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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Making Resolutions

Making Resolutions



The New Year 2011 is all set to begin in a little over a month's time. What resolution have you made for the start of the new decade? It is easy to be determined to do something in the upcoming days, but it is
difficult to keep the promise. With every new year, resolutions are made, but within the span of a few weeks, it is already time to question if the resolution has been kept.

Losing weight, avoiding smoking, speaking the truth, being punctual are just a few resolutions one makes during this particular season. There is usually a strong determination at the beginning in seeing that these resolutions come to fruition. But when the time comes to take the step, the flesh is weak. By the time you realise that your resolutions have been made in vain, it will be time to welcome the next year.

The main obstacle in realising one's resolutions is the practical aspect. Can someone who has been smoking for years suddenly quit smoking as soon as January 1 appears on the calendar? Obviously not!
You keep smoking till December 31, so how can you quit so easily within a few hours? So don't be foolish in making such resolutions.

Resolutions made at the spur of the moment can hardly succeed. Now, if you really want to quit smoking make a practical resolution that will work. Make a resolution like, I will reduce smoking by half
during this year! This can work out to some extent. By the time you make the next resolution, reduce it by half again; this will bring you to taking a puff, maybe, once a week, then once every month. This will
be comparatively easier to do away with your smoking habit.

The future is uncertain, so you cannot be very determined about doing this or that thing! You tell youself, I will try my best to do this. This will take your resolution to a certain height. If you can't control smoking in the early days, the feeling of control will prevail. But when you make a strong resolution not to smoke at all, and if you must smoke, your resolution will be ruined. You will then realise that it's too late to stop smoking.

I am not discouraging those who are determined to make a strong resolution for the new year, but only suggesting that it be practical.

All the best for your New Year resolutions.


PUBLISHED IN THE RISING NEPAL (NOV 22 2010)

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Happy Winter

Happy winter

It's already time for chilly winter, and probably must be well prepared to welcome the winter of this year as well. It is definitely wonderful season as we get to stay under blankets for long time, get to wear a lot of cloth plus have lots of hot stuffs. Nepal has been through moderate sort of climate as we don't have to freeze under minus for long time, nor do we need to get boiled with fifty degree.

Days get short and night gets long during this season which makes our working schedule really tight. Darkness comes above you as soon as your office hour completes, and hence you have no option besides going home. Weekends during winter has separate fun as the whisky really helps you to stay entertainingly warm. It's not my writing to explain the impact, advantages or disadvantages of winter but it's a suggestion for every one that has to be taken seriously during the season.

Water is a necessity for our body from every point of view. We drink water not to fulfill our thirst but it's necessary for our body. Water regulates body temperature, promotes healthy skin, acts as natural lubricant for the body, helps in digestion, and removes waste from the body. It is not that our body requires water only during hot season, but we require equal water during winter as well. Our body gets dry during winter and hence water can play the role to remove the dryness during winter. Nothing except water can contribute the role of water for our body. Soft and hard drinks rather suck water from our body
more than contributing; this makes our body water less. So the fact has been probably clear that there is equal importance of water in both summer and winter.

Now, how wise is it for us to drink cold water during this season? It's okay if you can control your body, but I call it wise if you rather manage to drink hot water every day which will keep the germs of common cold along with various other diseases far away. When we have such huge benefits, why don't we manage to drink water during this season? It is something foolish to make resolution for upcoming year to drink daily certain amount of water and fail to fill it in the end. Hot water contributes to make our body hot as well which is really essential during this particular season. Let's make an attempt to keep our body fit, warm and healthy simply by drinking hot water time and again during this season.

I am sure you probably have completed your tasks of washing old jackets, sweaters or purchasing the new one. You probably must have thought of ideas to keep your room warm during this season. As we are
poor in electricity, let's even make contribution to reduce load shedding by consuming less electricity during this season by using less electric heater. Happy Winter!

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EVERYONE'S LUCKY

Everyone's lucky
T here always appears to be heavy opinion on the side of hard work, compared to how lucky we can be.
Truly, hard work counts for success because through it a person can be at the peak of success. But, the entire credit to hard work might not be right as luck too seems to have a role in all that. So, the presence of both luck and hard work is there in any success story.
Think who works the hardest. No, not businessman, not doctors either.
It's the labourers. Just imagine him sweating it out the entire day and yet he is not rich.

Now, analyze it yourself. Does not luck play an important role for him? Is it not because of luck he is poor despite working hard? It's luck that decides the place of your birth, whether in a poor family or rich family. So, the role of luck in any individual’s life is there, though it is not visible like hard work. For one particular reason we take the support of hard work because it is physical.

If you are wondering whether you are lucky or not. Don’t get confused; it’s with us bust the thing is only to make it work for us. You probably cannot call yourself lucky if you have won yourself a huge amount playing bingo because you may lose it within a month.

It’s something foolish to call yourself unlucky just because you could not win a trip to South Africa to watch World cup 2010 through a draw. People who think they are lucky expect good things to happen to them, so they are optimistic.

What do you call the Pandavas?

Lucky or unlucky? They were born in a noble family, came up with such great power and achieved victory in the end.
Now, will it not be stupid if we call them unlucky simply for the fact they lost all gambling? Luck is there for all of us. We simply need to search for it seriously and the best possible way to search for luck is through sincere effort with positive vision.

It’s wrong to claim yourself unlucky simply because you don’t win in a game of ludo or cards. No matter what you are, even a laborer, you can give good education to your children for their bright future. You will definitely feel lucky to be the father of such wonderful son or daughter at that time. But you can never avoid hard work, hard work and luck come all together. So, we all are lucky in one way or the other.

PUBLISHED IN : THE HIMALAYAN TIMES [ 27 OCTOBER 2010 ]

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Gadget Addiction

Gadget Addiction




‘Oh! There is I pad in the market’, ‘I am tired of using this old set, Please! I want I phone now!’, ‘Dad! I have been using Pulsar for last two years, now I want Fazer!’

Are not these sings of gadget addiction? We want all the updated stocks of the market. Basically, the youths get to enjoy lot with the gadget. Youths are the one who quickly get updated about the latest product in the market. They are all aware regarding the launching date of Apple’s I pad in the market. They know all the features, price of it. Youth are curious about it and get well informed about the product before hand.

‘Mom All my friends come to college in scooty, I am only the one to wait for micro, Please request dad!’. What can parents do in such situation? How can a parent tolerate that their child is going through a problem of humiliation? For the teen sensation, especially of big towns it has been a kind of fashion to get updated with the gadgets. What can an individual do when it is a kind of trend? It is awkward obviously to carry Nokia 1600 at go to college when all the friends are there with fancy latest sets. Or the youth cannot get mixed with the group who all have bike with them. Honestly, we can see the groups separation in any college as per the interest. Bikers have separate friend circle, similarly cell phone group are different. For medium class group, who hardly manage for the education fees are separate, smokers are different and studious student are different. No matter what, any teen would definitely get attracted towards the latest gadget.

Letting the child updated with the latest gadget is not big issue for bigshots. But this can really be a troubling issue for those medium grades who hardly manage to afford for the education. But what can parents do when it is a trend in the college itself? So there remains no option besides adding the burden through loans, credits etc. With the advancement in technology youth are simply addicted towards the gadgets and the manufacturers are focusing youth to suck money through the addictive adds like “pleases you, pleases money and your girlfriend’, or let that be through pictorial signboards on the middle of the road.

There is profit to media as they get to advertise, manufacturers will be in profit for sure, and same with the Government as they get to inject tax thereby. So it is for sure that there will not be anyone to guide us regarding this. So the main initiatitive must be taken by the colleges, institutes themselves. They strictly impose the rule about the uniform. Uniform are meant to bring uniformity which will certainly reduce the gap between a millionre and a normal citizen. But what remains the value of uniform when the discrimination has been there through gadgets? Parents need to analyze the needs with the time and purchase the gadgets. They also need to figure out if those gadgets are acting has the hindrances for their future or not. However youths they need to understand the situation and learn to avoid it. They first need to think if they will be able to buy those goods to their child in the future or not. I have my friend who spend around twenty thousand per month and when I asked him if he can earn the amount himself in future he was in total confusion.

Yes! It is necessary to get informed about the latest advancements in the market. But we should not cry like child for it. Economic condition of the family, its use need to be analyzed. It’s not a good idea to demand for I pad when your cell phone has all the features in it.


REPUBLISHED IN REPUBLICA SEP25

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