June 30, 2007

कविता- "दौरा सुरुवाल कोट"

(यो मेरो लगभग डेढ वर्ष पूरानो रचना हो र आफैंलाई पनि मन परेको रचनामध्येको एक हो। ब्यस्तताको बीचमा यो ब्लगलाई अगाडि बढाउन यसको सहारा लिएको हुँ।)

"दौरा सुरुवाल कोट"

पटक पटक आफैंलाई
लिलाम बढाबढमा राखेर कमाएको
मूल्यसूचि छातीभरि टाँगेर
भत्ताको हड्डी चुस्दै
आजपनि भुक्न निस्केको छ-
इतिहासले पाखा लगाइसकेको
अनुहारवीहिन सफेदपोश
दौरा सुरुवाल कोट,

शहरले श्वाश फेरेको मनपराऊँदैन
र ‘दौरा सुरुवाल कोट’को सभामा
अक्सिजनमा कोटा लगाउने भाषण गर्छ,
रिसाएको छ समयसंग
त्यसैले समयलाई पक्राउ गर्ने प्रस्तावमा
दशै औँलाको छाप ठोक्छ-
इतिहासले पाखा लगाइसकेको
अनुहारवीहिन सफेदपोश
दौरा सुरुवाल कोट;

रगतरंगको रक्सीले धर्मराऊँदै
जेठी,माइली, साइलीहरुलाई सराप्दै
(पालै पालो धोका दिएको उसैले हो!)
नम्बर नखुलेकी कान्छीको ढोका ताक्छ,
नसकेपछि सामना गर्न
कान्छीको बैँशको चुनौती
वर्तमानको नाममा
एक आमाचकारी गाली छादेर
मूर्दाझैं लम्पसारिन्छ-
इतिहासले पाखा लगाईसकेको
अनुहारवीहिन सफेदपोश
दौरा सुरुवाल कोट।

*****************************************

June 27, 2007

हाम्रा 'अति ब्यस्त' मन्त्री ?! (अथवा माइकका लोभी !?)

मन्त्री प्रदिप नेपाल एकै दिन नौ वटा कार्यक्रममा प्रमुख अतिथि बनेछन्, तर सबैमा ढिला गरी पुगेछन्। यस्तै लेख्या छ कान्तिपुरले।

हुनत यस्ता दृश्यहरु सामान्य भईसकेका छन् नेपालमा। बोलाउनेले सकेसम्म मन्त्री-प्रधानमन्त्रीनै बोलाउन खोज्छ र हाम्रा मन्त्री-प्रधानमन्त्रीपनि जल्ले बोलाएपनि गईदिन्छन् (उस्तै परे नबोलाएपनि जान बेर लगाउँदैनन्!)। दुबै पक्षले मनग्गे चर्चा कमाउन पाउने मेसो जो परेको हुन्छ यस्ता अवसरमा। बोलाउनेको कार्यक्रम टिभीले खिच्दिन्छ र राष्ट्रिय समाचारै बनेर आउँछ, हाम्रा नेताहरुले पनि चिलाएको मुख शान्त पार्न अण्ट-सण्ट बक्ने मौका पाउँछन् र अरु बढी चर्चा कमाउँछन्। मलाई केहि वर्ष पहिला कुनै एउटा पत्रिकामा पढेको एउटा घटना याद आयो। माओवादी नियन्त्रणको लागि लगाईएको पहिलो संकटकालको शुरुवाती दिनहरुको कुरा हो शायद, तत्कालीन प्रम देउबा एक दिन साँझपख पत्रकारहरुसंग 'आज पाँचवटा बिहेको निम्तो भ्याएर आईयो!' भनेर धाक लगाउँदै थिए रे! अब देशमा संकटकाल लागेको छ, हेर्नुपर्ने कुराहरुको ताँती छ, तर प्रधानमन्त्रीको पूरै दिन बिहे भोजहरुले खाईदिन्छन्। (प्रधानमन्त्रीले बिहे भोज खानै हुँदैन भनेर भनेको अर्थ नलागोस् यहाँ, हाम्रा नेताहरुले कति पत्रु तालको प्राथमिकता क्रम राखेर आफ्नो दैनिक कार्ययोजना बनाउँछन् भन्ने कुराको एउटा उदाहरण मात्र देखाउन खोजिएको हो।)

छुरा-जिब्रे (त्यस कुराका लागि भने म यिनको सानोतिनो 'फ्यान'नै हुँ भने पनि हुन्छ!) मन्त्री नेपालको यो 'ब्यस्तता' पनि मलाई त्यस्तै पत्रु शैलीको लाग्यो। ठीक छ, बोलाउनेले बोलाए। आफ्नो कार्यक्रमको बढी चर्चा गराउने रहर सबैलाई हुन्छ। तर भ्याईन्छ कि भ्याइन्न भन्ने विचारै नगरी सबैलाई 'हुन्छ' भन्ने यी नेपाल बाजेचाहिँ झन बढी चर्चाका भोका रहेछन्। अथवा यीनले भाषण गर्न नपाएको धेरै भएर यीनको मुख नराम्रोसंग चिलाएको रहेछ र भाषण ठोक्ने कुनैपनि मौका नछोडेका होलान्। (सके आफ्ना वयोबृद्ध मामालाई पनि सानोतिनो भाषणनै सुनाए होलान्।)

तर सबै कार्यक्रममा घण्टा-दुई घण्टा ढिलो पुग्नु सट्टा थोरै कार्यक्रममा मात्रै गएर समयमा पुगेको भए, कुरेर बस्ने जनताले दु:ख त पाउँदैनथे!

उनले मुखको चिलाई गृहमन्त्रीले राजिनामा दिनुपर्छ भनेर मारेछन्! देशको शान्ति-सुरक्षाको स्थिति खत्तम र झूर छ, त्यसैले गृहमन्त्रीको राजिनामा माग्ने धेरै निस्केका छन् । तर एउटै क्याबिनेटभित्रको अर्को विभाग हेर्ने मन्त्रीले सार्वजनिक कार्यक्रममा यसरी बोल्नु, राजिनामा माग्नु कस्तो पेशागत र राजनैतिक नैतिकताभित्र पर्छ कुन्नि? अब देशको शैक्षिक अवस्था अस्तब्यस्त छ (भएको कुरो हो, यहाँभन्दा अस्तब्यस्त कति हुनसक्छ!) भनेर सिटौलाले अर्को कुनै कार्यक्रममा प्रदिप नेपालको आलोचना गर्ने र राजिनामा माग्ने?

June 26, 2007

मसंग घोर घृणाबाहेक केहि पनि छैन!

केहि दिन पहिला अर्को एउटा ब्लगमा प्रतिकृया दिँदा नेपालको सम्पूर्ण फोहर नेपाली राजनीतिमा गएर थुप्रिएको छ, यसैले सबै क्षेत्रलाइ बिटुल्याएको छ भनेर लेखेको थिएँ। तर कुरो त्यतिमै सकिने भने होइन रहेछ। यो कुरा हाम्रा स्वनामधन्य प्रधानन्यायाधीशसंग जोडिएर आएका प्रसंगहरुको सन्दर्भमा हो। सम्झँदा-सोच्दा पनि घृणा जागेर आउँछ, देशको न्याय-कानूनको सबैभन्दा उच्च तहको संरक्षक यति घटिया करतूतहरुमा जोडिएर आउनु। हाम्रो दुर्गतिहरुको मूल श्रोत त न्यायपालिकामै पो रहेछ र त्यसैले राजनीतिलगायत सबै क्षेत्रका विकृतिहरुलाई मलजल गरिरहेको छ!

हिजो कान्तिपुर अनलाइनमा अभियुक्त दिलिप कुमार सगर्व प्रम र सभामुखसंग बसिरहेको फोटो देखेको थिएँ। यति धेरै विवाद र चर्चा चलिरहेको छ, न खण्डन छ, न स्पष्टिकरण छ; उल्टो नीति-नियमलाई धोती लगाउँदै पत्रकारहरुलाई वयानमा डाकिएको छ। अझ, राजेश के सी को कार्टूनमा पनि स्वनामधन्य प्रधानन्यायाधिशको गिद्धे आँखा परिसकेको छ, एक-दुई दिनमा उनलाई पनि वयानमा डाकिएको खबर आउन बेर छैन।

शाही टाटनामा गएर दरबारी घाँस खाएको भरमा पदमा पुगेका यीनी नीति-नियमलाई धोती लगाउँदै देशकै बेइज्जत गरिरहेछन्। प्रतिनिधिसभाको रिटलाई एक युग कुराउने यिनै, सिडी प्रकरणबाट घूसखोरीमा रंगेहात समातिएका यीनै, आफ्नै श्रीमती (ब्याइते भनौं न अब!)लाई निजी सचिव बनाउने यिनै,भ्रष्ट र अपराधीहरुसंग सरकारी निवासमै भेटेर ब्रिफकेश लिने अनि तीनलाई मुद्दा जिताइदिने यिनै-------!

अब कुरो आयो तुलसा प्रकरणको । म चाहन्छु यो असत्य होस् तर नेपालका कथित ठूला-बडाहरुको कर्तूतको लामो सूचि हेरेपछि पक्का लाग्छ यो एकदम सत्य घटना हो। आफ्नै छोरी (धर्मपुत्री भन्नाले हाडनाता नहोला, तर त्यहाँ मानवीय र नैतिक नाता जोडिएको छैन र बाउ-छोरीको?)माथि १३ वर्षको कलिलो उमेरबाटै ३०-३० वर्षसम्म पाशविक बलात्कार गर्न सक्ने! छि-- छि! थुक्क! र त्यस्तो मान्छे हाम्रो सबैभन्दा ठूलो न्यायमूर्ति रे! यो कत्रो अन्याय हामीमाथि?

मलाई लाग्छ यो पशुले ती तुलसाको हत्या गरेर फालिसक्यो कतै!

फेरि एकचोट्टि थुक्क!

June 21, 2007

Mixed up! Confused!!

I used to be fluent in Chinese (Mandarin). Or I must think so, after staying in China for five years and studying my B.E. totally in Chinese. After going back to Nepal, I couldn’t get any job related to my study for one year and worked with two Chinese construction companies as their interpreter and translator. So I could, at least, maintain my level (of whatever fluency I had).

For some years after that there were occasional meetings with Chinese people, especially businessmen and people working in different construction projects in Nepal. Sometimes, there were document translations to do. So I was somewhat able to practice my Chinese.

My confusions started after coming to Japan and learning Japanese. Japanese language has borrowed its ‘kanji’ from Chinese (in which it is pronounced as ‘hanzi’). ‘Hiragana’, ‘Katakana’ too are developed from these ‘kanzis’. As ‘kanzis’ are generally written similarly but pronounced differently, there is some confusion. But it can be managed because most of the Japanese pronunciations are only little bit deviations of Chinese pronunciations. Japanese are still using complex characters for writing, where as in mainland China, they simplified after the communist revolution of 1949.

Chinese has very difficult sounds (and intonations too! I always dreaded those 4 different intonations!) but the grammar is very easy. On the other hand, Japanese has very simple and much fewer sounds but its grammar is very complicated. But learning Japanese grammar was not much difficult for me, as it is very much similar to Nepali grammar.

Among the 13 students in our Japanese class, 9 were from mainland China, 1 was from Taiwan (so 10 Chinese in total!), 1 was from India and 2 (me and Mr. Sharma) were from Nepal. So I could practice my Chinese a lot in that class. I used to joke saying ‘I am learning Japanese but improving my Chinese!’ But that was what gave me problems.
During passage readings or conversation practices, I started to get confused. I used to read some kanzis in Chinese and some in Japanese. I clearly remember practicing one simple conversation from the book.

A: 今何月ですか。
yima nan gatsu desuka.
  What month is it now?
B: 八月です。
  Hachi gatsu desu.
It is August

I was B and everybody was laughing after I finished reading that phrase. I read it as ba gatsu desu instead of Hachi gatsu desu. This ‘ba’ is the Chinese pronunciation of ‘八’.
Such incidents have happened many times. Not only in reading, in daily conversations too! When I want to say something in Chinese, sometimes, Japanese words come unknowingly or vice versa. Recently, in the university party after graduation, there was a Chinese student who graduated from another department. We had a brief talk in Chinese.
Fellow graduate: Ni xianzai kaishi zuo shenme ne?
(你现在开始做什么呢?)
What will you do from now?
Me: wo zai daxue zuo kenkyuuyin de gongzuo.
(我在大学做研究员的工作。)
I will be working in the University as a researcher.

Both of us laughed after I finished the sentence, because that kenkyuuyin is Japanese and the rest of the sentence is Chinese. Chinese for this kenkyuuyin is yanjiuyuan.

In such instances, I always remember a funny Chinese man I met in Toulouse, France in the summer of 2004. We (me and my lab colleague from Thailand) were there for a conference. We were looking for cheap lunch and finally entered a Chinese (Sichuan) food restaurant (we had our lunch there everyday during our stay). The waiter (from Xian in China) was a man of our age and was very talkative. Once he was admiring me for knowing 5 languages.

He: 你会说好多语言!You can speak so many languages!
Me: 还不够。我还要学斯巴尼亚语。Not enough yet. I want to add Spanish. (I was just kidding!)
He: 你不要学那么多语言!脑子会困的。你知道luosenbao 吗?那一个国家的人会说很多语言。结果一个文学家也没有出来 Don’t learn too many languages! Your brain will get into trouble. Do you know Luxembourg? People from that country can speak many languages but they don’t have any good writers.
Ha ha ha! What a funny concept?! I was really amused! How can he say that? Luxemberg without any writers! How can your linguistic ability hamper your creativity? I am not sure!

Yes, your brain gets into trouble after you learn a few languages, it is for sure! May be the processors in our brain have limited abilities. But again, I am not sure!

घुम्दै-फिर्दै फेरि नेपाली लोकगीत!

विक्रम सम्वतको २०३० को दशकमा हुर्किँदा सुन्न पाउने भनेको रेडियो नेपालले बजाउने नेपाली लोकगीत-गीतहरु र हिन्दी फिल्मी गीतहरु मात्रै थिए। हाम्रो घरमा रेडियो थिएन। काकाको घरमा थियो एउटा सानो नेशनल-पानसोनिक रेडियो। त्यो रेडियोमाथि हजूरआमाको पूरा नियन्त्रण थियो। के सुन्ने, के नसुन्ने भन्ने कुराको निर्णय अरुले हतपती गर्न पाउने चलन थिएन। हजूरआमालाई शाही नेपाली सेनाले चलाउने कार्यक्रममा भीमबहादुर थापाका रुपकहरु असाध्यै मन पर्थ्यो, बेलुका आउने कृषि कार्यक्रमकी बूढीआमैको गन्थन र परिवार नियोजन कार्यक्रमका रमाईला सम्वादहरु पनि खुब सुन्नुहुन्थ्यो वहाँ। त्यस्तै हरेक शनिबार दिउँसो एक कि साढे एक बजे आउने नाटक पनि सुनिन्थ्यो, घर-छिमेकका लगभग सबैले। ठूलो जमात भेला भएर चिया पिउँदै, गफ गर्दै नाटक सुन्ने ती दृश्यहरु मेरो मानसपटलमा नमेटिने भएर रहेका केहि दृश्यहरुमध्ये पर्छन्। कार्यक्रम सुन्ने सवालमा हाम्रो अनूरोधको खासै सुनुवाई हुँदैन थियो। बढीमा बाल-कार्यक्रम सम्म सुन्ने अनुमति हुन्थ्यो यदाकदा। बाल-कार्यक्रम, त्यसभित्रको पनि ‘हातेमालो’ भन्ने कार्यक्रम असाध्यै मन पर्थ्यो मलाई। काकाको घरको रेडियोबाट सुन्ने अवसर नपाएको बेला ठूलो बाको घरमा पुग्थें बाल-कार्यक्रम सुन्न। त्यो घरको कान्छो छोरो मसंग एउटै उमेरको (म भन्दा एक महिनामात्रै कान्छो) छ र हामी एउटै विद्यालयमा एउटै कक्षामा पढ्थ्यौं। उसंगै मैले पनि सुन्न पाउँथे बाल-कार्यक्रम।

नेपाली लोकगीतहरु र नारायण गोपालका गीतहरु मन पर्थ्यो मलाई। केहि हिन्दी गीतहरु पनि मन पर्थे। किन हो कुन्नि, विशेष गरी गायक मुकेशको स्वरसंग म एकदमै आकर्षित थिएँ। गाउँमा भिडियो-टेलिभिजन धेरै पछि मात्रै आए। एस.एल.सी.सकुञ्जेलसम्म अंग्रेजी गीतहरु बारेको मेरो जानकारी शून्य थियो। नेपाल टेलिभिजनका शुरुवाती दिनहरुमा भूषण दाहालले ‘सण्डे पप’ चलाउन थालेपछि भने अलि अलि हेर्ने मौका पाईयो, तर गीतको अँग्रेजी ठ्याम्मै बुझिँदैन थियो, संगीत र नाचकै रमाईलोले मात्रै हेरिन्थ्यो।

स्नातक पढ्न भनेर २०४८ मा पहिलो पटक नेपाल छाड्दा मैले जम्मा दुईटा क्यासेट साथमा लगेको थिएँ। एउटा ‘नारायण गोपालका गीतहरु’को कुनै भाग थियो, अर्को महको ‘पिकनिक’ भन्ने प्रहसन थियो। त्यतिखेर विदेश जानेहरुमा नारायण गोपाल र मह नबोक्नेहरु त कोहि पनि हुँदैन थिए होलान् जस्तो लाग्छ। सबैजसोले कुमार बस्नेतका लोकगीतहरु पनि बोकेका हुन्थे। मैले कुमार बस्नेतका गीतहरु नबोकेपनि संगै जाने अरु धेरैले बोकेका रहेछन्।

चीनमा बस्दा अँग्रेजी गीतहरु सुन्न थालियो। शुरवात जोन डेन्भर र बिटल्सबाट भएको याद छ मलाई। एक वर्ष भाषा पढेर इञ्जिनियरिङ्ग पढ्ने विश्वविद्यालय गएपछि भने एकदम धेरै सुन्न थालें। कारणचाहिँ संगै पढ्ने, सानेपा घर भएको एकजना साथी थियो। उसंग अंग्रेजी गीतहरुको धेरै ठूलो संकलन थियो, धेरै त नेपालबाटै लिएर गएको। उ ‘गन्स एन रोजेज’ र ‘जिम मोरिसन’ भनेपछि मरिहत्ते गर्थ्यो। मैले ‘यू टू’, ‘पिंक फ्लोयड’, ‘रोलिङ स्टोनस्’, ‘आरइएम’, ‘क्वीन’आदि थाहा पाएको उसैबाट हो। त्यहाँ हाम्रै उमेरको एउटा अमेरिकी (मिनेसोटा राज्यको) केटो अंग्रेजी पढाएर बसेको थियो छ महिना जति। हुनत, उ हामी भन्दा अलि फरक थियो, हामीभन्दा उल्टो संस्कृत, गीता, ध्यान आदिमा बढी रुचि भएको, तर उसबाट पनि धेरै थाहा पाइयो अंग्रेजी गीतहरुको बारेमा। उ विशेष गरी त्यतिखेरका मूलधारभन्दा अलि फरक खाल्का अँग्रेजी गीतहरु बढी रुचाउँथ्यो। ती चार वर्षको दौरानमा मैले सुनेका मध्ये सबैभन्दा मन पर्ने समूहहरु भन्नु पर्दा ‘क्वीन’ र ‘डायर स्ट्रेट्स’ भन्छु होला शायद। अंग्रेजी गीतहरु बढी सुन्ने यो क्रम २०५३ तिरबाटै बिस्तारै कम हुँदै गयो।

चिनियाँ गीतहरु पनि सुनिन्थ्यो धेरै। शास्त्रीय चिनियाँ संगीत मन परेपनि बढी उदासी भरिएको लाग्ने हुँदा अलि कम सुन्थें। चीन भर्खरै मात्र खुल्ला समाजको बाटोमा हिँडेको थियो र पप गीतहरु पनि त्यसै अनुसार अगाडि आउँदै थिए। हङकङ र ताइवानका पप गीतहरु पनि बढी सुनियो। मूलभूमि चीनमा भने रक गीतहरुको बाढीनै आएको थियो त्यो ताका। अर्थतन्त्र विस्तारै पूँजीबादतिर गएपनि कठोर साम्यवादी राजनीतिक बन्देज भने छँदैथियो। यस्तो अवश्थामा रक गीतहरुले अति अप्रत्यक्ष तरिकाले राजनीतिक सन्देश बोकेका जस्ता लाग्थे। थुप्रै समूहहरु मध्ये ‘थाङ डाइनाष्टी’ र छुइ चियान (ब्यक्तिको नाम) बढी मन परेका थिए। हङकङको एउटा ‘बियोण्ड’ भन्ने समूह पनि खुब मन पर्थ्यो, हुनत त्यो समूहका सबैजसो गीतहरु क्यान्टोनीजमा हुन्थे। नेपाल फर्किँदा यी समूहहरुका केहि क्यासेट-सिडीहरु पनि ल्याएको थिएँ।

नेपाल फर्केपछि भने विस्तारै गजल-कव्वालीहरुमा बढी मन जान थाल्यो। गजलहरु पहिला पनि नसुनिने हैन, तर अब भने गजलहरुमात्रै जस्तो भयो। बढी मन पर्ने चाहिँ जगजीत सिंह। नुसरत फतेह अली खानलाई भेटेपछि त जिन्दगीको सम्पूर्ण खोजनै सकिएजस्तो लागेको थियो केहि समय। मैले शुरुमा सुनेको नुसरतको कव्वाली ‘दम मस्त कलन्दर’ को शास्त्रीय संस्करण थियो। संगै किनेको जावेद अख्तरका शब्दहरु भएको ‘संगम’ अल्बम (जो पूरै शास्त्रीय शैलीमा भने छैन) त अहिलेसम्म कति हजार पटक सुनिसकें होला!

चार वर्ष पहिला जापान आएपछिबाट अहिलेसम्म पनि गजल र नुसरत प्रतिको आकर्षण उस्तै छ। यस बीचमा ‘फ्यूजन’ तिरको आकर्षण पनि बढेको छ। ‘करुणेश’, ‘प्रेम जोशुवा’, ‘अहिँसा’, ‘अनुष्का शंकर’ आदिमा मन लाग्न थालेको छ। कहिलेकाहिं लाग्छ, यो म मानसिक रुपमा बूढो हुँदै गएको संकेत हो, अब अरु सब छोडेर शुद्ध शास्त्रीय संगीतमात्रै मन पराउन थालेपछि मेरो बूढ्यौलीले पूर्णता प्राप्त गर्छ होला! तर फेरि ‘बूढो हुँदै गएको नभएर सौन्दर्य-चेत निखारिँदै गएको पनि त हुनसक्छ नि!’भनेर आफैंलाई सम्झाउँछु!

यसबीचमा जापानी शास्त्रीय अथवा लोक संगीतको त कुरै छोडौं, जापानी रक-पपको समेत एउटा गीत पनि पूरा सुनेको छैन। पप संस्कृतिका हिसाबले जापान एकदम समृद्ध छ र म अहिलेसम्म अछूतो बसेकोमा आफैंलाई धिक्कार्न थालेको छु अचेल। यति धेरै वर्ष यो ठाउँमा बिताइसकेपछि पनि यहाँको समसामयिक संस्कृतिको बारेमा खासै ज्ञान राखेको छैन। तर दोष मेरो मात्र हैन है (अझ मेरो दोषै पनि नहुन सक्छ!)! मूल दोष त इण्टरनेटको हो! अब सजिलै बुझ्ने नेपाली-हिन्दी गीतहरु जतिखेरपनि आरामले सुन्न मिल्ने भएपछि जापानी गीत सुनेर नबुझिने शब्दमा कस्ले टाउको दुखाओस्! (तर अलि-अलि त सुन्नु पर्छ गोताएँ, सुन्! )

दुई वर्ष पहिला नेपाल जाँदा तीजको समय परेको थियो र फर्किँदा तीजका गीत र अरु लोकगीतहरुको संकलनहरुमात्रै किनेर ल्याइएछ। शनिबार-आइतबार कोठा सफा गर्ने जाँगर चलाउन मात्रै सुनिन्थ्यो, ती पनि।

छोरी सात महिनाजतिकी भएपछि होला, उ केहि कुराको आड पाए बिस्तारै उठ्न थालेकी थिई। एउटा एक फूट जति उचाइको जापानी डाइनिङ्ग टेबुल छ घरमा। उ त्यसको आडमा उठ्न मन पराउँथी धेरै जसो। अनि हामीले के देख्यौं भने लोकगीतहरु बजेको बेला छोरी एकदम खुशी हुन्छे। एक हातले टेबुलको आड लिएर अर्को हात घुमाएर नाचेझैं पनि गर्छे। हामीले सिकाएको याद छैन, शायद कतिपय कुरा बच्चाको स्वभावअनुसार प्राकृतिक रुपमै पनि आउँछन् होला। हामी पनि खुब रमाउँथ्यौ उस्को ‘नाच’ हेरेर।

पछि ‘यू ट्यूब’ मा नेपाली लोकगीतहरु खोजेर देखाउन थाल्यौं उसलाई। राम्रो ग-यौं कि नराम्रो ग-यौं थाहा छैन तर नेपाली लोकगीत र नाच हेर्न पाएपछि खुब खुसी हुन्छे ऊ। विरामीनै भएको बेला अलग हो, तर खाना खान मन नगरेको बेला पनि लोकगीतको भिडियो देखाएपछि खान थाल्छे। झगडा गरिरहेकी, झर्किरहेकी छे भने पनि लोकगीतले ‘प्यासीफायर’ को काम गर्छ उस्का लागि। कार्टूनहरु, बच्चाहरु र जनावर-चराहरु भएका भिडियोहरु पनि एकदम मन पराउँछे ऊ, तर लोकगीत सबैभन्दा माथि छ उस्को रोजाईमा। (निश्चयनै, उसको उमेरका कारण, एकदमै आवश्यक नपरीकन यस्ता भिडियोहरु बढी नदेखाउने कुरामा भने हामी सचेत छौं।)

यसरी नेपाली लोकगीततिरको मेरो लगाव फेरि शुरु भएको छ, छोरीको कारणले। धेरै लामो समयपछि लोकगीतमा फेरि रुचि जागेकोले म भर्खरै शर्मिला, गुरुङ, बीमा कुमारी दूरा, लक्ष्मी न्यौपाने, बुद्धि परियार, बद्री पगेनी, सिन्धु मल्ल, खेमराज गुरुङ, बिष्णु माझी र कोमल ओली आदिलाई राम्रोसंग चिन्दैछु। दोहरी, रत्तेउली, तीजका गीत, असारे र कौडा आदिले बोक्ने कोमल ग्रामीण मनका पिडालाई साँच्चै अनुभूत गर्दैछु र जति पिडा परेपनि गाउन, नाच्न र उज्यालोको आशा गर्न नछोड्ने नेपाली मनप्रति गौरव गर्दैछु। अलि मियां र झलकमानलाई सुनेर म साँच्चै रुन थालेको छु अचेल। मेरो संस्कृति एकदम सुन्दर र जीवन्त लाग्न थालेको छ मलाई। म कति टाढा पुगिसकेको रहेछु मेरो आफ्नै पहिचानबाट! भोलि छोरी ठूली भैसकेपछि उस्लाई मैले उस्को आफ्नो पहिचान चिनाइरहन पर्ला-नपर्ला, तर उसले अहिले अन्जानमै सहि, मलाई आफ्नो पहिचानप्रति सजग गराइदिएकी छे।

यसको अर्थ मैले बाँकी सबलाई मन पराउन छाडेको भने निश्चय पनि होईन। मलाई ती पनि सधैंभरिका लागि प्रिय छन्। मात्र के भने, आत्मीय आफन्तहरुसंग धेरै लामो समयपछि फेरि भेट भएको छ।

र लोकगीत अझै मनपर्छ र सुनेपछि छमछम नाचिहाल्न मन लाग्छ भनेपछि म मनमा बूढो भएकै रहेनछु, ब्यर्थैमा चिन्ता गरेको रहेछु शायद! (भित्रैदेखि मुस्कुराउँदै छु!)

June 18, 2007

“The royal massacre—“ it happened again, and Bhutanese Nepalese!

The taxi driver was an old man, probably around 60. He seemed a silent man. Normally, taxi drivers are natural talkers, it is not different here in Japan too. May be, interaction with a lot of people regularly makes you talkative, even if you are not born a talker.

Our conversation started only after half of the way.

どこの国からきたんですようね?Which country are you from?
ネパールですね。It is Nepal.
あーーー!ネパールですか。So it’s Nepal!
He seemed to be interested.
王様は殺されましたですよう。多くの他の人も、一緒に死んだじゃないですか。
Wasn’t the king murdered? And a lot of other people too died, isn’t it?
はい、そうです。Yes, it is (true).
I make a short reply.

I was not much surprised. Although not always, many times the first thing mentioned by Japanese people after I mention my country has been this royal massacre. It happened six years ago. The official version has been that the then Prince (drunk and drugged), angry with his mother for not allowing him to marry the gilr he liked, shot randomly in a party and killed himself too. But very few believe that version.
The incident has stuck in our identity like some unwashable black spot of a white cloth. Most of the Japanese people don’t know much about Nepal. And what they know is Himalaya and the Everest only, generally. So this royal massacre has gained the same prominence as the Everest!

今の王様人々にあまりすきじあない見たいですね!The current king doesn’t seem much popolar,is it? Actually he knows more!
はい、ほとんどの人嫌いです。多分来年選挙があって王様要るかどうかきまります。Yes, most of the people hate him. May be there will be election next year to decide whether king is needed or not. I speak as if I am 100% certain of that election taking place! (And shame on me, I still don't know the Japanese word for 'monarchy' and still use 'king' instead!)

そうっか!昨日の晩、テレビでブタンとネパルに関する何か放送しましたね!Oh yes! There was something on television last night about Bhutan and Nepal. The old man started another topic. ブタンでネパール系の人もけっこう多い見たいね。It seems a lot of ethnic Nepalese people are there in Bhutan.
はい。でも皆3-4百年前からブタンですんでますね。Yes. But they are living in Bhutan since last 3-4 hundred years.
He knew about Bhutanese king’s mistreatment of these people and he was very sympathetic to Bhutanese Nepalese refugees.

My destination came.

“Royal massacre----“ it happened today too! Something else also came with it today. But both of these aren’t anything to be proud of. I can be careless about the former (or should I?) but the latter, the Bhutanese Nepalese’s plight is very painful to me.

I hope and pray they can return to their homeland soon.


P.S. My Japanese has a lot of mistakes!

June 17, 2007

पुराना वाम नेताको एक दिन

(आज मेरो एउटा पूरानो रचना राख्नु प-यो।)


(मेरो विश्वविद्यालय जीवनको एउटा मिल्ने साथीले आफ्ना पितालाई "पुराना वाम नेता" भन्थ्यो र हाम्रो अगाडि उनको राजनीतिक जीवनको बारेमा जोक गर्थ्यो । एक पटक त्यो साथीको घरमा बास बसेको थिएँ, कुनै नेपाली नयाँ वर्षको दिन । उस्को पितासंग त भेट र कुराकानी भईनै हाल्यो, भोलिपल्ट बिहान बर्मा थर गरेका अर्का "पुराना वाम नेता" पनि आए त्यहाँ । त्यसपछि, पाँच सात जनाको दल चलाएर अथवा निष्कृय बसेका यस्ता वाम नेताहरुको बारेमा एउटा यो छोटो (ब्यङ्ग?) निबन्ध बन्यो, अलि अलि यथार्थ र अलि अलि कल्पना मिसिएर। केहि वर्ष पहिले लेखेकाले कुनै कुनै प्रसंगहरु पुराना पनि हुन सक्छन्। )

"पुराना वाम नेताको एक दिन"

'पुराना वाम नेता' बिहान साढे आठ बजे उठ्छन् र चूरोट च्यापेर शौचालयतिरको यात्रामा निस्कन्छन्। एकछिनपछि प्रतिकृयावादीहरुलाई बगाएर (फ्लश गरेर) आऊँछन्, दाँत मल्छन्, मुख धुन्छन् र अचानक चाल पाऊँछन् धङ्धङे छ र टाउको दुखिरहेछ ।

बगैँचाको कुर्सीमा बसेर कालो कफीको चुस्की लिँदै अखवारहरु पढ्छन। सबैको पहिलो पाना ध्यान दिएर हेर्छन्, केहि नपाएर रिसाएजस्तो देखिन्छन् र मुर्मुरिन्छन् । अनि फेरि भित्री पानाहरु हेर्न थाल्छन्। एउटा पत्रिकाको एउटा कुनामा देख्छन् "--------'पुराना वाम नेता' श्री रुसभक्त-चीनमित्र दिल्लीमा उपचार गराई फर्कनुभएको छ।----" भन्ने चार लाइनको समाचार छ। फर्केको एक हप्ता भइसक्यो, बल्ल पत्रिकाले लेख्यो, फेरि त्यो पनि भित्री पानामा यति थोरै छुस्स! कालो निलो हुन्छन् 'पुराना वाम नेता', आफूलाई आजभोलिका "गुलेली बोकेर चरा मार्न हिँड्ने जस्ता" (उहाँलेनै आविष्कार गर्नु भएको विशेषण) पत्रकारले भुत्ला समान पनि नगनेको देखेर ।

पुराना वाम नेता पत्रिकाहरु एकातिर हुर्र्याऊँछन् र एकछिन त्यत्तिकै टोलाऊँछन्। 'श्रीमती पुराना वाम नेता' मन्दिरबाट आईपुग्छिन्, श्रीमानलाई टिका लगाईदिन्छिन्,टाउकोमा फूल राखिदिन्छन्।

एघारबजे 'पुराना वाम नेता' "भूजा" ज्यूनार गर्छन्; कान्छाले किनेर ल्याएको, बाहुनी बज्यैले पकाएको र बुहारीले पस्केको भूजा। उनी अघाऊँछन्, डकार्छन्, चूठ्छन् र सुत्न जान्छन्। 'श्रीमती पुराना वाम नेता' उनको पुरासंग खान थाल्छिन्।
सुत्नै आँटेका थिए 'पुराना वाम नेता', फोन आऊँछ एक जना साथीको। उनकी कान्छी छोरी माग्दैछ साथीले आफ्नो भाञ्जाको लागि। "छोरी नआइ के कुरा गर्नु र खै! आजभोलिका पढेलेखेका छोरीहरु-----।" आदि अण्टसण्ट बोलेर अल्मल्याऊँछन् साथीलाई र फोन राखिदिन्छन्।

जबकि केहि दिन अघिमात्रै छोरीले चीनबाट फोन गरेकी थिई उतै संगै पढ्ने एउटा नेपाली केटासंग बिहे गरें र दुबै जागिर खाँदैछौँ कुनै बिदेशी कम्पनीमा भनेर। जर्मनीमा पढ्दै गरेकी जेठी छोरी कुइरेसंग बिहे गरेर अमेरिका पसेकी उताको उतै छे। तै यल्ले त नेपालीसंगै गरिछे, ठिकै भो। बरु बेलाबेलामा आफ्नी बूढीलाई सम्झाउन भने उनलाई साह्रै गाह्रो हुन्छ। जोरिपारीको अगाडि टन्न दाइजो दिएर छोरीहरुको बिहे गर्दिन नपाएको पीरले सुकेकी छिन् "श्रीमती पुराना वाम नेता" ।

कल्चर सीटमा पढाए उनले छोरीहरुलाई र कान्छो छोरोलाई भने आफ्नै खर्च भरेर अमेरिका पढ्न पठाएका हुन तर छोराले पढ्छ कि काम गर्छ उनलाई थाहा छैन। जेठो छोरो एउटा ठूलै एनजीओ चलाऊँछ र पजेरो चढेर हिँड्छ। बच्चैदेखिको एक नम्बरको स्वाँठले यति गर्नसक्यो, दंग छन् उनि।

नेपालमा क्रान्ति भएको र आफूलाई गद्दार भनेर चौबाटोमा झुण्डाएको सपना देखेपछि आत्तिएर ब्युँझन्छन् "पुराना वाम नेता" । जीऊ पसिना-पसिना भएको रहेछ। आधा घण्टा लगाएर नुहाऊँछन् गीतविनाको धून सुसेल्दै र सपना बिर्सन्छन्।

साढे तीन बज्छ। पेण्ट, शर्ट, स्पोर्टस् जुत्ता र कालो चश्माले सजिएर उनी निस्कन्छन्। घुम्दै घुम्दै नया सडक पुग्छन्,एक ठाऊँमा पान खान्छन् र विस्तारै रत्नपार्कतिर लाग्छन् 'पुराना वाम नेता'। सोह्रहाते गणेशको मन्दिरनेर एउटा अर्को पुरानो वाम नेता भेट हुन्छ, पहिले उनको विरोधी खेमाको, अहिले उनकै खेमाको (याने 'पुराना' खेमाको!) दुई जनाको गफ शुरु हुन्छ, दलको स्थापनादेखि आजसम्मको र मार्क्सदेखि किम जोङ इल सम्मको। कहिले चश्मा मिलाऊँदै र कहिले एक हात पेण्टको खल्तीमा राखेर, दाहिने हातको चोर औँलो ठड्याई, उभिई उभिइ पालै पालो ठूलो ठूलो स्वरमा गफ गरेको देखेर टाढाबाट देख्ने कसैले ठान्दो हो, घोर घमासान वाक्युध्द भइरहेछ।

एकछिन पछि दुबै थाक्छन् र भोटाहिटीभित्रको एउटा नेवारी रेष्टूरां पुग्छन्। 'पुराना वाम नेता' र 'साथी पुराना वाम नेता' आजभोलि बियर मात्र पिऊँछन्। बियर र छोइला-सेकुवा आदिका साथ गाली रामायण शुरु हुन्छ।

"फलानो, फलानो, फलानो जाँठाहरु सब दरबारका हुन्!" जबकि दुबैलाई भित्री मनमा विश्वाश छ, आऊँदो राष्ट्रिय सभामा आफू दरबारबाटै छानिने।
"फलानोले फलानो किताब चोरेर लेखेको हो, त्यल्ले लेख्नै जान्दैन।" जबकि किताब प्रकाशन गर्न त उनीहरुलाई पनि मन छ (काश लेख्न सकेको भए!)
यसैगरी रातको एघार बज्छ, 'पुराना वाम नेता'को छोरो आइपुग्छ गाडी लिएर। 'साथी पुराना वाम नेता'लाई डिल्लीबजार छोडेर गाडी टंगालतिर लाग्छ।

घर पुगेर सुत्दा 'पुराना वाम नेता'को मन खुशीले फूलिरहेको हुन्छ। आफ्नो जीवनको बारेमा सोच्छन् उनी। धन-सम्पत्ति जोडिएछ र छोराछोरीलाई मान्छे बनाइएछ; जीवन खेर गएनछ। आफू युवा हुँदा गरेको प्रण, विद्यार्थी जीवनको जोश र आकांक्षा आदि पनि उनको दिमागमा अष्पष्ट रुपले आउन थाल्छन्। तर त्यतिखेरसम्म 'पुराना वाम नेता' निदाइसक्छन्।

June 13, 2007

America's South Asia Policy outsourced!

Carter is in Nepal and he may or may not consult Indian establishment while working on Nepalese conflict but present US governement consults Indian establishment on every matter regarding Nepal. It doesn't have any Nepal policy. In Nepal, it follows, 'India's Nepal policy'. In fact, it follows India everywhere in South Asia, in Sri Lanka, in Bhutan, in Maldives, in Bangladesh or even in Myanmar. May be nowadays US's Pakistan policy also depends on India's Pakistan policy.  After outsourcing computer softares, they may have started outsourcing foreign policy too! Does US have India policy? Or is it outsourced too, to , say China? :p

Carter comes to Nepal

Jimmy Carter came to Kathmandu today. I don't know much about Carter Center's success rate in mediation between conflicting parties or its monitoring of elections, human rights etc. They have their presence in Nepal since last four years.

Anyway, after almost one and half decade of civil war, what we need is peace and peace and peace. But as soon as the largest insurgent group of Maoists gave up armed struggle (at least in written policy only) and participated in the government, other smaller armed groups are seen everywhere in the country. There is insecurity everywhere. Extortion and hostage taking have become very common. The law and order situation may be the worst since the formation of country.

Nepalese people fought bravely with the autocratic king and he had to give up his power back to people. But our politicians didn't live up to our expectations. We thought they may have changed after some years under king's absolute rule, but these jackals were the same. They have started rampant corruption and fighting with each other in very minor issues again. Meanwhile, they are not serious at all for the election of constituent assembly. It was the sole mandate of the April movement.

Fir the first time in our history, we are very near of writing our own destiny, but our politicians may again deceive us! A strong vigil is necessary.

This is the background and against this background, many "crisis management experts" like Carter Center are seen all over Nepal and mainly in Kathmandu. Most of them are do-nothing-dollar salary-suits. Some of them may have real good intentions towards us and may help from their heart. That can ease the path to lasting peace and free and fair election for the constituent assembly. But their role is side role only. Unless our politicians become more mature, more pragmatic and less corrupt and show some strong political will, things will not move ahead.

This was the news in the online edition of Kantipur:

Former US president Carter in Nepal to support peace process

Kantipur Report

KATHMANDU, June 13 - Former U.S. president and co-founder of the Carter Center Jimmy Carter arrived in Kathmandu at 1:05pm Wednesday afternoon on a four-day visit.

Carter, a 2002 Nobel Laureate, will lead a delegation including former U.S. Ambassador A. Peter Burleigh, Carter Center Democracy Program Director Dr. David Carroll, and Carter Center Nepal Field Director Darren Nance.

Security at the airport was beefed up for his arrival. He didn’t speak to reporters.

Carter's four-day Nepal visit is aimed at encouraging Nepal's political leaders to continue on the path to peace as they prepare to hold constituent assembly elections later in 2007. 

The delegation is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Maoist leaders, the Election Commission, national political party leaders, and representatives of civil society organizations and marginalized groups.

The delegation will also receive updates from the Carter Center's long-term election observers who have been deployed throughout Nepal since March.

According to Darren Nance, Carter neither represents the US nor is the Carter Centre funded by the US government.

The Center’s Nepal mission is funded by the governments of Britain, Denmark, Canada and Belgium.

Nance further informed that Carter’s interest in the Nepali conflict and peace process dates back to 2003 when the Centre began its presence in Nepal. After the successful April movement and the subsequent peace agreement between the government and the Maoists, the Center’s mission changed from conflict mitigation to election observation.

The Carter Center was formally invited by the government of Nepal to observe the Constituent Assembly election process and is the only international election observation organization currently deployed.The US-based Carter Center (CC), which is observing the Constituent Assembly elections process, last week lauded the strides made towards holding the polls, but said that it was still concerned about the multiple outstanding issues yet to be addressed if the elections are to be held in November-December.

The CC has helped to improve life for people in more than 65 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; improving mental health care; and teaching farmers in developing nations to increase crop production.

The Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.

The Center's involvement in Nepal began in 2003. In August 2006, the Center was formally invited by the government of Nepal, several political parties including, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), and the Election Commission to observe the Constituent Assembly election process.

Carter, who served as U.S. president from 1977-81, is scheduled to leave on Saturday.

June 11, 2007

Japanese owner, Nepalese staffs, Indian restaurant

In Kasugai, the city where I live, there are many Indian restaurants. One of them is Chandani (チャンダニ) . I have been there too many times as it is very near. More than that, all the staffs are Nepalese and they are very friendly and helpful. When I first came here as a student and had financial difficulties or language problems, they were always eager to help.

But I have never seen the owner, the Japanese old man. They say he comes very few, like once a month. You can't see any Indians. Even the greenish decoration in front reminds you of Pakistan, not India.

Although you can see some Indians running or working in Indian restaurants in Japan, majority are Nepalese. Normally, it is like in Chandani. Owner is Japanese, staffs are Nepalese and the name is '----Indian restaurant'.

Many Nepalese have started their own restaurants. But still, they go by '---Indian Restaurant' name and not by '----Nepalese Restuarant'. Even if they add 'Nepalese', it is like '----Indian Restaurant: Authentic Indian and Nepalese food'. It is hard to come out of Indian shadow as more people know about India than Nepal. I have talked with some of these enterpreneurs and they say that it is hard to sell 'Nepal only' brand.

The problem with our 'Nepal only' brand is that we try to sell the same naan-curry-chicken tikka in the name of Nepalese food. We haven't tried much to popularize our own ethnic food. Some people are trying to do it in Tokyo but for most of the Japanese people in cities like Nagoya or this small Kasugai, Nepal means India and India means naan-curry-chicken tikka. I am a big fan of Newari food. Arguably, it may be one of the best foods in the World. We need a campaign to promote this. Once we establish this in Japanese market, we will not have any 'culinary identity crisis'.

Not only enterpreneurs, responsible persons in our embassy itself and all of us should be active in such matters.

Is the tide turning in favor of Bhutanese Nepalese refugees?!

The news has made me little bit happier. Is respectful repatriation of Bhutanese refugees (of Nepalese origin) seen in the horizon? Today's ekantipur writes;

Bhutanese refugees an int'l issue: India


Kantipur Report

KATHMANDU, June 11 - India has for the first time said the outstanding Bhutanese refugees issue is an international problem, a marked departure from what the southern neighbor has maintained on the impasse to date.
"It is an international problem and the government of India is trying to work out a solution," The Indian Express, an English daily, quoted Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee as saying.

India had been dubbing the refugee issue as a bilateral issue between Nepal and Bhutan, to date.

The remarks of the Indian foreign minister comes at a time when Bhutanese refugees have been eagerly waiting for Indian support for their repatriation. Indian authorities had stopped their Long March -- a campaign for voluntary repatriation -- early this month.

Emerging from a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee at his residence in Kolkata Saturday night, Mukherjee informed the media that Bhattacharjee told him the refugee problem was creating serious problems in law and order situation in Bengal, and it was unacceptable" to the state government.

"Nepal claims that these are not Nepalese citizens and Bhutan is also not ready to accept them. The refugees want to enter Bhutan and they want to pass through Indian territory," Mukherjee further said.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister urged Mukherjee to initiate a dialogue with Nepal and Bhutan, according to the newspaper.

However, Mukherjee said, "We are on friendly terms with both countries. The issue of Bhutan refugees cropped up 11 years ago (sic) and as far as I know there are about 100,000 refugees in the camps. The population of Bhutan is about 600,000. If these 100,000 people enter Bhutan it would create demographic imbalance."

Two weeks ago, at least two refugees succumbed to bullet injuries during a clash with Indian Seema Suraksha Bal deployed at Mechi Bridge bordering Nepal and India in the east, as refugees attempted to return to Bhutan via India, which was a part of their "Long March", a campaign for voluntary repatriation. But the refugees halted the campaign for 15 days after signing an agreement with the district official of Darjeeling. The Indian official agreed that the Indian government would make its stand on the refugee stalemate known within 15 days.

Posted on: 2007-06-10 19:49:07 (Server Time)


Although India till now shamelessly told to the World that this problem of Bhutanese refugees in Nepal was a bilateral matter between Nepal and Bhutan, it can't be solved without India's good intentions. Bhutan must have taken India's persmission or must have informed Indian government in advance before evicting its own people. Bhutan is a semi-colony of India. I read recently somwhere that every second car running on Bhutanese streets is either of Indian military or Indian inteliigence.

The key to slove this problem is in Indian government's hands. Bhutan will do whatever Delhi commands.

June 07, 2007

Four types of people in Japan!!

(Just a humourous take on Japanese people's behaviour towards foreigners)

This classification just came out from a funny talking among us (some Nepalese, some Indonesians and one Nigerian) during a tour (organized by our university)to Tokyo.

Ethnically Japan is a perfectly homogeneous country. You can say 100% of Japanese are of the same race. I have met some Japanese muslims, but racially they are Japanese. May be they were converted some decades or a century ago, I am not sure.

So what is this classification?

It has to do with the foreigners in Japan. Compared to western countries, Japan has smaller foreigners density (in my opinion, I may be wrong!). Japan hasn't much opened still to foreigners. They may be very polite surfacially but you can still sense Japanese people's unease regarding increasing number of foreigners. Most of them think that increase in crime in Japan is directly related to foreigner influx. But if you follow the news for some weeks/months, you can see that, though some foreigners are also involved in crimes, most of the criminal incidents are by Japanese themselves.

OK lets forget it and lets go to the classification.

The first type is NOHINJIN (日本人), which means JAPANESE. That is the best class!

Second is AMERICAJIN (アメリカ人),which means AMERICAN (US citizens). They need to be respected more than any other type, sometimes even more than the Japanese. So you start getting confused which one is the best class/type, right?!

Third is GAIKOKUJIN (外国人), which means FOREIGNERS. But stop, people from not all the foreign countries are included in this. White westerners other than Americans are this type.

And here comes the last one, GAIJIN(外人). It also means FOREIGNERS in direct translation as it is the short form for GAIKOKUJIN, but it is for another different breed of foreigners. This breed comes from the third World, like me and Japanese people think it to be responsible for all the problems, all the ills that Japan is facing now!

But what would industrial Japan seem without the cheap labor of this last breed?

तीन मुक्तक

तीन मुक्तकहरु

-१-
किन मध्यदिनमै बर्बराउने भेष छ?!
मलाई बिर्स्यौ?! कि खल्तीमा अर्कै आदेश छ?!
कुद्नेले हार्ने प्रतियोगिता गर्दैछौ शायद
बूढा घोडाहरुको रेस छ!


-२-
आफ्नो कद आफैं घटाउँदै छन्
मान्छेहरु आफ्नै टाउको कटाउँदै छन्
आत्मघातमा पनि गौरव गर्दा रहेछन्
आफ्नै इतिहासलाई धूलो चटाउँदै छन्!


-३-
'जब मेरै खल्तीमा पूरै देश छ,
जनताले राजनीति नबुझेकै वेश छ।'
'देश चलाउनेको योग्यता?' मैले कोट्याएँ
'हेर, यी पूरै पाकेको केश छ!'

June 03, 2007

'Crawling' ahead with blog!

Due to lack of time, this blog of mine hasn't gone far. Many things have happened in my personal, family and professional life and couldn't write anything. I also couldn't participate in the CHAUTARI thread of www.sajha.com, which is my favorite place in the net. In fact, I have almost stopped going to other online forums or almost all other threads in sajha.com.

When starting this blog, I had written that besides my vies on Nepalese politics, I will also share my personal life. But I now think of not including anything too personal or too family mattered. Life's privacy has already been attacked from a thousand sides! It is enough. This blog doesn't need that.

Instead of that, I am thinking of sharing my literary creations like poems, stories and ghazals (all of them will be in Nepali though, don't feel confident to write in English). I am also thinking of sharing audio of me reciting my poems, ghazals etc.