#132 14 - 20 February 2003 16pages Rs 25

Burning bright There is a rumble in the jungle as resorts in the Royal Chitwan National Park roll out the red carpet for visitors. ‘Is it for real this time?’ There are elephant-back There is watchful hope in the villages where the Maoist war startedstituent exactly assembly elections,seven interimyears ago. safaris to view tigers, rhinos, government and a roundtable crocodiles and dolphins, bird- Maoists brandishing captured guns Outside Khalanga, a group of conference, or else…” watching from machans at at a rally near Tulsipur this week. plain-clothed armed Maoists look Samar, is a Maoist political dawn and glorious sunsets relaxed as they patrol the trail. They activist from Jugar, and he is more over the Narayani River. This stop by to chat. “The talks will be moderate in his views. “We will is the best time to visit successful and Nepal will become a accept the result of the constituent Chitwan and catch a rare peoples’ republic,” says one of them,assembly elections, even if it is in munching on roasted glimpse of endangered bhatmas,as a favour of constitutional monarchy,” wildlife. The best part is captured army sub-machine gun he tell us. “We will then continue to you don’t dangles from his shoulder. convince people through peaceful means.” Samar says he hadn’t have to rough The lack of trust is mutual. it anymore: received any written orders from the Platoon commander Badal who takesparty high command, and his source there are orders from the Maoists’ First world class of information Battalion in Mangalsen recalls that hisis the radio. resorts with comrades were arrested by the police all creature We trek

SHARAD ADHIKARI in Pyuthan during the 2001 talks and comforts—at from Saigha in Dang to Holeri in SHARAD KCin KHALANGA later disappeared. “We will watch the Durga Pokhrelp3 bargain prices! ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○ haven’t yet mustered the courage to Rolpa, past the ravages of famous government’s attitude first,” he says. Walk the talk Page 8-9 even years after the Maoists return to their homes. The security This time, the Maoists look like theybattles to Khalanga. There isn’t a Seven digits launched their armed struggle forces still have their checkpoints, are preparing to use the truce and single person on the trail who does Kathmandu will have seven digit Sin these hills of western Nepal,the army and police walk warily on dialogue period to strengthen politicalnot support the ceasefire. telephone numbers from 13 war-weary villagers are hoping againstjoint patrols, the 8PM-4AM curfew programs in case they have to join the March. NTC says it will add a 4, 5 hope that the ceasefire this time is foris still on. Khalanga goes quiet after mainstream. At present they are or 6 in front of existing numbers real. When the truce was announcedfour in the afternoon and the preparing for nationwide com- (See box for Kathmandu. For example, if by radio on the night of 29 January, fortifiedit district headquarter still memorations of the seventh on page 5) “When we heard it on you want to call Nepali Times in was greeted with whispers in dark has the look of a town under siege.anniversary of the start of the Patan, you will now have to dial streets silenced by curfew. Two weeksRajendra Dhakal, Salyan police “peoples’ war” on 13 February. the radio, we couldn’t believe our 5-543333. Numbers in Kathmandu later, there is watchful hope here in chief tells us, “We have been ears,” says Man Bahadur Sahu, in The houses along the trail have the village of Rim. “We waited so will add a 4 and those in Khalanga, the district headquarters offooled in the past, so we are still on high alert. We can’t trust the freshly painted slogans with an long for this.” Bhaktapur have to add a 6. Salyan district. Maoists.” ominous message: “We want con- Numbers outside Kathmandu will Villagers displaced by the fighting Continued p4-5 go up to six digits, but area codes remain the same.

Weekly Internet Poll # 72 Q. What are the chances of the present ceasefire leading to actual peace ? Nepal welcomes tourists again

JANAKI GURUNG ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Bajracharya of the Hotel Association of Nepal. But former PATA ith the news of the ceasefire and the upcoming president, Ashok Chandra Pokhrel, cautions that tourism is not an on-off switch. “People plan ahead. It takes six months or Everest 50th anniversary, Nepal’s tourism industry is

more for visitor numbers to rebound,” he says. MIN BAJRACHARYA preparing for a spring revival this season. w The only dark cloud on the horizon is the possibility of war Arrivals are already beginning to pick up, and initial figures for in Iraq and tensions between India and Pakistan which will this month show that they are healthier than the first two affect European and American arrivals. Although the Maoists weeks of February last year. The numbers are expected to never targeted tourists, news of fighting and political instability Total votes: 1,446 grow as the main trekking and climbing season starts in March. hit tourism hard. Controversial travel advisories issued by The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has been preoccupied with the Western countries not being updated after the ceasefire Weekly Internet Poll # 73. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.comselection of a new CEO, but director Yogi Sakya told us, “We haven’t helped either. Some still caution tourists not to visit Q. Is Nepal safe for tourists? want to tell the world that Nepal is open for business again.” Nepal during a two-day bandh this week, even though the The prospect of peace has sent a wave of hope through strike was called off 10 days ago. the main trekking areas, and many lodge owners, porters, tea Figures for arrivals last year were nearly half of totals for shop owners are keeping their fingers crossed. There is a lot 1998, when half-a-million tourists visited Nepal. But things are of anticipation especially along the Everest trail, which willWith see the promise of peace, looking up. Even before the ceasefire went into effect, arrivals a “Summit of Summiteers” drawing thousands of trekkers and backpackers like these in by air for January 2003 were up 19 percent compared to last climbers to the Khumbu in May to mark the 50 Thamel this week, are flockingyear, and most of the increase was in Indian tourists. Things are looking so good that some hoteliers are even worrying that there won’t th anniversary of back to Nepal. be enough air seats to carry the spurt of tourists this season. They urge an open-sky the first ascent of Mt Everest. Nepal is also hosting a major policy, code-sharing with international carriers and allowing private Indian airlines. international jazz festival in early March and the SKAL Asia meet in May. “The ceasefire is one of the best pieces of news we have heard in a long time, and we hope tourist arrivals will improve significantly by April,” says Narendra

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Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor:Kunda Dixit STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL Design:Kiran Maharjan Webmaster:Bhushan Shilpakar [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com Advertising:Sunaina Shah [email protected] Subscription:Anil Karki [email protected] Sales:Sudan Bista [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 01-543333-7, Fax: 01-521013 Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hattiban: 01-547018/17 Port of good hope would not be surprising if he manages to convince palace officials that another public Emerging from fog in Birganj. felicitation of the king is the number one ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ priority of the country at this juncture. Walk the talk After seven years of war, the scars are raw, THE REFEREE DECIDES TO BAT The membership drive of the Nepal BIRGANJ – The tarai is emerging into a wonder if the Nepali side raised this Patriotic Front borders on extortion. They n a recent interview on Nepal Television, veteran kangresi Pradip Giri used an but the truce brings new hope to Rolpa. apt cricket analogy to describe the political games being played out springtimein of hope after a harsh winter in question during the latest round of thrust a receipt in the hands of OKathmandu. He said it was like a captain who keeps on batting even thoughwhich towns he like Birganj did not see the endless bilateral trade talks this week unsuspecting shopkeepers and promise to has been bowled out several times, so the referee gets fed up and decidessun to batfor weeks on end. Now the sun is out, in Kathmandu. come back to collect payment. Are these Bimala Gharti(with child, himself. the air is balmy, the mood is relaxed and Had the Birgunj Dry Port been in mandaleys-on-motorcycles, or is it a benign When the referee sent the captain off on October Fourth, he was fed upthere with isthe a cautious expectation that the operation, the rail link would have reducedpolitical force? No one seems to know, and left) smiles for the camera in lack of team spirit on both sides and was forced to do something drastic. Butcountry by may finally have turned the corner.congestion on this road. This container the political climate is so hazy that no one the yard of Libang jail. She stepping up to the crease to take on both teams, the referee changed the rulesBirganj of the has always been regarded as a terminal built with a World Bank loan dares ask. game. It just wasn’t cricket anymore. and her husband are both would make landlocked Nepal’s access to Lack of public-spirited civic This is a king who staked all on his unconventional move. He is telling thegateway crowd, to Kathmandu. The main business the sea so much smoother and cheaper. But militia members. I’ll just bat until these two teams sort out their problems so we can resume withhere theis business. And trade. Hundreds of organisations in Parsa district is worrisome. match. The teams don’t trust him, but the spectators in the stands are willingtrucks to go loaded with all kinds of goods for some mysterious reason that must be A scandal surrounding the private control of along with that for a while. Soon, the people will start getting restless. Kingwait for their turn at the Birgunj locked up in the byzantine corridors of public land in the old bus park has fizzled Gyanendra’s predicament is that he needs to be hands-on to get things backCustoms on track, every day. On the Indian side power in Kathmandu and New Delhi, the somewhat, but no one has cared to raise a but he can’t be seen to be. The predicament of the political parties is that they can't port is still lying idle two years after its Six years after being arrested be seen to be opposed to peace, but they want a share of the pie. in Raxaul, the line of container trucks voice against the levelling of Chhapkaiyan stretches far into the distance. completion. The Indians have extended thePokhari. At the end of a prolonged By announcing the ceasefire, the king and his royal team of administrators have for being a Maoist, rail link from Raxaul to Birganj, and have litigation, its owners have staked claim over bought some time for themselves. There are those in the cabinet who are quietlyThe road is perpetually gridlocked with Bhujimala Pun (on left, pic going about making necessary structural changes in ministries that were rottentrailers to carrying the industrial steel, tankers already done several test runs. But there arethe land. But do they have the moral right core: corrupted by the politicisation, interference and indifference of the pastferrying decade. petroleum products, containers no locomotives plying on it. to deny access to a place that has been right) is still serving a jail These moves are invisible, but vital to improving future service delivery. Otherfilled with consumer durables and trucks The Maisthan grapevine has it that the public for as long as one remembers? ministers are too busy playing games of intrigue and giving speeches. sentence in a cell covered laden with everything from fruits and Indian side is seeking permission to open a A pond—be it private or public—is a But for the peace process to be made irreversible, much more needs to be done Kathmandu. Finally,with thenewspapers. revolution was

vegetables to medicines and construction commercial office in Birganj and that is thecommon. Its conversion for private benefit DURGA POKHREL and urgently. The royal apointees need to show that they have a government that pre-condition to opening the container getting close enough to matter. cares, that they are different from the bungling parties and that they are workingmaterials. to Theget reigning confusion is made must be resisted. If there are no laws to things moving again. So far, the people have seen scant signs of such resolve.worse by one-horse carts, rickshaws, cars, port. Assuming it to be true, most rumoursprotect commons, they need to be made. We lurched along the Bhalubang- DURGA POKHRELin JUMLA AND LIBANG The military came at 7am to check motorcycles, push-carts and cycles that ply in this country turn out to be true in the But the parties that should have raised such ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the “peoples’ war” had been launched Libang road at about 9 km/hr. All around Without exception, prisoners felt Reports in this issue of our paper from Jumla, Surkhet, Salyan, Rukum and Rolpa who had arrived in the jeep. show that in the heartland of the insurgency, the government has lost the chancebetween to the two border towns all day. Theend, there is no reason why Nepal issues are themselves in a state of paralysis. t night, the rugged mountains exactly seven years ago this week. I was were 3,000 m peaks. The district is rugged they were there for a just cause, as wrest back the initiative. It is showing the same callous disregard for local welfare,stink of rawthe hide stored on the Nepali side shouldn’t allow India to have an officer of There was hope that former Prime Minister surrounding Jumla reverberated travelling with two young journalists and anand with a population of only 210,000— Technically, we were illegal arrivals though it was just a question of days same cavalier attitude towards the disenfranchised. Meanwhile, the Maoistsand are the stench of open toilets from the the Indian embassy stationed here. What’s Krishna Prasad Bhattarai would use his Awith the sound of gunfire. The even younger driver who was from Rolpa with seven thousand more women than since we had come after 6.30pm withoutuntil their cause would be won. Those holding open meetings in which they do mass calisthenics with SLRs and RPGs.southern You bank of the Sirsiya River make thethe problem with that? After all, Shital moral force to save the pond, but they have but hadn’t been up there for a while. As themen because of out-migration. Rolpa also having actually registered at the outside jail expressed pride at having could say, well, at least they are not using those guns. But the Maoist message is clear. firefight went on for several hours as a border wait at Sankaracharya Gate an Niwas has its own commercial attaché in given up on him here. jeep bounced wildly on the rough road in has the highest proportion of the checkpoint. It took another hour to Rolpa almost totally under their control. To be sure, seven years of conflict cannot be set right overnight. We can’t be paramilitary unit was ambushed by insufferable ordeal. Kolkata, and it may need more such In this politically numb environment, guerrillas in what turned out to be one of the darkness of this cold Rolpa night, I population who are gun-carrying Maoists. reach Libang. The district headquarter “Yes, we are happy about the ceasefire impatient while the behind-the-scenes negotiations between the king’s emissary and recalled the first news in 1996 of black- And 40 percent of the militia are female. was surrounded by barbed wire and the Maoist leadership tries to get over years of bad blood and fix the rules forThe future traffic on the Indian side of the representatives in South India soon. the pro-Congress Nepal Students’ the last battles before the ceasefire was and the talks,” said one. bargaining. But we can’t help noticing that while the Maoists are proactive borderand is made worse by a railway crossing.Opening diplomatic missions in Association recently held its convention. announced three days later. It snowed all hooded attackers. The government paid Most are Magars, with Kamis and other looked like the fortified garrison town That view is even shared by the have kept their cadre busy, there is virtually no By every norm of civil engineering, the commercially important cities is Student reps from all over the country night and the fighting tapered off. The nextlittle heed, perhaps because it still Dalits. It is easy to see why the warstarted that it is. Tin cans and bottles were deputy-superintendent of police in tangible presence of government even after the mutually beneficial. morning, there were several inches of snow perceived the Maoist party-which had the here. It might not be one of the remotesthanging from the barbed wires to serve ceasefire. What are we waiting for? Raxaul crossing needs a grade separation. I elected a new set of officers. If the union Libang. “I wish I could arrest anyone I Like most other trading towns, the on the ruins of Jumla bazar, devastated in third largest showing in the 1991 generaldistricts, but it sure is underdeveloped as early warning, and the slopes were By now we should have had some indication has to gear itself up for another political hear talking negatively about the politics of Birganj is largely conservative. struggle, it needs a leader from its own the deadly Maoist attack of 14 November election-to be still in the mainstream. with one of the worst human said to be mined. Beyond the wires ceasefire,” he says. Rolpa after the about what we had to do, where we wanted to go, What might have escaped the kangresi development parameters in Nepal and anwas “them”. and how to get there. Instead, we have a The Nepal Communist Party (UML), the ranks. As long as that doesn’t happen, or in which more than 130 people were killed. ceasefire is a happier place. Outside the cacophony of contradictory clamour from flagship organisation of petit bourgeoisie, more appropriately, is prevented from The town was tense as we flew out of leaders’ memory then was the way they entrenched feudalism. We met them soon enough, and jail house I asked a woman with a baby the cabinet, with political parties yowling has very little presence here. And even happening by a meddlesome parent party, Jumla’s partially-destroyed airport. When had also launched their underground Night fell, a dim light was glowing ontalking to the women could sense their what she thought about the ceasefire. away outside. There are a few things though the Nepali Congress has managed the student organisation will continue to we got to Surkhet that night, we heard thatarmed struggle against the Panchayat a far hilltop. In the ghostly darkness we empowerment. They are convinced that “ everyone, including the Maoists, to keep elective offices in its grip, it is the system in 1968. proletarian rule will soon come, and could now agree on—a shared float aimlessly. a ceasefire had been announced. Next stop passed ruins of bombed-out, deserted, or Ramro bhayo,” she answered. What ex-Panchas of different shades who wield The Jhapali Marxist-Leninists also padlocked buildings. This was a war they complained bitterly: “What did commitment to a democratic, The students are now gone, and it is was Pyuthan, and had the ceasefire not about the security forces? Very happy, pluralistic and inclusive real clout in Adarsha Nagar. Former city mounted an insurrection then, so this was zone. It was way after curfew, and multi-party democracy do for us? The business as usual along the Sirsiya Bridge. intervened, the Maoists were reportedly too, they posed for a photograph. Nepal so that we put in place father Bimal Srivastava is still a partyless preparing to attack Pyuthan the night we not the first time there was an armed driving here was risky business even withleaders were worse than the panchas.” the socio-political prerequi- Unlike the preoccupations in Kathmandu, The Rolpali say they want to come to person, and he continues to swear by his the main concern here is the fate of the next arrived. uprising in the country. After 1996, the the ceasefire. The tiny glow was from a Rolpa’s single hospital was under sites to development. If Kathmandu for a mass rally and cultural everyone plays by the rules, pro-authoritarian “politics for round of Indo-Nepal trade talks. The more With the truce, the atmosphere conflict spread like wildfire, engulfing the house where a woman and a child stared construction, but now lies abandoned. performances. You have to hand it to the we should be able to agree development” slogan. adventurous traders speculate about its everywhere is more relaxed and we met thewhole country. But I wonder if the out at us. “Weren’t you stopped?” she There are hardly any government on a mechanism to make that Maoists for being so many steps ahead of The new game in town for the stalwartsimpact on politics as well. Strangely, politicians in Kathmandu ever really woke asked. Would she give us services. This is a district that has been happen. That way, the referee district administration, the security forces, the rest of us: they want to “attack” of the Panchayat is collecting signatures despite a long foggy winter, Birgunjelis up. The old games of business-as-usual, left to fend for itself the best it can. could go back to being a and women detainees in jails ( Kathmandu not with guns but with musical referee again. from all and sundry to petition the king so haven’t lost hope. corruption and narrow-sighted patronage in A Maoist woman prisoner told us instruments. Maybe they should add they can also publicly felicitate the king like all their forms, continued as the war raged. why she joined the movement: “We had see pictures, Nearly 8,000 Nepalis have been killed, ploughshares, too, so that the message the rival city of Biratnagar. The signature above). The Maoist detainees were been left here alone to die. Most of us campaign has been in full swing for quite many thousands more were maimed comes across: the giving must start from scathingly critical of any peace brokered in baas for the have no farmland. No roads. No some time, and given the access that Bimal physically, materially, and mentally. Kathmandu. Kathmandu. The dialogue for peace should night, and somegundruk and bhat? The businesses. Nothing.” Another added, Srivastava is said to have to the palace, it But perhaps it took the killings of “It was begin in the districts that have been most Krishna Mohan Shrestha, his wife, and husband grunted from inside:Dekchha “ , affected, was their viewpoint. In other bodyguard to wake up the leaders in they’ll see us.” He prepared food, we ate (Durga Pokhrel is the words, walk the talk. hurriedly and were moved up to the attic waar ki paar.” chairperson of the before they turn Nepal into With this message in mind, I carried on to sleep with another warning not to go I asked, aren’t you tired of the National Commision for another Cambodia. Someday, the next day to Rolpa, the district where anywhere. Women.) Baburam and Prachanda, the long fighting? Answer: “Not really.” arm of the law will come and get you. That is if the daughters and personal effort, integrity and sons whose parents you And one last thing, Magars are not honesty. He did not have to pullresponse of the political parties murdered, fathers and mothers of a “minority”. wife and many others who were LETTERSstrings, he wouldn't. In his death,was negative because they know murdered in this cowardly fashionthe children youLETTERS massacred, or Raja Thapa Magar, the nation now has a role model.that the people are aware of how constitutional monarchy? Or, like across the nation will haunt youthe grandchildren of the old men Hong Kong Let there be thousands of Nepalicorrupt they are and that you say, are we Nepalis pro- for the rest of your lives if youand women you butchered don’t KRISHNA MOHAN Krishna Mohans to replace thisdemocracy for them is just an spanner in the works. My view is peace talks. Bring them in latergrammed to fight over everything deserves credit for being able yourto paper from the back withchap Rabin Tuladhar at AIT is, don’t take the courage to voiceget to you first. The ghosts of the great citizen. excuse to steal some more. Thethat we should not trust these when you have fixed the countryuntil there is nothing to fight over? convince the Maoists to a Under My Hat. Your front page butis he sounds like a grouch. Krishna Mohan Shrestha, youryour outrage against this people you have killed, including Rabindra Chhetri, emailpoliticians are also unsure aboutclowns until we are absolutely they destroyed. ceasefire and a possible too depressing, can you do Kunda Dixit deserves the words will not be forgotten. inconceivable brutality and petitionthose of Krishna Mohan and "Nationalist" what future peace talks will bring,sure that they have reformed, permanent resolution of the crisis.something about it? The last Hatnation’s highest awards and Your bravery will be the guidingthe government to take stern Nudup, will haunt you for the rest Pravesh Saria, Chicago, USA so they are trying to put a have a long-term vision for the on disembarkation cards was medals for that spoof on light. Your mission will be action against these godless of your days. Ashok Srivastav country and a workable plan to hilarious. disembarkation cards. Let’s completed. culprits. You know why the Name witheld GE Transportation get us there. I plead with the hope the authorities haven’t Maoists have not come forth and I must compliment your paper There is a glimmer of hope on Ivan Lind, email How can you believe a government and the Maoists to Systems, USA read the column yet and taken responsibility of this heinous for its brilliant cartoons by Subhas Your editorial “For Talks, Don’tthe horizon. The recent ceasefire person who kills your father keep the political parties out of the changed the cards, otherwise crime? Because they are scared Rai. He is a Nepali treasure trove and the upcoming roundtable talks and mother and three days later Talk.” was a great read. Espe- we will have lost a source of of public backlash and dwindling of talent and sensitivity. I espe- should be welcomed by all who wants to talk peace with you? cially the part “What’s more, there NOT REALLY FUNNY I am an irregular reader of free in-flight entertainment. It is support for their cause. They cially liked the illustration he didare even members of the cabinetdesire peace and prosperity. Will you? See it in the eyes of your weekly for its political difficult to improve on Under My know this crime can never be CAN’T FAIL for your story "Let the talks begin"who can’t seem to be able to Politicians like Girija, Madhav I was glad to read Rabin Krishna Mohan’s three young analysis and investigative Hat, but here are some forgotten or forgiven. This is in response to Kunda (#131). Subhas Rai manages tocountenance the idea of a Kumar Nepal and others only Tuladhar’s letter in #131. Before daughters (“No more orphans”, reporting. I would like to make suggestions. In the box for I met Krishna Mohan and his Dixit’s analysis “Can’t fail this say with a few deft strokes of colleaguehis from a minority commu-belittle themselves by criticisingthat I always thought that it might #131) whose parents have just few comments about the “Passport” with “Passport time” (#130). The ceasefire pen what columnists like CK Lalnity being in the limelight for the hard work people put in to be a cultural issue that I don’t find been snuffed out of this world.wife about a month ago for the language used by its editor colour, Place of Issue, Date of annoucement was welcomed by take 1,000 words to write. putting the country back on trackbring everyone to the table for “Underthe My Hat” really funny. My dear Nepali brothers and very first time in my life. And I Kunda Dixit in his Under My HatIssue and Best Before” may be everyone except the political L B Gurung, Pokharato peace.” Magars, who form thepeaceful resolution of this crisis.Sometimes there are rays of lights sisters, mark my word, the was mesmerised by his column. It is not easy to he should have added: parties. That is because the largest block of a mosaic knownNo matter what the circumstancesin terms of comedy (and I think souls of Krishna Mohan and hisgentleness, humility, resolve and understand not only for me, but“Passport: Stolen, Forged, Red” king totally ignored them. On a as the Nepali populace, have beenor how it is done, it is a “Too good to be true” #130, was confidence. He was one of the for most newspaper-lovers whoso that we know who is who recent visit to Nepal, I instrumental in the creation andcommendable effort and all a good example) but most of the very few truly dedicated officers are not from the English-speakingand what is what. And under attended King Gyanendra’s sustenance of the Nepal, eveninvolved deserve high praise fortime it seems like something has to in this country. My shock and grief Do you know why there is I couldn't agree more with the background. Can he make it more“nationality”, he should have speech in Biratnagar. His though they have been trying to materialise a long- fill the last page. Maybe you could is now turning into anger. These simple and clear? Isn't that whatalso added “past nationality” for not that much official concern reasoning was exactly the last sentence of your editorial underrepresented in much of theawaited process. We do not wantinvite some guest writers for the cowards will never say they did journalism is supposed to be, sothe thousands of friends from over the murders of Krishna argument that a monarch should ("For talks, don't talk.", #131): national affairs of late. The rulingthe democratic norms of our ironic round-off of your paper to it. We have to go after them people can understand what youneighbouring countries who Mohan Shrestha, his wife and have on watching his "Maybe what we actually first class, with its idiosyncrasies ofcountry compromised, but we give new potentials in this field a SUBHAS RAI have adopted Nepal as their their bodyguard? For the same need is a ceasefire between the most certainly want our long lostspace to express their ideas. are saying? subjects suffer. He threw bad governance, forget this. motherland. reason that there wasn't muchthe of challenge at the palace and the parties." How true.Thank you for drawing attentionpeace to and harmony back. The Tobias Denskus, email Chun Bahadur Gurung Ritu Thapa, Samakhusi a fuss when 30 policemen werepolitical parties: come let’s If Prachanda and King Gyanendrathe inflated egos of certain present caretaker government Editor, Jwala Weekly killed in Jumla.They did not belongsolve this problem can bury the hatchet, why can'tmembers of this current cabinet.may have shortcomings, but it to Kathmandu's elite ruling class.together. But the the parties and the palace? Aren't Krishna Mohan was a man who they supposed to be both in rose up the ranks through support of democracy and I just discovered that I am not the only one who starts reading I don’t know what kind of 4 NATION 14 - 20 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2003 TIMES #132 NATION 14 - 20 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2003 TIMES #132 5 DOMESTIC BRIEFS “Maybe this time there will beConcluded peace.” inconclusively ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The third joint secretary level transport talks between Nepal and India concluded Thursday without an agree- “If this peace holds, there will be development and people won’t ment. “There was a lot of progress on a lot of areas, and we need to fintetune it at a diplomatic level,” one top The cradle of the revolution have to work as chowkidars in India. They could take care of official told us. Nepal agreed to a joint venture partnership to run the Inland Container Port (ICD) in Birganj in their families in the villages.” exchange for other concessions, but that didn’t seem to satisfy the Indians who were under heavy pressure from The talks can’t succeed unless Indra Lal Dangi, Sinawang VDC, Goitibang, Salyan state transport lobbies to allows direct cargo and passenger services between Indian cities and Kathmandu. The port is critical for landlocked Nepal’s access to the sea, and would reduce transportation cost by up to 35 percent. both the parties are honest India linked the Nepal-India Railways Agreement (NIRA) with the transport proposal. Nepali transporters, alarmed about peace.” by the prospect of Indian trucks and buses having unrestricted access to the domestic market with no reciprocity, Development has been at a “We will watch the government’s attitude first.” threatened a nationwide strike. “It’s totally absurd to link direct transport access and ICD,” said Bishnu Siwakoti, in Salyan who want the Maoist militia leader who calls himself ‘Badal’ President of the Federation of Nepali Transport Entrepreneurs. The railway agreement is more important for ceasefire to be a new beginning. standstill, and despite the ceasefire outside Khalanga Nepal, since the ICD has been lying idle ever since the World-Bank funded project was completed two years ago. there is not a hint that any kind of As a compromise, the Nepali side now appears willing to go along with joint management if that is what it takes to Surprisingly, those who yearn get the negotiations unstuck. Nepal has also insisted on a streamlined one-time lock system ensuring direct entry the most for peace are the ones massive relief or rehabilitation “The ceasefire is an immense relief. We suffered from both sides, of the containers to Nepal once they have been inspected and locked at customs in Kolkata. drive is going to start anytime and moved to the district headquarters for safety. Maybe now we who have lost near and dear can go back.” ones, like Dhan Bahadur soon. Dang, Rolpa and Rukum Hamal whose 17-year-old son were always underdeveloped, but Tilak Ram Basnet, a carpenter, Sinawang VDC, Goitibang, Salyan was abducted and killed by most villages had sub-health posts and post offices. In the past four Maoists four years ago. “He “We were always ready to fight, but there were fears of a Maoist Govinda’s brother appeals in Japan court won’t come back,” he tells us, years, Maoists have systematically attack. With the ceasfire, everyone is relieved.” ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ “but at least if peace is restored destroyed 271 VDC buildings, Rajendra Dhakal, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Salyan Indra Prasad Mainali, the brother of Govinda Mainali who has served seven years in a we can live without fear.” 138 post offices, 16 health posts prison in Japan accused of the murder and rape of a Tokyo woman, has written to the and 29 bridges. All three districts Supreme Court, which is hearing Govinda’s appeal, to acquit his younger brother. The Khalanga jail still has The 36-year-old Govinda (“Here comes the story of GovindaNepali Mainali”, had phone lines, and all have “The ceasfire is good, but it could fail like last time. The detainees, and dozens of people people have suffered enough, the government and the Times #39) was acquitted by the Tokyo District Court but later lost an appeal in the been cut off since the Maoists Maoists should find a way out of this.” remain in Maoist custody, high court. Now, his brother says Govinda was gainfully employed and not in urgent destroyed telecom towers. Gaushara Oli, Jugar, Nerpa, Rolpa need of money, as claimed by police who convicted him of robbing the 39-year-old including radio journalist Dhana woman of¥ Bahadur Rokaya of Radio Nepal, Had it not been for the people (including security 40,000 and strangling her. Surkhet. In Rukum, a meeting fighting, Rolpa, Rukum and “I strongly believe that my brother could not have committed a grave crime in a country where he was making personnel) were killed by the Salyan link roads would have “No one trusts the Maoists. I won’t go home yet. Maoists. In neighbouring Salyan of political parties has made good money, and while he was preparing to return to his family in Nepal,” Indra wrote. talking so openly is already a sign public names of 26 people been built by now. Today, most I will wait for total peace.” Govinda had reportedly already saved $37,000 by the time of his arrest. Japanese human rights groups have district, the security forces have Bishnu Kumari Sharma, college student in Khalanga that the situation is more relaxed, abducted by the Maoists. of these districts are as inaccessible taken Govinda’s case as symbolic of Japan’s flawed justice system and say he was falsely charged and convicted. and if real peace is restored things killed 159 people while the as ever. Salyan Congress president, Indra went to Japan last week to lobby with the court appeal. “He seemed so irritated and exhausted, both SHARAD KC SHARAD anymore,” he adds. Across the western districts, will be back to normal in no time. Maoists killed 65 people. Those Regmi, says the VDCs will have “There are more people coming to the district headquarters physically and mentally,” IndraThe told Japan Times. “I just cannot believe how he could survive in a small dark from p1 Ruins Nirmala Rathour’s husband killed in Salyan by the Maoists the Maoists have been holding after the ceasefire announcement. But we have not advised cell so far from home.” Even if Govinda wins his appeal, it probably won’t come for another few years. “If my is a policeman with the Seven years ago, many in this to invest their next three years’ our cadres to return to their villages, since we don’t know what brother was a Caucasian from a more advanced country, I believe that the Japanese authorities would never have include 12 Nepali Congress cadreopen meetings displaying their the Maoists are up to.” Further up, near Triveni, a paramilitary, and she has been neglected and abandoned region captured weapons, including budget just for reconstruction of treated him in the manner they do now,” he said. It would help if the Nepal government took up the issue, but it is and three UML supporters. infrastructure. Multiply that hesitant because Japan is Nepal’s biggest donor. Indra and Govinda’s parents are 80 years old and live in Jhapa. young woman is singing a folk worried about his safety. of Nepal believed that liberation grenade launchers, in marchpasts. Lok Bahadur Dangi, member, UML’s Salyan district unit With much accumulated bad across the country, and it is clear “Both are suffering from serious illness, and we are all concerned that my brother may never see them alive song as she collects fodder at the Despite the ceasefire, she is was at hand. But as the attacks In one such meeting near again,” he said. blood, political parties which that the fighting has set the edge of the forest. The words go, nervous and still unsure if she mounted and the state used Tulsipur this week, we listened “Had there not been a war, our remote district may have become have had their local cadre base country back at least 20 years. accessible by now. The war has resulted into total destruction. My “When will my beloved return to will ever see her husband again. strong-arm tactics to nip the to Comrade Barta tell the people, revolution in the bud, the violencedecimated are most skeptical heart aches to see the devastation in our district.” me?” She is happy the fighting is “After all, they double-crossed about the ceasefire. Lok Bahadur “If the government cheats us Dilli Raj Regmi, President, Nepali Congress, Salyan over, and doesn’t even want to spun out of control. The truce again, we’ll repeat the victories of (Top Bahadur Khadka in New air route to Delhi us before,” she says. We put that Dangi of the UML’s district ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ think about it starting again. to a local Maoist activist, who two years ago was followed by Ghorahi, Syangja and Salleri.” Rukum and Sharad even more brutal fighting as the committee says he is still taking a “My son will never come back. But I wish the war ends so India and Nepal have agreed on a new flight routing that shaves off 15 minutes from the Kathmandu-Delhi flight Acting Salyan CDO Mohan Akelaidentifies himself as Rohit. “We Local political activists are Adhikari in Dang people can live without fear.” by taking a shortcut flying over Nepalganj. The present route takes a circuitous airway over Bhairawa and army was dragged in, and that wait-and-watch move. says he won’t let anyone disrupt will fight during the time of war. contributed to this Dhan Bahadur Hamal, Marmaparikada-6, Salyan Lucknow. Indian civil aviation authorities have sanctioned the route for airlines from India, Nepal and west-bound President of the Nepali apprehensive about the open flights by international airlines from Kathmandu. “The new route will go into effect after Nepal and India sign a the ceasefire, adding that if the Otherwise, policemen can come explains the wariness with report.) ceasefires agreed upon in distant Congress Salyan district, Dilli display of weapons. Said Letter of Agreement to this effect,” Rajesh Raj Dali, deputy director general at the Civil Aviation Authority of Maoists are not armed they can here and lead a normal life,” he Nepal (CAAN), told us. Will that bring down air fares is what we want to know. Kathmandu. Raj Regmi, is more realistic. “It Shrimani Acharya of the UML, come to the district headquarters. promises us. But this doesn’t “Even after the ceasefire, people “For the last four years, my husband hasn’t visited us at home. The mid-western regional will take at least six to seven There was a ceasfire last year too. Maybe this time there will be Villagers are hopeful, but assuage the fear of students like months for people to return to are forced to live in fear of guns. peace and my husband can come home.” Bishnu Sharma of Kavra and office of the human rights group, suspicious of the Maoists’ real their villages,” he tells us. Nirmala Rathour, wife of a policeman, Jugar VDC, Rolpa Toni Hagen’s film INSEC, says 1,174 persons have ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ intentions. “We can’t trust the Amar Bahadur Pun of Badagaon. Despite the brutality, loss and “They can’t be trusted,” says been killed in Rolpa district alone Ring of the Buddha, a documentary by Nepal-lover and Swiss geologist Toni Hagen, premiered in Germany on Maoists even if the talks succeed,” trauma there are plenty of people says Dhan Bahadur Hamal, of Bishnu simply. Amar Bahadur during the last seven years. Of 28 January to glowing reviews from both critics and the audience. Hagen travelled all over Nepal in the early them, 992 people were killed by 1950s just after Nepal opened her borders, making a detailed geological map of the Himalaya and charting out Marmapari Kada, who fled his agrees, “They never practice what potential sites for hydropower plants. The documentary begins in 1999 with the 82-year-old explorer village and has been living in they preach.” But even the fact the security force whereas 182 accompanying Chogye Trichen Rimpoche back to Nepal. The past and present are skilfully woven in a narrative Khalanga for the past five years. that women, students, officials, that spans five decades of change in Nepal, filmed on location in the tarai, Jomsom, Janakpur, Kathmandu and “We will go home only if the farmers and the Maoists are the high Himalaya. Hagen is currently recuperating in a hospital in St Moritz after a bad bout of flu. Maoists disarm and vow that they will not murder and extort In the February Himal

Jehan Perera on Sri Lankan Peace Puskar Gautam on HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK The King’s Ceasefire Indian feminism and the patriarchy of caste Sindh: Pathology of a military democracy Bowing down to the NRI Formalising domestic work The sustainability of hunger Aids and India: Funding its way to Pre-empt failure the forefront

ne thing that isn’t in short supply in Nepal these days is hope. We To subscribe, call 543-333 or write to [email protected] want peace and we see the current ceasefire as the last best hope. OBut there’s a real danger of the whole process falling into a familiar The peace process must go on pattern where the political intrigue of Kathmandu overwhelms what goodwill and flexibility there may be. There are ways around this and a war-footing. perhaps they’re all best expressed in two words: pre-empt failure. obvious place to start. Those 3,000 or so local government offices destroyed In other words, don’t allow the talks to fail. Take action that in the seven years of fighting need to be rebuilt sometime. entrenches peace and development and take it now. I’m not sure who I’m Schools, businesses, NGOs, political parties, and other aspects of civil writing this to, but it’s the summary of many conversations over the past society need to be engaged and involved in a mass effort to make sure that two weeks since the truce was announced. The rumbling and grumbling of peace is entrenched, and not at the expense of anyone. Surely the rebels political parties, the to and fro statements of ministers, the mysterious won’t object if they see that reconstruction and employment are the two movements—later denied—of senior rebels and government negotiators. aims of such a movement: there could be local agreement on not These are not a peace process. They are a harbinger of failure. establishing new military positions, concentrating instead on housing and What we need are concrete steps to end rural alienation and they must job creation. Who could find fault with that? Rebel fighters relaxing after be taken on a war footing. The security forces are already widely deployedSHARAD ADHIKARI years of war need work to do, they need to earn money. all over the countryside. Let them now start winning hearts and minds bynow? Don’t wait for Kathmandu’s elite to take the lead, do it locally. Meanwhile, a phalanx of well-meaning Nepalis of all social classes and delivering food, repairing trails and making friends in the villages. SpendMPs from the dismissed parliament, VDC and DDC members could allregions need to be made aware of all the peace processes that have gone on money—foreign development money that currently just moulders or getsreach out to local Maoists and get agreement on this. Then a around the world, not just Northern Ireland or Sri Lanka, but all of them. wasted in the capital—creating jobs for stood-down rebel fighters. Formcombination of former fighters, local unemployed and the security forcesThere needs to be talk about a local model of South Africa’s Truth and local committees in the districts and VDCs to build confidence. Soldiers,could get going. It doesn’t need to be donor-led or government- Reconciliation commission to address issues of killings and human rights police, civilian officials, local people and rebels should all meet regularly sponsored.to Presented with a project well under way, no one could fail toabuses. There are countless “experts” here from abroad who claim to know talk about problems and flash points where a little pre-emptive action support it. all about conflict resolution—let them demonstrate their expertise by might avoid tensions. People who’ve left the countryside should be What about setting up a Nepali version of the American Peace Corpspassing it on to Nepalis. encouraged to come back. to fan out into rural areas, assess local needs and meet them? These are random thoughts, fuelled by hope. Seeking peace means One place to start might be Jumla where the dozens of buildings Unemployed youth from the capital might just be the best source of broadening the process beyond secret negotiations in third countries. Let destroyed in last November’s Maoist attack are not yet being repaired, orpersonpower. People could work for minimal expenses and the promise theof bargaining teams get on with their work, and give as many Nepalis as cleared away so a new structure can go up. Why not set up work crews, a lump sum at the end. Work would be co-ordinated through those possible a role in rebuilding and entrenching peace. paid in food or money, whichever people want, and start the reconstructiondefacto local confidence building committees. Town hall and village square meetings could decide what to do first. Again, rebuilding seems an 6 NATION 14 - 20 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2003 TIMES #132 ECONOMY 14 - 20 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2003 TIMES #132 7 SOMEWHERE IN NEPAL by PUSKAR BHUSAL EASYEASYEASY TIMESTIMESTIMES It’s never been easier to “With peace and good governance, subscribe to Nepali Times Healing hands things will automatically pick up…” Just dial this number and leave your Our rush to forgive or forget the past must not address. be allowed to obscure its lessons. Saurav Jyoti is a third-generation entrepreneur from a family-run Nepali business house, the Jyoti Group, whichhydropower. has It is interests the future of Nepal, in trading, and if we exploit the potential it could kickstart the economy. We are glad that the government he triangular struggle for Nepal’s soul is going around manufacturing and lately in hydropower.finally pushed through the privatisation after so much delay. in circles. You can gauge the gravity of the situation Nepali Timestalked to him from the number of phone calls Comrade Prachanda What is holding business back in Nepal? Is it corruption, lack T MIN BAJRACHARYA about the economic situation, prospects and Jyoti Group’s future plans. has been making to leaders of mainstream political parties. of political will? What do we need to do to promote investment, create jobs and move forward? From Girija Prasad Koirala to Madhav Kumar Nepal to The first thing at the moment is obviously peace. We need the How has the economic situation affected business? had to adapt to modern business and managing practices. Narayan Man Bijukchhe, the question is the same: how restoration of peace so foreign and domestic investors will Even during these difficult times, we have not been as Howaffected has the transition been? regain confidence in investing again. After that, the main factor could you? as other players in this segment. The crisis has been moreWe are of beginning to make the transition, but we may be a affecting a country’s economic growth is political stability so that The rebels didn’t have to recognise Prime Minister an opportunity. When there is a crisis like this, bigger playersslightly inconservative group. Change is inevitable and necessary. there is a continuity of policies, accountability and visionary the market are affected more. Since we are smaller weIt areis beginning to take place but perhaps not as quickly as one Lokendra Bahadur Chand’s government to feel comfortable leadership. We’re basically talking about ways to ensure good affected less. At Philips, for instance, we have doubledwould our like it to. Overnight transition is also not possible, and talking to his housing and physical planning minister. They governance, after that things will automatically pick up. Without sales every year in the last two years. So we are very optimisticmay not be desirable. This is a family business that is almost that, I don’t see Nepal improving. outsmarted the rest of us in recognising the futility of talking that with the situation improving and the peace talks taking45 years old. We have a lot of people who have been with us to mainstream political parties pushed to the margins. If the place, things will get better and our business will also fromgrow the beginning, and there are benefits to having all that In a country like Nepal, do business houses like yours have a many folds more. experience, loyalty and trust. With the transition to modern people don’t seem to have a problem with the palace having mission statement where you look beyond profit at the management, you may find more efficiency and productivity, but become the real repository of power, how could those who common good? It seems to be a paradox that despite the crisis and lowerthere may be other traits you cannot buy in a manager. So, there Yes, we do. From my grandfather’s time, we have always have been fighting in their name? purchasing power, sales are up. How do you explain arethat? pros and cons. The new ventures we are getting into require looked beyond profit. Profit per se is not bad. You need it to That was the easy part. For an organisation that has We are very young in this market. The others have beenhiring here totallyfor new staff and professionals. We have to go about keep things going. But that is not all. In our mission decades and they are very established but when there bringingis a slow changes with older established companies in our thrived in subterranean existence, transparent action can statement, we’ve addressed community upliftment. Being slump, the bigger guys have more layoffs. We are just group.coming often prove traumatic. In his first formal interview since last Newars, we are committed to various community into the market and are more aggressive. It helps that Philips development activities. You don’t hear much about this month’s cease-fire, the Maoist supremo said the success of the customers tend to be more techno-savvy. They know aboutYour thegroup is getting into ceramics, what are your other Lokendra Bahadur Chand because we don’t make a big fuss, but the idea is to peace talks would depend on a serious approach by all three products they want to buy. Such people are better customers,future expansion plans? give back to the community what it has given to us over the and sales are not as buffeted by an economic slump. Actually, ceramics is not new to us. My grandfather started Himal camps. We can holler all we want about how the record puts years. Ceramics which made traditional red clay tiles in Bhaktapur. The

543333 the onus on the rebels to prove their commitment to peace. How about your other products, like cars? new modern factory in Panchkhal called Jyoti Ceramics, is the Their understanding of events hardly resembles ours. Honda cars are a long-term investment. Our new set-upbiggest of the tile factory in Nepal that makes a variety of basic tiles in Actually, the Maoist perspective on why the last peace talks three-S facility service has been a big investment, but wedifferent are sizes. Despite delays, production will be starting soon. failed might succeed in illuminating the ambiguous course looking beyond just short-term gain, keeping in mind theWe future. are very excited about this project. Demand for traditional ahead. (It turns out that Sher Bahadur Deuba’s original But again, despite the situation, we are doing reasonablytiles well is growing with the renaissance in traditional architecture in strategy to prolong his tenure consisted of dragging on the with sales. This could be due to the worldwide brand Patan and elsewhere. In the second phase we may invest in a recognition of Honda as a quality product that customersglazing trust. unit to make modern tiles. peace talks as long as he could.) But even then we were prepared for the worst. Any other areas? THE FULBRIGHT & THE EAST-WEST CENTER The Maoists have a real interest in leaving the past in Jyoti Group is now also into hydropower. We are a part of BPC You are one of the traditional Nepali family houses thatwith has a consortium of investors. We are very optimistic about 2003 SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION suspended animation. By focusing on the objective realities that impelled them towards dialogue, they can talk of war The Commission for Educational Exchange between the United States and Nepal and peace in the same breath with Clausewitzian conviction. (USEF/Nepal) announces the 2003 competition for the Fulbright and the East-West Our rush to forgive or forget the past must not be allowed to Center (EWC) Scholarships. Those selected would begin their studies in the US obscure its lessons, particularly those pertaining to the beginning August-September, 2004. (a) The Fulbright program provides all expenses nation’s early-detection capabilities. Chiranjibi Wagle and (including travel) for a Master’s degree program of up to two years at selected U.S. Krishna Bahadur Mahara were two days away from the universities, in any field except medicine, engineering or computer science. (b) the second round of peace talks in Bardiya on 9/11. It was EWC scholarships of the University of Hawaii (UH) are available for Master’s or becoming clear after the 10PM English news on NTV that doctoral-level study in any field offered at UH and cover all tuition and fees, but not the status quo had lost its relevance. The peace talks would travel expenses. Applicants for either program may be employees in any government or semi-government agency, private business, NGO or INGO. have to continue with greater urgency. Or the rebels would Girija Prasad Koirala have to return to the jungles before the battle lines of the General Requirements for Entering the Competition emerging war on terror became clearer. The Maoists suspended their demand for a republic as Badal’s stock All applicants must: soared among cadres in the rural hinterlands. In those 1. possess Nepali citizenship; delicate times, the scales could have tipped either way. 2. demonstrate in post-intermediate degrees a minimum aggregate marks of: It was a monumental mistake to have treated Mahara’s 56% for students in non-technical fields (humanities and social sciences), and threat in Bharatpur to create our own versions of the World 60% for students in science and technical fields. (The minimum requirements Trade Centre and Pentagon as little more than a creative for students under the semester system are: 65% in non-technical fields; 70% metaphor. The parties in parliament could have tempered in technical fields; or a Cumulative GPA of 3.5/4.0 in either field.) 3. have a high level of competence in speaking, reading and writing English. the talks, but they were busy provoking each side to pummel (Applicants who pass the first screening will be required to sit for an English the other. The primary task today is to watch for telltale test during the application process. The test requirement will be waived for signs and the burden falls on the mainstream parties. Amid those who have a valid TOEFL score of 213 or higher and have submitted today’s strategic stalemate, it doesn’t matter which of the two copies of their score reports with their applications.) armed sides is sturdier. The real power could lie with the 4. be under 40 years of age as of the application filing deadline date (March 31, civilian centre if it recognised its central role in the round- 2003); table conference. The forum could serve as the political 5. possess either a four-year bachelor’s degree; or, if the bachelor’s degree was equivalent of a truth and reconciliation commission, where of fewer than four years duration, then a master’s degree is also required, such participants could unmask both democracy’s dictatorial that the total number of years of formal education equals at least 16; tendencies and the moral repugnance of political violence. 6. have at least three years (for men) or one year (for women) of post-bachelor’s Balancing peace and justice, forgetting and forgiving, healing degree, full-time, professional work experience in an area directly relevant to and punishing are all part of the catharsis we’ve sorely the applicant’s chosen field of study as of the application filing deadline date (March 31, 2003) and document this experience by letter(s) from employer(s) needed since the creation of modern Nepal. Madhav Kumar Nepal that verify applicant’s position(s) and years of employment; Progressive mainstream political parties want to preserve 7. be in excellent health, as evidenced by a letter from a medical doctor; and the gains of 1990 while speech writers at the “regressive” 8. be eligible for a U.S. visa. palace are busy defining the monarch’s role in the 21 Note: Individuals holding master’s degrees equivalent to a U.S. master’s degree are ineligible to apply for the Fulbright scholarship competition, but are eligible to apply for the East-West Center competition Ph.D. program; and individuals who have previously resided in the United States for six months or more during the preceding five years are ineligible to apply for both the competitions. (Applicants must submit documentary evidence for items No. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7.) st

Application Forms & Deadlines century. Such contradictions are bound to encircle the Application forms and detailed information regarding the competition are available round-table conference. The strength and value of the from: the USEF/Nepal office at the American Center in Gyaneshwor (between 11 a.m. deliberations would depend on the independence with - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday); the Ministry of Education; the National Planning which the forum operates and the credibility that it holds Commission; Tribhuvan University Rector’s Office; Kathmandu University Rector’s among the people. Office; and with Campus Chiefs at out of the Valley degree campuses. Applications Koirala made a promising contribution in Dhangadi last and information may also be accessed and downloaded from the Commissionís week by asserting that Kangresis were ready to accept moral website: www.fulbrightnepal.org.np. Application forms must be taken out from the responsibility for the ills of 12 years of democracy. More USEF office or downloaded from the website by 4:00 p.m. Friday, March 21, 2003. No applications will be given out after this date. Duplicate, hardcopy, completed important was his plea to the people to recognise the good applications must reach the Fulbright Commission (USEF) no later than 4:00 p.m. things that have happened during this period. It might take Monday, March 31, 2003. Incomplete applications or applications received after this an anguished nation a little longer to establish the deadline will not be considered. authenticity of such candour. With more of it, though, the healing process could begin. Prachanda 8 ECO-TOURISM 14 - 20 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2003 TIMES #132 9

There is a rumble in the jungle as Nepal’s most-famous national Chitwanpark gears up to callingwelcome tourists again.

play the crowds, especially if they spy bananas on their

visitors. The baby elephants BILAL JOO have each had their Royal Bengalmeets Tiger the sighted wide valleyat of the Narayani Safari is situated on a naturalist, bird watching Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge, Chitwan. Chitwan Jungle Lodge, Chitwan. Chitwan JungleRapti Lodge, River, Chitwan. the world is a A rhino grazes at the perimeter of Machan Wildlife Resort, Chitwan. BILAL JOO excursions, evening slide bluff overlooking the Rapti and wild and splendid place. provides an unparalleled jungle SRADDHA BASNYAT shows and boating on the river Nestled between the the lonely traveller. Kasi Ram fish species are among the known experience with fantastic sunset in length, restricting Gharials grassland sweeping north to A one-horse town two decades in CHITWAN where you may see the rare and Arjun are in the back, ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ inhabitants of the jungle. almost exclusively to hunting ago, Sauraha now teems with river dolphin swimming views. the Mahabharata range and crunching numbers to make hitwan used to be Chitwan is also a haven for several for fish, a relief for those who over 50 budget hotels. But alas, alongside. Spotting Gharials Its true magic is found in virgin jungle extending ends meet. “We hope things the happy hunting endangered mammals, including want to take a quick dip in the Sauraha is quiet. At Unique sunning themselves is almost a nuaran, a the peaceful coexistence of south to the Churia hills is will improve. This is how we grounds of Nepal’s the Royal Bengal Tiger, the rivers. Wild Resort, there isn’t a single certainty as are water birds special naming ceremony. Some multiethnic communities. Machan Wildlife Resort. survive.” royals until it was Greater One Horn Rhino and the Then there is Chitwan guest in sight and no one greets that stilt and stalk the river even have a rice feeding Chitwan is a Nepali melting pot Bungalows crafted in the declared a national Gangetic Dolphin. Jungle Lodge which borrows its banks. February is the best ceremony, orpasni after six and there are Chettris, Magars, traditional Tharu design In the old days, even royal aesthetics from traditional park in 1973. Ever since, time of year to visit. The days months, though they continue Brahmins and Gurungs who decorated with brilliantly CCnature lovers have flocked here visitors made do with tents or migrated here from the Tharu architecture. Mud colourful art have upper C are warm and the nights cold CC to feed on their mother’s milk machans perched high in the walled huts with comfortable from all over the world to do enough to ensure the fog mountains to the north. bunks especially suitable for trees. Today, the discerning until they turn two. They are twin beds and attached shooting of a different kind: burns off quickly at dawn to Narayani is now involved in families with children. nature lover need not part with then trained by two older bathrooms blend in perfect with cameras. A safari on display the Annapurnas and community development, Dawn at Chitwan is a creature comforts. There are elephants and an experienced harmony with the wilderness, elephant back through the early Himalchuli to the north. With which is supported by income splendid affair, especially world class lodges operating mahout, eventually learning 35 isolated from villages. Gaurs, morning mist, lurching along the onset of spring come from eco-tourism. seen from a dugout canoe inside the park boundary and oral commands in Tharu. the world’s largest wild oxen, the floodplain of the Rapti to meadows of wildflowers, and Many of Nepal’s 450 drifting gently on the Rapti several others on the fringes. In A little further east is the have come down to the catch a glimpse of a tiger or a with it, the flutter of Greater One Horned River. This is a bird the heart of the jungle, wild legendary Tiger Tops Jungle surrounding lower slopes for rhino has become an essential butterflies and birds. Rhinoceros wander the central paradise, attracting many animals often stroll through the Lodge, the first to be built the dry months in search of part of the Royal Chitwan northern area of the park, and rare species like the Large grounds of the lodges, some of Across the deceptively inside the park. Its tree houses water and greener pastures. National Park experience. Gaida Wildlife Camp is ideally Racquet-tailed Drongo, the them even stopping to nibble atplacid current of the Narayani and bungalows were built with Theseshy creatures return to the This is easily Nepal’s located to observe this majestic Ibis and the Giant the carefully tended flowerbeds.River and a twenty-minute jungle materials and have been favourite wildlife destination mammal. Guests can chose fromdensely forested Churia hills in Hornbill. From Siberia Whether you stay within jeep ride later, an opening in recently refurbished. Solar the south once the monsoon sets for nature lovers with an the forest reveals Temple the luxury lodge or outdoor come the Rhodesial Ducks the park or outside its power lights up the lamp, in. Bird watching is a treat: abundance of flora and fauna: Tiger. Naturalist Ambika jungle camp overlooking the ( perimeters, all visitors are ceiling fan and heated shower visitors from all over the world 570 species of flowering plants, Parajuli gives you a crash in every room. Dungre River. Built in a 40 species of mammals, 486 guaranteed elephant safaris, flock here to see the Nepal Red- course in wildlife biology: the Also accessible by raft, semicircle around the dining bird species, 17 reptiles and 68 nature walks with a trained area, each of the twinsharing headed Trojan, Paradise Greater One Horn Rhino is a Island Jungle Resort is north- Flycatcher, Bengal Florican and bungalows with attached bath 2.5 ton vegetarian, has an east of Tiger Tops on a jungle Giant Hornbill among the many and solar powered shower has a average life span of 50 years, island called Bandarjhola. The resident and migrant bird species sweeping view of the river and two-thirds of which is spent in scrumptious food will make you regularly sighted. Naturalists chakeba chakebi) who jungle beyond. a water hole. forget your mother’s cooking, Ramesh Pradhan and Janak mate for life and are the Temple Tiger staff are and you can wash it down with At the Gharial conservation Chaudhary take guests on subject of many Nepali love eager to show off their latest made-to-order jungle cocktails project in Kasara you can fascinating nature walks through songs. arrivals—three baby elephants, at the surprisingly well-stocked observe fish-eating crocodiles at the jungle, home to 47 species of A quick paddle over the each fathered by a wild male. Tharu bar. In the floodplains of close quarters. Their orchids that bloom in the wet inviting waters of the Rapti Durga Kali, Badri Gaj and the Narayani, ox-bow lakes characteristically long thin season. River, just outside the their older half-brother Ojasho continually transform the snout sometimes reaches 20 feet At the eastern edge of the northern border of the Prashad are friendly and geography of this area. national park where the sal park, and visitors seeking adorable. They have learned to Moving eastwards on the forest of the Chitwan jungle budget accommodation will northern most edge of the park, find themselves in Sauraha.

Safari Narayani Lodge, Chitwan. BILAL JOO From l-r: A machan in the national park, a room at Machan Wildlife Resort, Chitwan and baby elephants at Temple Tiger Jungle Lodge, Chitwan. 10 WORLD 14 - 20 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2003 TIMES #132 14 - 20 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2003 TIMES #132 11

COMMENT by EDUARDO GALEANO OPINION by DEEPAK CHOPRA Aid at risk ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ LONDON- The world’s biggest source of development assistance could be at risk from a new European convention being given final touches. It will review EU institutions and policy framework, including Europe’s development cooperation, something that leading non- governmental organisations say could subordinate development Columbia’s spirit assistance to foreign policy goals. EU aid, at a national and European Priceless values Community level, constitutes the world’s largest development aid package and also is the biggest trading partner for most developingMONTEVIDEO - These days we are This is what it’s about. Everything hen the space shuttle Columbia destroyedThe symbolism of the crash countries. The recommendations will be presented at an EU seeing,heads in of one country after another, Humanity is tired of being used as an alibi for assassins. else is pretext. And the pretexts for this itself on the fiery border between empty space and Earth’s atmosphere, I couldn’t state summit in Greece in June. marches protesting the hankering for there defending us against the demons next bloodbath are an insult to W lies in its redemptive message. But the convention is being challenged by the biggest everwar by the masters of the planet. The of war? Five—the five countries with intelligence. Power equates value with help but wonder at the symbolism. The shuttle broke up over Texas, President Bush’s home state. The craft collection of NGOs on any European issue. A 34-page conventionworld is sweating violence through price. Tell me what you’re paid and vetos on the UN Security Council. was already a symbol of American technology and report outlining a blueprint for future EU “External Actions” makes only every pore, subjected to a military Though these five also happen to be I’ll tell you what you’re worth. But might, and it crashed at a time when American might minimal reference to development cooperation and poverty culture that teaches killing and lying. the principal arms manufacturers of the there are values that far exceed any is creating particular anxiety around the world. eradication. The paper refers to ”strategic interests” rather than Giant demonstrations that will sweep world. We’re in good hands. And how price. No one can buy them because How can all these symbols be put together so values, and development is seen as one of the “instruments theand streets tools” of the world in February are they’re not for sale. They have for the EU to “maximise its influence”, BOND (British Overseas NGOs many owners of democracy are there? that this isn’t just another meaningless disaster to for Development) says in a comment on the convention. Developmentproof that another world is possible. The people vote, but the bankers veto. survived only because they have not tingle the nerves of already anxious people? The advocates say the new proposals may undermine the internationalHumanity is tired of being used as an The world is ruled by a triple-crowned been on the market. most poignant symbol to me was one of the development policy adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2000alibi withfor assassins. And tired of monachy. Five countries make the Irrepressibly alive, these values are astronauts, Kalpana Chawla, whose name jumped poverty eradication at its heart. mourning its dead at the end of every decisions at the International Monetary the energy that stir the secret muscles out of the crew list. war. This time it wants to stop the war Fund. In the World Bank, it’s seven. of civil society. They arise from the Most of the world now knows how remarkable she that would shortly kill them. In the World Trade Organisation, all most ancient memory and common was—the first Indian American to fly in the shuttle, David Grossman, former countries have the right to vote, but sense. Today’s world is each for one of a handful of women picked for the astronaut (IPS) lieutenant colonel in the US army and votes are never held. These organisa- himself. In distant epochs, when we program, a brilliant student and engineer. Even if I a specialist in military education, has tions rule the world and deserve our had not yet evolved from the category didn’t also happen to be Indian, Kalpana’s death shown that man is not naturally gratitude: they flood our countries and of an easy snack on the plate of our would have made me heartsick, because her assigned Solutions to hunger task was as a camera operator. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ inclined to violence. Contrary to what then sell us lead life vests. voracious neighbours, we were able to In other words, she personally took those breath- WASHINGTON - To prevent repeats of a deadly looming famine isthat widely supposed, it is not easy to Let’s make it clear that we are in survive because we knew how to band taking shots of Earth that reveal how small, intimate, could cost thousands of lives, Ethiopia needs to adopt food-for-teach people to kill other people. agreement with the supreme leaders of together to defend and share what we Instruction in violence, which entails had. Today it is more necessary than fragile and beautiful our planet is. In spirit she was school programs, create efficient road networks and develop a the world on one thing: we too are also much like Mother Earth, for by all accounts working food market, says Washington-based International Foodbrutalisation of the soldier, requires enemies of terrorism. We oppose ever before to recall these ancient Kalpana was soft-spoken and modest yet incredibly Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). They warned as many as 15intense million and sustained training. terrorism in all forms. Indeed, we lessons in common sense. strong and determined. If there is a presiding deity of Ethiopians could face famine “potentially even larger than, theAccording 1984- to Grossman, in the could propose a common platform for What is the most commonly used the planet, what would she think about the Columbia? 85 famine”. barracks this training begins at 18 Davos and a common initiative to word in the world today in almost Possibly she would think about how insignificant Although Ethiopian food production has years of age. Outside the barracks, it capture terrorists. We could put up every language? Me. Me, me, me. A technology is compared to what it serves. Yes, the increased by 70 percent since the 1980s, beginsit is at 18 months: from very early “Wanted” posters across the world. scholar of the indigenous languages, Columbia was about space exploration, taking a leap still in dire need of immediate relief. Joachimon, von television administers the lessons Wanted: arms dealers, who need Carlos Lenkersdorf, has found that the beyond gravity, finding a toehold closer to the stars. Braun, director general of IFPRI, said short term right in the home. war like furriers need the cold. most commonly used word by the But the real payload of the space shuttle was a more relief and long term development should be Another American, writer John human question: “Who are we?” Is our identity bridged on three pillars: food-for-education Wanted: the international gang that Mayan communities, a word at the Reed, concluded in 1917 that war centre of their sayings and their way of earthbound, or can we find a new identity suitable for program to promote literacy, a food-for-work kidnaps entire countries but never the beautiful pictures Kalpana took? program to build infrastructure and small-scalecrucifies the truth. Many years later, life, is the word “us”. In Chiapas the releases them, though it receives In every one of those images the Earth is a single investments in trade financing and trade his compatriot, President Bush the millions of dollars in ransom in the word for “us” is “tik”. It was for this banking to help develop market institutions.Father, who launched the first war the World Social Forum, the universal speck of dust and water in a mysteriously curvedpretend to believe in. form of what is called, in underworld space time continuum, and every human being is In December, another US-based Food Firstagainst / Iraq with the noble purpose of model for participatory democracy, was The symbolism of the Columbia’s crash lies in its lingo, debt service. part of one people, one life, one consciousness. The liberating Kuwait, published his created and developed—to say “us”. Institute for Food and Development Policy, Wanted: global criminal syndicates brutality of nationalism atriotismand p divides us inredemptive message—live as if you know the universe blamed the famine in Africa on policies imposedmemoirs. In this volume he confessed largest petroleum reserve, which lies Tik, tik, tik. is watching you. Be at peace with each other, because for stealing food, suppressing wages, consumption for initiating chemical these troubled times, yet look from Kalpana’s that the US bombed Iraq because “a beneath Iraq. It needs to show off the you are warring over imagined differences. by international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the and murdering entire populations. warfare against the air and the climate viewpoint. The children of Earth are children of International Monetary Fund. But IFPRI argues Ethiopia’s persistenthostile regional power couldn’t be of the earth. latest models from the arms industry space automatically, whatever boundaries we We will feel heartsick over the loss of Kalpana food crises were caused by poor governance in the past, the Wanted: rapists of the earth, allowed to take hostage a large part of The Bush administration, less a out on the battlefield. And it has to Chawla and all the crew until this message is recog- helplessness of its farmers, problems with food production andthe world’s non- oil supply”. poisoners of water, thieves of justify the resulting gigantic increase (IPS) government really than an oil pipeline, nised. As long as we ignore it, the painful truth is that functioning markets. Von Braun’s group of donors includes the WorldHow many archangels of peace are the forests. in military spending. every space shuttle crashes to a wounded and Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. Wanted: fanatics of the religion of needs to take over the world’s second (Eduardo Galeano is an activist mutilated Earth, even when it lands successfully. and a writer who participated (IPS) in the third World Social Forum in Porto Alegre.) (Deepak Chopra is a doctor and an author.) (IPS)

ANALYSIS by GUNGWU WANG

even contacted when a now-called Iraq crisis“Gang of Eight” sent weakensa letter of support NATO and EU to US President George Bush on Iraq. They included both established EU HILMI TOROS in ISTANBUL - NATO members Britain, Spain, Italy, Denmark and EU, two Western pillars built onand Portugal as well as accepted NATO’s refusal to come to Turkey’s the principle of consensus, are bothcandidates Poland, Hungary and the being torn apart over the Iraq crisisCzech to Republic. aid cracks open the alliance. such scales that raise serious doubts Greek Prime Minister Costas ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○ on their future ability to act in unison. Simitis, irked but somewhat hapless, History has taught us that alliances,the Cold War and guarded its borders, “The vase is broken,” commentedsaid the letter undermined efforts to groupings and divisions inside Europethere are undoubtedly now certain Middle East Technical University speak with a single voice—and has Divided we stand foreshadow nothing but ills.” duties that fall upon Europe,” he noted. or decades, Western experts have complained about the failure superpowers to something that could be described as dominance by one professor Huseyin Bagci in Ankara,since called an emergency EU Summit Turkey, in the wake of an initial vetofor 17 February to reach a common An Italian observer, Fernando But Professor Bagci goes further. of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to learn Why can’t Asia unite even for super-economy. Either way, no regional unity on politics and security by France, Germany and Belgium ofEU a approach. “We will make an effortMezzetti, put it more bluntly, saying:“Turkey cannot trust its NATO allies.”Fthe value of collective security from Europe’s post-World War has arisen. The only prospect for a feeble identity of interest is the US-backed Turkish demand to planfor Europe to speak with one voice“As of Monday morning 10 FebruaryHis view is that “France does not wantexperience. ASEAN’s leaders have ignored the lessons offered first by theModern sake history, however,of its did own teach Asians security? that disunity led to emergence of some form of economic regionalism, pursued by Asian military assistance to Turkey, Northbecause it is necessary there to be(time a of the French, German and the US and Turkey to be in NATO and ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○ Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s only single line,” he said. Belgian veto) NATO is now longer whatin Europe. France wants to establishthe Common Market and then the European Union. The benefits of European triumphs over them. In the 20 leaders through free-trade agreements. Muslim member and also the lone one “These are definitely historic it was...It will live, but not as before.”the European army and this is part theseof models are supposedly so obvious that it seems Asian disunity can be overcome only if Asia as a whole confronts a bordering Iraq. its European Security and Defence times,” was the comment in the GreekUS Secretary of Defence Donald incomprehensible that ASEAN’s leaders cannot see them. Policy. France wants to extradite the th common enemy. The West will do everything possible to prevent “A serious problem not to be daily Kathimerini onuesday. T “The Rumsfeld has called the veto blocking century, leaders advocating US and Turkey.” East Asia’s apparent disarray over a response to North Korea’s Asians from viewing Westerners as that enemy. In fact, most calls for underestimated,” a sombre NATO outcome of ongoing developments militarywill planning to assist Turkey unity against the colonial and imperial powers emerged. But the Whatever the motives, the result Asian unity are concerned with uniting Asia with the West (often Secretary General Lord Robertson determine the future of European “shameful,” further distancing the nuclear démarche brings these complaints into the open once again. Europeans, who controlled over half the globe, seemed able to disrupt acknowledged. integration, the nature of EU-US ties,United States from what he once calledis that Turkey, while trying to enterA North Korea with nuclear bombs surely poses a common threat to equated with the interests of the whole world) against some part of The sharp NATO disunity came and the new face of the Old Continent.“Old Europe” in reference to FranceEU, is being pushed more and more any temporary gains. and Germany. toward the US, now in open split withall Asians. Everybody, it is said, should help the US put Kim Jong Il Asia, whether it be Iraq, Iran, North Korea or Myanmar. Given that less than two weeks after the European Over the past decade, Asia moved from division between two major EU powers conceived as in his place. The fact that North Korea’s close neighbours seem most Asian leaders believe Asian disunity Union displayed its own division within. The NATO split, even within delaying Turkey’s speedy accession to Greece, holding the rotating EU European members, came forth as the unable to grasp this seems to confirm that Asian disunity is not just the EU. made the West all-powerful in the first presidency, was “stunned” it was not Netherlands said it would ship Patriot stupid, but chronic and wilful. Turkey’s own view is that while it place, these calls are treated with under- defence missiles to Turkey. But history and geography matter in assessing the nature of a The NATO blow to Turkey, comingseeks peace, it feels compelled to standable caution. play an active role in an eventual war after persistent EU doubts on its threat. Different traditions in tactical and strategic thinking also to protect its national interest in post- What, then, of the future? If the global accession to the club, was taken in a war settlements. matter—to say nothing of the unique way Europeans forged their economy continues to integrate, will the low-key manner in the midst of a long current cooperative arrangements out of aggressive nation-states religious holiday, but anger is seething Some non-official commentary is prospect of Asian unity be enhanced or that shared a common civilisation. beneath. even harsher on NATO. “Really,” asks hindered? Much depends on whether the Foreign Minister Yasar Yasir heldwriter Burak Bektil, “What’s the use of Nothing in Asia’s history, however, remotely compares to NATO if one of its members, for the view that even dissenting France, West retains its sway in other parts of the entirely external reasons, is exposedEurope’s half-century of division and veritable occupation by two Germany and Belgium agree in the to missile threat from a rogue regime world. If that dominance continues through “essence” of protecting NATO bulwark rival superpowers. So it is no surprise that Asia’s leaders do not look and its other members refuse to help Turkey, but had a “disagreement” over to Europe for solutions to their regional problems. increasingly powerful networking protect it by sending some war toys— the timing, seeing any planning now as a couple of early warning aircraft and A jagged line loosely joining Tokyo to Jakarta via Seoul, Taipei, technologies, the chances of Asia creating a too soon and likely to jeopardize their a few missile interceptors, not even continuing efforts to avoid a US-led Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore was sufficient distinct unity of its own are slim. men to fight?” war on Iraq. We can see why Asian leaders appear two- Another view is that when the to sustain international cooperation. But that cooperation was In an imminent war, both French chips are down, NATO will come to nothing like a lasting alliance. faced or unreliable in the eyes of Europe and and German officials have told Turkey Turkey’s help, but the dispute, whether the two countries would come to its Why? There are many layers of explanation. At one level, Asian the US. Asia cannot afford to unite against the it is now or later, simply shows NATO assistance under the NATO umbrella. is losing the unity it once had in thehistory has been dominated by rival elites from China, “Turkestan”, West. But Asia equally cannot afford to divide Prime Minister Abdullah Gul wasface of overpowering Soviet threat—India, Persia, “Arabia”, Japan and Java to name but a few, who itself by ostracising one of its parts. For that slightly more forthcoming. “In the and with frictions already evident overclaimed to lead separate indigenous cultural entities. This differs way lies permanent dependence on same way that Turkey protected thethe Balkans now coming to a boil. whole of Europe for 50 years during markedly from Europe’s shared Greco-Roman-Christian civilisation. the West. Throughout Asian history, the continent’s ancient foundations of (© Project Syndiacte) power were more sharply divided from one another—and over much longer time spans—than in Europe. (Gungwu Wang is the director of the East Asia Institute, University of Singapore.) 12 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 14 - 20 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2003 TIMES #132 HISTORY AND CULTURE 14 - 20 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2003 TIMES #132 13

FEEDBACK by ARUNA KANDEL Speaking his mind Samrat, ManjushreeFor theand love of a guru Deshanter, 9 February REVIEWby ANAGHA NEELAKANTANThe Guru of Love is a more mature Excerpts of an interview with Mohan Bikram Singh, general secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ (Unity Centre). n The Guru of Love, Samrat work thanArresting it throwsGod. up. English writing in Nepali○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○ Upadhyay fine-tunes the behaviour at other times. Her Upadhyay is open to the criticism Have your ëdisciplesí come to their senses yet? I preoccupations in his first behaviour is simultaneously instinctiveof ‘pandering’ to a Western audience, It’s not good to categorise people as guru and disciple. For some time in the communist movement all of publication, the award-winning and thought out, something that makesan allegation often levelled against us were united. Differences and controversy caused the split in our ranks. On the subject of seeing “Samrat looks all her, more than Goma, a rather everyday sense, I think it’s just a matter of the Maoist leadership learning to analyse situations in a way that collection of short stories,Arresting Indian writers. And, to be sure, on we’ve always done. set to continue God in Kathmandu. Readers will find sort of person. As for Goma, she is occasion he explains too much, hardly making a fool of herself. Insteadperhaps, for the reader familiar with or We define the Maoists as “rightist opportunists” because they tried to bargain with “reactionary many similar themes—aspiration and of seeing her as an embodiment of from Nepal. But the criticism, so easy forces” through the so-called “people’s war” in an attempt to wrest power by all means possible. This packaging its thwarting, love and lust of many female (Hindu, South Asian) “power”,to make, does not really stick. Some is why we think the main objective behind their current ceasefire is to consolidate power through this kinds, empathetic but refreshingly method. NEPALNEWS.COM Nepalis as solely it is equally possible to see her as an things about unsentimental portrayals of lives made individual within a cultural context that governed by their difficult when their ordinariness runs allows her to mete out punishment in What do the king and Maoists want out of the peace talks? into modernity and its new gray areas, That’s obvious. The king wants to strengthen the position of the Royal Nepali Army, thereby a particular way that not many people The Guru of Love are far consolidating his own position, while the Maoists still want power, even if they have to share it, libidinal drives, and characters who wander the streets have the stomach for—by not just of Kathmandu both questing and too local. The details of the city, for through whatever way possible. While the Nepali Congress has taken a clear stand on the issue of complicating her husband’s joy in his instance, will only make sense to democracy the UML is still sitting on the fence. There must certainly have been discussions and a with Manjushree escaping. extramarital affair or forcing him to seesomeone familiar with Kathmandu. written understanding between the king and the Maoists, which haven’t been made public. It’s not good The problem, I suspect, will be how untenable his attempt to balance to veil such moves behind a curtain of secrecy. that his party does not recognise fundamental interests of the patting him on Other aspects of the book are what Add it up getting readers in Nepal and the rest oftwo intimate loves is, but also by might be called “universal”, at least to ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the Chand government. The country and the Nepali people, the subcontinent past the title, which Do you think India is taking advantage of the Maoists, especially after the Siliguri meeting the back.” inflicting pain on herself. people who live with certain concepts of Nepal Samancharpatra, 9 February rebels also expressed their Prachanda also warned of a in August last year? seems egregiously orientalising of the Goma’s gesture is so dramatic, it love, fidelity and loss, of how children Subhechha Bindu displeasure at government-owned decisive battle breaking the author’s own country. Once you India wants to see the Maoists become so strong that the Nepali security apparatus fails to control it media ignoring their decision to ceasefire if any conspiracy is will likely dominate most discussions unwittingly grow up as they absorb the and has to seek Indian assistance. And the help they lend Nepal would be motivated by their own t is a matter of great significance that of latethey are free to write what they want to, but manageit to pick up the book and read withdraw the Nepal bandh and hatched against the Maoists. In of pain of their parents lives, of ‘moving interests. The Social Welfare Council we have writers with Nepali background won’t do them any good by objecting to it, though, you realise that as titles go, up’ in the world, of how orders change, the revelation of their negotiation the three-page address, he said writing in English. Representing a tiny sectiondiscussions on their representation of Nepal (and (SWC) has signed a bilateral I it isn’t entirely inappropriate, and but so often only to make worse the Are the peace talks likely to succeed? team. The Maoists have made different reactionary forces in we Nepali hapless lot) by Nepali readers. The agreement worth Rs 2 billion with of Nepali demographic terrain that has chosen to more than being exoticising, is a half- frustration with which the lower middle The palace, India and the US in their own way are using the ceasefire, talks and other Maoist activities. clear their proposed peace talk is the world had increased globalise, writers like Samrat Upadhyay and question of representation is not an anachronistic The Guru of Love, and morph into two big international non- serious, half-ironic comment on the class grapples. When these two come If it serves their purpose it will succeed, otherwise nothing will come of it. with the king and not the activities against Nepal and her Manjushree Thapa speak to an English-readingsubject as Samrat thinks. Surf the net or shuffleprotagonist Ramchandra. debating Upadhyay's preoccupation government organisations to run through any current journal in literary or cultural together they complicate the story, as government. people, heightening the urgency audience to make their identity as well as A mathematics teacher in a with the private and public sexual On what basis do you accuse the Maoists of being pro-monarchy? 94 social development projects. fortunes. Even as they write to cater to the tastestudies and you will be astonished by how much well as its reading, no matter where The latter was ignorant of any for a forward-looking democracy proclivities urban Nepalis could have, The singular aim of the monarchy and the Maoists has been the negation of the achievementsAccording made to the by council, 27 of of western readers, their writing is fluid, of the discussion on representation of gender,government school who also gives which is unfortunate. The book is you’re from. It is unfortunate—and the 1990 People’s Movement. This became increasingly clear in the aftermath of the royal massacre in to strengthen national unity. race, ethnicity, class, nation, and various power the projects are in the health proposals of a ceasefire that was engaging and has secured them a mostly warm private tuition, Ramchandra’s life stronger on other points, and in any more exoticising than anything June 2001. For instance, the main targets of violence have been those who that took part in the pro- declared in late January. Some response from Western reviewers. structures in literary/cultural artifacts informs changesthe from a normal lower middle Upadhyay himself has written—that democracy movement. Those for the monarchy or the traditional parties have been relativelysector, unscathed. 24 will be dedicated to research. If Samrat is projecting himself as a case Upadhyay explored that subject analysts view the exclusion as a In addition to translating some Nepali works class existence when he gets a new the blurb for They have attempted time and again to destroy the multiparty system, the community development, 16 will Nepali, he need not forget the decency of well enough in involve children and the rest will strategy by the king and the into English, Manjushree has attempted a cultural tutee, Malati. Malati is a single Arresting God in present constitution and dissolve the parliament. mutuality. work towards common objectives.Maoists to keep away possible Narahari intervention through her debutThe novel Tutor of mother in her early 20s who Kathmandu. This new novel does other The Guru of Love ○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○ desperately wants to pass the SLC Most of the donor INGOs foreign interference in domestic History. Samrat has a collection of stories and his things, and it does them quite well. mentions spirituality so forcefully. Are you alluding to a working arrangement between Aparanha,11 February first novelThe Guru of Lovejust launched in the examination so she, too, can move involved in Nepal’s social matters. Upadhyay has a fine eye for nuances ofThis reader saw thankfully little of it the king and the Maoists? Interview with Narahari Acharya US. However, the way these authors have up from a life mired in poverty, class, for “old” communities versus in the book itself, unless you count development are US-based. They have reached an agreement to finish off the political of Nepali Congress started to conduct themselves in public has been seemingly doomed to revolve aroundnewer ones, and for the differences attention to quotidian details and Altogether 27 INGOs supporting system that came into place after 1990. Instead of playing of some concern—from the view they seem to her baby, a temperamental, often between, say, those who are from Ramchandra’s final sense of social development activities in “The government could run into hold about their own place in the republic of abusive stepmother, and the latter’s Kathmandu and those from a humble contentment despite all the the role of a revolutionary party, the Maoists spread terror Nepal have headquarters in the letters to marketing of Nepalis (especially women) Main issues snags at future peace talks small chicken farm in the yard of hinterland background who, once in complications, as more indicative of a and destroyed development infrastructure, which ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ in their works to their Western audience. US, 14 are based in the UK, 11 because it is neither independent the capital, must try that much harder “spiritual” life than similar culminated in the king’s 4 October move. are Japanese and nine are Kantipur, 10 February As a woman I am uncomfortable with their shack. nor elected. Its main function is Ramchandra has been married to survive, and dream that much longerdevelopments in other novels simply German. The remaining are from Advocate Tika Bhattarai to act as a supporting team to Samrat’s representation of Nepali women, who, in about owning a piece of the city. because this is Kathmandu. Could you explain how this is possible? Europe and Asia. SWC data his stories, are no more than sex objects. Nor can for 15 years to his devoted wife His Majesty. There may have I understand Manjushree’s (in spite of her Goma, and has two children, Sanu Also interesting is how Upadhyay The Maoists will sign a pact with anybody if it benefits shows 27 of the currently running The main issue that must be been attempts to include all The Guru of Love is a more mature courageous feminist voice in other write-ups) and Rakesh. Torn between an weaves the them, whether it is the king or India. In Nepali politics, projects may fold by year end. agreed upon between the sides in the proposed uncritical enthusiasm about him (“I rely on the jana andolan into his story. work thanArresting God. The lightness exciting new love, which seems to the king has to weaken the Nepali Congress At the receiving end, Nepali mainstream political parties and government-Maoists talks, but I muse of hard work”, #128). Samrat’s misogyny is Initially it appears in the narrative in of touch works well here to carry to become strong. That is why the NGOs have clearly demarcated the Maoists is political freedom. don’t think the government felt packaged in his artistically sophisticated methods. offer a vision of beauty and an arbitrary manner, but as it appears through a plot that could get weighed palace has tried to use anti- their areas of interest. Out of 842That includes elections on a the need to include political His women are sometimes made awesomely expansiveness missing from his and disappears, surfacing at stray down in melancholy. Upadhyay does Congress forces, including projects that the government has multiparty basis and freedom of parties. A conducive divine as GomaThe in Guru of Love or just struggling existence, and the deep moments to become part of the fabric ofnot overstate things, or make overt the communists, to this permitted for Nepali NGOs, 208 expression. If the Maoists accept environment needs to be created sexually available as in his story “The Good tenderness and sense of lives that Upadhyay creates, occupying sentimental appeals. The story, deftly end. are for youth, 100 are for women, these two fundamental issues, before incorporating parties into Shopkeeper”, only to gratify the male (Samrat’s accountability he feels towards hismost of the characters only plotted, moves at a momentum that 60 related to children, 58 to the then there will be very little the process. They are not likely own) desire for sexual transgression and family, Ramchandra tells Goma peripherally, preoccupied as they are engages the reader even in those phases adultery. One may say they are only characters, with matters of more immediate where not much is “happening” to the environment, 51 to moral differences among the Maoists to join talks in response to a call but look at what Samrat himself says in his chat: about his budding affair. She education, 29 for the disabled, 28 and the major parties. As far as by the government. We demand “Goma shows the complexity with which women reacts in typical Nepali fashion, resonance, until the movement itself characters. The challenge for Upadhyay in health sector and 15 focus on the king is concerned, if he a democratic constitutional must negotiate their existence in our culture.” moving to her maiti. Eventuallygains such momentum, it is impossiblewill perhaps be greater now. He will to ignore. have to be cautious that his themes do education. accepts a popularly elected process…” What does Samrat want? Just a perpetuation comes Goma’s startling This is not to suggest that not wear too thin, that he does not tell candidate as a representative of of that condition through his narrative? And how decision to move back and ask Upadhyay tells “the truth” about a too much of the same story. And the Nepali people, then he many women today would want or do what Malati to share their home, Goma does: ask her husband to bring in his certain period in Kathmandu life or hopefully, now that he is being hailed needn’t stake everything on a and Ramchandra’s bed. constituent assembly. So, if an mistress? What is Samrat asking us Nepali “exposes” it. His realism doesn’t as a major new writer, his publishers It’s tempting to see this the way will not feel pressured to harp on quite interim government is formed women to do? How much water does his simply reflect reality—that would NEA autonomy sweeping generalisation of Nepali women hold? I If Samrat and Manjushree want ourRamchandra’s colleague Shailendra Sir so much about spirituality. with participation of the Maoists ○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○ render much of his work ineffective, if Strategic pawns can’t understand how Manjushree, who managessupport, where is the reciprocity? Moreover,does, as a regression to the “old ways”, only because it might be hard to believe ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ and they participate in a Annapurna Post, 11 February to let her widowed character love a man again in why does Samrat, a diehard fan of post- with the husband taking a second wife the people in them and the things they Tarun, 10 February constitution drafting committee her Tutor of History, appreciates Samrat’s QUOTE OF THE WEEK colonialist theories, not want to recall Gayatrieven as the first martyr-like spouse do. Instead, Upadhyay shows how one like in 1990, then we can expect a patriarchal, Freudian fabulations. Spivak’s idea of an author as a limited sample Nepal Electricity Authority has lives under the same roof. But that understanding of a society or a city can(Anagha Neelakantan is a writer My husband was shot dead when he had gone out (in the evening) to take part in ‘Pende” (a Tharu The Maoist party has decided positive outcome to what decided to provide partial When Manjushree once said she wanted to(of her culture, etc) and Homi Bhabha’s makes for a rather dissatisfying reading based in Kathmandu. The book is concept of a culture’s location? Can an author be used to illuminate a few of the many festival after harvesting the crop). I am sick and there is no one to support me. Now, who will promises to be a lengthy peace autonomy to 18 distribution stop writing for the Nepali literature column in that its supremo Prachanda will escape that trap? Or are these authors of the characters of possibilities for life and behaviour thatnow available in a Rupa special take care of my kids? Shouldn’t the government that killed my innocent husband take care of us?” process. And if we agree on these Nepali Timesbecause she did not get enough remain underground even in the centres all over the country to displaying their cultural situatedness by Nepal edition in Kathmandu book event of a Maoist led government.issues there will not be much make them more efficient. The feedback, I was sad. But now I understand thehanging on to corrupt and vanishing cultures shops for Rs 250) -Firi Chaudhary, widow of Sharad Chaudhary, narrating her story at a public hearing in Dang this Our sources reveal he would not difficulty in accommodating the decision was taken by the NEA latent message after reading her question to like polygamy (asThe in Guru of Love) or Samrat in her writerly chat. She asks him to The Guru of Love rebel army and hitherto sidelined board of directors chaired by unethical, irresponsible sexual adventures, to week, as quoted by Nepal Samacharpatra, 12 February. meet the monarch even if the comment on a rumour, “word has it that . . . some castes and ethnic communities. provide the West with yet another exotic as archetypes, the novel itself as simple Maoists are offered the position Minister for Water Resources, professors at the Tribhuvan University English version of Nepal in the name of realist representation, and Upadhyay as of creating an interim government Dipak Gyawali, on Monday. The department have discouraged academic “deconstructing” her earlier misrepresentation?a spokesman of all things Nepali, or at for a constituent assembly. He decision will come into effect on discussion of your writing.” I only remember a least Kathmandu. As in turned down a meeting at the 13 February. The new regulation large number of the now implicated faculty talk As a well-wisher of these authors, I’m Arresting God palace prior to the present provides full autonomy to the enthusiastically about his and Manjushree’s worried by their present trend of squanderingin Kathmandu, here too instantly works on several occasions, and my taking energy in reader-bashing and exoticising Nepali in ceasefire. th centres allowing for commercial recognisable streets, turns of phrase 7 anniversary exception to victimisation of females in Samrat’sFreudian terms. Samrat looks all set to continueand gestures simulate a Kathmandu we During the last failed peace activities for self-sufficiency. It imperial stories. Perhaps it is Manjushree’spackaging Nepalis as solely governed by their ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ all know. But the characters are usually talks, Prachanda was portrayed as Nepal Samacharpatra, has also introduced a provision chagrin more than Samrat’s that her novel islibidinal drives (as if there are no other contexts of reward and punishment to not taught at Tribhuvan University. Wouldn’tand it conditions), and especially women as sexnot people we all know, but familiar a conservative militarist, whereas 10 February Baburam Bhattarai was put across centres based on performance. help to remember that, standardised canonsobjects, with Manjushree patting him on the back.figures somehow distorted, so their The centres can share profits by aside, no such sponsorship is essential to Thisany will preclude a more rigorous cultural workchoices in and actions illuminate concerns as a pro-talk leader within the Chairman of the underground writer’s repute? the interest of transforming the reality that giving consumers rebates. The and trains of thought usually Maoist party. Badal’s presence on Maoist party, Prachanda, has Manjushree and Samrat must also renegotiateManjushree in her novel only begins to identify. I’m centres covered are: Kathmandu not trying to start a quarrel, but good friends sublimated. the latest Maoist negotiation asked for the forthcoming peace their selves and the identities they are projecting team is said to be at the request centre, East Kathmandu, West should not refrain from healthy criticism. A good example of this talks to involve all political Kathmandu, Lalitpur, through critical debates and writings. Of course, of the palace. sublimation is inThe Guru of Love parties, intelligentsia and the Bhaktapur, Pulchok, Thimi, Some members of the cabinet (Aruna Kandel did her MA in geographyitself. While the reasons for general public, instead of limiting North Kathmandu, Birganj, from Tribhuvan University, where she wasRamchandra’s enthusiasm for his claim the present ceasefire has itself to the government and the also a student of English.) Bharatpur, Janakpur, Biratnagar, student are laid out, obliquely, as is been initiated without a code of Maoists. In a message issued on Hetauda, Dharan, Pokhara, conduct. Two weeks after the the seventh anniversary of the perhaps the only way to explain “love”, Bhairahawa, Butwal and it is difficult to understand why Malati Maoists announced their “people’s war”, Prachanda said Nepalganj. Together, they cover negotiation team, the government meaningful results would be decides to get involved with him. She 60 percent of NEA consumers seems to get into the affair almost Prachanda on phone to political leaders: “You must understand: has yet to reciprocate with its list.difficult without the active and represent 70 percent of Meanwhile, a statement released participation of the masses. unthinkingly, saying little, just we don’t want to remain in the jungle forever.” Nepal’s electricity use. responding to Ramchandra’s overtures. Trash: United Struggle by Prachanda has made it clear Reiterating that his party would not agree to anything against the Malati may be unconventional in many Utam Nepal in Himalaya Times , 8 February . ways, but she adheres to given ways of 14 CITY 14 - 20 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2003 TIMES #132 TECHNOLOGY 14 - 20 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2003 TIMES #132 15 YAK YETI YAK by MIKU Weaving ABOUT TOWN WWW 2003 proves we’re FESTIVAL AND EXHIBITIONS without being simplistic and Tibetan authentic paintings, furniture and ritual objects at Pathibhara Thangka Art Gallery, not in digital darkness.stays true to the anti- Thamel till 10 March. 256004 BOOKWORM establishmenta punk ethos. The content is a witty complementweb to Contemporary Japanese Architecture 1985-1996 11-20 February at Nepal Art Council Kama Sutra: Amorous man and Sensuous woman the style philosophy of the site. Gallery, Baber Mahal. Lustre India, 1995 Copperware exhibition and Mexican sale design hand hammered copper goods. 10.30 Rs 1,112 The official site of the AM-4PM on 21 February at Babar Mahal Revisited. 251647 This his-and-her double volume of the Kama sutra is beautifully presented in a beribboned folio. Kathmandu University’s two- Festive Moodsby Pradip Kumar Bajracharya at Siddhartha Art Gallery till 25 February. Baber Vatsyayana’s teachings on the art of love are illustrated with reproductions of Rajasthani miniature day Project Exhibition 2002, Mahal Revisited, 411122 paintings and art from the Khajuraho temples in India. http://www.sphosting.com/ manozchandi/kukupex/ EVENTSEVENTSEVENTS Sex and Relationships: The complete family guide Richard Walker BSc Phd intro.htm, won Second Salsa dance workshop17-22 February. Salsa party at Rox on 22 February. Rs 600. 416430 De Agnostini, Italy Runner Up this year. It was Rs 1,470 NumafungCharity show at Jai Nepal Hall in support of Jeevan Kalyan Kendra. 9.45 AM on 16 designed by Manoz Chandi A comprehensive exploration of physical and emotional development, puberty and adolescence, February. Promote Nepal. 271022, 286681 Shrestha, a 4 contraception, body image, sexual health, libido and sexual pleasure and crucially, relationships. 2nd Pokhara Marathon 20598AM on 18 February from Pokhara Rangashala, Pokhara. Invaluable for the whole family. 061-22978/31927/28928 Kathmandu Festival2059 18-23 February Hanumandhoka Durbar Square, Basantapur. Ensnared by AIDS: Cultural Contexts of HIV/AIDS in Nepal Inauguration of Asman Kehl Bari at Kanti Children’s Hospital by HRH Princess Shova Rajya David K Beine PhD th year computer The content category Laxmi Devi Shah at 2PM on 18 February. All Asmanites invited. Mandala Book Point, 2003 engineering student. Mainly winner, http:// Shukrabar Gert M Wegner and friends 5.30 PM on 21 February 2003 at Patan Museum. 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For inclusion in the listing send information to [email protected] Mon-Fri 0615-0645orld BBC Today W Sat 0615-0645BBC Reporting Religion NEPALI WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL VIS -13 -02-2003 03:00 GMT Sun 0615-0645BBC Agenda Just as a point of interest, look that those three beautiful g]kfnL ;]]]jf cyclones all in a row, moving from east to west in the Daily 2045-2115BBC southern Indian Ocean on Thursday morning. Not that it matters much to the weather over the subcontinent where it Daily 2245-2300BBCg] kfnL ;]]]jf is a settled picture. We will see a rapid advance into spring from here on, with the advent of warm air from the Indo- Ps}}}l5g\\\ -/]]]l8of]]] klqsf_ Gangetic plains. There are no westerlies that threaten us Sun-Fri 0740-0800 immediately, so expect a steady rise in maximum temperatures into early next week, along with increased haze Sun-Fri 0800-0830 8anL8anL8anL -ljifout-ljifout-ljifout cGt/lqmof_cGt/lqmof_cGt/lqmof_ and dust in the atmosphere, and misty mornings. Higher altitudes and mountain valleys will begin to see convection Sun-Fri 2000-2030 cfhsf s'''''/f -;d;fdlos ljifodf ax;_ cloud buildups with snow flurries towards the afternoon. Sat 0800- 0830zflGt cleofg Sat 1930- 2000cfrf/ ljrf/ -e|||i6frf/lj?4 ;xsfo{_{_{_ KATHMANDU VALLEY Sat 2000- 2030s"6gLlts d~r

Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Radio Sagarmatha P.O. Box 6958, Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681, Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227 21-03 22-03 23-03 24-03 24-03 /]l8of ] ;u/dfyf E-mail: [email protected], www.radiosagarmatha.org 16 14 - 20 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2003 TIMES #132 Under My Hat

by Kunda Dixit Wrestling with our

eroticregimen past closely integrated with three other ancient sports—yoga, wrestling and kabbadi. t is hard to tell today that we are a people whose No wonder, then, that some of the x-rated ancestors contributed valuable research data to struts on our temples show erotica that look IProf Vatsyayana so he could write his bestsellinguncannily like Greco-Roman wrestling. Imagine book,The Kamasutra. It is clear as we look around all the extra calories they burnt when protagonists us today that we are only a shadow of the in the same weight class grabbed each other in outstanding and upright people we once were. So firm half-nelsons, pulled each other over with let us take the opportunity of International gut-wrenches and ankle-laces, followed by vice- Valentine Day and our own Annual Mating Season like body-locks. this week to remember past masters in the art of love. In a manoeuvre that the Those were the days when we didn’t beat World Wrestling Federation around the bush when it came now calls “Reversal” (which to birds and bees: we got earns the player three bonus straight to the point. Of course, points) the passive encounter our women then, as today, ends when the man underneath pretended not to know what completely reverses his position that point was exactly, but we and comes to the top position. knew they knew that we knew The other below-the-belt it was only a question of time move is called the crotch-lift, before they got the drift. and a WWF manual says this Much of the valuable position can be employed by ornithological and apiarian data the aggressor to execute holds we Nepalis amassed through with his or her arms and legs, the millennia was lost to leading to front head-locks posterity because Prof with amplitude. Vatsyayana decided that it was We don’t know what the too risqu final outcome of these bouts were, because our ancestors é for his book, and had such fertile imaginations threw it into the bin. Luckily, that they soon ran out of our ancestors had backup hard temples to depict them on. drives from which they rescued But what we do know for a facts and figures and promptly fact is that our forebears also loved to wrestle with carved them into the eaves of sheep, water buffalo and other semi-mythical Kathmandu Valley temples fauna in order to test their strength and stamina. where they have become the In fact, they were such eager sportsmen that they backbone of our tourism industry today. would wrestle withust j about anything that Some of the technical details of this priceless moved. They wrestled in groups, and sometimes corpus of research may be way over our heads, but they even wrestled with themselves. all you need is a pair of powerful binoculars and a Following this grand tradition, it is important for secret vantage point in one of the Valley’s three us this Valentine’s Day to value and preserve our temple squares to unlock the secrets of our holy grand traditions by payingsilent homage to the architecture (From sanskrit: “arch”=dirty, and acrobats who laid the groundwork of the society we We take pride in “itecture”=stuff). are now proud to call our own. And without their These erections give us a peek into what our seminal contribution, we can say with a great deal of ancestors did for fun and games in prehistoric timescertainty that we would not be here today to pen jobs well done. while laying the foundations of our civilisation. these lines of tributefrom thebottoms of all our And it is obvious from a cursory perusal of the hearts. evidence on display that we as a people loved to tie ourselves into knots. This was not just a way to mix pleasure as they went about their business, but also to follow a strenuous exercise JAGADAMBA PRESS [email protected] Tel: (01) 521393, 543017, 547018 Fax: (01) 536390

CDO Regd No. 194/056/57 Lalitpur, Central Region Postal Regd. No. 04/058/59