say that they should be left wild. I'm a fool. I had not though about it.
But being with tiger lovers for some days I had understood that:
1. There is a big gang of tiger tycoons in the world who use money of Chinese tiger farmers and make pressure that the ban should be lifted. Lifting of the ban will help the tiger farmers to sell their product to the world as easily as they sell goats and chickens.2. Keeping the tigers in the farms has become really really expensive for them. The farmers want to sell them off as soon as possible.3. The tigers in the farms have become as lazy as broiler chickens. They have lost all their natural instinct to hunt, to confirm their territory or to be simple, be wild. And the farmers are not sure if the tigers are really good enough to make balm or wine. 4. The tigers from the farm are going to be damn expensive. And if the poached tigers could be bought in chicken's price, why would somebody go and buy tigers from the farm? They just want to make the water troubled so that anybody could fish there.5. If the ban on illegal trade of tiger is lifted, the manufacturers of tiger products will easily buy smuggled tigers from Nepal and other counties and will say they are consuming the tigers from the farms. That would help them evade tax and also make big money.6. The lift of ban will help the poachers in Nepal and other country to come up with their business even directly. That is, it is going to be "catastrophe" for Nepal's tigers, as it was said by ED of TRAFFIC International.7. And, not necessary to say, big bunches of the Chinese money have arrived in pockets of so-called Nepali event mangers, experts for sell and others. That is why they are there to lobby for selling though Nepal is neither a consumer not a supplier (at least in legal eyes).
After the heavily sponsored presentation, the question-answer session was quite interesting. The whole of the audience was found against the selling scheme and they raised hair-raising questions from different angles WWF and Traffic International made a big team. I saw only Ukesh and Mangalman from conservationist's side while none of the government officials appeared at the scene. They asserted that raising the tigers in farm cannot be possible and the product is not going to help the ecology as the bred tigers have certainly lost the "wild" nature. They added that it would be a big threat for the wild tigers living in neighboring countries. It was just like the press conference of the king's minister Kamal Thapa when the journalists hurled burning question and he was compelled smile before answering them.
I could not believe my eyes that Nepali experts are so cheap to buy. And the government officials who remain as silent during the whole chaos of ITS over the issue as they used to be silent in case of rhino poaching and smuggling of red sandalwood. And this is the time where there is none to speak about tiger conservation efforts of Nepal and the harm the selling in China could make on them. Shame, Nepali government official presented seven years old data when they had to tell the panel how many tigers are left in Nepal.
A lavish dinner followed the meeting. I wonder how a magazine could spent that much of money to offer cocktails and dinners to over 50 participatns in a starred hotel of Hotel Shangrila. Anybody can imagine, the money must have come from the Chinese businessmen.
And where have all the noted tiger experts have gone, who visite this or that country in the name of tiger conservation? And where have other NGOs, which come newpaper offices to have their press releases printed on petty issues? Yes, I saw at least four gentlement from an NGO called NEFEJ but they all remained silent till they were standing in front fo the bar in the lawn. I was wondering why I could not see Sujata Koirala, who is reportedly a big wildlife lover?
When I was coming back, a strange idea rode my mind. It is not only tigers of Nepal which has demand in neighboring countries. More than tigers, Nepali girls would be sold out if they are bred in captivity. Despite criticism from the whole world, we have not stopped exporting of Nepali girls to Indian and other brothels. Then, I would like to suggest the businessmen to breed girls in their captivity and start lobbying for lifting ban on human trafficking. I'm sure they will become billionaires in several years.