#755 24 - 30 April 2015 22 pages Rs 50
CHARIOT OF THE RAIN GOD Every 12 years, the chariot of the Red Machhindranath is rebuilt from scratch. On Wednesday, sure enough, it threatened to rain on the rain god’s parade as the chariot was pulled out of Bungamati on its journey to Jawalakhel. PHOTO FEATURE PAGE 10-11
nepalitimes.com Multimedia package with video and photo gallery Makers of Machhindranath
CYNTHIA CHOO
Nepali in Gallipoli In April 1915, Nepali Gurkha battalions and Allied forces were deployed in the disastrous campaign to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey and threaten Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman Empire. David Seddon presents the first installment of a series of monthly flashbacks of Gurkha involvement in the First World War during which 20,000 Nepalis were killed. PAGE 6 JAJARKOT’S UNSUNG HEROES Battling neglect and apathy, health workers risked their own lives to save hundreds of patients in the Jajarkot flu outbreak. But instead of lauding them, the mainstream media acted like a lynch mob. DESTINATION NEPAL BY OM ASTHA RAI KNOWLEDGE SERIES
BETWEEN THE LINES April Focus: BY TSERING DOLKER GURUNG Transport infrastructure for tourism
PAGE16-17 PAGE RAJENDRA KARKI 19-20 2 EDITORIAL 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755 BECAUSE IT IS THERE his is the year of anniversaries: the the mountain, and clients who do it for 200th year of some of the fiercest sport. Tbattles in 1815 in Kumaon during the Last year’s Everest avalanche may have Anglo-Nepal war, and the 100th anniversary looked initially like a natural disaster, but of the heavy loss of Nepali lives in Gallipoli The lesson from the it was caused by the inherent injustice of in 1915. There are also triumphant Nepali mountaineering today: the most- anniversaries like the 60th of the first Everest tragedy is to poorly paid high-altitude porters and route- ascents of Kangchenjunga and Makalu, two spread the benefits makers are exposed to the most dangerous difficult mountains which always tend to parts of the mountains for the longest be overshadowed by the first Everest climb of mountaineering to period. Expeditions now pool a part of their in 1953. And last week was the tragic first other areas of budgets to pay 'Icefall doctors' to open up anniversary of the avalanche on the Khumbu Nepal and ensure a route through the most dangerous part of Icefall that killed 16 people on 12 April the climb to Camp I. 2014. that mountaineering The free-market laws of supply and In last week’s coverage in this paper of fees go for the demand now make the rules on the the Everest avalanche, Om Astha Rai pointed welfare of high- mountain, not the challenge of pitting out that mountaineering cannot be made human beings against the forces of nature. completely failsafe. In fact, it is the inherent altitude workers As climber David Durkan argued last DEEPAK JUNG RANA danger of climbing that pulls people to peaks. week in this paper, no one wants to stop Nepal has dozens of the highest mountains morality 8km high on the mountain. The failure and bungling in Kathmandu, and the the Everest expedition industry since it in the world where the technical difficulty ethics of climbing forces mountaineers race to the top of the Third Pole has led to is a source of livelihood for so many, but of climbing is compounded by objective to keep their egos in check, look out for dangerous overcrowding on the mountains. we should question the disproportionate dangers of avalanches and rockfall, which in others in trouble even if it means risking Many climbing clients of expeditions danger that the porters and guides are turn are multiplied by altitude and weather. their own lives, ambition has to take a back have very little technical experience and/ forced to put themselves through while It is the spirit of adventure that pushes seat if they are to return to climb another or altitude acclimatisation and have to be being paid the least and getting meagre explorers like George Mallory to the limits day. It’s not by chance that the vocabulary literally pushed to the top, endangering not insurance compensation if they are killed or of the unknown. They don’t philosophise of mountaineering is so militaristic: just themselves but also fellow climbers. wounded. about why they put themselves in harm’s expeditions assault mountains, they need In 1996 a traffic jam on the summit ridge Instead of addressing overcrowding way to climb something that “is there”, they logistics and strategic planning, and like of Everest caused fatal delays, forcing many on the South Col route up Everest, this take it as a given. soldiers, climbers put their lives on the line climbers to bivouac in a blizzard in the year the Nepal government reduced fees Most people find mountaineers ‘crazy’ to conquer peaks. Death Zone. Eight climbers died. In April substantially. It needs to correct this, spread or ‘suicidal’. Who in their right mind would However, it has been clear for some time last year, European climbers going Alpine the benefits of mountaineering to other areas willingly expose themselves to such mortal now that things are not quite what they style had a brawl on the Lhotse Face with of Nepal and ensure that a more substantial danger, discomfort and pain? Yet, there are should be on the world’s highest mountain. Nepali rope-fixers, where the root cause portion of mountaineering fees go to the other rules than those made at sea level that The over-commercialisation of the Everest was a clash of civilisations between high- welfare of the workers who lay their lives govern mountaineering, there is a different industry, a free-for-all caused by regulatory altitude guides who earn their living from on the line to get clients to the top.
YOUR SAY www.nepalitimes.com
CONSTITUTION agenda and headlines will be stories the caste mentality, feudal mindset what Kunda Dixit states. It was Prachanda Baje who had of achievement with little recognition of and its effect etc. I recommend Nepali Gaurab KC THIS WEEK wanted a new constitution, now you the workers who bear most of the risk. youngsters to read his books. opine as if you too had wanted it Norbu Tenzing D Chhetri Nepal’s pioneer anthropologist (‘The 2072 constitution’, Editorial, Dor Bahadur Bista was last seen in #754). You seem to forget what a I wonder if you made it compulsory The reviewer of Kesang Tseten’s Haridwar-Rishikesh ashrams. He ‘protracted war of attrition’ means. to climb at least fi ve 7,000m peaks fi lm Castaway Man says that Dor was also rumoured to be in deep If not a Communist Constitution, before you had a permit. What impact it Bahadur Bista was tagged anti-national study of Karma Yoga. Karma, in fact, then naturally the war of attrition will would have? Hopefully for the better. after his book People of Nepal came is not synonymous with fatalism. continue. Why should the Maoists Onetimeteacher out in 1967. Bista, in fact, returned Destiny as taught in the Vedanta does subscribe to a democratic constitution to Nepal in 1962 without completing not involve an unscientifi c attitude when they had taken up arms against JUSTICE his MA in cultural anthropology at towards natural laws or a breakdown SARA LEVINE (74 LIKES) it in 1996? It may be known as the ‘People’s War’ SOAS. He joined USAID, started his of faith in human endeavour. It could Most liked on Facebook KK Sharma but in reality it was not the people’s independent research, established a be that Bista had fi nally found his More equity on Everest by Om Astha Rai war at all (‘Just justifying war crimes’, good relationship with King Mahendra higher calling. EVEREST Damakant Jayshi, #754). It was a war and published People of Nepal when Grimalji Most shared on Facebook Plastic-free new year, not easy There needs to be an insurance created by cunning cruel politicians King Mahendra was all pervasive and by Sahina Shrestha policy for high altitude workers (‘More just to gain political power by misusing powerful. The book was published SBT Most popular on Twitter equity on Everest’, Om Astha Rai, the trust they gained from the innocent by the government and disseminated Surya Bahadur Thapa was 36 years Disease of neglect by Rajendra Karki #754). Don’t put the responsibility of Nepalis. The Maoist party and its during the Panchayat. During their old when he became prime minister (49 retweets, 25 favourites) insurance premium payment on the leaders are much worse than the international visits King Mahendra and for the fi rst time (‘Surya Bahadur labourer. That needs to be automatic Panchayatis, Kangressi or UML. War Birendra gifted this book to many heads Thapa (1928-2015)’, Om Astha Rai, Most visited online page Looking for Dor Bahadur Bista with the signing of the contract. criminals should be punished by law of state. #755). Today the situation is such by Kunda Dixit (736 views) Namah and victims compensated. The book became a benchmark for that the national politics has been Tashi Lama Nepali anthropology and contributed to monopolised by octogenarians. Most commented Led by the young by Sahina Shrestha And we are told labour issues King Mahendra’s nationalist project and Nobody in his 30s can even dream of (20 comments) including exploitation and low wages Yes, totally agree. It might be consolidated the Nepali identity. In the becoming a prime minister anymore. are just political excuses. Let’s look possible to delay justice, but justice book, Bista acknowledged Mahendra Truth Speaker below mountains too. cannot be denied forever. One day the for giving direction to a new Nepal by Weekly Internet Poll #755 Arpan Shrestha truth will come out. breaking the shackles of isolationism. Surya B Thapa worked for the Q. Should journalists go on sponsored trips? Poudyal Bista’s anthropology and Mahendra’s welfare of Nepal and people of Nepal. David Durkan’s candid opinion politics overlapped. He was a giant among the midgets Total votes: 57 on ‘Everest Inc’ is explicit and DOR BAHADUR Bista was equally trusted by King of Nepali politics. Nepal will miss revealing (’31 Nepali children lost I came to learn a lot about my country Birendra, and from 1970-75 served his leadership badly. May he rest in their fathers’, David Durkan, #754). and social behaviour of Nepalis after His Majesty’s Government in various peace. Unfortunately, there seems to be no reading Dor Bahadur Bista’s book capacities including Consul General Gopal KC sense of urgency for reform. Unless Fatalism and Development (‘Looking in Lhasa and Executive Director of the workers organise and speak as for Dor Bahadur’, Kunda Dixit, #754). Center for Nepal and Asian Studies Surya Bahadur Thapa may be Weekly Internet Poll #756 To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com one, it will be business as usual with The knowledge I gathered still guides (CNAS). Bista’s People of Nepal was by remembered, but not missed. A.S Pradhan Q. Do you support the private schools’ decision to expedition companies dominating the me in understanding Brahmanism, the state and for the state, contrary to raise fees?
Publisher and Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Associate Editor: Tsering Dolker Gurung | Online Producer: Ayesha Shakya | Design: Kiran Maharjan Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu Nepali Times on Facebook [email protected] | www.nepalitimes.com | www.himalmedia.com | Tel: 01-5005601-08 Fax: +977-1-5005518 Follow @nepalitimes on Twitter Marketing: Arjun Karki, Surendra Sharma [email protected] | Advertorials: Ram Krishna Banjara | Subscriptions: Santosh Aryal [email protected] Follow @nepalitimes on Instagram Printed at Jagadamba Press | 01-5250017-19 | www.jagadambapr.com 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755 OPINION 3 The final redemption The good news is that the constitution has become the only way for senior leaders to ensure a political future for themselves
Sushil Koirala’s desperation to is drafted, it will save the ailing Poudel, Sujata Koirala and buy the opposition at any cost. leader all the hassles. But Shekher Koirala, who have all Having lost immediate hope we have it on a close Koirala been very critical of him, isn’t of reigning in Nepal’s political confidante, that it is unlikely. So, going to be easy. power centre, Dahal will take Koirala’s team is gearing up for Oli may have lost faith in any deal that can save him from the showdown. Trouble with the Koirala stepping down after being haunted by the bloody party membership distribution in the statute is drafted, but legacy of his ‘People’s War’. A the districts is only the beginning. prolonging the constitutional presidential lollipop will be It will get uglier. deadlock hasn’t helped brighten a bonus he will not refuse, if Sushil Koirala will need to the prime minister’s future offered. mend old ties and offer sufficient either. Suddenly, drafting the Madhesi leaders Bijay incentive to those on the other constitution at the earliest Gachhadar and Mahanta Thakur side, and even that won’t has become the only way for both made their choices clear necessarily guarantee him a win the senior leaders of all major when they backed the decision since he has rivals within his parties to secure their political to call off street protests and own clan. Managing the egos and careers. Isn’t that a good news enter negotiations, even as ambitions of senior leaders like for all of us? wo weeks ago, we had Upendra Yadav and Rajendra Arjun Narshing KC, Ram Chandra @Anurag_Acharya said in this space that the Mahato fumed at Dahal’s DIWAKAR CHETTRI Topposition has run out of ‘opportunism’. While an NC options and will have no choice leader merely smiled at my but to return to the negotiation mention of the rumours about table. It is likely that the Maoist- Gachhadar’s ‘return to the fold’, led opposition will soon attend my guess is Thakur may be their first Constituent Assembly looking to reassert his stature meeting, since they boycotted the as an elder Madhesi statesman, house in February. something that will qualify him for any constitutional position in the future. It does not take a genius to figure out that the day the constitution is drafted the UML will challenge the NC leadership. It is entirely BY THE WAY plausible that the NC could then Anurag Acharya cobble together a coalition with UCPN(M) and the two Madhesi Among many other things, factions who have 105 seats politics is also determined among them in the legislature by the sum of fears among its parliament. In trying to get the protagonists. Pushpa Kamal Maoists on board, Koirala and Dahal’s fear of disappearing his advisors may be looking into political oblivion forced even further ahead. A stronger him to unilaterally call off Maoist party could help cut street protests and engage in the the UML down to size in the ongoing dialogue. Prime Minister next election by dividing the Sushil Koirala has his own fears left vote bank. KP Oli is smart to manage: for any negotiation enough to understand this, and to succeed, the incentive to therefore does not want to share cooperate among the protagonists any political dividend with the must be greater than that to Maoists. outplay one another. In a reverse But Oli and the UML aren’t prisoner dilemma, both have Koirala’s sole problems. The wisely chosen to maximise their octogenarian may have publicly own gains rather than trying to declared that this is his last inflict maximum harm on each stint at the top job, but those other. close to him have revealed that This inability to dictate a he is not ready to concede the political course and dipping party leadership immediately. public support means the “There is immense pressure on Maoists and the Madhesis are him to contest another term as forced to engage with the ruling there are no other candidates parties. But the government that can match the stature of his assuring the Maoists of the rival Sher Bahadur Deuba,” an judicial review on the landmark NC member close to the party Supreme Court verdict on establishment told me this week. the Truth and Reconciliation If Koirala can talk Deuba out Commission / Commission on of the race for party leadership Enforced Disappearances is with a promise of government plain ridiculous. It demonstrates leadership after the Constitution 4 NATION 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755
BIZ BRIEFS Out of the darkness PROstyle Manhunt Nepalis need a new Electricty Act more urgently than we need a new constitution PROstyle has signed a memorandum of understanding SUJIT ACHARYA clearances to the developer within with Group of Event Entertainer 12 months through a one window (GEE) for sponsoring Manhunt policy. Land acquisition must be International Nepal 2015, which t took Nepal 100 years abolished and land lease started will be held at Army Offi cers’ Club to generate 700 MW of for run of river projects. on 13 June. Application deadline Ihydropower, but it took us just Additionally, while giving for the pageant is 15 May. 10 years to add 600 MW of diesel better concessions to energy generators. Nepal now ranks developers than those offered by among the worst countries in the other nations, stringent penalties Six wheels world in transmission leakage, for delays in getting financial CG | Motocorp, the authorised distributor of wasting more than a third of the closure and starting electricity Suzuki Four Wheelers in Nepal, has introduced energy in the grid. production must be put into its ‘Gaadima Bike Payine, Scratch Gari Jhanai The energy sector is in a state place. Local people must get 10 Kamaine’ off er under which buyers of Suzuki of disarray with piecemeal ideas, per cent investible shares prior to 4 Wheelers will get a guaranteed prize of TVS duplication and too many cooks project construction so they share Wego or TVS Apache. The buyer will also get a spoiling the broth. We do not both potential benefits and risks scratch ticket to win cash prize up to Rs 75,000. even know what our hydropower, SANJOG MANANDHAR – but any local person affiliated solar, wind or other energy self-reliant. Our prime ministers with political parties or creating Surya Golf potentials are, and yet we have would not have to say “the keys disturbances should be excluded. Forty one golfers (34 pros and 7 amateurs) took part in the four-day golf politicians spouting superlatives are not in our hands” anymore. And all the contents of this act tournament sponsored by Surya Nepal at Gokarna Golf Club. Shivaram every chance they get. The shift must come first in a should supersede or override Shrestha is currently in the lead with Bhuwan (Umesh) Nagarkoti after the The chronic loadshedding is a push for electric public transport, the conflicting contents in any third round. In amateur section, Bikash Bogati has been leading since round 1. vivid proof of the lack of vision, turning petrol pumps throughout other prevalent acts or policies, The winner of the championship will get Rs 95,000. The second and the third poor management and governance the country into fast-charging thereby providing absolute winners will receive respectively Rs 60,000 and Rs 44,000. failure. Nepali planners should stations. There must be a policy and unequivocal clarity to the know that to achieve 1 per cent shift to import only electric direction of Nepal’s energy sector. increase in economic growth vehicles, especially for public A federal setup in the new energy generation needs to transportation. Nissan Motors constitution could complicate Fiat’s New Year Life Auto Mobile, the sole increase by 1.5 per cent. is collaborating with Bhutan to the construction of large energy Nepal’s three items of convert all government vehicles projects. Transmission lines distributor of Fiat cars in Nepal, has import that are increasing most and taxis to battery powered should, therefore, be under the introduced a New Year’s off er that dramatically are petroleum vehicles by 2020, there is no jurisdiction of a federal company. promises to provide the Punto Evo products, motor vehicles that run reason Nepal can’t do the same. Contracts for construction of car at Rs 399,000 only. Customers on it, and cooking gas. We spend Generation of cheap transmission lines could go to the can also get instant fi nance facility the equivalent of 40 per cent of electricity would allow Nepal Army, just like for highway on the spot to enjoy this scheme. the annual budget and more than households to switch to electric building. half our foreign currency income stoves, instead of gas, firewood Formation of multiple state- buying these three items. or kerosene. It may seem like a level distribution companies from However, if we had focused utopian dream during these times both government and private on renewable energy to drive of power cuts, but it is possible to sector must be encouraged to our transportation, cooking and have policies in place to generate foster competition and improve manufacturing, we’d have to and distribute enough electricity. services. Similarly, a state-level import only minimal petroleum Electricity proliferation can only tariff commission should be set for buses and aviation. That happen when an effective law up in every federal province. would mean huge savings on our capturing this vision is put into Federal and state power petroleum import bill, which place. But the existing Electricity generation and trading companies could be invested in developing Act is obsolete and defunct. We should be encouraged, and a further infrastructure, boosting could even go as far as to say that national energy planning division growth and cutting our trade drafting a new Electricity Act is should keep track of the national deficit. There would not be more important for the welfare energy data. Micro-grids should any more use for Nepal Oil of the people than drafting a new be encouraged for remote regions. Corporation, and the corruption- constitution. It is time Nepal emerged bred shortages it spawns. An Act with attractive from centuries of darkness, and Electricity in the energy incentives to investors would enacting a new Electricity Act mix would reduce demand for bring in outside equity into would light our way. firewood, on which 72 per cent of energy development. Obstruction Nepalis still depend for cooking. of energy infrastructure, extortion Sujit Acharya is the Chairperson On a national level, a shift to and militant unionism could of the Energy Development renewables would mean that be punishable with tough laws. Council, an umbrella institution Nepal’s political dependence on The Act must begin issuing one for the Nepal’s energy sector that the outside world would also unified license on a competitive is working on a draft of a new diminish as we become more bidding basis and giving all Electricity Act. 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755 5 6 NATION 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755
GURKHAS IN GALLIPOLI: Gurkha soldiers deployed to capture the Gallipoli peninsula in 1915.
landings were initially planned for 23 April, but bad weather caused a two-day postponement and when they did take place, the operation did not go according to plan. Eventually, by the end of the day on 25 April, the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force had succeeded in establishing a beach-head, with the ANZAC at Anzac Cove and the rest of the force on Helles, but at the cost of many thousands of SOURCE: WWW.NZHISTORY.NET.NZ men. The objective now was cancelled the next day due to World War I the capture of the hills which weather. The enemy proceeded to ran roughly north-south along July 28, 1914- November 11, 1918 strengthen their defences. More than 200,000 Gurkhas served in the the main axis of the Gallipoli Gurks vs Turks On 24 March, Hamilton British Army during the First World War, with Peninsula. This was to be arrived in Alexandria. He 20,000 casualties. achieved by moving up the reviewed the situation and ravines that extended from the DAVID SEDDON were sunk and three others came to the conclusion that he Gallipoli Campaign hills down to the sea. Hamilton damaged. Military assistance was was likely to be outnumbered Early 1915 proposed an approach march, by clearly required, and General and outgunned. He wrote to The Allies launch a naval attack to take the night, up three of main ravines Gallipoli Peninsula. In April 1915, Nepali Gurkha Kitchener appointed an old friend Kitchener, requesting more men (Sazli Beit, Chailak and Aghyl). battalions (‘Gurks’) and Allied from the Boer War, General Sir Ian and more ammunition and asking February 19, 1915 From the heads of these ravines forces were deployed in what ‘Johnny’ Hamilton, to command in particular for the deployment Attack abandoned after three battleships are the allies would attack and would prove to be a disastrous the proposed amphibious of the 29th Indian Brigade under sunk. capture the peaks of Chunuk Bair campaign to take control of the high operation. Major General Vaughan Cox, a and Hill Q, and having secured ground of the Gallipoli peninsula On 12 March, Kitchener request he likened to ‘going up to March 12, 1915 these two, attack Battleship in order to threaten Constantinople, told Hamilton: “We are sending a tiger and asking for a small slice General Kitchener appoints General Sir Ian Hill, Baby 700 and Plateau ‘Johnny’ Hamilton to command amphibious the capital of the Ottoman Empire. a military force to support the of venison’. operation. 400 (all of the geographical This is the first installment of fleet at the Dardanelles, and you ‘I am very anxious’, he wrote, features considered strategically a series of flashbacks of the are to have command. You will ‘if possible, to get a brigade March 24, 1915 significant had by now been given involvement of Gurkhas in the First be given the 29th Division from of Gurkhas, so as to complete Hamilton writes to Kitchener requesting names). World War. the regular British Army, two the New Zealand Divisional deployment of the 29th Indian Brigade. In the last few days of April, divisions of Australian and New Organisation with a type of man while the Ottoman forces attacked April 24, 1915 Zealand troops currently in Egypt, who will, I am most certain, be The 29th leaves Port Said for the Dardanelles. the ANZACs, the British and The First Landings the Royal Naval Division and a most valuable on the Gallipoli French began to advance up the Late April 1915 French contingent in all, about peninsula. The scrubby hillsides January 9, 1916 peninsula to where the enemy By the end of 1914, the war on the 70,000 men.” Hamilton and his on the south-west faces of the The campaign ends with more than 130,000 was holding a line in front of the Western Front was deadlocked. staff left London that afternoon plateau are just the sort of terrain casualties, including 44,000 Allied soldiers hill of Achi Baba, around Krithia. There were strong arguments for at 5pm on Friday 13 March by where these little fellows are at and 87,000 Ottoman soldiers. The Gurkhas In the first battle of Krithia on an offensive through the Balkans train, crossed the Channel in their brilliant best… each little recognised for capture of the “Gurkha Bluff” 28 April, the Allies under Major and as the only troops to reach Sari Blair. or even a landing on Germany’s a destroyer and travelled to “Gurk” might be worth his full General Hunter Weston launched Baltic coast, instead of more costly Marseilles where the light cruiser weight in gold at Gallipoli.’ their assault with 13,500 men. confrontations in France and Phaeton was waiting. Kitchener eventually agreed, As darkness descended, they had Belgium. At sea, Hamilton considered and Lieutenant General Sir John failed to achieve their objective These ideas were initially the brief instructions he had been Maxwell, the British Commander with its contingent of Gurkhas and suffered some 3,000 dead, sidelined, but in early 1915 given and a few rough notes, in Chief for Egypt, grudgingly and Sikhs, arriving eventually wounded or missing. Three days the Russians found themselves together with a textbook on the handed over the 29th, which to anchor off Sedd-al-Bahr at later, Allied casualties numbered threatened by Ottoman forces in the Ottoman army, written in 1912, he referred to as ‘the Gurkha 12.30 on 30 April. The troops at least 6,500 and possibly as Caucasus and appealed for some and two small guide books. brigade’. In fact, as originally disembarked and landed in Cape many as 8,000, nearly a third of relief. The British government, He comments in his Gallipoli constituted in October 1914, the Helles at the beginning of May, the men engaged. encouraged by Winston Churchill, Diary 'that his knowledge of brigade consisted of the 14th King five or six days after the invasion Nowhere had the progress decided to mount a naval the Dardanelles at this point, George’s Own Ferozepore Sikhs, of the peninsula had begun. made been more than 600 yards expedition to bombard and take the as headed towards the eastern the 69th Punjabis, the 89th In the meanwhile, the allied and the Allied forces remained Gallipoli Peninsula on the western Mediterranean, was nil. Of the Punjabis and the 1/6th Gurkha forces of the Mediterranean for the most part on or near the shore of the Dardanelles, with Turks, nil. Of the strength of his rifles. It had sailed from Karachi Expeditionary Force -– consisting beaches. Constantinople as its objective. own forces, next to nil.' for Egypt on 2 November 1914 of British and ANZAC (Australian, The British hoped to link up with As he sailed east, renewed under the command of Brigadier New Zealand and Canadian) To be continued in #759 the Russians, knock Turkey out of efforts to sweep the Straits of the General Cox. troops, together with a Division ‘Reinforcements Arrive: Early the war and possibly persuade the Dardanelles clear of mines began For the next six months it of French and North African May 2015.' Balkan states to join the Allies. on 18 March, but several vessels was engaged in the defence of the troops, known as the Corps The naval attack began on 19 were sunk by gunfire from the Suez Canal. Orders were received Expeditionnaire d’Orient -- February 1915, but bad weather Ottoman batteries, while others on 24 April, to embark at Port largely unaware of the substantial nepalitimes.com caused delays and the attack was hit mines. The operation was Said on s.s. Dunluce Castle for the numbers of troops manning the Gallipoli Timeline abandoned after three battleships suspended on 19 March and Dardanelles. The ship sailed east defences, prepared to land. The This has been a particularly wet spring with 20 per cent more precipitation than normal in Kathmandu Valley. The reason is a series of westerly fronts that have brought moisture that fall as rain and snow when they hit the Himalaya and are pushed upwards. This trend will continue into the weekend as afternoon thermals build up into localised storms. They will be pushed along to the east by prevailing winds, but expect thunderstorms for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Higher valleys will get KATHMANDU copious amounts of snow in late afternoon storms. FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY 25° 23° 23° #755 24 - 30 April 2015 13° 13° 13° Circumambulating with Swayambu Billy
LUCIA DE VRIES accident, he broke a leg in several spring of 1994. places and suffered a concussion. Forbes says, “It was a very Doctors warned him that it would special experience. It took almost take years to get back on his feet, two weeks to reach all the spots. if ever. So he decided to learn We started and ended at the Sanskrit. Pashupati temple. We were unable A couple of years later, to find two places, but located the Professor Theodore Riccardi rest.” recommended Forbes to translate Forbes’ book, with the the ninth-century Sanskrit translations and a map of the texts, Nepala-Mahatmya and pilgrim route (below), was Himavatkhanda. published in 2000, entitled The “Slowly but surely the stories Glory of Nepal – A Mythological behind Kathmandu’s sacred Guidebook to Kathmandu Valley. destinations came to life,” Forbes The translator believes that his recalls. During the translation life has been greatly enriched of the Nepala-Mahatmya Forbes by the knowledge of Sanskrit scriptures, and the experience of the pilgrimage. His second book, on the Bagmati River, will come out soon. Based on the Himavatkhanda, it describes the origins of the holy river, and includes the Bagmati Tirtha pilgrimage from Chobar to SOURCE: THE GLORY OF NEPAL Bagdwara, with its 150 bathing came across this sentence: ‘When places. he arrived in the Holy Land of The Swayambu scholar is Nepal he took a ritual bath in the presently working on a translation holy Bagmati River, worshipped of the Vaishvanara Purana about Pashupati, and circumambulated another ancient pilgrimage the sacred Kathmandu Valley.’ destination: the area of holy After reading the story about flames burning off natural gas the pilgrimage of Gunadhya, connected to the goddess Jwala, Forbes started a search of the located in Dailekh. forgotten routes. In his introduction to the book, “In the fall of 1992, I started Forbes notes: “In these days of visiting the places with friends. global warming, when the pristine LUCIA DE VRIES Some were easy to identify, Himalayan snows are shrinking, others I had never heard of. and the sacred rivers and bathing hen yoga teacher William road to Kathmandu overland While studying yoga Finding the shrines was a true places are becoming polluted Forbes suffered a serious on the hippie trail. The and meditation, Forbes met adventure. Although the temples and drying up, it is important to Waccident in 1985, some young adventurer flew to renowned teachers like Jiddu, are often located not far from the encourage people to visit them predicted he might never walk Luxembourg, where he bought UG Krishnamurti and TKV city, we often had the feeling that while they are still there. At the again but fate had something a Volkswagen van, crashed it Desikachar. He also met we visited a remote area where same time, in my small way, else in store for the American in Morocco and continued by American poet Ira Cohen, Hettie time stood still,” Forbes told us. I am giving back to Nepal the iconoclast better known as local buses, travelling through Maclise (German actress and wife Having identified most of cultural riches and blessings it has ‘Swayambu Billy’. Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan of Velvet Underground Angus the 37 places, Forbes and Burns, bestowed on me.” Forbes came to Nepal in and India. His wife, Susan Maclise) and Finger Eight Eddie together with Sanskrit teacher 1970, and like many of his Burns followed a few years (Legendary guru of Goa hippies). Shri Chaube, decided to walk the www.kathmandupilgrimage. contemporaries, took the long later. During a 1985 trekking entire pilgrimage route in the wordpress.com 8 EVENTS DINING
1 to 5 May, 9841303867, [email protected], King’s day, www.tourdelumbini.org
A special fl ea market where you can Etched art, sell or buy new and second hand An exhibition of etchings by recipients goods, books, clothes plus promote of the Australian Himalayan Foundation projects, show off your talents and Art Award Program 2014, Saurganga participate in traditional Dutch Darshandhari and Surendra Maharjan. games. Till 5 May, Siddhartha Art Gallery, 25 April, Summit Hotel, Kupondole, Babar Mahal Revisited, (01)4218048, Remembering the 9851023251, 9818233101, [email protected] Lost sculptures, (01)5523444, (01)5521810 A series of photo-realistic paintings by artist Joy Lynn Davis documenting community response to the theft of stone sculptures from Kathmandu Valley, Up-cycling training, Tattoo convention, and research about the sites where the A workshop to teach volunteers how to The 5th International Nepal tattoo sculptures originated. present ‘upcycling’, a form of recycling convention. Till 22 May, Nepal Art Council, Babar Mahal, that creatively turns waste into useful Rs.200/day or Rs.500 for 3 days. (01)4220735, items, to teach school children. 24 to 26 April, 10am to 8pm, Yak & Yeti Hotel, [email protected] Open 25 individuals, 29 April, 9am to Darbar Marg, 11am, Clean up Nepal offi ce, Minbhawan, www.nepaltattooconvention.com Women power, 9841381046, [email protected] Nine Nepali artists get together for a Dhokaima Café, In retrospective, group exhibition, Kedar Bhakta Mathema. Try Indigenous cocktails at the An exhibition of the works of Nepali Till 30 April, Newa Chen Art Gallery, Kulimha, Rukhmuni Bar. draftsman, Birendra Pratap Singh, from Kobahal, Patan, (01)5533532, Patan Dhoka, (01)5522113, 1971 to 2015. www.kalavoice.com [email protected] Till 26 April, Nepal Art Council Gallery, Babar Mahal, (01)4218048, www.siddharthaartgallery.com Root Down, Pablo, A festival of urban A solo performance by Najir Husen, Objects in the Mirror, culture with fi lm which tells the story of a man whose An exhibition of diverse media through screenings, desire can never be fulfi lled. Touched, which Kurchi Dasgupta tries to decipher live music, Radiant Women, grieved and frightened by his desire, her location as an anthropocene vis- skateboarding An exhibition of photographs by Natalie Pablo loses his mind. a-vis failing states, war and economic and free de Oliveira celebrating women fi ghting 27 April, 2pm and 5.30pm, inequality. workshops on Mulchowk, against traffi cking. Mandala Theatre, (01)41268130, Inauguration on 2 May at 5pm, exhibition till breakdancing Select your special dinner from set Till 25 April, Manga Hitti, 9803247787, 9840071934 9 May, 10am to 6.30pm, City Museum, and djing. ala-carte menu or regular menu while Patan Darbar Square, (01)5011221, Darbar Marg, 9808563570, 12 to 16 May, Alliance française of enjoying classical fusion, folk music by [email protected], Tour de Lumbini, [email protected], Kathmandu, Tripureshwor, (01)4241163, ‘Mul’ band. www.planete-enfants.org/ A four-day cycle rally to Lumbini. www.thecitymuseum.org [email protected] Babar Mahal Revisited, (01)4259801 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755 9 MUSIC GETAWAYS Universal Religion, Park Village Resort, A four-day music fest celebrating the best Far away from the maddening crowd, yet in electronic dance music. so close to the city. 24 to 27 April, Kakani, Call for tickets: Budhanilkantha, (01)4375280, 9802013960, [email protected], [email protected] [email protected], www.urnepal.com The Yellow House, Bed and breakfast for the light traveller. Sanepa, (01)5553869/5522078, www.theyellowhouse.com.np Manny’s, Shivapuri Cottage, Head down for some delicious Corn Escape the hustle and bustle of Fritters, Pad Thai Noodles, Crispy Crunch Kathmandu and enjoy peace, tranquility, Potatoes and don’t forget their signature good food, and fresh air. Manny’s Spicy Wings. All served with fi ne Brasspackers live, Rs 3,500 per person per night inclusive of hospitality in an excellent space. This eleven piece brass band, all the way dinner and breakfast. Jawalakhel, (01)5536919 from France, is sure to get your body Budhanilkantha, 9841371927 moving and your soul grooving. 24 April, 8pm, Base Camp Arun Thapa Chok, 9841226397, [email protected] Cool Pool Grind, Three Nepali DJs go on tour to seven cities La Casita de Boudhanath, of the country for the coolest parties. Enjoy a host of Mediterranean cuisine 1 to 16 May, 9801014127, with a breathtaking view of the [email protected], Boudhanath Stupa. www.timrohamro.com Boudha, 9813614384
Mum’s Garden Resort, Head out to Pokhara for a peaceful and comfortable stay in beautifully designed cottages surrounded by a lush green garden with great views of Phewa Lake and the Annapurna range. Lake Side, Pokhara, (06)1463468, www.mumsgardenresort.com Jazz celebrations, Gokarna Forest Resort, Seven jazz bands of Kathmandu perform A numinous paradise that relaxes you and Fire&Ice, live as part of the International Jazz Day. encourages meditation, just a 20-minute For the best Italian pizzas in town. 30 April, Patan Darbar Square, 2pm to 5pm, drive away from Kathmandu. Thamel, (01)4250210 (01)5013554, [email protected] Gokarna, (01)4451212, [email protected] 10 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755 11 MAKERS OF MACHHINDRANATH of Newar carpenters who search for, carve and assemble the wooden parts of the Rato Machhindranath chariot. The chariot making skills are passed down through the generations. “I have been involved since I was nine years old,” said the 59-year-old Barahi. The Barahis begin their work as early as December, scouring forests for specific types of timber for different parts of the chariot. The rarest type of wood is saur. Coincidentally, saur is also needed for the main fixture of the chariot, the dhombar — a long wooden trunk on which the person leading the chariot sits. “Every year it gets harder to find saur, I have no idea if there will be enough wood to sustain the festival in the future,” said Barahi. Besides the Barahis, master vinesmen known collectively as the ALL PICS: CYNTHIA CHOO Yewals help to construct the chariot the chariot was hauled from by weaving rope and rattan to Bungamati and will travel through secure the wooden structure. Bhaisipati, Nakhu, Pulchok, Rameshwor Maharjan is a Gabahal, Sundhara, Lagankhel member of the Yewal Society, and in in the next few weeks, before the week prior to the festival, he and concluding with Bhoto Jatra in 40 other members scale the 65-feet Jawalakhel. tall chariot and hang precariously Made entirely out of wood, off its wooden edges, working for rope and no nails, the brand more than 10 hours a day. new wheels of the chariot will be Like the rest involved in the hammered halfway through its chariot making process, they are journey into Patan, and the rope not provided with any form of work will come undone. Yet, the insurance. But Maharjan still turns Barahis and Yewals will continue up every year. “I am proud that I to fix the chariot along the way, can use my knowledge with ropes and will repeat the process next CYNTHIA CHOO to preserve my culture,” said year. Maharjan. But Barahi says there might be The chariot makers are so less Barahis and Yewals turning ifty nine-year-old Dil Kumar dedicated to their work, that even up next year. “The younger Barahi comes from a family nationwide strikes can’t deter them. generation find it increasingly of carpenters, and owns a F During the general strike called difficult to leave their jobs and workshop in Kuti Saugal, Lalitpur. by the Maoists in April, Dil Kumar work on the chariot for little daily However every year for the Barahi organised a 20-bike group allowance,” he said. past 50 years, he closes his shop and insisted that the district traffic “There is little money for two to four months to build the police escort them to Bungamati and appreciation for them as Rato Machhindranath chariot. He is temple, where the chariot is compared to working in an not the only one — all 24 members constructed, so as to continue office,” he added. of the Barahi community do the working on the structure. He said: “It’ll be nice if people same to help out with the Rato “We cannot delay working on the knew about us because this is Machhindranath chariot, which has chariot for even a day, because we how the culture lives on.” to be rebuilt from scratch every 12 have to get it ready in time for the years. auspicious date,” he said. “It is part of our tradition and That date this year was 19 nepalitimes.com responsibility to build the chariot,” April, when the idol of Rato Multimedia package with video said Barahi. and photo gallery Makers of Machhindranath Machhindranath was placed inside Route map of the chariot festival The Barahis are a community the chariot. Three days later, 12
The story itself is simple enough, Conor (voiced by Brendan Gleeson) and his lovely SONG OF THE SEA wife Bronagh (Lisa Hannigan) live on a wild little island off the Irish coast, sharing the most tender of relationships, with each other, and their son Ben (David Rawle), who has just adopted Cú, a puppy at the time. Bronagh is expecting their second child, when she mysteriously disappears, leaving behind baby Saoirse (Lucy O’Connell), and a bewildered grief stricken Conor to look after the family. As Ben grows up resentful of Saoirse, who six years later is still unable to speak, they are HAPPENINGS looked after by Cú’s watchful aving now seen, and one has seen, especially alongside presence as both Conor and Ben reviewed, four out of the its heavy hitting competitors try to deal with their loss. It is Hfive “Best Animated Feature like How to Train Your Dragon only when Saoirse discovers how Films” (barring The Boxtrolls) 2, and Big Hero 6 - which won to play her mother’s seashell nominated this past season for the award. Like The Tale of the horn that the magic that has the Academy Awards, I can safely Princess Kaguya – a film out of always been lying under the say that the animated films are on the Japanese Studio Ghibli, Song surface of this charming film a far superior level than the live of the Sea is a folk tale made comes fully into the picture action “Best Picture” nominations, unforgettable by its spectacularly (pardon the pun). Suddenly the depending, of course, on your beautiful, tear inducing visuals, world of these children and inclinations; I have always produced by a relatively small their fluffy loyal dog becomes maintained that reviewing is just Irish studio named Cartoon saturated with women who must about opinion and taste. Saloon based out of Kilkenny, leave their children to return to Ireland and written and directed the water in their natural seal by Tomm Moore, one of the key forms, men who are turned into people at the Studio. stone out of grief, and talking RSS The makers are keenly attuned semi-malevolent owls. HI, HELLO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe chats with Prime Minister to the beautiful and the weird, This witty, sweet, exquisite Sushil Koirala as they arrive at the venue of the Afro-Asian Summit in Jakarta on Wednesday. honing in on all that is captivating film is one that lacks just a little MUST SEE and terrifyingly melancholy in cohesion in its story, not that Sophia Pande Irish folklore. The Song of the the children will mind, but it Sea encapsulates overlapping is the adults who will be left Song of the Sea was an mythologies, dealing with faeries, dumbstruck by its sheer beauty. underdog nominee in the selkies, a talking owl, and adds animation category, coming in one very dedicated English nepalitimes.com pretty much under the radar, an sheepdog named Cú who pretty Trailer Irish production that hardly any much steals the show.
PRATIK RAYAMAJHI BEAUTY QUEENS: (left to right) Miss Nepal first runner-up Dibyata Vaidya, Miss Nepal Evana Manandhar and second runner-up Medha Koirala at the finale of the Miss Nepal 2015 pageant on Saturday.
DEVAKI BISTA WOMEN POWER: Winners of the Celebrating Womanhood Navadevi Awards pose with their trophies at a function on Sunday.
DEVAKI BISTA MADE PUBLIC: Dhal Bahadur Khadka, the prime suspect in the murder 18 years ago of Father Thomas Gafney, founder of St Xavier School Social Service Centre was arrested by Police on Tuesday. 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755 13
lines one catches a glimpse of Hawley’s commitment to democracy, freedom and THE NEPAL social justice. Dunham and Choegyal have taken the trouble to make the volumes user-friendly CHRONICLES with an index, a glossary of terms and acronyms. This is not a book one reads s a student of history, Elizabeth cover to cover (although you could also do Hawley first came to Kathmandu in that) but to refer to for facts, dates, and the A1960 during a tour around Asia. She circumstances of historical events in Nepal never left, staying in the same house in Dilli in the past 28 years. Bazar for the past half-century. In wire service journalism they tell you As a journalist, mountaineering archivist, to stick to the Who, What Where When. Liz tourism executive, honorary consul for Hawley’s The Nepal Scene has answers to all New Zealand, and head of a charity, she those questions. The price tag is worth it, has seen it all. Hawley, now 92, served as and especially so because proceeds will go a correspondent for Reuters and Time-Life to the charity, Himalayan Trust. and had a ringside view of recent history: KUNDA DIXIT Kunda Dixit from the 1960 Mahendra coup, through the BOOKIES: (From left to right at book launch) Bidur Dongol of Vajra Books, editors Lisa Choegyal and Mikel Dunham, Panchayat years, the 1980 referendum, the American ambassador Peter Bodde, and Elizabeth Hawley. Indian blockade, the first pro-democracy movement, the conflict, the palace massacre of 2001, the ceasefire, end of the monarchy, joke is that a mountaineer hasn’t officially the book would be an invaluable chronicle and the current transition. summited a Himalayan peak until Liz Hawley of Nepali politics. He got another long-time Hawley was like Helen Thomas of UPI, says so. Many mountaineers found their Nepal resident and Hawley’s colleague at the famous doyenne of the White House post-expedition debriefing in front of Miss Tiger Tops, Lisa Choegyal, to volunteer to foreign correspondent corps. Like Helen Hawley in Kathmandu more challenging than pore through and transcribe the notes. Thomas, Liz was always at the important the climb itself. The results are two thick volumes of press conferences, and would inevitably Through all those years, Hawley wrote text more than 2,000 pages long, which ask the toughest questions. And she always meticulous reports for her boss at Tiger will serve as an important reference tool The Nepal Scene had a followup, which made a lot of Nepali Tops, Jim Edwards. While looking through for journalists, academics, diplomats and Chronicles of Elizabeth Hawley, 1988-2007 ministers very nervous. her library one day, the Himalayan historian the donor community in Nepal. The text Volumes 1 and 2 Most of the news from Nepal in those Mikel Dunham came across the Hawley Files, is scrupulously based on verified facts, Editors: Lisa Choegyal and Mikel Dunham days was about mountaineering, and Hawley by chance opened the pages for 1 June, 2001 there are no rumours, gossip, speculation, Vajra Books 2015 didn’t just cover them for Reuters, she with notes on the royal massacre and was or a political bias here. However, it is not a ISBN 978-9937-623-40-7 carefully documented every climb. The immediately engrossed. He immediately felt collection of dry dispatches, between the Price: Rs 8,000
chiura and buff chilli. Using simple ingredients, and serving up no more than four types of dishes, have kept the ‘bhauju’ eatery running for more than 19 years. In that period, the eatery has garnered its own legion of regulars and has also gained popularity with locals in the area. The reputation of the eatery might have grown, but its physical space has -- amusingly -- shrunk. “We used to OPEN FROM be a big eatery but we 7:30AM n a small alleyway, a stone’s TO started leasing out part 8:30PM throw from the Patan Kumari of the stall’s space to Ihouse lies a hole-in-the-wall workshops,” said Maharjan. eatery that serves up gratifying Right now, the eatery Bhauju can barely fit 30 people and Newari grub. The eatery does not have according to locals, if you arrive a proper name but locals after 6.30pm, chances are that it affectionately call it ‘bhauju ko House will be hard to find a seat. ghar’ or bhauju’s house. The But perhaps it is the charm ‘bhauju’ running the place is Rita piping hot, it is difficult to stop of a small, back alley eatery that Maharjan, a petite housewife who digging into a plate of aanda chiura. attracts loyal customers. It is whisks around the cramped eatery A word of caution though -- the dish unpretentious, cheap and serves with ease, serving up plates of might sound more like a snack, but up sinful but delicious foods. PICS: KENJI KWOK delicious aanda chiura (egg with it is surprisingly filling. Unlike Honacha, which is over- beaten rice). In addition, the dish goes lit eatery worthwhile. instead. The raw buffalo meat is hyped, the ‘bhauju’ house is a Aanda chiura (Rs 65) is by far the extremely well with a glass of If you are in for a filling meal, mixed together with coriander, hole-in-the-wall eatery that might most popular dish the eatery serves. chyang (rice wine). The ‘bhauju’ order the Buff Chilli (Rs 85). The and comes with a squeeze of lime possibly be Patan’s best-kept Locals gulp down this simple dish house serves homemade chyang for slices of buff meat fried together juice, giving it a refreshing taste. foodie secret. by the plates and after my first try I only Rs 10 a glass. Customers who with dried chilli can be a little Vegetarians can opt for the Cynthia Choo think I understand why: the beaten come in a group can order a jug at chewy, but crispy at the same aloo tama (Rs 25), a potato and rice, fried with egg is crispy, salty Rs 65. time. The hint of heat makes the bamboo shoot dish served in a How to get there: Bhauju house and loaded with spices. It was the The aanda chiura and chyang dish even more appetising. hot and sour broth. This dish also is a small eatery on the left of the perfect comfort food. pairing is a sure-fire combination Adventurous diners can try provides a nice contrast from the alley beside Kumari Party Palace in Fried with onions and served that will make the trip to the dimly the raw buffalo meat (Rs 80) dry and salty dishes like aanda Gabahal. 14 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755
suppressing it- go explore and every step will bring you closer to the right one. It will take time, maybe days or years but it will Never settle come to you. The question is, can you wait? Don’t waste your Hi all, follow your heart, pursue true the money is good but I hate the chance to do better. It is hard to life on anything less than what Very few people know exactly what happiness, find an opportunity job. The only thing that keeps predict what your future career you are worth. You may not they want to do with their lives, in every setback and never give me going is that I love math but will be like, but it does not mean know what you want now, but most people settle with what seems up. When you find the right job/ once I took a public speaking we do not try. you will always know what you to be more convenient. Others, career/ partner you will just know class and really liked it. I feel it The truth is, the path to do not want. because somewhere deep within, is important to be articulate in success and happiness is not Finding the right career is you always knew. the management profession. Is easy- people will fail, and have like finding your perfect partner, it about soul searching? I really rough times but you should you can either settle with what Hey Anjana do not know what is right for have a goal in mind and work others suggest or think is right, I have always wanted to become me? towards it. Do not lose faith. Do or you can keep looking till you ASK ANJANA someone important but I also do - SO you want to look back and see find what you really deserve. ANYTHING not want to work so hard that I you stayed at a job you hated for Cliché but you will know when Anjana Rajbhandary don’t have a life. I also feel I am AR: It is very common to not years? Do something to change you find the right one. Don’t interested in so many things. I know what you want to do with your situation. Take the risk settle. Good luck. think my biggest problem is that your life – we’re always trying to (while using your common sense) instead of giving in to social norm, I do not believe in myself. In figure things out. You just have to - sometimes not taking the risk Anjana is a certified mental choose to follow their gut/heart/ school and college, I didn’t work trust that it will work out but you is the biggest risk of all. We all health rehabilitation technician instinct: they might not be there too hard but I always did well. have to make the effort. Achieving know what we love to do. and has four years of experience yet but they are most likely on their I also got my master’s degree big dreams comes with inevitable Your instincts already know in adult mental health in Maine, way to find it. I believe you should and I am working as a banker, obstacles. See every barrier as a what you want, so instead of USA.
GIZMO by YANTRICK MORE THAN TIME
fter Apple fi rst introduced turn navigation using Google Maps Most of the features work as attention to detail. The special alloys the concept of wearing the and haptic feedback so you do advertised, but heavy usage of used in manufacturing the diff erent iPod Nano on our wrists, not have to keep checking your the device takes a toll on beautifully designed Apple Watches A watch. Its tap and sketch consumers started anxiously its surprisingly short is evidence of its high level of waiting for the world’s most messaging capabilities battery life. Ironically craftsmanship and engineering. valuable company to launch its using the Force Touch the only thing you The array of straps and types of own smartwatch to match up feature also makes can do in order for Apple Watch – Normal, Sport, with Pebble and other Android this a very fun gadget the battery to last a and Edition series – also makes it models. Wearable technologies to have, but perhaps few days is to check highly customisable. today should deliver seamless only if your friend has the time only without compatibility with our other one too to receive your using other features. YANTRICK’S VERDICT: With electronic devices, including messages. This also means you its costly price tag and the ability to do everything our However, early hands-on have another gadget to worry features that will ultimately smartphones already do and more. reports revealed a rather steep about charging before you head fail without a good battery life, At fi rst glance, the new Apple Watch learning curve for new users, which to bed, in addition to your tablet, it does make one wonder if we appears to have lived up to our expectations is very uncharacteristic of Apple’s products. For laptop and smartphone – more of a hassle than are really in need of a smartwatch. – allowing you to send and receive messages, the fi rst time, there is an online guided tour in the convenience that smart devices should be calls, and mail right from your wrist. Heart- order to familiarise new users with the controls providing. The Apple Watch goes on sale on 24 rate sensors along with built-in native apps to on the Apple Watch, even before any of the 2.3 What is still consistent with other Apple April but Nepal might have to wait a monitor your health and fi tness, and turn-by- million pre-orders are shipped. products though is the team’s meticulous little longer. 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755 NATION 15 Pointless Activity (Revolutionary) When it comes to whipping up the masses to perform meaningless tasks nobody compares with the Maoists.
he Nepali New Year 2072 found your was left couldn’t be harvested for lack of provocateurs. Similar was the orchestrated columnist wondering where this tools. All this epic scale pointless activity reaction to the shocking murder of Nepali Tcountry might be if the last two decades created the Great Famine (1958-62) workers in Iraq, manpower agencies weren’t lost to war and posturing by a in which some 35-45 million Chinese were trashed and Kathmandu’s mosques gang of hustlers who still hold the country perished. As a grand finale, he launched shamelessly vandalised, all driven by hostage. The recent banda, pointless as ever, the Cultural Revolution (1966-76), quite a violent rabble that appeared out of reminds us of countless wasted days that possibly the most insane pointless activity in nowhere and vanished just as quickly. turned into wasted years spent distracting human history. The annual shut-down campaigns the people with mindless pursuits. Though the scale is vastly different against private schools were not only there is something eerily familiar in such pointless but tragic, depriving innocent tactics. Throughout Nepal’s conflict and students of their right to an education. And beyond, countless campaigns were inflicted we all wish we could forget the mindless on society only to fade into oblivion, destruction of infrastructure, for a solid proving them pointless. The Maoist ban of decade the comrades were kept busy Bollywood films was a personal favourite wrecking footbridges, health-posts and
DIWAKAR CHETTRI (the Hand invites readers to send in their electricity lines, a pointless activity the MOVING TARGET faves) as cadres forcibly shut cassette shops country has yet to recover from. Foreign Hand to purge Nepal of insidious Indian pop One of the most forgettable campaigns culture. Without Bollywood our politicians of all was for something called Civilian were the only jokers left onstage, perhaps Supremacy, launched after PM Awesome Most ideologies, whether religious or the campaigns’ secret purpose was to resigned because he failed to oust the army political, encourage a certain amount of eliminate the competition and be the only chief. Sadly, the forever delayed constitution pointless activity to reinforce loyalty and show in town. has degenerated into yet another activity distract from their failings, politicians from Land seizure campaigns were another that can only be labeled pointless, especially all parties try to divert attention from their populist charade that went nowhere, since Nepal already had a constitution. The incompetence. But credit where credit’s due: factories nation-wide. What was the worthless pig iron China was deforested considering all properties were eventually most inclusive assembly in history showed when it comes to whipping up the masses point of all that, except perhaps to create on a massive scale, leading to catastrophic returned to the owners and many people promise until it was blocked at every turn by to perform meaningless tasks nobody a pool of disgruntled unemployed to flooding. Even after Mao visited an actual still remain landless. Then along came the the same old coterie of Brahmin ideologues, compares with the Maoists. use for the endless parade of pointless steel mill and realised the process wasn’t as puritanical anti-alcohol campaign, ridding squabbling behind closed doors. Remember when the party mobilised demonstrations? simple as melting woks and pitchforks he entire districts of booze. This concept never The country has suffered greatly to thousands in digging trenches to save the History shows where our comrades got refused to halt the campaign, being more stood a chance, one could argue such achieve very little, and one can’t help but country from invasion by Indian imperialists? their technique. Nobody beats Mao Zedong concerned about maintaining revolutionary pointless activity drove many to drink even suspect it was all a sham to keep the people The civil war itself was the most disastrous when it comes to mobilising millions, zeal than the impending famine. more. off-balance while the leaders enriched pointless activity in Nepal’s history: 17,000 usually with devastating results. During Taking pointless to new heights, Mao The Hrithik Roshan riot in 2001, themselves. In the late 1990s Nepal’s dead, a society traumatised and the the Great Leap Forward Mao ordered exhorted the masses to kill sparrows in the named after a Bollywood actor who growth rate was over 7 per cent a year; the economy in ruins just so the Maoists could ‘backyard furnaces’ to produce steel in Four Pests Campaign. Millions of villagers (maybe) made a rude comment, gets my prosperity that never materialised because get a seat at the feeding trough that passes every village. Pots, pans and farming tools banged drums until birds dropped from vote as the tackiest activity. Mobs targeted of all this nonsense would have freed for government around here. were requisitioned and melted in a feverish the sky, dead from exhaustion. Suddenly Indian owned businesses in an ugly millions more from poverty than any war, With peace came militant unionism, display of loyalty to the Chairman. To fire without predators, a plague of locusts outburst of racist xenophobia, whipped constitution or other ideologically driven spouting ridiculous demands that shut the furnaces turning useful implements into appeared and ate all the crops, whatever up and manipulated by Maoist agents gimmick ever has. 16 NATION 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755
A few days later, a three- member team led by physician Dipak Pun reached Paink on foot to support Giri and together they worked 18 hours a day treating 1,200 patients. When Giri fell ill, he was rushed to Khalanga on a horse, then taken to Nepalganj on a jeep from where he was flown to Kathmandu. “At one point there were so many patients that there was no space inside the sub-health post. We treated patients in the verandah and worked late into the night burning firewood to keep the cold away,” Giri told us in a feeble voice. The challenge was to reach patients who were too weak to be taken to the sub-health post. Bir Bahadur Chhetri, 60, died in Paink after suffering fever and headache for days. His 18-year- old son, Prakash, had also fallen sick and was not able to walk to OM ASTHA RAI the sub-health post. Giri walked one hour to their house, but nside a cabin of the isolation himself fell ill along the way as he ward at Shahid Sukraraj was climbing a steep trail. ITropical Hospital in “I had not slept enough for Kathmandu, a frail young man has more than a week and was feeling been lying in bed for the last five exhausted,” he recalls, “I had days. been weakened by overwork.” Ram Krishna Giri, 23, was Amidst widespread criticism admitted after being infected with in the media of the government’s swine flu while treating patients perceived failure to tackle in the remote village of Paink in the Jajarkot epidemic, the Jajarkot that was at the epicentre contribution of health workers of a deadly flu outbreak three like Giri has been overlooked. weeks ago, which has killed 26 “It’s true the government was people so far. slow to react to the epidemic, and Giri had arrived at the sub- a lot of the help was too little too health post in Paink just two late,” Jajarkot CA member Rajeev months ago, and immediately Shah told Nepali Times, “but found himself overwhelmed with there were huge logistical and flu cases. He treated at least 1,000 other challenges.” patients before being infected District health officer Pun himself. also worked tirelessly despite “When I look back, I feel an showing some symptoms of flu immense sense of satisfaction himself, while treating hundreds. JAJARKOT’S that we managed to save so many “In the eight days I spent at lives,” he says, “there is nothing Paink, not a single patient died more fulfilling for a health worker in the health post,” he told us by than seeing a smile on the patient phone from the Jajarkot capital on you cured.” Wednesday. “Yes, the government Battling neglect Giri is still weak, is on could have reacted faster, but we could not have done more given UNSUNG intravenous feed, and cannot and apathy health even sit up, but is determined to the limited resources we had.” go back to Jajarkot as soon as he (See interview, page 18) workers have saved is fit. There are four other health The uproar over the workers at the post in Paink government’s failure has also hundreds of lives in where the epidemic started after discouraged health workers the flu outbreak a 20-year-old woman died of flu- toiling day and night to save HEROES like symptoms on 1 April. people’s lives in Jajarkot. Running with the
hree weeks after an outbreak of deepest respect for his tireless effort to Times from his hospital bed on influenza in Jajarkot, news about reform the medical education system. KC Tuesday (above). Paink is one of the worst- Tthe movement of maverick doctor, went to Jajarkot despite being advised by affected villages in Jajarkot, and the health Govinda KC in the district made it to front his physicians not to, due to health issues post there has eight personnel treating pages of most Nepali daily newspapers this related to his 11-day hunger strike this patients round-the-clock. Not surprisingly, week. month. Giri and his colleagues have never made However, the spotlight on KC put the it to the front pages of the Kathmandu To suggest that the work of dozens of other local doctors and papers. health workers in Jajarkot in the shadows, Instead, the coverage has centred state has remained who have been there since day one. They around the government’s inefficiency, have been working in appalling conditions apathy and neglect. It’s true that the a mere spectator in with shortages of everything, yet they have Health Ministry could have done more, BETWEEN THE saved countless lives. much faster. But given the remoteness of Jajarkot is not just LINES One of them is assistant health worker the area, the state of governance in the Tsering Dolker Gurung Ram Krishna Giri, who personally treated country, and the nature of the epidemic, wrong, it is selective over 1,200 patients at Paink village before the health professionals at Ground Zero A photo of the doctor’s arrival at getting infected with swine flu himself. did a commendable job in limiting the reporting Nepalganj airport from where he was to Giri was brought to Teku’s Shahid Sukraraj fatalities. drive to Jajarkot on Monday was widely Tropical Hospital this week, where his Yet, rather than lauding that effort, the shared on social media, with many condition is stable. media acted like a lynch mob to discredit journalists labeling him a ‘hero’, and “We have a dedicated team, which health workers. Instead of informing the belittling the government’s response so far. has been working tirelessly to treat as people about the disease and presenting The hunger-striking doctor has our many people as possible,” Giri told Nepali the facts on the ground, Kathmandu 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755 NATION 17
RAJENDRA KARKI
IN ISOLATION: Health worker Ram Krishna Giri (left) treated hundreds of patients before he himself was infected with swine fl u. He is now recuperating at a hospital in Kathmandu.
Physician Moritz Tlagemann (above) of the Chaurjhari Hospital examining a patient at Archhane in Jajarkot on Monday.
Health worker Bibhant Shah Doctors are investigating said the relentless negative if there might be other causes coverage in the media has behind the Jajarkot outbreak. thoroughly demoralised many But samples of saliva and blood working in Jajarkot like him. When collected from the worst-affected he reached Paink, the outbreak villages of Jajarkot have tested had been contained, so he walked negative for other water-borne to Dhime, where there were no and vector-borne diseases, doctors. “But some Kathmandu including typhoid. media reported that I had fled “No virus other than Paink and left people to die,” he swine flu has been detected in said by phone, adding that the Jajarkot,” says Baburam Marasini Kathmandu media exaggerated at the Epidemiology and Disease the extent of the outbreak. Even Control Division in Kathmandu. so, he credits newspapers for “But more than swine flu, it highlighting the epidemic and is low immunity caused by forcing the government to act. poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy As of 21 April, 25 deaths and lack of sanitation that led to had been reported in Archhane, the fatalities in Jajarkot.” Paink, Sakala, Pajaru, Talegaun Given this, public experts and Nayakwada VDCs of Jajarkot say, the Jajarkot outbreak appears district. Not all the fatalities to be more of a failure of state were a result of H1N1 influenza, structure than the result of commonly known as swine flu. late response by government Krishna Khatri, epidemiologist authorities. in the Jajarkot public health What raised the death toll office, told us: “Only four deaths was that Jajarkot has very few were caused by swine flu. Others roads, the population is spread were either newborns or the out over the rugged mountains, elderly already suffering from and the sick have to be carried asthma, high blood pressure and to health posts or the one single tuberculosis.” hospital in Khalanga. GOPEN RAI JAJARKOT herd KATHMANDU
newspapers tried to outdo each other with on 12 April with CA members from the sensational and exaggerated headlines. district and a team of doctors. Since then, It spread panic, disheartened service 13 doctors from Nepal Army, Armed Police providers, and buried the truth. Force, and Nepal Medical Association are Yes, the Health Ministry should have in Jajarkot to augment the health posts. immediately set up a rapid response team, Journalists in a democracy are taught learning from the Jajarkot cholera outbreak to play the ‘adversarial role’ and to ‘afflict in 2009 that killed more than 200 people the comfortable’, but that can’t be done by in the district. This would have meant that sacrificing facts. Government bashing is the flu virus could have been identified staple fare for many journalists, and it often earlier and a decrease in number of needs to be bashed, but there cannot be a fatalities. knee-jerk reaction when the facts point in But to suggest that the state has the other direction. remained a mere spectator is not just An outbreak like this needs much more wrong, it is selective reporting. The media specialised knowledge of epidemiology, was on a political agenda-setting mode about how influenza struck those whose and reporters had to bend their coverage immunity had already been suppressed to suit the slant that editors in Kathmandu by malnutrition, TB, chronic diarrhoea needed. or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Two days after the epidemic was (COPD). But that seems to be asking confirmed by the Department of too much of Nepal’s over-politicised Epidemiology and Disease Control, Health mainstream generalists. Minister Khagaraj Adhikari flew to Jajarkot @Chenreeyang 18 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755 “Spread awareness, not panic.”
Interview with Jajarkot-based physician hugs. Also, wearing a mask and increasing Dipak Pun in Himal Khabarpatrika, 18 April the intake of fluids is important. Get a check up when you have a cough or cold.
Himal Khabarpatrika: How is the situation Did the state neglect Jajarkot? in Paink? That’s not exactly true. We have been Dipak Pun: Compared to two weeks ago, the receiving medicines, but if the situation at Paink has improved by 80 per infection had been identified cent. We have a team of eight health sooner so many lives workers who has been toiling round- wouldn’t have been lost. the-clock. However, the epidemic The sub-health post at is still spreading to other villages. Paink didn’t have a Currently, Talegaun VDC has the lab, and we made most number of patients infected one after reaching with H1N1. there. We also called Off to admit our son in a school. health workers from What’s the main reason neighbouring districts. None of the for the outbreak? patients we treated lost their lives. Basu Kshitiz in Annapurna Post, 17 April We found that a lot of patients first went What should the government do next? QUOTE OF THE WEEK to see faith healers and A sense of panic has gripped villagers shamans rather than visiting after the disease was confirmed to health clinics. Lack of awareness among be swine flu. The state now needs to Criticise me as much as“ you want, but don’t the public, problems in hygiene, weak be more careful and alert. We need “ demoralise the health workers toiling day and health, inaccessibility to health services, to spread the message of prevention night in the field. contaminated water reduced their and awareness, not terror. Swine flu immunity when they were exposed to can be treated. Also, it is time for the the virus. government to send a new batch of Health Minister Khagraj Adhikari in onlinekhabar.com, health workers to relieve those who 21 April, responding to questions about the government’s What preventive measures can have been working tirelessly for the role in controlling the Jajarkot fl u outbreak. we adopt? past few weeks. As preventive measures, It’s important to avoid crowds and health workers and medicines should maintain a distance while speaking to also be sent to places where there have others. Try not to shake hands or share been no infections so far. Donor pull out
RAJENDRA KARKI Kantipur, 23 April reconstruction of physical infrastructure damaged during the war. They had also been lobbying Four donors have discontinued against amnesty for human rights Sabina’s world support for the Nepal Peace violators. But the bill was passed Trust Fund (NPTF), objecting with amnesty provisions, and the to a legal provision that allows countries decided to pull out of the Himal Khabarpatrika ,19-25 April female instructor pilot with Yeti Airlines and Airport recently after getting her instructor the Truth and Reconciliation NPTF. her ambition is to fly Aribus 330s or Boeing pilot license. “Flying has just remained a Commission (TRC) to grant The NPTF has so far spent more 777s one day. passion ever since.” amnesty for perpetrators of grave than Rs 23 billion, 40 per cent of Sabina Shrestha first flew on a plane when “Even back then I wondered how such a Shrestha graduated from Siddhartha human rights violations during which was contributed by donor she was 11, and she has been obsessed huge and heavy metal thing flew in the sky,” Banasthali School and took flying lessons in the conflict. countries. But Rs 100 million of with flying ever since. Today, at age 35 and Shrestha told us from the cockpit of a BA Texas, getting her instructor pilot rating after The UK, Switzerland, Norway the budget for the Fund’s first- mother of a daughter, she is Nepal’s first Jetstream 41 twin turboprop at Kathmandu winning a scholarship from ‘Ninety Nines’, an and Denmark have refused to phase activities have not yet been organisation of women pilots in America. provide financial support for spent, and there is pressure on the Shrestha started out flying Twin Otters the second-phase of the (NPTF) government to use this money only to Nepal’s remote and tricky airfields in the saying the Act that was passed for holding local body elections. mountains. She is used to the surprise of last year to form the TRC and The amnesty provision in the passengers, even foreigners, who are not the Commission to Investigate TRC Bill was criticised by conflict used to seeing a woman pilot in Nepal, even Enforced Disappearances (CIED) victims and international human though there are nearly 20 of them. She says violates international laws and is rights organisations, but these Nepal is one of the most challenging places against United Nations policies. concerns were unheeded when to fly because of the terrain and weather, and At the NPTF board meeting the bill was passed and the TRC a pilot with experience flying in the Himalaya on Wednesday, only the and the CIED formed. Although can fly anywhere in the world. European Union (EU) and USAID the Supreme Court has ruled that “My mother always motivated me to signed an agreement to keep perpetrators of grave human rights follow my passion for flying,” Shrestha said, up their support of the NPTF’s violations cannot be pardoned, “if others were to get support like me from second-phase programs. the controversial TRC provisions their families there would be a lot more After the Maoists signed have not been revised. Six Maoist women pilots in Nepal.” If Shrestha’s young a peace accord with the parties recently regrouped to fight daughter also wants to be a pilot, we can be government in 2006, the four what they say is a ‘conspiracy sure she would not stop her either. countries had been supporting to sabotage peace process’ by Sajana Nepal’s peace process and prosecuting war crimes. We believe that knowledge is the starting point to generate a conversation. DESTINATION This monthly knowledge series has been initiated in order to raise important questions and stimulate debate within Nepal’s tourism industry. It is hoped that structuring the conversation based on new knowledge and developing an open platform to share ideas will lead to action, positive
siddharthinc works to build a sustainable future growth and impact in both the public and private sector. NEPAL www.siddharthinc.com 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 What transport infrastructure will
AEROPLANES tourists need?
Tourist arrival by air in 2013 Average % of incoming tourists by air since 1964 594,848 83% Tourists by air in 2024 1,782,010 (Based on National Tourism Strategy) HELICOPTERS How many helicopter rescues will be needed International flights in 2014 when 300,000 or 500,000 Commercial helicopter companies yearly trekkers and made 9,419 flights (departures and 287/week mountaineers come to (14, 924 per year) arrivals) in 2013 Nepal in 10 years time? (CAAN, 2014) Air movement was around Will insurance premiums that tourists need to pay 12,000 There are about 1,500 rescue operations per reduce in coming years? arrivals in 2013 (CAAN, 2014) year, on average, for about 100,000 yearly trekkers and mountaineers.
Will we need 3 times as much international flight movement, 72,000 arrivals It“ would be difficult to achieve the and departures per target [developing country status for annum, within 10 years? Nepal by 2022] with the resources How many planes will go we have at present. That means we to Lumbini instead? need to mobilize resources from other sectors - the private sector and development partners. Investment pours into the country only when we are able to create favourable climate for businesses. More investment
means more economic activities and
more employment generation. We have to overcome impediments to “ infrastructure first. Only then will the private sector bring investments. NPC Vice-chairman ROAD Govinda Raj Pokharel
Average % of tourists by land since 1964: 17% NRs. 26 billion was allocated for road Main land ports: “Airport upgrading is critical to further construction in developing nearby Lumbini, the 2014-2015 fiscal year. Bhairawa, Kodari birthplace of Lord Buddha, into What was spent on new Overland tourists by 2024 an attractive cultural and tourism roads built in Far Western destination. The number of foreign Nepal to promote visitors to Lumbini is rapidly rising in the
tourism there? 364,990 recent years, and airport improvement
will help in further opening Lumbini and linking it with international“ tourist circuits in South Asia as well as to the rest of the world.
Kenichi Yokoyama, ADB Country Director for Nepal
INFOGRAPHIC: KIRAN MAHARJAN 20 TOURISM 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755
More like them? Where to fly to? Jomson and Lukla are two airports other than Kathmandu and Pokhara Tribhuvan International Airport The Gautam Buddha Aiport in Bhairawa that make a good income recently shut down for four days from is being expanded. In 2012, the airport beyond their budget March 4-7, just at the beginning of the had 4,172 total flight movements and allocations. What can other spring trekking season. An estimated 118,367 passengers. The airport is 15 km rural airports learn from 80,000 people were stranded at TIA from the Lumbini heritage site. If it is to these two airports to attract and inbound airports. Would an serve as a regional international airport private airlines? Can Simikot international company handling and attract 760,000 passengers annually by Airport in Humla become management of TIA have provided 2030 what area impacts will it have on the a hub for those headed to better services to the thousands Lumbini Heritage area with the expansion Kailash? (CAAN, 2013) of affected tourists and migrant of economic activity and reduction in air workers? quality? (CAAN, 2013)
Let’s take a road-trip!
Since 1963, approximately 17% of tourists coming New routes for land entry could improve the 1.9 to Nepal have come overland. In 2013, almost 95% economies of other regions. A new bridge over of those tourists came via Kodari (Chinese border), the Mahakali River in Far West Nepal for the 2.7 and Bhairawa (Indian border). Over the last 10 years, Pancheshwor Multipurpose Project could improveve more than 30 % of these land tourists, on average, trade and tourism in the region. Work is also underder 6 4.1 were same day visitors. Many that come to Lumbini way to link Rasuwagadi to Kerung, a Chinese townwn 35 on day long trips do not even get registered in official km from the border. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway may 9 statistics. (NTS, 2013) extend till Kerung by 2020. 4.4 12 2.9 9 Will they be used? WhichWhich townstowns acrossacross NepalNepal are easier to travel inin?? New and improved roads may Urban road density in encourage tourism and other economic development region (km/km2) activities. But if the roads are going to be closed with bandhs, why build them Road density (km/100 km2) in the first place? Tourists would prefer walking in green trails than black- topped ones, wouldn’t they?
Can we take tourists in Kathmandu to these district HQs that are within a day’s drive from the capital? (Distances from Kathmandu in kms) (DoR, 2015) KASKI SINDHUPALCHOK 199 84 LAMJUNG 176 RASUWA GORKHA 118 140 DOLAKHA Who pays? 132 Impaired trekkers, from an accident or medical DHANDING issues, can today be airlifted straight to 85 Kathmandu by chartered helicopters. These NUWAKOT evacuations can cost around $2,000-5,000, 70 CHITWAN depending on distance from Kathmandu and 146 altitude. Travellers are therefore encouraged SYANGJA RAMECHHAP to buy insurance. But, as more commercial 236 189 helicopter companies find it profitable to airlift TANAHUN MAKWANPUR distressed trekkers, what role will local health 150 221 posts play in disaster response? How will the KAVRE expanding commercial helicopter industry 30 complement future disaster response systems? 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 21
jeeps, Land Rovers were initially a status symbol and featured in James Bond movies. But in rural Nepal, LAND these vintage vehicles are primarily used by rural commuters along new rough and tumble ROVER feeder roads. Grishma Subba of the East Nepal Taxi COUNTRY Association, says: “Land Rovers are Mukunda Bogati in Nepal, places which are inaccessible in reliable because they can easily 19 April other vehicles. move up and down hills as on While older models may roads in the plains.” look like they could belong in a Subba says Land Rovers have When it comes to off-road museum, dozens of classic Land also boosted eastern Nepal’s capabilities, few vehicles can Rovers are still used to transport agro-economy by helping compete with Land Rovers. These both goods and people in Nepal’s transport produce to market from high-powered, sturdy 4WD can eastern hilly districts. rural farms. As many as 56 Land easily navigate bumpy, steep, rough Designed in 1948 in Britain Rovers operate in Ilam district and muddy roads, and often get to and modelled after US-made alone. ALL PICS: MUKUNDA BOGATI 22 BACK SIDE 24 - 30 APRIL 2015 #755 www.nepalitimes.com www.nepalitimes.com
PAST PRESENT FUTURE Guide to urban wildlife DIWAKAR CHETTRI he discovery this week in Humla of a species of wild Grey Langur (Sanskrit name: Bandar seri yak thought to be extinct has brought new hope to bhagawan): Handsome and clever, solitary Tscientists that biodiversity in the Himalaya is alive and without scruples, spends much time not and kicking, so we can all sit back, relax and have a pleasant wearing underpants, foraging for juicy contracts. flight, remembering to keep our seatbelts loosely fastened Believes in give and take, and generously shares at all times while the constitution is being drafted. the loot. Diet: rarely observed eating anything Earlier this year, a Pallas Cat that everyone thought other than paan and will mark the perimeter of had gone the way of the Dodo was found lurking behind his domain by spitting red juice in the office urinal. the Annapurnas, leading us to believe that not everyone in Nepal has won a DV lottery yet. Speaking of which, Red Panda (Latin name: Habre nepalensis the Wild Ass that once roamed the Roof of the World in rosso): Shy and reclusive, resides on the large herds are, according to latest scientific research, still forest canopy with occasional forays down merrily making collective asses of themselves. All this goes to the undergrowth to dig for subterranean to prove that news about the demise of donkeys is wildly tubers. Once thought to be nearly extinct, this exaggerated. left-leaning squirrel is making a comeback on Before Nepalis became renowned across the world Twitter. Range: Cyberspace. as the highest per capita consumers of instant noodles (Sponsor’s announcement: “Each pack of ByeBye Noodles Wild Bore (Maoist name: Sus extortionum): comes with a free Maserati”) we used to be known for the Once thought to be extinct, but making diversity of our rare flora and fauna. I am glad to report presence felt again across the midhills and in that going by the incredible numbers of plastic-wrapped the Kathmandu Valley rim. Raids farmers’ crops gladioli bouquet that were gifted to Prime Minister Jhusil at harvest time, can deliver speeches that last Da before he boarded his plane for Jakarta this week, our hours if allowed to. Diet: cement, new airport floras are doing just fine, thank you so very much. It’s contracts, real estate, electronic consumer Kathmandu’s street fauna we are worried about. Good thing goods. Known locally as “khaobadi”. the street between Thapathali and Teku has been declared a national park to protect our ungulates, primates, canines, Barking Deer (Nom de guerre: Cervidae felines and bovines. woofwoof politicus): Garrulous, and has a loud In fact, the most encouraging revival of wildlife in hooting call to magnify its stature. Mobile and Nepal in the past decade has been within the Ring Road. mischievous, commonly found addressing large Carnivores that were hitherto found only in fossilised gatherings of half-asleep invitees, gathers in remains from the Pleistocene once more prowl the corridors herds at election time. Diet: Voracious appetite, of power in the Jurassic Park of Singha Darbar. Invertebrates can be destructive to shrubs and trees, but if now populate Balu Water. Pre-historic reptiles from our push comes to shove will even eat hard cash. erstwhile Animal Kingdom are again hatching from eggs and slithering about in the Consternation Assembly. There Red Herring (Mandarin name: Pisces are even occasional reports of man-eater politicians turning maozedongeria): Omnivore that roams in to cannibalism which means everything is hunky-dory in schools and adheres to a strict moral code that the boondocks. includes being a scavenging bottom-feeder with But how many of us, sitting here in Kathmandu, answer strong jaws, often hunts at night and is famed to the call of the nature? How much do we actually value for its whooping, blood-curdling cry similar to the wild? Will we ever know we’re looking at a Greater one emitted by extinct sub-species in Fengyang Himalayan Red-vented Twit when we see one? Will County. Habitat: Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary sub-committees, we be able to pick out through our binoculars a sabre- VDCs and DDCs. toothed ex-gorilla in Paris Danda? How about the Wooly Mammoths inside various quasi-gobblement corporations? Sloth bear (Government-sanctioned name: Can we identify the exact species of rodent that scurries Ursidae soporificus): Indolent and sluggish, past the security x-ray in the departure concourse of the sleeps during the day with Tremendous International Airport? Are we up to date with head on desk at Singha the micro-fauna within our own gastrointestinal tracts, or Darbar, burping in his sleep, are we just content with shooting the breeze, as it were, emitting distinctive body pretending that no one will notice? odour. Approach with care, It is time we recognised the dramatic strides Nepal can be vicious if disturbed. Diet: copious amounts of tea has taken in wildlife conservation, and in order to make it between naps, dry instant noodles (with free Maserati). easier for us to find our way around Kathmandu’s concrete jungle and identify its animal denizens, we offer below a useful quick-reference guide for wildlife enthusiasts: The Ass
CDO Regd No 194/056/57 Lalitpur, Central Region Postal Regd. No 09/066/67