Cycling Around

Cycling Around

My dad told me he would buy me a motorbike next year. That is welcome, but driving around in a private vehicle for a middle class family member like me is going to be expensive, what with the ever increasing fuel prices. The motor bike itself is going to cost at least a hundred thousand rupees, while I will need to spend around a hundred rupees for the fuel everyday to travel 40-60km.
Has anyone give a serious thought to cycling? I come from the Terai and grew up cycling. After shifting to the capital, however I realized that people here do not move around in bicycles. It’s mostly the vegetable vendors who do so with the expectation of a few, of course. So I figured that a vehicle determines one’s status in society in Kathmandu.
It used to take me 20 minutes to reach my school which was three kilometers away from my home. It was all so cheap because you could buy a first hand bicycle for Rs 4,500. Maintenance charge did not exceed Rs. 25 a month. All in all, per month expenditure on my bike came to around Rs 40.
But here in the capital, I am having to spend Rs 14 per day commuting from Gaushala Putalisadak on the public vehicle. This means I am spending Rs 400 a month on transportation.
There is no denying that a bicycle ride is very economical. It also has other advantages. It is the most energy efficient transportation that provides healthy exercise with better muscle tone, bone mass improvement and a clear skin. It also helps to improve one’s self esteem. You don’t need separate time for exercising if you cycle daily. It is environment-friendly as it creates neither noise nor air pollution.
The best part is that you are less likely to get stuck in the traffic jams as you can weave through the traffic easily. And last but not the least, parking comes cheap.
Now, I am not expecting you to throw away your motorbikes and cars and start cycling. But for short distances, it would certainly be beneficial to use the bicycle. Maybe people of social standing could promote this mode of transportation.
Would you take to cycling if, say, Nima Rumba or Nikhil Upreti went around in bikes? I am sure if personalities like Hari Bansha Acharya and Madan Krishna Shrestha, or if doctors and business entrepreneurs did the same, a lot of people would be inspired to go around on bikes. When there are so many advantages to cycling, why not use it?

PUBLISHED IN THE RISING NEPAL, 2011 MARCH 03

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Apartment Trend

Apartment Trend

If you give a round to Kathmandu valley, you can find large number of
constructions work going on with the board hanged naming the
apartments. It must be a good business happening, else it would not be
like mushroom growing in the valley. They charge certain percent for
the system called 'booking' and promise to have over the apartment
within certain time. One funny thing is they make huge publicity, let
that be by taking full page of newspaper or by bringing superstar in
their advertisement but there will simply remain the stuffs required
for construction at the site instead of constructing and we book for
the virtual buildings.

Let there be anything, but apartment has been able to lock hundreds of
people in a single building. This system of apartment has made easy
life for any medium class family because we get to own flat in 1.2
million itself. It has turned fruitful to the business as well. Yes
lot of unemployed peoples is getting employment facilities as well.
They at least get to earn certain money. Advertisement regarding those
apartments has provided salary to the models there and served as the
life to the Medias who earn a lot through the advertisements. So there
is profit to customers, sellers, Medias, employees and everyone linked
to it. How can we ignore the salient features included there? All
those physical fitness, lift, swimming pool facilities are conformably
beneficial and positive aspects of apartment system.

However, when we see from a broad vision, it has been playing the role
of major factor responsible for centralization. They are welcoming
peoples from outside to the capital to centralize. At the time, when
decentralization has to turn out in the nation, buildings of
apartments are inviting peoples from outside. A person can sell his
house outside the valley and easily purchase apartments here in
capital which will definitely lead to increase in population of that
particular place. Like a single building made for apartment has been
responsible for bringing hundreds of people within the Kathamdnu
valley. And it's not the thing that I need to explain the
disadvantages of centralization.

It must be through international communities that we are attracted
towards apartments and business firm has seen profit through it. But
the case seems to give a complete negative output for us Nepalese
here. India don't have apartment system in New Delhi itself, but all
the big cities there are familiar towards it let that be Mumbai or
Lucknow. But apartment trend in Nepal is limited only in Kathmandu
valley, which attracts more humans in the valley. Truly, we are
centralized. One has to come capital to get proper education, job,
facilities and other needs and it has been the system. Government
definitely needs to play the role to work for decentralaization, but
the trend of apartment has been equally responsible for the cause of
centralization.

'Mero ghar…mero ghar…Kathmandu ma mero ghar…'Ah! This sounds so catchy
that one can definitely get attracted towards it, and if he got his
pocket heavy, he can pay for the iles of brick on air. It's not that
apartment system is completely wrong but there is the necessity of
proper management with strict Government rules for it.

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Say it with a smile

Say it with a smile
A person who doesn’t have a smiling face should not open a shop,” is a famous saying with lots of sense inside it. Truly, one needs to be cheerful, friendly and polite to own a shop and achieve success. Starting a business is not at all a big issue as you can do it by simply making an investment, but the main concern has to be to run a business. In order to run a business, customers are required and customers are not attracted if you lack a good welcoming smile on your face.

Weeks back, I went to a telecommunication shop for a recharge card, but the man in charge rudely stated thatere was no recharge card available. What do you think? Now, even for the service available there, I or for that matter anyone else will not go to the same shop. If this is the case, why don’t these businessmen understand it?

Similarly, at the barber’s where I having a haircut,a man came in and asked if a recharge card was available there. The barber ridiculed the man for entering his shop for a recharge card. The barber could have been more polite in answering the man.

It obviously doesn’t cost a penny to be polite, yet people forget that very basic in trying to act smart.

Being a business administration student, I am taught Human Resource Management which focuses on good human relations both within the organization and with the customers. No matter how good facilities you provide, if you are not able to deal with the customers in a proper way, they will not visit you.

Smart and beautiful ladies as receptionists are frequently observed.
But, without their courteous behaviour the customers will not be impressed. It is the polite behaviour that makes the lasting impression on any visitor.
We are in the monopolistic market where substitutes are easily available. If you are not treated well by one outlet, you can go to the next as there’s no one to stop you. To understand this one need not be a student of management.

When there is nothing to lose, but huge gains to be made courtesy your politeness, the best option is on being polite to the fullest.

Moreover, if politeness gives us mental satisfaction, reinforces our optistimism and keeps us happy, it makes sense to use it to our advantage in our dabble in business.



PUBLISHED IN THE HIMALAYAN TIMES (JAN 26 2011)

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Donating Blood

Donating Blood


Why should I donate blood? What will I get by donating blood? Is it worth it? Do these feelings come to you when you see a blood donation campaign somewhere around you?

To be honest, I always had these feelings. I had a huge body, but I hesitated to give blood. Yet I would feel a kind of jealousy when my lean and thin friends visited the blood donation camps and came with a
certificate in their hand. So one day in college, I searched the Internet to see what the advantages of donating blood could possibly be. I learnt that donating blood was an excellent way to get rid of excess iron accumulated in our body. Excess iron stimulates the formation of free radicals which are responsible for damaging our body cells and tissues.

Blood donation is beneficial from another view also as it burns the extra calories and reduces the cholesterol level. When we donate blood, the blood cell count decreases in our body, and this stimulates
the bone marrow to produce new red blood corpuscles (RBC) to compensate the loss. Hence the production of new blood refreshes the system.

Another advantage is that you get a free checkup for blood-borne diseases like malaria and HIV. Also we are handed a Red Cross card, which gives us priority at a time when we need blood. Let's not forget
that positive feelings are associated with it. Wow! After discovering all these, would it not be stupid if I still didn't go for it? But those nurses with the thick needles, pipes made me nervous. But since I had already noted down my name, I had no option but to go through it.

Totally nervous, I lay on a chair, watching blood drip into the plastic pouch. Within moments, it was all over. There was an initial feeling of weakness, but it was over in no time. I had donated blood and that was what mattered! When there is nothing but benefits, besides doing some social service, why should we hesitate to donate blood? Once the first attempt is made, it is most likely that you will be excited in donating the second time, too.

One research shows that 5 per cent of the world's total population donates blood, and if five more per cent donated blood, there would be no scarcity of blood. So let's wake up and start donating blood.

PUBLISHED IN THE RISING NEPAL (JAN 13 2010)

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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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