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.

Richard's kiss and Shilpa in Buddhism

Richard Gere is an actor. He is a Buddhist too. Being an actor and being a Buddhsit has no relation in general but when it comes to Richard, it is an issue, at least for Nepali newspapers. There is nothing wrong in being an actor or being a Buddhist. Neither could there be any problem if an actor happens to be a Buddhist or a Buddhst likes to be an actor. But at least in Nepali context, he is special because he is a Buddhist. His picture in crimson robe is valued more than a Thapaaju in Kathmandu's bahal or Rimpochhe in a distant gomba in Solokhumbu.

This relation between Buddhism and actorism turns out to be significant when he hits headlines of newpapers with some extraordinary kisses to an Indian actress in public place. It is possible that his kissing Shilpa Shetty in HIV-AIDs programme could be a business in Mumbai's film industry, where nothing comes in free. And this kiss really matters when it makes story between a Hollywood star and a millionire actress. I will later waste your time by telling who made how much of money behind the pre-plotted "accidental" kissing havoc.

Being a Buddhist is one thing and following the basic principles of Buddha is another. I'm not an authority to say what is Buddhism and what is not but I reserve at least this right to say that one of the five basic rules of Buddhism is not to "look at" others' wives. I'm not sure if Richard was a part-time Buddhist. But if he loves to be interviewed as a Buddhist, he should at least maintain the limit of "Kamesumichhachara" (at least in public places in his context). It was not a shooting and he was not acting with an actress (from the news we read and watch). Then what could be the reason for an actor to cling to a woman in non-intertainment programme do what is not allowed in Indian civil laws? We know, they belong to such a category of the socity where they do not even sneeze without a cause and it was kissing.

Forget about "The Sexiest Man".What about Shilpa? Her giggling was the evidence that it was not what some like to call sexual abuse or rape. And we know Indian actresses do not kiss or be kissed without a cause. It is their daily business. We should not try to make stories out of their business. Rmember? Padmini Kolhapure once made an expensive kiss to a British Prince?

The bottom line is that it becomes different type of Buddhism when it comes in hands of actors. After finishing the adventure, Richard flew to Kathmandu. Probablly he visited his favourite monastery in Boudha to meet some Tibetan gurus. I know, those gurus have authority to clean the man off her lipstick marks. It is more possible when he is paying the gurus in dollars. Still, will it clean the image Buddhism so far as made in the world in pat 2500 years?

On the othar hand, we do not know the reason behind is love for Tibetans living here and why he visits Nepal to see Tibetan girls here (I know he also sees boys too). But if he is sure to earn some more millions by giving a kiss to a Tibetan girl, he would not miss the chance either. I bet.

Happy no-election!

Everybody is free now. The credit goes to the Chief Election Commssioner Bhoj Raj Pokhrel. Only he has the gutts to tell the truth. Or, being mouthpiece of Girija et al, he said what the eight-party government wanted to say- that there will be no election of constituent assembly in June.

Well said Mr Pokhrel. You are great. What you said is what the eight parties did. In past one year, have you seen any party going to the public places and saying that the election of CA is integral part of democratisation ? Have you heard them speaking in Ranta Park and Ason Bazar that their parties would follow this or that track for the election of CA? I know very well that these leaders do not know about the election and the process. They just know how to be in front of the camera and become news in the televison and newspapers. Had they been really serious, they should have orgnised hundreds of mass meetings in past 365 days. It is very easy to escape by saying that the Maoists did not allow them to visit the villages but does this not prove that the supporters (if there are any) of the seven parties are all impotent? Even the "lawmakers" (technically) who had won seats from the Kathmandu valley were not seen in the street. They were sure of two things - one, they would not able to attract the people through their bhashan and two, they would not have to fact any election in coming several years.

By this time, the parties should have been clear about the importance of the election and its significance too. They should have called people's opinion on "mixed election", on proporational representaion and on Mixed Porpporation too. Do they know about the open system and closed system? Are they ready to include all the ethnic groups? regional criteria? gender and other minorities in the index?

In fact, for the leaders of these great parties, election has already become a part of dantya katha, that they would never be ready to face, if possible. And to be on teh chiar in Singh Durbar, they had to say something like this or that. And they said so. It was not their fau lt to promise that they indeed wanted an election? Who is going to contest election and becme a member of the assembly if Sujata Koirala and Jhala Nath Khanal can enter Parliament on civil society members' quota? And who is going to say good bye to the present grand parliament if they can enjoy the guff-suff station where they are not even threatened by opposition? Frieds, these political creatures and more clever than the cats who often enter my kitchen and drink way my milk.

And see the result, the eight parties now can spend some more days by blaming one another. They will play this type of role for some months and again they will say that the election would be held in August. What can we do with this leadership? Will they ever take us to the CA polls? Freinds, what do you want to add to this?

A big joke on heritage of Kathmandu Valley

Do you wnat a big, crude and "pakhe" kind of joke on sacred Kathmandu Valley? You can't imagine? UNESCO Kathmandu Office is going to help you. To satisfy people like you, it has recently produced a #$%^ DVD, which cuts joke on the 2,000 years old history, art, architecture and demoralises the world-class civilisation the valley has catered since its holy origin.

The DVD deals wtih two half-baked animated characters - one opens a box, finds a book and tells the "tales" about the seven wonders - the seven monument zones of the Kthamndu Valley. It is as clear as the day, the makers have no knowledge of the topic which they were dealing with. They just thought that that they can do it because they wanted ... no becasue they won the project without competition - they have the cunningness and they thought they can do it. I will tell later you who they are.

The expensively made DVD tells nothing about the origin, size, history and significance of the sites. And you belive that the viewers will love the place they take you to. They do not know the exact location, names of the monuments and their histories. Why should the viewers take any ordinary stone in the backyard and the masterpiece idols in Hanumandhoka with same passion? The narrator should know the difference and have capacity to tell others. Truth bites, but you are insane if you think you know even something about the places, you wanted to earn money from. Even ordinary hippie tourists would be bored to watch the film. Don't ask me how heritage conservationists and local people from the sites would react.

Do you think the children would enjoy? I don't. Don't underestimate children of this century. They have better knowledge of the hiertage and monuments than you, who only eye on dollars the monuments can bring to you. Write anything and UNESCO will pay for you. The passion the local people have developed in thousands of years, regardless of the indifference of the political system cannot be viewed with the tourists' binoculars. Just imagine what the the local children who grow in the colours of the culture of the monuments are gonig to say about you? And I would love to take some words for the songs (pooh!). It was neither rhyme, nor beat nor chose words - why should you sing if you can't? Adding "Jeri Swarai Tarakari" would not make it local or child-firendly. Even my son will tell you - "Mukhan hanun jasto!".

Now, the "great" makers - they were none other than Pallav Ranjan, Param Limbu and Para Limbu, the newer versions of Rinchen Yonjan. You can understand the quality and content of the DVD, without watching them.

UNESCO has money. Blow it up. They know how to do it. But you don't have to ridicule the local art, artistic lifestyle and magnificant architecture. Don't invite the day when the locals will come to your office and pelt stone on window screens for causing damage to their heritage, which can sustain some more thousand years wiothout donation projects of UNESCO.

Sorry guys, you might be upset. I was just trying to be gentle to what you have done. Otherwise I know better words to react.

SAARC, the dead shark

When the tide of SAARC first came in Kathmandu, it was like a shark - everybody were worried, intimidated, terrified and what not. Now, after nearly two decades, it is still like a shark. But I have to tell you, it is like a dead shark.

Why do people need to meet if they cannot solve any problem or, to be very frank, do not want to sove it? They better go to a pub at Thamel and enjoy dance restaurant (I swear I won't tell their wives) if they really want to relax and forget their internal problems.

SAARC is like this today. They have lots of things to promise, trade, tourism, human traffiking, terrorism and hwat not. But when they really have to do something, they become really a sarakari karmachari, in Nepali way. They can blow out billions of rupees in this "bukhyacha" summit but they cannot even promise to come back home with a pint of success. What the hell they think they are doing there? At least some countires form SAARC, they are superb in their countries but when they come to SAARC, they turn out to be crippled, impotent. Why? Aren't they pretending to be so, so that the neighbours do not progress?

This is a very extraordinary region in the world. They can beat the whole world in being selfish, mean and devilish. And out of such hellish character, the came up with a noble idea of SAARC. But see, they are bound to thier nature - old habits die hard. And thus the dream of SAARC is suffering.

Can't you come up and say that it is useless from the microphone if you really thing so. Or if not, you need to have the guts and mind to turn your golden promises into action. We, the people, are very hopeful.