Nepali in Gallipoli

#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.

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