Celebrating diversity

Celebrating diversity
Why do Brahmins and Chhetris remain numb during Loshar? Why do we stay docile during Eid? All the festivals celebrated by Nepalis in Nepal are our common festivals. Let's celebrate them!' This was my status on Facebook a week ago, which was liked by many of my friends.

Festivals are simply a great reason to celebrate and get together. It's fun playing cards with delicious food during festivals, yet most Nepalis wait for Dashain and Tihar to celebrate. There are many
festivals in Nepal and there is no need to feel restricted to one's own religion and celebrate just once a year.

I always felt that nothing could compare to Dashain and Tihar. But a friend of mine who belongs to the Marwari community explained that Diwali and Holi are truly the biggest. Another friend from the Madhesi community gives this honor to Chhath, while my Gurung classmate says it's Loshar. Does this not show the bias we all give to our own cultures?

I don't know what other communities do during Dashain, but I spend my time sleeping and watching television during Loshar. I used to go around to see celebrations during Chhath when I lived in my hometown, but these days, I pass my time idly during Chhath as well. I wonder why we don't get excited about festivals that don't strictly 'belong' to us. We shake hands and work together, why can't we share in
celebrating as well? Why can't Hindus also wish their neighbours 'Eid Mubarak'?

In multi-cultural Nepal there is at least one festival every month, be it Eid, Ram Navami or Christmas. If we choose to recognise them all, what an exciting year it would be! There's no need to celebrate the
festivals according to strict rules. But why not call your relatives over for dinner and say 'Eid Mubarak!' Wouldn't that be a great way to enjoy even more festivals?

Why don't we save our weekend parties for these festival times when the government has declared it time to celebrate. Imagine a Nepal where all festival days were truly national celebrations, instead of the few that apply to the majority. Excited communities and an excited nation could celebrate a common joy, instead of dividing ourselves based on the religions and cultures we follow. Then we could truthfully call ourselves a multi-cultural, secular nation.

By adopting other festivals, we can all celebrate together, instead of laying in front of the TV during someone else's festival. Please don't misinterpret, there's no need to spend money to celebrate. Cheap and together with friends is the best way. This will even get rid of that sad feeling we have when
the main festival has ended. Dashain is over so what? Chhath is approaching! Let's put our country back in a festive mood, unify the culture and make every festival ours. You don't need to be a Christian to celebrate Christmas. So this year, no matter your religion, make it merry!

PUBLISHED IN THE KATHMANDU POST (DEC 24, 2010)
http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2010/12/23/oped/celebrating-diversity/216407/

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Imagine

Imagine
It's not wrong to dream, and not wrong to express one's dreams either. Therefore, I am going to talk about my dream. But it is not about something I dreamt in my sleep. It's something more practical - maybe not very possible, although not impossible… it's all about imagination.

Let's imagine for now as in John Lennon's song. A clean Bagmati with clean, cold water and a great river bank where tourists are taking a sun bath and monkeys are drinking from the pool. A few trees, whose shade seems really precious during a hot summer.

When the evening appears, there's a lok dohori going on, and everything is peaceful. Not only tourists but even Nepalese are having loads of fun there. There is a cheap but quality market there with good food. As darkness sets in, there is a musical performance by Kutumba to make your evening all the more exciting.
During the afternoon, a group of children are swimming in the Bagmati, while couples sit on the stone platform on the bank of the river and fish. Ah..and then a small boat comes all the way from Sundarijal, and imagine a camp fire being lit at night there.

Those are entertaining dreams. Now let's imagine something more advanced. Imagine a proper traffic
system where vehicles follow all the traffic rules. As mentioned in a documentary, imagine Tribhuwan International Airport that is truly international in facilities. Imagine the World Cup being held at the
Dasharath Stadium and Nepal kissing the cup.

What's wrong in imagining?

Let's imagine Nepal winning both the World Cup football and cricket. Let's imagine Kaka, Drogba, Rooney all excited to play from Mahendra Police Club, and Bob Dylan, GNR and Iron Maiden struggling to feature with our Nepalese artists. Imagine a road properly pitched with underground metros. Imagine a free education system and foreign students appearing for the examination held by a Nepal board to qualify for a seat to study at Tri Chandra and Shanker Dev Campuses? Imagine all the resources of
Nepal being utilised in such a way that there is a shortage of labourers in the country and they need to be brought from abroad.

Imagine a ropeway connecting Jumla and Humla and a railway connecting Nepalgunj and Jumla. Imagine the richest person of the world being a Nepalese.

Ah! You have imagined a lot, now ask yourself: Can all this happen? Is it possible?

Yes, it is difficult, really difficult but not impossible. I guided you towards an imaginary Nepal, now you need to guide the Nepalese to make this a reality.

PUBLISHED IN THE RISING NEPAL (DECEMBER 09 2010)
http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/detail.php?article_id=43086&cat_id=7

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