Common Nepali’s anger through various facebook images – expressing through facebook

Today Morning, When I got up and opened my facebook page, my news feed line (how do you say like twitter timeline) was full of posts and pictures and images. I could read, see and sense the people’s disappointments and angusih over the failure of Constitutional drafting process and immature death of CA! May be even the death of democracy for sometime.

There were funny posts, funny status messages but all of them representating the painful reality of this country, outlining the foolish actions of so called representatives of peoples and naturally the anguish and hatred towards these bunch of thugs – the politicians.

I am not sure what is going to happen next in Nepal? All options are being deliberated, I am sure by State agencies and ‘nikamma’ politicians. But, one thing is sure that we common man have to be more vililant while exercising our political rights and being disciplined to curb disintegrating forces which are busy in spreading hate message based on, quite a few occassion, false historica facts. I am sure that will make me more busy in my blogging and in public discourse via social networkings and forums-online.

At this post, I  have all collected all those images (copied from facebook and pasted here) that I could see in my facebook page. The images, some may be little over the top and I may not approve it in terms of my thoughts and views. Some of the images also show the Maoist’s real faces and their brutal killings in the past. This should be a lesson for common Nepali Man in the future while exercising its voting rights.However, that is how people have expressed to show their anguish and therefore, I have pasted them here without any edit (Sadly, I could not copy the caption of some of the photos) . Needless to say, I have no copyrights over these materials and it belongs to respective owners.

For more meaningful and thought provoking sensible and civilised views, keep on visiting my blog.

Book Review – an elegy for democracy – forget Kathmandu

I have recently finished reading this book called Forget Kathmandu by Manjushree Thapa, a much praised Nepalese Author who can write books in English Language.

The book was published many years back, most be the first edition should have been out by 2004-05 but later, the author seems to have updated the books with recent updates. I could lay my hand on updated edition of 2006 which has tried to cover the political misadventures happening in Nepal at that time.

This book, I had started reading almost 6-7 months back but had to stop in between as it could not meet my expectation then. The expectation was because of reviews and other aspects of author that I had read in magazines, webs and in NewsPaper. It could not meet the excitement of expectation then and I just stopped. Later, I thought  I should give a chance and finished reading by sticking my principle that once I start reading, I should finish it however, unintelligible, boring or idiotic the book could turn out to be.

So, how was the book? Before that, what was the book all about?

The book was about Nepal based on the Author’s travel to remote west during one of those ceasefires between Maoist insurgents and Government of Nepal. But the time line of the story starts immediately after the royal massacre of 2001 and goes to flashback to make the readers conversant about Nepal’s feudal history, about how Shah Dyanasty was established and how Shah Kings were in the past. The history whatever has been reported on the book is based on whatever author could hear and read from childhood textbooks. There is not much research on that. She conviniently takes the liberty of bashing Shah Dynasty throughout making unreasonable linakges between how irratically some of the Shah Kings acted in the past… when I say past almost 150-180 years ago.

The author wisely claims that it is not that ‘History’ that we generally understand and mean by ‘History’, and therefore, takes a complete liberty of attacking everything about Nepalese Moanrchy from past to present. The book conviniently makes general remarks about geographical unity of Nepal but culturally disintegrated nation. The same statement here and there that every left, right, royalist, businessman anyone makes when they have to give speech in public.

Now, if that is so, who is responsible? Of Course, Brahmins and Kshatriya, and those who were educated and became closer to ruling class. Now, the book starts bashing to higher castes. So, target is educated higher caste people who were in control of power and argument starts that they did nothing for the nation.

Now, the turn of how Maoist movement erupted in Nepal. As everyone says and the book mentions that after people of lower casters and dalits  and woman are oppressed for years, they get the Maoist movement a forum to voice against state and Maoist have tried to channelise the sentiments.

Then, the author revolves around evryday’s incidents about how many people were killed in cross fire between Maoists and Security Forces. Of Course, she knows the reality between these so called cross fires and keeps on going about how many people die from cholera, dysentery etc. everyday in far remote western Districts where the insurgency has already made the living a normal life very very difficult.

In the end, author takes a trip to few of the western Districts of Nepal along with a malcom so called Human Right Activisit and talk with people. Majority of People talk about state forces’ atrocities but on the same breath also mention the dislikes to Maoists. They do not like Maoists because insurgents force them either to join the party or mostly force villagers to feed party cadres. While walking in these districts, She meets young people without any future if you join party or not as Nepal hardly gives any real oppourtunity unless you belong to an educated elite class having good political connection and the book ends its story. In the updated version which I got, there are few extra pages on Maoist and Political Parties’ meeting and agreement to topple monarchy in Nepal through peaceful movement sometimes during 2006. This is all or everything about the book.

So, how was it? To be very genuine and honest, I was disappointed. I found author just wanted to flow with the sentiments based on whatever was already in public and in the general knowledge of almost everyone. There is no new research and at ease the generalisations have been made.

You are democrats or not, leftist or rightist, I feel that one sided bashing of elites, higher castes and royalists leave a sour feeling. Not that they do not deserve to be criticised, but the book fails to constructively align its thoughts on how to bring the country back and particularly which era to blame for Nepal’s calamity. Being born in a remote country side and brought up there, I have seen many of such social problems and discriminations in Nepal and many young people like us are witness to Maoist problems. Therefore, getting lecture and ‘gyan’ on these things from manjushree did not bring anything new in terms of knoledge and value addition. Though looking at her family and educational background, her ability to talk on these issues could also be well questioned. However, I would not go to that extent to criticise this book.

Well, for the foreigners, may be, for them who have very less idea about Nepal, the book can be a starting point. Or may be for them, who would like to know negatives about our country, it can be a solace but after going through some reviews and having expected a something different than usual sloganeering on the issues, the book turns out to be a forgetteable one.

If you can lay hand on it, You may read it. Otherwise, you can concentrate on good books. In my shelves, I have another 2-3 books of Manjushree and I, at least once, expect to read and comment on them – good, or bad, whatever the creations turn out to be!

Till Next post, enjoy reading my blog.

आज तेस्कै सम्झनामा। अन्तिम सुक्रबार

PART I: WRITTEN ON 6th August, 1990

आज तेस्कै सम्झनामा। अन्तिम सुक्रबार
त्यो दिन अझै मलाई याद छ। आज म त्यो दिनलाई अन्तिम सुक्रबारको नाम दिन्छु। त्यो दिन उ ओर्लियो कोटीको सडकमा। कालो शिशा भएको पहेलो बसबाट। बिच सडकमा कुद्दै गरेको हैदराबादी बसबाट ओर्लिएकोले उ हतार हतार गरेर बाटोको साइड लाग्यो। हुन पनि कती हर्न बजाका हुन है राडा राडी ले त्यो कोटिको जङ्सन्मा प्य प्या प्या एकोहोरो

उ दौडदै छेउ लाग्यो आन्ध्रा बैंकको साइडतिर। अनी लुरु लुरु हिणिरह्यो बाटोको छेवै छेउ
उ असाध्यै छिटो हिन्छ मानौ उ असाध्यै हतार मा छ। बिस्तारै त हिन्नै जान्दैन उ। जब हिन्छ उ कोटिको सडकमा आज त्यसरी उ त्यसरी नै हिड्दै छ। दाँया बाँया कतै नहेरी र केही नसुनी।

एकमन ता बोलाउ की जस्तो लाग्यो उस्लाई तर बोलाइन के सुन्दो होला र भनेर। तेसै त मान्छे नै एस्तो छ कि उ हतार मा छ भने उ ता हत्तपत्ती कसैलाई हेर्दा पनि हेर्दैन र चिन्दा पनि चिन्दैन।

फेरी अस्ती हाम्रो कोठामा केटाहरुको चिया धेरै थोरै भएको नाथे कुरोमा झगडा भये पछी ता उस्ले म सग पटक्कै कुरा गर्नै छोडेकोछ। उ भन्छ रे त्यो झगडामा मैले कुनाल लाई सप्पोर्ट् गरे रे। नाथे झुशी कुरामा पनि के झगडा गर्न जानेका हुन केटा हरुले।

मलाई याद छ। त्यो केटो हैदराबाद आउँदा कस्तो थियो। उमेर मा उ म भन्दा जेठो भयेपनि मलाई दाजु भन्थ्यो अनी मैले पनि उस्लाई भाई नै जस्तो मानेको थिए। तर आज सम्झन्छु ति अतित का दिन हरु लाई।।।।।।

एक्छीन सम्म हेरीरहे उस्लाई केही पर पुगुन्जेल तर त्य्स पस्चात् त्यो मानब सागर मा हरायो। म पनि वोमन कलेज को साइड नै साइड लागेर अफ्जाल्गन्ज हुँदै चारमिनार तर्फ लागे नमाज पढ्न भनेर. फेरी आफ्रीन लाई पनि त भेट्नु पर्नेथ्यो।।। लागे हतार हतार गरेर।

त्यो अन्तिम दिनथियो। त्य्सपछी उस्लाई मैले कहिले पनि देखिन. न ता सुने नै उस्को बारेमा। हिजो बेलुका फर्बिसगन्ज मा भेट भयो मेरो नवलपरासी का पुराना मित्र रामरोशन जि सग। राम रोशन जि भन्दै थिए उ अहिले सिक्किम मा छ रे। सोच्छु के गर्दै होला त्यो केटो। आज तेस्कै सम्झनामा। 

PART II: Written on 10th August, 1991 and added some postscript on 10th August, 2010
मेरो माथिको सत्यता मा आधारित् छोटो निबन्धलाई लिएर धेरै धम्कियुक्त कल र ईमेल हरु प्राप्त भएका छन। साथै धेरै जना साथी हरुको जिज्ञासा ले भरिएको मेल हरु पनि प्राप्त भएका छन। मुख्यता ति मेल हरु को बिषयबस्तु यो निब्न्ध कस्को बारेमा लेखिएको हो भन्ने मा आधारित् छ। साथी हरुको तिनै जिज्ञासा शान्त पार्न यो दुई चार शब्द थपेको छु। 

कुरो तेस्तै सन १९९० को हो। म हैदराबाद्को मौलाना आजाद उर्दु विश्वाबिद्यालयमा हिन्दी साहित्यमा एमए गर्दै थिए। त्य्स बखत हामी धेरै साथी हरु सगै बस्थीउ। केही साथी हरु जस्लाई म सम्झन्छु ति जमाना का- तिनिहरु थिए सौरभ ज्ञानी भट्ट ‘हावा’ , अमिताव चौधरी, आमुल्चन्द्र टपोरी, अशोक चभ्हन, बिशेष ‘स्वदेशी’ बिदेश पुरी, दिपक ‘किपर’ यादव,सुजित वीर बिक्रम शाह, सुनिल थापा कुमार चौधरी, कुनाल मुनाल शाह तेली, दिपक तेली शाह, ब्रोजेश कुमार ‘जी’ भित्र, राम रोशन ‘मनविलास’ शाह, र पवन्कुमार चाम्लिङ आदी। धेरै को ता नाम पनि भुली सके। 

म १९९० मा एमए को दोश्रो बर्ष मा थिए। तेस बखत साथी हरु को बिच्मा सामान्य मन मुटाव र झगडा भै नै रहन्थ्यो – झगडा हुनुका मुल कारण हरु टाइम मा खाना नबनाउनु, आफ्नो पालोमा खाना नबनाउनु, साथीको पैसा लगेर समयमा फिर्ता नगरनु, केटी लाई लिएर फिल्म हेर्न जान पैसा हुनु तर साथी लाई तिर्न नहुनु र तेस्ताइ चिया धेरै थोरै हुनु आदी थिए। 

मैले माथिको निबन्ध १९९० मा जब पवन्कुमार चाम्लिङ लाई देखे तेसै बखत लेखेको हो। तर यो मेरो पुरानो डैरी मै लुकेको थियो। १९९१ मा बनारस फर्किए। हिन्दी मा बनारस हिन्दू विश्वाबिद्यालय बाट पिआच्डी (बिध्यबरिधी) गर्ने मौका पाएर। तेस बखत मूगलसरए मा भएको पचासौ हिन्दी भाषा सम्मेलन मा भाग लिने क्रम हुँदै रिसर्च को लागि फर्बिस्गन्ज जादा मेरो राम रोशन ‘मनविलास’ शाह सग भेट भएको हो। उहाले नै मलाई पवन्कुमार सिक्किम गयो भनेर सुनाउनु भयो।

मैले १९९३ मा मेरो बिद्यावारीधी समाप्त भये पस्चात सिमला बाट प्रकासीत हुने ‘दल्हौजी केसरी’ भन्ने हिन्दी पत्रीका को सम्पादक भएर काम गर्ने मौका पाए। सन २००० सम्म तेसै पत्रीकामा काम गरे पछि सरकार द्वारा मलाई सन २००० मा चन्दिगढ मा खुलेको राष्ट्रिय हिन्दी विश्वाबिद्यालय को डिनमा नियुक्ती गरीयो। आज सन २०१० मा सो विश्वाबिधयलय ले १० बर्ष पुरा गरेको खुशीमा हामीले ‘पठानकोट जर्नल’ निकालेका छौ। तेही जर्नल बाट केही अंश माथि प्रस्तुत गरिएको छ। 
यो कुरा याद रहोस् कि यो निबन्ध मा भएका सबै ब्यक्ती को नाम जिवित ब्यक्ती हरुको हो। यो नाम कसै सग मिल्न ठ्यक्कै मिल्न गएमा 
सम्योग मानिने छैन। तर यि नामहरु कसैको नाम सग नमिलेको तर सुने जस्तो जस्तो अथवा मिले मिले जस्तो लगेमा केवल सम्योग मात्रै हुनेछ। यो लघु निबन्ध पहिले हिन्दी मा ‘पठानकोट जर्नल’मा प्रकासित् भएको हो। यस्लाई नेपाली मा अनुवाद गर्न सहयोग गर्ने मेरी पिए तिखी ‘कुमारी’ सिँघ बहिनी धन्यवादकी पात्र छीन।

Nepali Gazal, kabita(नेपाली साहित्य, कबिता र गजल)-1

This is a Nepali Poem/Gazal/ gajal written by myself. I do not know much about Gazal/Ghazal/गजल but shall try whenever I have time. I like writing Nepali and English Poems and reading them and गजलis one of such areas which attracts my interests. In my other blogs, there are other Poem/Gazal/ गजल. In case you also write Poem/Gazal/ गजल , then, you can send them to me, I will publish them in my blog. I am grateful to my all the readers for reading my Nepali Poem/Gazal/ गजल.

As I said above, I like Nepali Poem(kabita) and Nepali Gazals(Poem/Gazal/ गजल), I will be posting here some more Poem/Gazal/ गजल when I have time. You can also send me your Poems and Nepali Gazals.

Literature is such an interesting thing in Life and our Nepali literature is also very rich. Just We need to do is keep on Contributing to this field.

नेपाली साहित्य, कबिता र गजल मन पराउने साथी हरुलाई तल को कबिता/Poem/Gazal/ गजल प्रस्तुत गरेको छु। तपाईं पनि यदी नेपाली गजल मन पराउनु हुन्छ भने यो ब्लग हेर्दैइ गर्नु होला। मेरो ब्लग मा पालिदिनु भएकोमा धेरै धेरै धन्यवाद।

धेरै आएन, अहिले लाई दुई लाइन। बाँकी पछी बढाउला.

मेरो घरको आगनी मा मैले तुलशी रोपेको छु
तिम्रो नाम तिम्रो चित्र मेरो मनमा खोपेकोछु

This post has been tagged under Nepali kabita, Nepali gazal, नेपाली साहित्य, Nepali kabita haru, Nepali Gazals, नेपाली कबिता, nepali gazals, nepaligazal, नेपाली गजल, and gazal.

Girija Prasad Koirala – What he was not or….?

I know this Article is little out of date and People may have lost interest in GPK by now, but I still feel that anything on GPK would be a good read to ponder – what that man was and was he really like that?

I should have written this long time back. This article is about Girija Babu, about death of Nepal’s former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. He died in the month of March, when I was travelling and was not in Hyderabad. I thought that I will write about him soon once I get back to my online computer system. However, time not permitting and because of sheer laziness, I am writing this article today. This article is purely on ‘GIRIJABABU’ that is a man called Girija Prasad Koirala.

He was not a God! A simple human being having lots of vices though his democratic credentials were impeccable is what they say. He always remained in limelight mainly because his dictatorial leadership, not so transparent party policy, nepotism and corruption on which he indulged in. He spent many years in Media after restoration of democracy in Nepal for many bad reasons. If there was no People’s Movement in 2062-63 BS in Nepal, he would die as another leader. But that movement made him a true leader of People when others were giving up against royal takeover, and acquisition of democracy. He stuck with his democratic plans and made King to bow for that. Thereafter, his image was turned to a picture larger than size/life, whatever you may call it.

The man, who was despised by many, and a man, who always was on people’s mouth when they used to say, “Girija! Kina marna nasakeko hola! (Girija, why can’t he die?), was changed till the time he died. The transformation was in the last five years and whatever he did in the last five years before his death, will be remembered by all.

Though after he died, people remembered only his democratic legacy, many people did an oversight for his bad deeds. He was a strong dictator, no doubt within his party, and could almost do anything for power. His involvement in suppressing any opposition, humiliation to political leaders including his own party men like Kishun ji (Krishna Prasad Bhattarai), extreme favour to nepotism, always being surrounded by his own close coterie were his hallmark for many years. His involvement in Bansbari Chhala Jutta Company (a company which produced leather shoes) privatization and bankruptcy of profit making government company after privatization, his involvement in Dhamija Kand, Lauda Air Corruption cases are some of few examples where he should be remembered for not that good reasons. I was reading one article somewhere in Nepali media, I think it was written by Rabindra Mishra, a BBC Nepali Sewa Journalist (I hope he is still there) where Rabindra has tried to summarize the life of Girijababu.  In fact after his death, GPK (Girija Prasad Koirala) has been turned to a savior of democracy and it seems that all political commentators have completely forgotten his misdeeds. GPK was a great democratic hero in his last days but certainly not the greatest as it has been presented by some media. It was funny to see competition among people and media house to coronate him with so many adjectives like true democrats, people’s leaders, great freedom fighters from 2007 BS, etc. It seems that his death has brought so much agony and illusion among people that he has been transformed to a great great hero overnight and that too after his death. I think people’s perception on GPK should have been influenced by people’s short memory, which we generally tend to have and that works most of the time to our great advantage. However, if Koirala has to be missed, remembered, mourned, then all his goods and bad deeds must be considered with balance. His involvement in 2062-63 BS democratic movement alone cannot be the yardstick to measure his heights. We should also consider those notorious hallmarks that he had after he gained power in 1991 and always stuck there and did almost everything to thwart any democratic in house Nepali Congress’s movement to internal democracy in party.

I am aware of the fact that he has been remembered for his initiation of privatization and liberalization of our trade and economy post liberalization and democracy in Nepal after 1990. But, we should be equally mindful of the fact that his mismanagement of democracy and corruption culture brought severe threats to democracy – one of them being ‘Rising and Rising of Maoists’. If we thank him, appreciate him for bringing Maoists in mainstream democracy or democratic movement, or whatever you call or if you believe Maoists have come to the fold of democracy, but you cannot forgive, condone or pardon him lightly for creating that conducive environment for Maoists to breed. If he has cooperated within party for stable government and leadership and had he been not so power hungry, then, leaders could divert their attention to some meaningful actions, rather than protecting their chair from Girija’s arms or making Girija happy just to stick in power. For these things, Koirala should be remembered forever as he was a root of mismanagement or ill-governance in the country, and the fruits of his actions were Rise of thugs, called Maoists. Thankfully, may be stars or moon were on his right side, Koirala did  reach some understanding with Maoists and removed king, which act alone became larger than his life and Koirala could die in little peace, and became a great leader in our History book, probably!!!

(There will be part two of this Article based on some facts, fictions, and my talk with People on the day GPK died. I am sure that will be another interesting read.)

मेरो मुटु भित्र बाट लेखेको एउटा नेपाली गीत

मेरो मुटु भित्र बाट लेखेको एउटा नेपाली गीत

तिमीलाई यो मनको कुरा भन्न गार्हो भो
पिडा मनभित्र लुकाएर हास्न सार्हो भो

भन्न मन लागेको कुरा भन्न सक्दिन
मेरा आशु आज्काल रोक्न सक्दिन

तिमीलाई यो मनको कुरा भन्न गार्हो भो
पिडा मनभित्र लुकाएर हास्न सार्हो भो

दोस मेरै हो प्रिया तिमीलाई गुमाउनुमा
रोक्न सक्दिन आफ्नो आशु तिमी साथ नहुँदा
रोएर नै मेरो जीवन बित्ने भयो प्रिये
तर तिमी हास सधैं खुशी को त्यो सागर मा

तिमीलाई यो मनको कुरा भन्न गार्हो भो
पिडा मनभित्र लुकाएर हास्न सार्हो भो

जाउ जाउ टाढा तिमी अब नआउ मेरो नजिक
हासोस संसार तिमीसगै तिम्रो खुशी सगै

तिमीलाई यो मनको कुरा भन्न गार्हो भो
पिडा मनभित्र लुकाएर हास्न सार्हो भो

Talking something simple things

We go to office to work. That is simple as we all do. But what is interesting in human life  sometimes is you will go to office but do not do anything as you do not feel like doing anything. Sometimes, you go to office so early in the morning and try to do everything as either, but in rare cases, you enjoy doing something, or most of the times, deadlines matter you and your boss or superior tells you to do that within given time.

About me, working is boring. It’s so boring that sometimes, I wish to throw them on someone’s head and run away from office far somewhere where there is no work, no deadlines, no corporate responsibility, where there will be no boss and even mobile signals will be nil so that clients will not disturb me unnecessarily. I have heard that in Nepal’s mobile tower is bad, I mean there is poor network or connection but in Nepali people say, “Tower Gayo”, literally means Tower left/walked away. May be these places and corners and hills of Nepal are made for me where ‘Tower walks away’ because of poor infrastructure.

Today, I am talking about very simple things. What I work is most of the times indirect tax implications on infrastructure projects. Like, Government wants to make National Highway or some roads. Let us say that government gives that contract to some company A and company A can sub-contract that contract to three other companies. That’s how work is done in India and there arises various tax implications like excise, may be customs if things are brought from outside India, state level VAT and Central Sales Tax and Entry tax and such others. Here, I need to remind myself that I am not going to talk about complex tax issues but very plain issue of infrastructure in our society. We have poor countries, and we are residing and citizen of developing countries. I do not know why we are poor. May be we were poor and still, we are poor. People say Infrastructure plays a big role to develop any areas. If they, who claim to be expert, say, then, this must be true.

Now, talking about infrastructure, we need a lot of them. We need Road as we do not have them. We need two lane road, four lane road, six lane road, eight lane road, and only one way express highway depending on the place. We need culverts and Bridges on these roads. We need Electricity on these roads, and streetlights in city areas, then, we need telephone, mobile phones where tower does not walk away. We need clean drinking water, and we need schools, colleges, Hospitals, Public recreational centers like park, and Road safety mechanism. The list for the time should stop here. It is not that long, is it? But when can our governments fulfill these small lists. Can poor people of poor country get these 8-10 things first before they hear making five star hotel in Moon?

I think it is simple to give these things, isn’t it? But, then, why government can not give these small things to us, poor people. Let’s work on simple things first before venturing into nonsense hi-fi stuffs.

I rest my case for the day.

Farewell to YSR and The New York Times Archive

This post is not intended to be a detailed one. Just a small post out to bid goodbye to Dr. YSR.

First the sad news, The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Dr. Y.S Rajashekhara Reddy’s untimely demise on helicopter crash yesterday has brought this State of Andhra Pradesh in a state of shock, despair and grimming situation. The man was popular as the recent landslide victory of his in State Assembly Election and Lok Sabha Election has brought him again in power after being his victory in 2004 Election. He has just surpassed his 100 days in office. Despite numerous allegation of corruption against him, and allegation of factional politics in his native place Cuddapah, he was the man of masses. He promised a lot to the poor and the reports says that he promised most of them. That was the reason that he was elected again to serve the people of State of Andhra Pradesh. But, the God was very unkind to him and God wanted something otherwise.

Dr. Reddy was travelling to some remote village in Andhra Pradesh in a small helicopter and there were only five people. The climate and the nature’s fury, as the reports says, compelled the pilots to change the route. The plane left on wednesday morning around 9 and the helicopter went contactless with ATC immediately after some 15 minutes and nothing was heard. All machneries of state and Central Government was pressed in action and he was found along with 4 others, almost after 24 hours of his departure from Hyderabad, but when he was found, he alongwith other 4 were already with God. How merciless the God can be !

All the national Indian media have widely covered this incident and human sea on Hyderabad are there on the streets to pay their last respect. My office has also been closed for two days, yesterday and today, to pay respect to him. Eventhough I know him little and his political career, I had lots of respect for his hardwork and feel utterly sad for his untimely demise.

What we can do, when god has some other ideas! My farewell to Dr. YSR, and I am sure State of Andhra Pradesh will miss him for years.

Goodbye Dr. YSR, and May you rest in peace! Wish the God bestow courage to  family members to bear this hard truth.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Sometime back, I was browsing The New York Times, one of the best newspapers in the world with wide range of information for any readers. The Economic and technology related columns are the things that are most read by me(by me!, I do not know about others.) While browsing the website, I stumbled on a great service of this NYT. About this, I wanted to write sometime back. This was the archive service.

The archive section gives you all the news from 1851 AD. You can read the free preview and to read the full article, you have to buy/subscribe. For all those reachers, I think it is a very great service though for normal common man like me, It may not be of that much value, or may be I can not afford.

But, I feel it is a revolutionary service.It helps greatly for the researchers and specially for the students of economics, political science and history, it should be of great help.

You can access NYT’s archive section from here:http://query.nytimes.com/search/query?frow=0&n=10&srcht=a&query=nepal&srchst=p&submit.x=30&submit.y=11&submit=sub&hdlquery=&bylquery=&daterange=period&mon1=01&day1=01&year1=1981&mon2=09&day2=04&year2=2009

There you can see that I had searched the term Nepal and some of the news were of 1960-70 when there was Panchayat era in Nepal under the leadership of King Mahendra and there are archived news about B.P. Koirala, the first elected Prime Minister of Nepal.

You can see another link where it reports that King took the direct control of Government.

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30814F73A541A7A93C4A81789D95F448685F9

Okay all, read this news and make the full use of them.

Have a good day.

Nepal and Foreign Currency Issues

I had written a post here sometimes back. The post was titled as “India and Foreign Currency Conversion”. There, in that post, I had promised at the bottom of the post that I would write something about Foreign Currency issues and conversion related matters on coming days.

Therefore, here it goes-something about Nepal and Nepal’s foreign currency related laws. First of all, to be frank with you, I do not know anything about foreign currency law of Nepal. So, what I am going to write is my experience of almost six years back. This issue is being talked here in the light of difficulties that we face in India to convert your Indian money to foreign currency from Nationalised or Private Banks. If you have already read my earlier post about India, You will know by this time that it is very very easy to get your Indian currency converted to US Dollar or other recognised foreign currency in private open market albeit the rate might be different from what Reserve Bank of India would prescribe.

In this background note, I am talking experience from Nepal. The story is of 2003 June. First time, I was on a foreign tour/trip. For the first time, I was stepping out of my country and was heading to foreign territory. The Country of destination was India :), the foreign land where I was venturing to.

I knew that Nepalese Currency is of no use in India. I required either Indian currency or USD or something like that. At that time, I did not know much about forex law of Nepal and how to get foreign currency. First of all, I was not sure which currency to get or some kind of cards.

Problem in Nepal is that Rs. 500, and Rs. 1000 currency notes of India are not legally recognized. So, if I wanted those notes, I had to contact some businessmen of Terai and I did not have much time to do so. Another problem was that I did not want to do something illegal which may put me in some kind of trouble in the Airport-Tribhuwan International Airport. Now, legally, the problem was that I could get only Rs. 100 Indian currency and at that time, I was carrying something around 50,000 INR. First time, I was travelling to India and I did not know how much money I need and to get 100 Rs. currency note for that amount would make me to carry a big bunch of papers. I was little irritated with this idea.

My brother had suggested me to make Traveller’s Cheque, which he himself did not know what was that and neither I had any damn idea of what’s that. I thought I should contact with Bank people itself. Then, I visited to Everest Bank, in New Baneshwor where I had maintained my Savings Accounts at that time. I went to Bank told them that I am going to India and asked them to suggest what is the best method to carry some money.

They had only one suggestion-get Indian currency from us and go. I inquired about Traveller’s Cheque, Debit and Credit Card. They had low opinion about India and said me it’s not worth of doing any such things. They asked me about the city where I am heading to, and I said Hyderabad. From their facial expression that they had very low opinion about Hyderabad and in a manner of contempt to this place, said there it will be difficult for you if you do not have hard cash. I myself, did not know much about this place, and did what they suggested. I gave my Nepalese Currency and they gave Indian Currency-bunch of INR 100. The conversion rate was same as it is today as Nepalese currency is pegged with Indian Currency. N I headed to India with inner pockets of pants and shirts filled with Indian currency bunch.

In Nepal’s International Airport, while frisking my body, a policeman asked what’s there? I said-money, Indian Currency. He further said that he does not think that I have 500 INR currency note and I affirmed his thoughts. He said me to move and I moved. That’s all about my experience.

Now, let me add little more of my story before I conclude this. That day, the trip was in many ways a new for me. First foreign trip as already said, first time, I went to any International Airport and first time, I was traveling by Plane, among others. My sister Minu and Brother Rewati Raman Pokhrel came to Airport to see me off. We used to stay in Babarmahal Area and we took bus. There was no need of taking taxi. My sister had recently passed Nepal Telecommunication’s Exam and she had training in Kathmandu at that time. She skipped the half’s day training and came to see me off.

I will write more on this later. Keep on reading !!!

Nepal, India and Trade

I found this excellent Article in Telegraph Nepal of which link is provided below, while researching on India-Bangladesh Trade. I will have some comments on this as per my experience in Indian Customs Laws. The Copyright of the Article vests with Author/Publisher.

http://telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=6067&PHPSESSID=b5a1f280b3a7b036693e0927fe7b1267

Enhancement of Nepal-India bilateral Trade & Commerce Ties

Rajesh Agrawal National Council Member, Confederation of Nepalese Industries

The bilateral framework for trade and transit is provided by the India-Nepal treaties of Trade, of Transit, and Agreement for cooperation to control unauthorized trade 1991. The trade treaty valid for five years was renewed through an exchange of letters on December 3, 1996 and March 5, 2002 and automatically renewed for another five years in March 2007.

Under the Treaty of Trade, India provides, on a non-reciprocal basis, duty free access, to the India market for all Nepalese-manufactured articles barring a short negative list (cigarettes, alcohol and cosmetics), subject to the conditions, since march 2002, that the exports meet the domestic value addition requirement of 30% and change in its classification at four-digit level in the course of manufacture or processing in Nepal.

After the March 2002 revision, annual quotas have been prescribed for duty free exports to India for four sensitive items-vegetable fats (100,000 tons), acrylic yarn (10,000 tons), copper products (10,000 tons) and zinc oxide (2,500tons).

Bilateral trade takes place generally in Indian rupees, but Nepal’s Central Bank maintains a list of items that can be imported from India in us dollars.

The India–Nepal Treaty of Transit, renewed every seven years, provides for port facilities to Nepal at Kolkata and specifies 15 transit routes between Kolkata and the India-Nepal border for bilateral trade, 22 entry/exit points are provided along the Indo-Nepal border. The transit treaty was last renewed in March 2006. The agreement for cooperation between India and Nepal to control unauthorized trade was automatically renewed for five years in March 2007.

The two governments are negotiating a bilateral investment protection and promotion agreement.

India and Nepal signed a rail service agreement in May 2004, to extend cargo train service to the inland container depot (ICD) at Birgunj in Nepal. ICD has been constructed with World Bank assistance of US$ 17 million, while India has constructed the rail tracks which link the ICD with the Raxaul railway station in India. The ICD became operational on 16th July 2004. A container corporation of India-led joint venture Himalayan Terminals Private LTD. is operating the ICD.

A motor vehicle agreement for passenger vehicles, initialed on 23rd February 2004 awaits formal signature. The agreement envisages bus services between India and Nepal on 14 routes through 5 borders on reciprocal basis.53 buses will operate under this agreement everyday. Individuals traveling to either country in their personal vehicles would also be able to cross over into the other country without payment of any charge for the first five days.

Now I would like to high light some of the issues related to trade:

The trade treaty between India and Nepal has made specific provision which allows access of Nepalese manufactured goods to the Indian market without payment of any customs duty.

But in the past, through national budgets additional duties to the extent of 4% has been imposed on Nepalese exports, later on at the request of Nepalese’s exporters as well as Nepal government these duties were called off.

Eventually when the 4% additional duty was waived by other notification, it was made applicable only to those items, which were being exported by the date of the notification as per the list approved by the finance ministry on the basis of H.S. Code classification.

Many items which could have been exported or are exported from Nepal are still subject to this 4% additional duty.

By this the exports under Nepal India trade treaty has virtually frozen to the items enlisted prior to the notification and for the new items, the treaty is virtually extinct.

As a result of such discretionary levy of the additional duty, Nepalese exports have been badly impacted.

Agro based industries are facing problem of quarantine and lab testing and borders.

The garment industries are facing problems of levy of CVD in India on the basis of MRP.

Quota and canalization on vegetable fat, acrylic yarn copper products, zinc oxide

On specific items like steel pipes it is required to take ISI mark from BIS before they can be exported though they have already taken ns mark from Nepal bureau of standards.

Pharmaceutical industries are unable to export their products to India, because the registration of their pharmaceutical products in India is almost impossible.

The indo Nepal trade treaty allows for sending any machinery for repair & maintenance only within 3 years of importation from India to Nepal. Whereas in normal cases, it is after 3-4 years of installation that a machinery requires repair and maintenance.

By products not being allowed to be exported in India;

These are products where main finished products are allowed to be exported in India, but by –products generated during the course of manufacture of the finished products are not allowed for export to India due to some prohibitions either due to the Exim policy of India or some other notification.

Heavy congestion at Kolkata port resulting in delay and cost increase of import cargos.

Road and customs infrastructure not sufficient, very weak at the borders.

Recommendations

It should be specifically provided in the treaty that neither the central government of India nor the state governments will levy any form of additional duty on goods imported into India from Nepal as per the provision of the India Nepal trade treaty. And whatever products it is being levied currently should be waived immediately.

Regarding quarantine testing Nepalese labs should be accredited for the testing.

Third party pre-shipment inspection and their certification is the norm for the exports all over the world, the same can be made applicable for India-Nepal trade on agro products.

Initiations had started for negotiating a bilateral cooperation agreement on standards between bureau of Indian standards and Nepal bureau of standards and meteorology. It should be finalized with both recognizing quality standard marks provided by each other.

Nepal allows the import of Indian products with the minimum of non-tariff barriers and the Nepali exporters also expect the same treatment from the counterpart.

Provision for allowing the sending of machinery for repair and maintenance within 3 years of import only to be amended to remove the 3 years boundation.

The motor vehicle agreement for passenger vehicles should be formalized to allow Nepalese vehicles into Indian Territory which at present require a permit.

Removal of quota and canalization; when the quota was prescribed in 2002 on vegetable ghee, acrylic yarn, copper products, zinc oxide, the import duties in India on these products were very high, but now they have been significantly reduced and in some cases it is even 0%, so there is no logic in continuing with the quota.

Nepali manufactured goods out of Indian and or Nepali raw materials should have a separate procedure for export to India. They should be given national treatment as given by the central government of India to the states like Assam, Meghalaya, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh in terms of tariff and non-tariff issues.

The DRP system (duty refund procedure) was introduced for goods exported from India to Nepal in Indian currency with a view to increase trade with Nepal as well to reduce the landed cost of goods to the consumers of Nepal. Under this system the amount of excise duty paid on Indian goods is given as rebate in the customs duty levied by Nepal and that amount is refunded to the Nepal government by the Indian government. During that time import duties were about 25% in Nepal so the full excise amount would be exempted but now the duties have fallen to the range of 5-10% resulting in the full excise not being exempted hence Indian goods becoming expensive.

So for all exports from India to Nepal in Indian currency excise duty should not be charged as in the case of dollar exports.

For the congestion being faced in Kolkata additional sea ports with railway connection for Nepal as JNPT, Kandla, Vishakhapatnam and ICD Tuglakabad for import and export of goods from Nepal should be provided.

ICD Birgunj should be connected with major ICD of India for bilateral and overseas cargo.

The facilities of concur should be extended to carry export material from Nepal to major cities of India and vice versa

Goods imported from third country into India are not allowed to be re-exported to Nepal. This provision should be removed and goods imported into India from third country should be allowed to be re exported to Nepal.

Improvement of cross border trade related infrastructure such as upgrading major customs check points at Birgunj-Raxaul, Biratnagar-Jogbani, Bhairawaha-Sunauli and Nepalgunj-Rupediya to international standards, upgrading approach highways to the border on the Indian side and the Nepalese side; and broad gauging and extending rail links to Nepal.

Lastly rivers flowing from Nepal into India constitute an important part of the Ganges river system. Nepal’s enormous hydropower potential estimated at 83,000 mw, of which 44,000 mw is considered economically feasible, could transform Nepal’s economy.

There is considerable scope for mutually beneficial cooperation between India and Nepal in developing small and medium sized hydropower projects in Nepal for internal use in Nepal or exports to India. Nepal’s hydropower development policy permits private and foreign investment in generation of hydropower, including for exports.

Nepali Politics: Cant stay without commenting!!!

There is no difference between entire Nepal and my room in Hyderabad these days, in terms of power trouble. There is frequent electricity power cut in Hyderabad these days and in Nepal, both political power in addition to electricity power has dried up.

My laptop has some power back up and I have been rendered jobless in this dark night. It’s dark enough to be called dark at this night as the lights from candles are fading away even before they reach me.

I am jobless in this dark night, have been compelled to use internet through wireless( wi-fi) card. Had there been power, I would be using internet only but my net would be certainly faster on broadband n I would be roaming from one website to another. Now, in this powerless darkness, we have limited option and feel like commenting about power-political power, of course.

This week, when we start commenting on power and political power in Nepal, the name cerianly erupts in mind is Prachanda- the most hated, despiged, loved, hailed as leader etc. etc. depending on your choice and political inclination.

We are all aware of political dramas unfolding in Nepal. the sacking of army chief by Government, re-instatement of Army chief by President, PM’s prachanda’s resignation and his speech against foreign power. He said that he held his head high when foreign powers were forcing him to bend as per their wishes.

Many hailed Prachanda——-it was a ‘Hail Prachanda Era’.

In some speech, it was reported that he said that his resignation was a missile against foreign dogs or something like that. Hail Prachanda became louder.

N Today’s THE HINDU, one Indian Newspaper, published Prachanda’s interview that came as a real missile to many of us. U can see his interview and new related to this here:

THE HINDU NEWS    

THE HINDU NEWS   

Here, in the above news, Mr. Prachanda shamelessly reveals that he asked for India’s help to resolve the issue. Is that his greatness? When army row is Nepal’s internal matter, why he approached for India’s help?

That means all his tallks on nationality and not being influenced by foreign interference is just a tall claim, and how long he expects to make people fool by his inconsistent big talks??

I am sure we will soon hear on our backyard people saying, “Down with Prachanda”.

Nepali Poem, Nepali Kabita, Nepali Gajals

This Post is hacked. 🙂 Visit New and Modern Blog Nepali Kabita, Nepali Gajal Haru to read more Poems and Kabita.

 

 

Visit us at http://nepalesestories.blogspot.com/

 

 

जोखिमपूर्ण जातीय विभाजन/Risky ethnic Devides.

(In the series of Consolidating Debates on Constituent Assembly Election and prospects of Federalism, these two articles in Nepali and translation in English have been published here. I agree most of the points presented in this Article.) 

जोखिमपूर्ण जातीय विभाजन
डा. आलोक बोहरा
कसरी युगौंदेखिका नेपाली समस्याको समाधान नेपाललाई जातीय धारमा विभाजन गरेर सम्पन्न गर्न सकिन्छ ? जातीय तथा लैंगिक विभेद, आर्थिक अभाव, पश्चिमी पहाडका भोकमरी तथा खाद्य सुरक्षाका समस्या, कमजोर प्रशासन संयन्त्र, स्वास्थ्य सेवाको अभाव, पर्यावरणीय असन्तुलन, सहरी अपराधहरू, बढ्दो जनसंख्याको चाप, बेरोजगारी, शैक्षिक भिन्नता, प्राकृतिक प्रकोपहरू जस्तै– तराईको बाढी सामना गर्ने असमर्थता, बालश्रम, चेलीबेटी बेचबिखन, सामन्ती प्रथा र कतिपय अकर्मण्यता इत्यादि सबै नेपाली समस्या हुन्, न कि मधेसी, लिम्बुवान, बाह्मण । 

Constituent Assembly Election and Federal System

[Though I disagree with the learned Authors on some of the minor points in this Article, I hope that this Article will make an interesting and educative reading. I will make some of my “notes of dissent” clear after some days, in a separate Article.]

 

By Surendra R Devkota and Shiva Gautam

 

Nepal, since its existence, never had a citizen-centered governance structure. All state machineries during the Rana and earlier regimes were focused on only tax collection from the citizens and power consolidation at the center.

 

Come One, Come All To Vote Your Destiny: Election Commission

[ My few Words: This article is a copy-paste Article written by Dinesh Wagle in United We Blog. I have copied this article from UWB’s website as it helps to spread information about Constituent Assembly Election in Nepal. For further information about its original publication, see the bottom of this Article. All Copyrights over the Article and images belong to Original Authors.]

By Dinesh Wagle

As part of its unprecedented campaign, Election Commission will send 8 thousand volunteers in each and every house of all villages of Nepal to deliver invitation cards: You and your family members [who are registered at the Commission] are heartily invited to the nearby voting both for the Constituent Assembly election on November 22.

An invitation to your family to vote. Sketch by Dewen via Kantipur