Bad signs

The recent Mount Everest avalanche buried a dozen of Sherpa guides to death, casting a pall of gloom in the face of many Nepalis and foreigners. It has created terror all around as brave Sherpas lost their lives due to cascading blocks of ice in Khumbu region. Few Sherpas or mountaineers are killed in the Himalayan regions due to icefall every now and then. But this tragic incident cannot be ignored as normal. 

Different assumptions are being made behind the reason of the avalanche, among which, few consider it as one of the fresh examples of the impact of climate change. Since Nepal has high risk of glacier outbursts, some claim it may have occurred due to the rise in temperature. Whatever the specific reason, we cannot deny the possibility that such incidents can recur. Bad signs of climate change are gradually discovered, and it’s high time to focus on it. 

Helping oneself

News of a heavily pregnant woman who was burnt alive by her husband in a dowry case in Banke is proof that violence against women is still prevalent in our society.  It’s a bitter reality that even women born in the 21st century still face threats and mental and physical torture from husband and in-laws in the name of dowry. This gruesome crime has occurred despite all the rhetoric on Nepal’s development, advancement, equality and justice.

Uncertain safety

If a woman cannot feel safe within her own family, with her own husband, where is safety for her? This is not just the case of one Rihana Sheikh Dhapali but is emblematic of many such instances. Some are courageous enough to speak out and seek justice whereas others continue to suffer in silence, afraid of their families and society. Domestic violence against women will persist as long as patriarchal norms and illiteracy prevail.

Just a prayer, dear night !

Day was bright so as a beautiful night

Divine moon and twinkling stars on rise

Cool breeze whispers through messy hairs

I look up, smile and start chitchat with self

Heart says 'look into the sky', he is gazing you through stars

Another part says, 'overlook him those are just scars'

Hours pass with every second, leaving me wavering

Either bitter reality or momentary beauty?

I ask to heart, 'leave and let me think by mind'

I realize only thoughts of him in closed eyes

Just a prayer, dear night! Don’t recall anything, pass soon

Stars stop twinkling and disappears moon

I gaze and gaze into sky in high hopes they would rise again

He too goes away, day was bright again!

Aabki Baar Modi Sarkaar (Punch-line politics)

The phrase Abki Baar, Modi Sarkaar was stuck in everyone’s lips during Indian Lok Sabha elections. From newspaper advertisements, radio jingles and television commercials to apps, animated cartoons and social media, these lines were at the top list of discussions in real and virtual space. Facebook walls and Twitter timeline were filled with the same lines, associating it with different dialogues, covering wide social and political issues. The same phrase has proven to be one of the major components for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s thumping victory in the polls.

Not only in India was this punch line popular, but also among Nepali social site users. Being a close neighbor of India, Nepalis unsurprisingly have special interest in Indian elections. 

BJP had officially launched its 2014 election campaign with this phrase. BJP had borrowed this punch line from its 1998 campaign Abki Bari, Atal Bihari. The campaign was designed by Indian advertising veterans Piyush Pandey, Prasoon Joshi and Sam Balsara. The original campaign was designed by Soho Square. They also created a set of radio ads with Janata Maaf Nahi Karegi—”The people won’t forgive” (the Congress government) and Acche Din Anewale Hain (“Good days are arriving”). Do baatein na jaana bhool, Narendra Modi aur kamal ka phool (“Don’t forget two things; Modi and the lotus flower”). BJP had also used various religious slogans for promotion in rural villages like Har Har Modi; Har Ghar Modi (“Everyone is Modi; Modi in every house”). Har also means Lord Shiva. However, these religious lines also courted criticism.

Come to me, I am here waiting for your arrival

Come to me, I am here waiting for your arrival

Welcoming with open arms, ready to embrace ! 

Welcoming with open arms, ready to embrace
To love...as u have never felt before
To care..as u have never realized ever

Come up with smile and open heart. 
All I want is your true love
Bring sweetness with you, life is tasteless
No gifts, no rings or no cards
You just come, that's enough 
Color me with your love in all shades
Only brightness, ignore the dark ones 

Give up your ego or attitude roar
I am here, what you want more? 

Bring spring with you, freshen me up

Moon, stars, wind..all are waiting for you 
Flowers are waiting to bloom again
Sun is ready to brighten up with fire 
Soil is ready to spread fragrance around
What are you waiting for my dear? 

Come to me, I am here waiting for your arrival
Welcoming with open arms, ready to embrace

Good signs

The recently released Nepali movie Kabaddi has once again proved that Nepali movie industry has changed its old route and is stepping towards progress. Being houseful for a week in many theaters across the nation reflects the interest of Nepali audiences towards Nepali movies. Nepali movie industry was in sleeping-stage few years back. However, it has started taking a gradual move towards the right direction. 

Only a handful of good Nepali movies were produced in the past. The business it generated or the profit shared by producers was not remarkable at all. However, Nepali audiences have finally changed their taste and mood regarding movies. Viewers, who never used to bother the name or release date or actors of Nepali movies, reach theaters for latest releases today. Especially the elite class audiences in big cities like Kathmandu have started taking Nepali movies seriously. Moreover, they recommend others to watch the movies and even promote them in social networking sites. Definitely, good signs are here now. 

Ashis Karki of Sirutaar, Bhaktapur doesn’t remember if he watched any Nepali movies till the completion of his higher secondary school days, except Darpan Chhaya. It was the only Nepali movie he watched in theater, years back with his parents. Being grown up as a younger generation surrounded by modern gadgets and rentable/downloadable foreign movies, he was never fascinated with Nepali movies. Not even the posters, trailers, songs or actors lured him. He was a movie-lover no doubt but always ended up with English or Hindi movies. He neither had an interest in those traditional stories in Nepali films and slow motion dances in hills and gardens, nor in noticeable artificial expressions and lousy dialog delivery of Nepali actors. But since good movies are being made, Ashis flocks to theaters every week, keeping Nepali movies in his top priority of watch-list.