Dinesh Wagle's Commentaries

Latest stories – पछिल्ला टिप्पणीहरू

  • Internet Connection in Nepal and Web Sites Problem

    Internet connection in Nepal is slow, expensive and limited. It is advanced and improved compared to how it was a few years ago. But, it seems, we are taking yet another leap in terms of increasing speed and reducing price! Nepal Telecom is at the last phase of striking deals with two Indian companies that, I hope, will ‘revolutionize’ the Internet habit in Nepal. Fast connection in fewer prices! No need to wait for minutes to download a small file or upload a few KBs. No frustrations!

    I started writing this blog three days ago and today I read very pleasant news in the Kathmandu Post. (I know you don’t need faster Inernet connection to write on MS Word but I will explain what kept me busy in the past few days in later paragraphs.) The Post report by Rupak D. Sharma says that Nepal Telecom will soon reduce the price of ISDN and leased line internet connection soon. I hope that also applies with dial up connection. NT will buy bandwidth from Indian companies BSNL and Bharati via the fiber optic lines and that will be cheaper by 75 percent. I am also eagerly waiting to have a Sky Phone card from Nepal Telecom which will let me use Internet on my laptop and make me mobile. Then, I hope, I can browse web sites from anywhere in Kathmandu! It seems NT will take couple of weeks to distribute such cards.

    Currently, monthly tariff of 64 kbps leased line connectivity is fixed at Rs 18,000, while monthly tariff rate of unlimited and dedicated Internet access of 128 kbps through ISDN dialup is fixed at Rs 13,600. Once the decision is implemented, the monthly tariff of leased line connectivity will go down to as low as Rs 6,000 and monthly tariff of ISDN dialup will go down to around Rs 4,500. “The price reduction is expected to benefit companies engaged in development of IT applications and software for foreign companies, firms providing other IT related services at international level, Internet service providers and individuals, professional organizations, agencies and other business houses that require high speed data connection,” Bhattarai said.

    The announcement to revise Internet tariff rates was made soon after BSNL, an Indian telecom company, gave its consent to provide bandwidth at a cost 75 percent less than that being provided by other international vendors. “The state owned Indian telecom company, has agreed to supply per mbps of symmetric bandwidth at a cost of US$ 1,800 using the East-West optical fiber link, compared to US$ 7,400 being charged by international vendors that use satellite to make the transfer,” Bhattarai said.

    According to Bhattarai, NT will procure symmetric bandwidth of 8 mbps, each, in the initial phase using optical fiber links at Biratnagar and Birgunj, which will later be increased to 155 mbps. “An agreement to this extent would be signed between the two companies within a week,” he said. Bhattarai also informed that NT was in process of reaching an understanding with another Indian telecom company, Bharati Airtel, through which it plans to obtain 34 mbps of bandwidth. “We are waiting for the Indian government’s approval. As soon as the Indian government grants the permission to start inter-country data transfer service, NT will sign another agreement with the company,” he said. read in detail

    Now, the original subject. Past few days were both interesting and not so interesting and I was busy, most of the time, and was super busy once. Trial and error is one phrase that could best describe the day of Thursday Nov 30. Learning by experience, doing foolish mistake and trying to correct that. As I was trying to set up Blogmandu (nepali.blog.com.np), at around 9 AM, I realized I had messed up with United We Blog! and, guess what, without eating for hours we were involved in fixing the site. We? International? Other partner in the noble effort of brining back UWB into life was Mahesh Poudyal in the United Kingdom. Actually, he was the one who did everything where as I was mostly sitting in front of my computer crossing fingers. Gmail’s chat service was useful for international typing conversation. The timing was superb, I had just downed the site and he had just woken up his body from the bed. Coincidently, he had paid for setting up the two sub domains (other will remain undisclosed for the time being) a day before. I was supposed to install Word Press on the new one but threw out the existing one from UWB. (I would also like to thank Sakar Bhusal in Texas for his generous offer to fix the problem. Also thanks to Prabesh Subedi for his initial suggestions.)

    It was indeed a great learning experience for me as I realized the importance of a username inside the database system! I had deleted one of the usernames to make the site unusable. And while trying to reinstall Word Press, the site briefly went out of my control. I would also like to thank Rajib Dahal for giving me back the username and password of the newly installed WordPress minutes before Mahesh nullified that from Admin panel. I was pissed off to see a blog post on UWB filled with question marks (what happened?????????? or something like that) from Rajib who appeared to be confused about the site’s status. It took me for about 15 minutes to realize that Rajib possessed the control of the site unintentionally. Some people thought the site was downed again. As soon as Rajib knew the site was being fixed, he gave me back the username etc. (It was disturbed twice before. I still remember that day, or that moment, when I discovered the site was downed as a camera was capturing me trying to log in to the site. Japanese TV NHK camera crew was following my blogging and reporting activities and I was trying to post a blog in front of the camera. When I entered my username and password, an error message was displayed. What I told to the reporter? “Well, this site came into service only a few days ago and it seems I have forgotten the new user name and password. The reality was different and it was black!)

    Then there was a challenge to upload the huge backup file but Mahesh managed to do that. Thank You! Also thanks to his 2 MBPS Internet connection 🙂 I think that would be almost impossible to upload if I were to do the same from my computer in Kathmandu. It’s a terrible connection here. When will Nepal Telecom bring the fiber optic cables that have already been put under the East West highway? Yes, that’s what we discussed about as I was struggling with the connection in Kathmandu. And you already know the latest if you have started reading this post from the beginning. So days ahead are bright, folks!

  • नेपाली सेनामा पारदर्शिता

    नेपाली सेनाका जवानहरूलाई खुवाउने रासनको ठेक्कामा अनियमितता भएको तथा बोलपत्र पेस गरेका ठेकेदारहरूलाई मध्यपश्चिमका केही जिल्लामा सैनिक अधिकारीहरूले मार्नेसम्मको धम्की दिएको खबर सार्वजनिक भएको छ । संसद्मा समेत यस विषयमा प्रश्न उठेको छ भने सेनाले केही स्थानमा अनियमितता गरेको भनी परेको उजुरी सम्बन्धमा छानबिन थालेको छ । सेनाले रुकुम र दैलेखस्थित ब्यारेकहरू लगायत उजुरी परेका स्थानमा सत्यतथ्य बुझी राय पेस गर्न खाद्य र परिवहन निर्देशक महासेनानी शेखरसिंह बस्न्यातको अध्यक्षतामा बोर्ड गठनको जानकारी गराएको छ ।

    सेनाको रासन ठेक्कामा अनियमितता हुने गरेको गुनासो यो पहिलो होइन । बेलाबेला यस्ता गम्भीर प्रश्न उठ्दै आएका छन् । लोकतन्त्र स्थापनापछि पनि यो गुनासो आउने स्रोत जारी छ । सेनाले अहिलेमात्र छानबिन प्रक्रिया सुरु गरेको छ । तर यो उसको आन्तरिक छानबिन हो जसले त्यसका कमी-कमजोरी गहिरोरूपमा खुट्याउने विश्वास गर्न सकिन्न । ज्यान मार्ने धम्कीसाथ निवेदन फिर्ता गराउने जघन्य आरोपमाथि आन्तरिक प्रक्रियागत कारबाही पूर्ण हुन सक्दैन । गैरसैनिक व्यक्तिहरूसँग भएको व्यवहारलाई गैरसैनिक संरचनाको छानबिन हुनु न्यायोचित हुनेछ ।

    कोष सार्वजनिक गर्न परमादेश
    बालकृष्ण बस्नेत

    मंसिर १९ – नेपाली सेनाको कल्याणकारी कोष अपारदर्शी भएकाले लेखापरीक्षण गरी सार्वजनिक गर्न रक्षा मन्त्रालय र सैनिक मुख्यालयसहितका नाममा मंगलबार परमादेश दिएको छ । शान्ति सेनामा खटिएका अधिकृत तथा जवानहरूले पाउने रकमबाट कटाई कोषमा जम्मा गरे पनि त्यसको सञ्चालन पारदर्शी नभएको निष्कर्षसहित सर्वोच्चले उक्त आदेश दिएको हो । कोष स्थापनादेखि जम्मा भएको रकम र खर्च विवरण पारदर्शी गर्न आदेश भएको हो । भूतपूर्व सैनिकहरूले साढे ५ वर्षअघि दायर गरेको रिटमा फैसला गर्दै सर्वोच्चले भनेको छ- ‘कोष खडा भएदेखिकै लेखापरीक्षण गरी सार्वजनिक गर्न विपक्षीका नाममा परमादेश जारी गरिएको छ ।’ कोष २०३२ सालदेखि सञ्चालन भएको हो । फैसला न्यायाधीशद्वय मीनबहादुर रायमाझी र दामोदरप्रसाद शर्माको इजलासले गरेको हो । रिटमा विपक्षी रहेका सैनिक मुख्यालय, मन्त्रिपरिषद् कार्यालय, रक्षा र परराष्ट्र मन्त्रालयका नाममा परमादेश जारी गरिएको छ । ‘लेखापरीक्षण गर्ने गरी कोष स्थापना भए पनि त्यसो गरिएको पाइएन,’ फैसलामा भनिएको छ- ‘अपारदर्शी ढंगले खर्च भएको देखियो ।’ (बाँकी)

    उता पूर्व सैनिकहरुले नेपाली सेनाले राष्ट्रसंघीय मिसनहरुमा पठाउदा राष्ट्रसंघसँग भएको सम्झौता मुताविक पैसा र सुविधा नदिएको तथा कल्याणकारी कोषको रकम सम्बन्धी मुद्धामा सुनुवाई ढिलाइ भएको भन्दै सोमबार (१८ मंसिर) सर्वौच्च अदातल घेराउ गरेका छन् । लोकतन्त्र पुनःस्थापनापछि नेपाली सेनामा केही सुधारका प्रयास थालिएका छन् । अर्दलीको संख्या घटाउने, तल्ला दर्जाकालाई पनि आदरार्थी शब्द प्रयोग गर्नुपर्ने, अधिकृत र जवानहरूको मेस एउटै बनाउने तथा अधिकृत सैनिक श्रीमती संघमा सबैको हिस्सेदारी बनाउने सुधारका थालनी हुन् । यही सिलसिलामा सेनालाई साँच्चै लोकतान्त्रिक बनाउने हो भने यसका खर्च प्रक्रियाहरूलाई पारदर्शी बनाउने अभियान थाल्नुपर्छ । सैनिक नेतृत्वले तत्काल यस सम्बन्धमा सुधारको शंखघोष गर्नुपर्छ । यसको थालनी रासन ठेक्का दिने प्रक्रियाबाट गर्न सकिन्छ ।

    सेनाका लागि छुट्याइएको बजेटको ठूलो हिस्सा उसको रासन, लत्ताकपडा र आवासमा खर्च हुन्छ । यसमा सेनाले आर्थिक नियमावली पालना नगर्ने तथा अनियमितता गर्ने गरेका गुनासा धेरै आउने गरेका छन् । सैनिकले आर्थिक नियमावली पालना गराए, नगराएका प्रश्न समाधान गर्न संसदीय पहल पनि जरुरी छ । यो कुनै एकपटकको कुनै एक गुनासो होइन, सेनाको दीर्घजीवनसँग जोडिएको विषय हो ।

    सेना सरकारको एउटा निकाय भएकाले आर्थिक नियमावलीहरूको पालना गर्नु र खर्च प्रणालीलाई पारदर्शी बनाउनु उसको दायित्व हो । त्यसैगरी नियमअनुसार पारदर्शी ढंगले बोलपत्रमा योग्यता पुग्ने सबैलाई स्वतन्त्रतापूर्वक सहभागिता जनाउने अधिकार दिनु उसको कर्तव्य हो । स्वतन्त्रतापूर्वक ठेकदारहरूको सहभागिताबाट हुने प्रतिस्पर्धाले कम मूल्यमा आवश्यक सामग्रीहरूको आपूर्ति भई राष्ट्रिय ढुकुटी बच्नेछ भने सैनिक अधिकारीहरूमा बढ्न सक्ने अपारदर्शिता र अनियमितताको सम्भावना कम गर्न सकिनेछ ।

    सेनाको रासन, लत्ताकपडा र आवास निर्माणमा मात्र होइन, कल्याणकारी कार्यक्रम तथा सैन्य उपकरण खरिदमा पनि व्यापक अनियमितताका गुनासो आउने गर्छन् । यसले सेनाको लोकतान्त्रीकरण प्रक्रिया र जनविश्वासमा उल्लेख्य मात्रामा असर पुर्‍याएको छ । जनविश्वास बढाउन तथा आफूमा परिवर्तन आएको प्रत्याभूति दिलाउन पनि सेनाले यस्ता प्रक्रियालाई पारदर्शी तुल्याउनुपर्छ ।

    विगतमा जस्तै सैनिक अधिकारीहरूको अनियमितताको सम्बन्धमा पीडित, नागरिक समाज र प्रेस चुप लागेर बस्ने अवस्था छैन । सेना र प्रहरीमा बर्सेनि ठेक्कापट्टाबाट कमिसनबापत ठूलो रकम प्रवाह हुने गरेको भन्ने विषयमै अनुसन्धान गरी कमिसनलाई पारदर्शी तुल्याउनेतर्फ संसद्को ध्यानाकर्षण हुन जरुरी छ । कमिसन रकम कुनै पद वा प्रभावका लागि होइन, राज्यकोषमा दाखिला गराउन हो । सेना र प्रहरीबाट ठेक्कापट्टाको कमिसन कति राज्यकोषमा राखिएको छ, छैन भने के त्यहाँ त्यस्तो व्यवहारै हुँदैन भन्ने’bout सर्वप्रथम आफूलाई परिवर्तन गर्दै लगेको सेनाले प्रस्ट गर्नु बुद्धिमानी हुनेछ । (कान्तिपुर दैनिकको १९ मंसिर सम्पादकीय)

    सम्बन्धित समाचार: सैनिकद्वारा ठेकेदारलाई धम्की

  • रोल्पा हुदै टुरिष्ट ब्रिगेड

    foreign tourists after visiting and seeing maoist revolution in rolpa

    माओवादी जनयुद्ध हेर्न रोल्पा पुगेका साम्राज्यवादविराधी विदेशीहरुले त्यहा सडक खन्न श्रमदान गरेतस्बिर- दिनेश

    दिनेश वाग्ले

    आफूलाई एउटै मात्र नामबाट चिनाउन चाहने २६ वर्षो ज्यासन क्यानाडामा इतिहासका विद्यार्थी हुन् जसको मनमा पुँजीवादप्रति गहिरो अनास्था छ । त्यसैले उनी नेपालमा आएर माओवादी कम्युनिस्टले छेडेको ‘पुँजीवाद र सामन्तवाद’ विरुद्ध युद्ध’bout जान्न उत्सुक थिए । ‘यहाँ लडाइँ ठूलो हुँदै जाँदा हाम्रो प्रेसमा पनि देखा पर्न थाल्यो,’ क्यानाडेली तन्नेरीले भने- ‘रिपोर्टहरूले लडाइँलाई सकारात्मक/नकारात्मक दुवै रूपमा प्रस्तुत गर्थे । महिला मुक्ति भएको र प्रजातान्त्रिक जनसरकार स्थापना भएका विवरणसँगै लडाइँ आतंकवाद भएको भन्ने समाचार पनि छापिन्थे । त्यसैले म के हो यो भन्ने प्रत्यक्ष बुझ्न आएको ।’

    ज्यासनजस्तै आफ्नो मुलुकका पुँजीवादी संस्थापनविरुद्ध गहिरो असन्तुष्टि बोकेका १२ बहुराष्ट्रिय विद्यार्थी तथा अभियन्ता हालै रोल्पामा तीन साता बिताएर काठमाडौं फर्केका छन् । उनीहरू साम्राज्यवादविरुद्धको अन्तर्रष्ट्रिय अभियान (वर्ल्ड पिपुल्स रेसिस्टेन्स मुभमेन्ट) को संयोजनमा तेस्रो अन्तर्रष्ट्रिय रोड बिल्डिङ ब्रिगेडको सदस्यका रूपमा रोल्पा पुगेका हुन् । उनीहरूले माओवादी नियन्त्रित ‘मगरात जनसरकार’ का क्रियाकलाप निरीक्षण गर्नुका साथै निर्माणाधीन सहिद सडक बनाउन श्रम खर्चेका थिए । नाम देख्दा केके न जस्तो लागे पनि ब्रिगेडका कुनै पनि सदस्यले हतियार बोकेका हुँदैनन्, उनीहरू जनयुद्धप्रति रुचि राख्ने विदेशी हुन् र पर्यटकका रूपमा नेपाल आउँछन् । अघिल्लो नोभेम्बरमा केही व्यक्ति आएका थिए भने दोस्रो टोली अप्रिलमा काठमाडौं उत्रेको थियो । तर उनीहरू आन्दोलनका कारण रोल्पा पुग्न सकेनन् ।

    ‘नेपालमा जे भइरहेको छ, रुचिपूर्ण छ,’ ज्यासनले भने- ‘मानिसहरू समाज बदल्न उठेका छन् । परिवर्तनप्रति उनीहरू उत्साहित पाएँ । जहाँसम्म मैले देखें- आन्दोलनलाई आतंकवाद भन्ने कुरामा म सहमत हुन सक्दिनँ ।’ अब उनले देखेका सकारात्मक परिवर्तन’bout वर्णन गर्न थाले । जस्तो, जातविभेद निर्मूल भएको पाएको र महिलाले सम्बन्धविच्छेद गर्नसक्ने स्वतन्त्रता पाएको । घर नफर्किसकेका छ जना शनिबार आफ्नो अनुभव सुनाउन पत्रकारहरूसामु उपस्थित भएका थिए र एक संवाददाताले उनीहरू जनयुद्धमा सामेल भएको भान पर्ने खालको प्रश्न गर्दा सबै विदेशीले तत्कालै आफूलाई माओवादी आन्दोलनबाट अलग्याए । ‘हामी जनयुद्धमा सामेल भएको होइन,’ आफूलाई ‘संयुक्त राज्य आतंक’ नामको मुलुकका नागरिकका रूपमा परिचय गराउने अमेरिकी अभियन्ता पिटर ग्य्रान्टले भने- ‘हामी आन्दोलनप्रति ऐक्यबद्धता मात्रै जनाउँछौं ।’ जर्मनीमा निर्माण व्यवसाय गर्ने उनले अहिलेको विश्वका मुख्य समस्या अमेरिकाको साम्राज्यवादी र फाँसीवादी नीति भएको उल्लेख गर्दै हालै भारतले माओवादी नेताहरू किरण र गौरवलाई छाड्दा निकै खुसी लागेको बताए । ‘हामी यहाँ ऐक्यबद्धता जनाउन पर्यटकका हैसियतमा आएका हौं,’ पिटरले भने- ‘ठान्नुस् हामी [हालैका दिनमा] रोल्पा जाने पहिलो ट्रेकिङ समूह हौं ।’

    foreign tourists after visiting and seeing maoist revolution in rolpa

    भाषा समस्याले रोल्पावासीसँग चाहेजति अन्तरक्रिया गर्न नसकेको बताउने विदेशीहरूले सोही बेला त्यहाँ पुगेका एक फ्रेन्च पत्रकारका दोभासेमार्फ स्वतन्त्र अनुवादमार्फ कुरा गर्न पाएको उल्लेख गरे । माओवादी आन्दोलन’bout प्रत्यक्ष अनुभव लिन आएको बताउने बेलायतका अन्तर्रष्ट्रिय सम्बन्ध विषयका विद्यार्थी रड्डी मक्केले रोल्पामा गरिबी भए पनि माग्ने नदेख्दा खुसी लागेको बताए । ‘बरु काठमाडौंमा माग्ने छन्,’ उनले भने । नमिलाएको छोटो कपाल पालेका, खिरिलो ज्यान भएका अग्ला दाह्रीवालले चस्मा लगाएका छन् र हात हेर्दा लाग्छ उनले रोल्पामा निकै सडक खनेका छन् । ‘होइन, यो घाउ [शुक्रबार] काठामाडौंमा भएको हो,’ दाहिन हातको कान्छी औंलाका तीनटा चोट देखाउँदै उनले भने- ‘यहाँ के विरोध प्रदर्शन भइरहेको रहेछ, त्यसमा परियो, लडियो ।’ तर अमेरिकी पिटरको चिउँडैको ठूलो घाउचाहिँ आन्दोलन या सडक खन्दा केहीबाट नभएको उनले बताए । पिटर र ज्यासनका हातका नङमा अडकिएको फोहोर देख्दा उनीहरूले माटोचाहिँ प्रसस्तै खेलाएको निष्कर्षमा पुग्न सकिन्थ्यो ।

    मरिससमा जन्मेका तर बेलायतमा बस्ने रोसन शर्माले पुँजीवादले कतै काम नगर्ने उल्लेख गर्दै रोल्पावासीको उत्साह देख्दा खुसी लागेको बताए । ‘उनीहरू हामीसँग ठट्टा गरिरहेका थिए,’ तन्नेरीले भने- ‘नयाँ समाजको सुरुवात भएको छ जो निकै राम्रो हो । मानिसहरूको सोच्ने तरिका बदलिएको छ । सामन्तवादले दक्षिण एसियालाई नै जकडेको छ जसलाई उखेल्नै पर्छ ।’

    एघार जनाको समूहमा तीन जना महिला थिए जसमध्ये जर्मनीकी कर्नेलिया काठमाडौंमै छिन् -क्रिसमस उपहार किन्नु आफ्नो अहिलेको प्राथमिकता भएको उनले बताइन्) । बितेका दुइ वर्षेखि नेपाल’boutका घटनाको अध्ययन गरिरहेको बताउने २६ वर्षो विद्यार्थी (उनले पनि अर्को नाम बताउन चाहिनन्) ले आफूलाई महिला मुक्ति’bout विशेष चासो भएको बताइन् । ‘स्थिति साँच्चै सुध्रेको रहेछ,’ गाजलु मोटीले भनिन्- ‘माओवादी सेनामा महिला-पुरुष बराबरी हैसियतमा रहेछन् ।’ तर तत्कालै उनका अमेरिकी पुरुष सहयात्रीले भने- ‘महिलाहरू हाम्रो जस्तो कानुनी अधिकार दिएको देशमा समेत अझै शोषित, पीडित छन् । मुख्य कुरा कानुनी अधिकारभन्दा पनि पुरुषको उनीहरूप्रतिको दृष्टिकोणमा बदलाव आउनुपर्छ ।

  • कथा सुनाउन काठमाडौं

    cassandra wye english storyteller arrives in kathmandu

    दिनेश वाग्ले

    हाउभाउ हेर्दा र कुरा सुन्दा कासान्द्रा वी आफैं कथाकी पात्र हुनसक्छिन् । छेउको तस्बिर हेर्ने भए ठीकै छ, नभए एउटा छवि कल्पिनुस्— चाउचाउजस्तो कपाल, अग्ली, ‘मोटी’ भन्दा नराम्रो लाग्ला, त्यसैले खाइलाग्दी भनौं । पहिरन बहुराष्ट्रिय छ— भारतीय सिल्क अनि सिंगापुरमा किनेको पस्मिना । पस्मिना कहाँको रैछ कुन्नि ! ‘लौ, नेपालमै पो बनेको रैछ,’ र्‍याडिसन होटलमा शुक्रबार चिया सेलाउँदै जाँदा आश्चर्य भावमा सलको ट्याग पढेपछि उनले भनिन्- ‘किनेको सिंगापुरमै हो ।’ कासान्द्राले सेतो चस्मा लगाएकी छन्, पावर उनैलाई थाहा छैन । घाँटीमा लकेट छ, जुन सेप्टेम्बरमा उनलाई ३९ औं जन्मोत्सवको उपहार हो परिवारबाट । ‘यसले घर खुब सम्झाउँछ,’ विश्वभरि आफूले कथा सुनाउने बालबालिकालाई आफ्नै सन्तान ठान्ने महिलाले भनिन्- ‘म पनि त्यही चाहन्छु ।’

    यो कथा एकैछिन रोकौं, लागौं उनको पेसातिर । यी अंग्रेज कथावाचक हुन्, जो विशेष गरी बालबालिकालाई हाँस्दै, कराउँदै, हात हल्लाउँदै, मुख बंग्याउँदै, बुरुक्क उफ्रिदै, थचक्क बस्दै कथा सुनाउँछिन् । शारीरिक हाउभाउ प्रकट गर्दै कथा भन्नु उनको विशेषता हो । ‘१५ वर्षअघि मैले कथा भन्न थाल्दा,’ उनले सम्भिइन्- ‘बेलायतमा कथावाचकहरू बोल्थे मात्र । जब मैले उफ्रिदै भन्न थालें, ती चकित भए । खासमा कथा भन्ने मात्र होइन । अनि कथा भन्ने भाषा शब्द, गीत, नृत्य हुन् ।’

    cassandra wye english storyteller arrives in kathmandu

    बि्रटिस काउन्सिलको आयोजनामा अस्ट्रेलिया, भियतनामलगायत सात मुलुकमा कथा भनेकी क्यासान्द्रा अहिले नेपालमा छिन् र उनको खुबी शनिबार काठमाण्डू दरबार क्षेत्र र बुधबार ललितपुरको मंगलबजारमा सार्वजनिक हुनेछ । त्यसपछि उनले काउन्सिल, भक्तपुरको सैनिक स्कुल र ललितपुरकै जावलाखेलस्थित डीएभी स्कुलमा बालबालिकालाई कथा सुनाउनेछिन् तथा अभिभावक र शिक्षकनिम्ति कार्यशाला गर्नेछिन् ।

    कथामा त्यस्तो के हुन्छ जसले बालबालिकालाई मुग्ध पार्छ ? ‘कस्तो अप्ठेरो प्रश्न सोधेको ?’ पक्का बेलायती लवजमा उनले भनिन्- मुस्काउँदै अनि तत्कालै ओठ, नाक र आँखा एकै ठाउँ ल्याउँलाजस्तो गरेर खुम्च्याउँदै ।

    ‘प्रायः कथा पुराना हुन्छन्,’ उनले भनिन्- ‘हुन त म विज्ञानप्रविधिका कथा पनि भन्छु । जे होस्, बालबालिकाले कथामा कल्पनाको संसार पाउँछन् जसले उनीहरूलाई आनन्दित पार्छ ।’

    नयाँ ठाउँमा भिन्न पृष्ठभूमिका श्रोतालाई सुनाइरहनुपर्ने भएकाले उनले कथाहरूको सूची बनाएकी छन् र चाहिएका बेला झिकेर भन्न थाल्छिन् । ‘नेपालमा कथा भन्ने चलन मौलिक छ,’ उनको एउटा जिज्ञासा मेटाउने प्रयास गरियो । ‘खास गरी सुत्ने बेला हजुरबा, हजुरआमाले नातिनातिनालाई कथा भन्छन् । कथामा धर्म र नैैतिकतालाई जोड दिइन्छ । साँच्ची, तपाईं फरक संस्कृतिका श्रोतालाई धर्म’bout कथा सुनाउँदा कस्तो अनुभव गर्नुहुन्छ ?’

    cassandra wye english storyteller arrives in kathmandu

    ‘धार्मिक कथा म भन्दिनँ,’ उनले सुनाइन्- ‘मेरा कथामा मानवता छाउँछ । सामान्य मान्छेका कथा भन्छु, रथ चढ्ने राजकुमारका पनि होइन । कथामा अन्तर्राष्ट्रियपन हुन्छ । जनावर’bout हुन्छ । जस्तो— मूर्ख हात्ती र चलाख कमिला ।’

    ‘मूर्ख हात्ती र चलाख कमिला’ को पात्रचित्रण गर्न कासान्द्रालाई छाडी, हामी फर्कौं उनको आवरणतिर । वाचकको पात्रले चाहिँ कथाभनाइमा कस्तो प्रभाव पार्छ ? ‘पार्छ नि,’ उनले हात र ज्यान झन् हल्लाउँदै भनिन्- ‘अनि हाउभाउको बढी महत्त्व हुन्छ । गाईको प्रसंग आउँदा ‘बाँ’ गर्नुपर्‍यो, बिरालोको आउँदा ‘म्याउँ’ ।’ एकै छिन रोकिएपछि उनी निरन्तर भइन्- ‘सम्बद्ध आवाज निकाल्दा बच्चाले सजिलै बुझ्छन् । हाउभाउले पात्र बुझ्न सघाउँछ । ध्वनिले रोचकता थप्छ, नै अंग्रेजी बुझाउन सजिलो पार्छ ।’

    यो कुरा यहीँ बन्द गरौं, क्यासान्द्रा त थाक्दिनन् गफिएर । उनै स्वीकार्छिन्- गफाडी र कथावाचकमा खासै भिन्नता हुँदैन !

    क्यासान्द्राको भ्रमण’bout ब्रिटिश काउन्सिलले जारी गरेको बक्तव्य:

    British Council briefing on the event:

    British Council Nepal will be organising “Stories in Motion” with international storyteller and educationalist Cassandra Wye from the UK. These are stories that are seen as well as heard. The purpose of these events is to demonstrate the power of storytelling to motivate children to learn and the importance of stories in learning to read and enjoying reading.

    Our aim is to persuade children and their parents and teachers that reading for pleasure is a means in itself and way to improve all-round academic performance.

    Cassandra has been dancing stories around the world since1991. Her storytelling has taken her to Australia, Barbados, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Now she’s in Nepal.

    John Fry, Country Manager of British Council Nepal, says that this is part of our work to promote reading in Nepali and English, in particular the importance to child development of reading for pleasure. This is where story – telling comes in. Stories in Motion will excite children to read.

    We are organising performances for primary school students and the general public, workshops for primary school teachers and parents in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Patan and Pokhara from 2 December to 10 December 2006.

  • अग्रगामी राष्ट्र हाम्रो, जय जय नेपाल

    गणेश र्राई

    नेपालबाट राजतन्त्रलाई फ्याक्ने अभियानले तिब्रता पाउदै जादा नेपाली जनताले राजाको व्यक्ति पूजा गरिएको गीतबाट अब औपचारिकरुपमै छुटकारा पाउदै छन् । “प्रचन्ड प्रतापी भूपती”को भजन अर्थात “श्रीमान गम्भीर” अहिले निलम्बित अवस्थामा छ र जनताको गीतलाई राष्ट्रिय गाथामा बदल्ने अभियान अर्न्तगत आजै मात्र एउटा नयाँ सिर्जनाको चयन भएको छ ।

    सयौं थुङ्गा फूलका हामी एउटै माला नेपाली
    र्सार्वभौम भई फैलिएका मेची महाकाली…

    मन्त्रीपरिषद्ले पारित गर्यो भने अब केही दिनपछि यिनै हरफबाट नेपाली राष्ट्रियगान सुरु हुनेछ । लोकतन्त्र प्राप्तिपछि संस्कृतिविद् सत्यमोहन जोशीको संयोजकत्वमा गठित राष्ट्रियगान चयन कर्यदलले यो गीत छानेको हो जसलाई व्याकुल माइला अर्थात् प्रदीप कुमार र्राईले रचेका हुन् । आठ हरफको राष्ट्रियगान मा ४७ शब्दमा छन् । कार्यदललाई विभिन्न व्यक्तिबाट करिब १ हजार २ सय ७२ रचना मिलेका थिए । रचनाकारको नाम नहेरी गीत छानिएको जोशीले बताए । कार्यदलले राष्ट्रियगीत’bout सुझाव संकलनका निम्ति पश्चिम धनगढीदेखि पूर्वमा इटहरीसम्म अन्तक्रिर्या कार्यक्रम गरेको थियो ।

    ओखलढुंगाको हिलेपानी गाउँमा जन्मिएका ३४ वर्ष गीतकार र्राई डेढ दशकदेखि साहित्यमा लागेका हुन् । कानुनमा स्नातक (बीएल) र जनप्रशासनमा एमपीए सम्म पढेका र्राई अधिवक्ता हुन् । संस्कृति, पर्यटन तथा नागरिक उड्डयन मन्त्री प्रदीप ज्ञवालीले भने- ‘जनजाति र दुर्गम क्षेत्रका स्रष्टाको रचना राष्ट्रियगानकारुपमा चयन भएको छ त्यसले अझ ओझ थपेको छ ।’ पचासको दशकयता राजधानीमै रहेर सिर्जनारत व्याकुल माइलाले लोकतान्त्रिक आन्दोलनमा सशक्त सहभागीता जनाएका थिए । ‘जुन गीत मेरो भनेर चयन गरियो’, भावविभोर हुँदै उनले भने- ‘त्यो मेरो होइन । लोकतान्त्रि जनआन्दोलन भाग दुईमा उर्लिएको जनसागरको भावना हो । मैले त्यही भावनालाई समेटेको मात्र हुँ ।’ दर्जनौं गीत, कविता, हाइकूका स्रष्टा व्याकुल माइलाले यसअघि ‘नेपाली गीत संग्रह’, ‘बरभञ्ज्याङ्ग’ नामक साहित्यिक गोजिकालगायतका पत्रिका सम्पादन गरेका थिए ।

    गीतको पूरा अंश:

    सयौं थुङ्गा फूलका हामी, एउटै माला नेपाली
    र्सार्वभौम भई फैलिएका, मेची महाकाली ।
    प्रकृतिका कोटी-कोटी सम्पदाको आँचल
    बीरहरूका रगतले, स्वतन्त्र र अटल।

    ज्ञानभूमि, शान्तिभूमि तर्राई, पहाड, हिमाल
    अखण्ड यो प्यारो हाम्रो मातृभूमि नेपाल ।
    बहुल जाति, भाषा, धर्म, संस्कृति छन् विशाल
    अग्रगामी राष्ट्र हाम्रो, जय जय नेपाल ।

  • Indian Movie in Nepal: My Impression of Dhoom 2

    Hritik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai in the movie Dhoom 2

    Yes, the sizzling pair of Hritik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai is definitely HOT in the movie Dhoom 2 but the movie itself is not so much praiseworthy From the blog body: “Ash is definitely hot in the movie,” I wrote, “and she herself feels that in a scene when she asks ‘don’t you feel hot?’ to her ‘partner in crime’ while taking off clothes after stealing a sword from a museum.” I know Sunahari of Dhoom 2 isn’t the Paroo of Devdas.

    I am talking about Dhoom 2. I had no plan to write this blog on the movie but the comment I got from Sudeep Shrestha, my colleague in the business bureau of Kantipur daily where I work as a reporter, this morning propelled me type these words. I wanted to write what I felt and I did just that in Kantipur. That was more of my personal impression of the film then a standard review. My opinion is that the film isn’t as good as everybody is portraying it to be.

    Everybody is praising about Dhoom 2, including Sudeep, a great fan of Hindi movies and a keen follower Nepali film industry. He put the Dhoom 2 in the list of top three movies in the year: Rang De Basanti, Lage Raho Munna Bhai and Dhoom 2. So far I have trusted his criticism of the movies and found him accurate in judging films. Be it in the technical aspect or the directorial perspective. This time I couldn’t. I enjoyed Dhoom 2 but didn’t find it to be one of the best movies of the year, definitely not one of the top three movies of the year. I think I am going against the tide by criticizing Dhoom 2. Let it be.

    Hritik Roshan In the movie Dhoom 2

    Hritik Roshan in the movie Dhoom 2. His dance is one of the major attractions in the film.

    By taking the cop to Brazil following the thief the film poorly tries to expose the Indian ambition of wanting to become a global player. We know Indian economy is growing phenomenally and with that the Indian aspirating of becoming a global player is growing in the same rate. But the time hasn’t arrived yet that they can send their investigators around the world and run an operation. We have seen in Hollywood movies the American FBI running international missions in countries thousands of miles away from home. They are perfect and seem convincing given the widespread American influence around the world. But I found some flaws in the execution of that part in Dhoom 2. It doesn’t seem suitable.

    Sudeep wrote in a Short Text Message: “Disagree. Who cares suhaunchha ki suhaunna [suits or not as long as] it entertains. [I am] not talking about bike chasing [which was better] in first part [but] Mr. A is high-tech thief who does miracles. Bollywood is doing great whether in RDB or D2. Do not expect realism in film.”

    abhishek bachhan in dhoom 2 movie
    Abhishek Bachchan in Dhoom 2

    My other complain about the movie was lack of originality. The star cast lineup is great. The pair of blue eyed Hritik and Ash is superb. The dancing skill of Hritik Roshan is awesome. But the ‘originality’ ends here. For those who have seen Mission Impossible series, XXX or any Bond movies, Dhoom 2 constantly reminds them various scenes from the previously mentioned movies. That’s what I felt. Even Aishworya Rai’s much talked about blue bikini, I read in this website this morning, is copied from “the one worn by a popular UK model Keeley Hazell and featured in her official calendar”. How can you put this movie in the same list where Rang De Basanti and Lage Raho Munna Bhai are featured? RDB and LRMB are original stories or presentation from the Indian perspective. Nevertheless, the film is a total fun and a great time pass. I must admit I enjoyed watching it.

    Okay, I have praised the Ash outlook through a quote in my Kantipur write up. “Ash is definitely hot in the movie,” I wrote, “and she herself feels that in a scene when she asks ‘don’t you feel hot?’ to her ‘partner in crime’ while taking off clothes after stealing a sword from a museum.” I know Sunahari of Dhoom 2 isn’t the Paroo of Devdas. Aishworya Rai’s glamour, which used to be hidden in long saris and make ups in the movies like Devdas or Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam is now exposed in Dhoom 2 where she wears short clothes and appears hip. The talk of her new outlook is the only thing that I feel is attracting audiences to theaters.

    This blog was written on Tuesday, 28 November and was first published in the blog: Topics from 192 countries. Here is another impression of Dhoom 2 on Zade Xpress.

    Here is what I wrote in Kantipur:

    सुनहरीको जादु

    ‘फ्रन्ट स्टलको मात्रै छ,’ सोमबार दिउँसो राजधानीको जय नेपाल हलमा फोन गर्दा जवाफ आयो- ‘त्यो पनि केहीबेरमा सकिन बेर छैन ।’ सहरमा ऐश्वर्याको धूम छ र दर्शकहरू चलचित्र ‘धूम-२’ हेर्न हलमा झुम्मिएका छन् । हल हाउसफुल भएका छन्, गफमा ऐश्वर्या छाएकी छन् । ‘केटाहरूले झन्डै ढुंगा हानेका !’ बाराही मुभिजमा दुई दिनअघि उक्त फिल्म हेरेका एक तन्नेरीले भने- ‘टिकट नपाएर ।’ त्यति भनेपछि उनले सिनेमाका डायलग सुनाउन थाले, ‘ऐडा’ भनेको के हो अन लागे । ऐश्वर्याको प्रशंसा गर्न त के चुक्थे !

    आफ्ना अघिल्ला सिनेमाका तुलनामा कम कपडा पहिरिएकी र वजन घटाएकी ऐश्वर्यालाई धूम-२ मा धेरैले ‘हट’ पाएका छन् । ‘डन्ट यु फिल हट ?’ साहसिक चोरीमा एउटा संग्रहालयबाट तरबार उडाएपछि कालो रङका कपडा उतार्दै उनी आफ्ना पार्टनर ‘इन क्राइम’ अर्थात् अपराधका मित्रलाई प्रश्न गर्छिन् ।

    भारतीय प्रहरी एउटा शैलीवान् चोरलाई पछ्याउँदै ब्राजिलसम्म पुग्दा अकासिँदो आर्थिक वृद्धिदरसँगै पलाएको विश्वव्यापी बन्ने भारतीय चाहना फिल्ममा अप्ठेरो लाग्ने किसिमले झल्किन्छ । हलिउड सिनेमामा अमेरिकी अनुसन्धान संस्था एफबीआईले विदेशी भूमिमा गएर खोजी गरेको सन्दर्भले अमेरिकाको विश्वव्यापी प्रभावको प्रतिनिधित्व गर्छन् । धूम-२ मा पनि त्यस्तै गर्न खोजिएको छ, जुन कताकता नसुहाउँदो लाग्न सक्छ । हलिउडका टम क्रुज अभिनीत ‘मिसन इम्पोसिबल’ शृंखला हेर्नेहरूलाई कताकता त्यसको झल्को मिलेपछि धेरै दर्शकले ऐश्वर्या र हृतिकको जमेको जोडीका कारण फिल्मको शैलीलाई ‘कुल’ पाउने छन् । जोडी त जमेको छ नि, नीला आँखा भएका र सिनेमामा पहिलोपटक सँगै प्रस्तुत भएका दुई मुख्य पात्रको ! अब त्यो लजाउँदै गरिएको चुम्बनलाई पनि कसरी बिर्सनु ! नृत्यमा हृतिकलाई कसले भेट्टाओस् ! ‘कृश’ मा उडन्ते पात्रको भूमिकामा देखिएका नायकले यसमा पनि एक्सनप्रधान दृश्यमा क्षमता देखाएका छन् ।

    मोटरसाइकल लखेटाइ सासै थमाउने खालको छैन तर त्यसबाट निस्कने आवाजले ‘थि्रल’ अनुभव दिलाउँछ । मुख्य कथा चोर-पुलिसकै हो तर बीचमा प्रेमकथा पनि छ, जसले दर्शकको संवेदनालाई समाउँछ । हलिउड सिनेमाका दर्शकलाई ‘धूम-२’ प्रयुक्त स्पेसल इफेक्ट खासै ‘कुल’ नलाग्न सक्छन् । त्यसैले ‘रंग दे वसन्ती’ जस्तो आफ्नै खाले कथावस्तु खोज्नेहरू यसबाट निराश हुन सक्छन् । फिल्म पक्का टाइम पास छ, कमै मात्र चिनिएका उदय चोपडाको पात्रले बेलाबेला हाँसो सिर्जना गर्छ ।

    सञ्चारमाध्यमहरूमा स्त्री पात्रहरूको जतिसुकै चर्चा भए पनि तथा पत्रिकाहरूमा जतिसुकै ठूला र ग्ल्यामरस फोटा छापिए पनि भारतीय अभिनेत्रीहरू आपmनै नामबाट सिनेमा चलाउने हैसियतमा पुगिसकेका छैनन् ।

    ‘धूम-२’ को हकमा भने त्यो सोचमा हल्का परिवर्तन आएको देखिन्छ । यसपालि धेरै दर्शकले ‘ऐश्वर्याको फिल्म हेर्न जाने’ भनेको केही भारतीय लेखमा उल्लेख छ भने काठमाडौंमा ‘धूम-२’ ’bout चर्चाहरूमा ऐश्वर्याको नयाँ स्वरूपले बढी स्थान लिने गरेको पाइएको छ । लामो सारी या प्रशस्त मेकअपमा ऐश्वर्याको ग्ल्यामर लुकेको छैन यो सिनेमामा । पारो र सुनहरूमा धेरै फरक छ । सुनहरी अर्थात् सुनौली केटीका रूपमा उनले आफ्नो छवि यसरी प्रस्तुत गरेकी छन् कि परम्परागत रूपमा ‘सेक्स बम’ मानिने पो पूरै छायामा परेकी छन् ! ऐश्वर्याको प्रशंसा या चर्चा उनको अभिनय क्षमताका कारण निश्चयै भएको होइन, केवल उनको बदलिएको छविको समाचारले दर्शकलाई फिल्म हेर्न प्रेरित गरेजस्तो देखिन्छ ।

    फिल्ममै पनि एक ठाउँमा महिलालाई अनुभव गर्नै सकिने गरी पुरुषको तुलनामा कमजोर र असहाय देखाइएको छ । जस्तो- आर्यन (हृतिक) का तुलनामा सुनहरी राम्ररी बास्केटबल डि्रबल गर्न पनि सक्दिन, स्कोर गर्नु त परै जावस् । पुरुष पात्रलाई महिलाका तुलनामा त्यसरी अब्बल देखाइनुमा निर्देशकको उद्देश्य ‘हिरो’ लाई बढी क्षमतावान् प्रमाणित गर्नु हुन सक्छ तर ठ्याक्कै त्यही कुरा महिलालाई कमजोर प्राणीका रूपमा नदेखाई पनि गर्न सकिन्थ्यो ।

    फिल्मका यस्ता अपुग पक्षले भने बक्स अफिसमा प्रभाव पार्ने देखिँदैन किनकि ऐश्वर्या कत्तिकी हट देखिएकी छन् भन्ने जान्ने चाहना सम्भावित दर्शकहरूमा अचम्मै पार्ने खालको छ । त्यसैले आउँदा केही दिनमा काठमाडौंका हलमा ढिलो फोन गर्नेले टिकट फ्रन्ट स्टलकै पाउने छन् ।

  • नेपालीमा हामी

    कहिले के मिल्दैन, कहिले के । कहिले साइटमा समश्या, कहिले मान्छेमा । कहिले समय छैन, कहिले जागर छैन । पत्रिकामा काम गर्नुकी, कम्प्युटरमै मात्र झुन्डीरहनु । कुरा धेरै छन् जो कतिपय अवस्थामा नेपाली बाहेकका भाषामा अभिव्यक्त हुन सक्दैनन् । तर अब हामी बाहाना बनाउदैनौं, देखेको, भोगेको र विश्वास गर्न सकिनेबाट सुनेका कुरा हामी लेख्छौं । त्यसैले नेपाली पातो फेरी थालिएको छ जसलाई हामी ब्लगमान्डू भन्छौं । ब्लगमान्डूमा हामी आकाश मुनी र माथीका सबै कुरामा कीबोर्ड ठटाउने छौं ।

  • Unpressed Shirts And My Crusade Against Ironing

    dinesh wagle unpressed shirts

    I am posting this photo six hours after it was taken (today morning). As I predicted at the time when the photo was taken, the outlook of my shirt has changed. It’s not different than a pressed one. So why waste time, energy and the electricity! Pic by Email

    I hate spending (wasting) time in pressing shirts and making them look ‘great’. Why? What the hell you are asking? Why re! I just hate. You know the precious time, you can do so many other things during that time instead of carrying the load of iron (”estri” is the word that our tailor in the village used to call the thing. I don’t know what’s there in “estri” that males love to press their clothes.) So I was about to wear this pura jhyaure and khachhyak khuchhuk khumchhiyeko shirt this morning, my brother ‘wisely’ suggested me to use estiri to make it ‘wearable’. “What? Press the shirt?” I fired back. “No way! Look, I am wearing this now and it will be okay after a few hours, on its own.” Ramro banera kaslai dekhaunu chha ra?

    “You are covering it with jacket,” he said. I smiled!

    “Boy, note this down,” I told him. “If you ever write my biography, don’t forget to mention that ‘Dinesh Wagle was a great fellow who never pressed his shirts. He always wore unpressed clothes. What an inspirational figure. Anti-estri movement will remember him forever. History will record this man’s habit!’ Ha, ha. That will be interesting, man, to read after 50 years.”

    “Hya,” he dismissed my request and fired a question. “Where do I keep that biography till then?”

    “Here comes the idea!” I scream. I almost threw the shirt away and my pant nearly went down! “Take out the camera and take a snap. I am going to write a blog. I hope people will be able to search it after 50 years!”

    Then two Wagles started the great work of photo session.

    I developed this habit of anti-estri when I was in hostel. Especially when I was in the 10th standard in Bhaktapur. I have never pressed my pants in the past 10 years. Even in hostel, the previous one, when I had to do the job, I would simply avoid doing so. I was fine with unpressed pants and I am fine now.

    “Ha… that’s why you have this big collection of t-shirts,” intervened Email. “Who needs to press t-shirts? And you always wear jeans.”

    That’s right. I love wearing t-shirts, mostly UWB t-shirts, WSJ t-shirts, Palpasa Cafe t-shirts, Batsyayana Book t-shirt, and, recently, Hot Zone t-shirts. I have become a living and moving hoarding board advertising my websites, books and other missions. It’s actually a distinct experience. Whenever I wear Palpasa Cafe t-shirt, some people in the office think I am doing so to please my editor and author of P Cafe Narayan Wagle. That’s not true but I haven’t refuted those ‘allegations’ because they don’t deserve my refutation. They don’t comment on people who wear Harry Potter t-shirts and tease me for wearing Palpasa Cafe t-shirt. Funny! But the same people hardly noticed it was Batsyayana book’s t-shirt when I was wearing the t-shirt (it was in English). I told those critics of me wearing Palpasa Cafe t-shirt: what do you have to say about this? Do you think I am wearing this t-shirt to please Batsyayan? [By the way, was I wearing that because I didn’t have to press that? ha ha, who knows! Tyo ta haina, tara I like wearing such t-shirts. I also like Ma Parivartan Chahanchhu t-shirts!]

    As long as the clothes are clean and free of dirt, I don’t really care if they are looking great or not! I am not in the league of being cool by spending time in selecting clothes that I wear. I don’t have time. I give about 4 minutes to change and get ready to get out of the house in the morning. So no way I spend time in selecting lugas that I wear. Not even while interviewing models! Again, Ramro banera kaslai po dekhaunu chha ra? 🙂

    Related entry:
    1.Iron Man: Conversation With a Press Wallah

  • In A Nepal Monastery Ramon Magsaysay Jr. Talks About His Dad

    [Here is another report on the visit of Magsaysay Awardees in Nepal]

    ramon magsaysay jr in nepal

    The senator son of former Filipino President talks about what it feels like to be a Magsaysay. Plus, hear him praising Gmail!! In the photo above, Magsaysay Jr. (right) is flanked by his son Francisco in Kathmandu’s Tilganga Eye Center. Pic by Dinesh Wagle

    By Dinesh Wagle

    “Many journalists have interviewed you,” this scribe started a conversation with Ramon Magsaysay Jr., the son of former Filipino President, in a monastery in Kathmandu and asked him to guess what my first question could be.

    Without thinking much he said “Of course my impression of Nepal.” And without waiting for a follow-up question the 68-year-old Filipino senator rolled on: “It’s very positive. I see a lot of possibilities for Nepal that is facing challenges on peace, poverty and competitiveness in the globalized world.”

    As he paused to breathe it was this scribe’s turn to shoot: “But I had a different question in mind. How does it feel to grow up with the brand name called Magsaysay?”

    Seemingly puzzled, the man looked toward the horizon for a few seconds but quickly collected his breath and said, “It’s a deep honor.” Then the Senator briefly recounted his personal story fusing the past and present. “My late father started his public service during the World War II. I was a four year old boy. Fast forward to 2006. I am an old man, about to finish my second and last term in the Senate. Many a times I wonder am I being as good as my father or not quite up to him? With this question in mind, I just keep dong my best.”

    ramon magsaysay jr in nepal

    Photographer Magsaysay: Trying to capture Kathmandu from the Pullahari Monastary in Kapan.

    Magsaysay Jr. was 18 when his dad died in a plane crash in 1957. He had no choice but to jump into politics to carry on the family legacy. While campaigning for a congressional post at the age of 27 in the same constituency that once elected his father, Magsaysay Jr. realized how much people wanted him to be like his dad. “People would say ‘oh your dad did this, you should also do the same; he wore wooden shoes, why are you wearing rubber shoes?’ Over the years I have learned to develop patience. Just respond them with a smile and accept whatever they say.”

    Though he is a senator, Magsaysay Jr. is essentially a businessman, dubbed the “Father of Cable Television” in the Philippines for his role in setting up blueprint for the sector. Magsaysay Jr., a mechanical engineer by training and a graduate of Harvard Business School, finds it difficult to prefer politics to business. “Politics is interesting,” he said, adding, “You can have bigger and faster impact. But I also like business because your life is in your control. Profit and customer satisfaction are the key.”

    Agrees Magsaysay’s son, Francisco, 38, who looks after Magsaysay Jr.’s cable business. “I will not join politics,” declared Francisco, who is in Kathmandu with his dad. “I am hoping to help out the country in a small way. I want to inspire the youth by proving that you don’t need to be in government to help your community.” He argues that politics has changed compared to that of his grandfather’s time. Francisco also shares with his father the experience of being a Magsaysay. “There is the pressure to maintain certain type of integrity,” said Francisco. “We have to conduct ourselves in a way that is commensurate with grandfather’s integrity. My father always tells me to remember grandfather.”

    “Why even successful businessmen lunge for a political post?” reporter asked. “Business and politics are interlinked, aren’t they?”

    “Yes, yes,” he said and told in detail how he was forced to pay ‘tax’ to the aides of former dictator Marcos when Philippines was under the marshal law. “They are. It helps if you have political connections.” Francisco shared this view but said he doesn’t like to pull political strings to promote business interest.

    “Okay,” said Magsaysay Jr. and turned the table against this scribe, “Let me ask a few questions to you. What’s the situation of Internet usage in Nepal?”

    This reporter explained him that Internet users, especially the young crowd, in Nepal were growing over the years, and in many colleges in city area you are considered unfashionable if you don’t have an email address. “My recent article about Gmail attracted more than five hundred invitation requests from readers,” said the reporter.

    “That’s a very positive sign,” he said and added that increased awareness about technology would be helpful to advance society. Then he had some words of praise for the Gmail, “I also like Gmail because of big space and search facility. Let me give you my private Gmail account.”

    [This article appeared in today’s edition of Kathmandu Post and it’s Nepali version in Kantipur]

  • Inviting Nepal To Gmail: An Experience

    Nar Phu blogs will be posted daily. Please check below

    dinesh wagle gmail communication image

    I emailed from new Gmail address two years ago to express my excitement to myself. And, as you can see in the photo above, in the next email I congratulated myself!

    A new job is keeping me busy in the last few days. I have become a distributor of Gmail, so to speak. Four days ago I wrote an article titled “Jamana Gmail Ko” [Gmail’s Era] and I felt it was my duty to provide an email address at the end of the article so that readers who might want to give a try to the service but have no one to get invitations from would write to me. That’s what happened and I started getting emails in numbers that I hadn’t expected. I didn’t realize that so many people would be reading teh article or (even if they read) be interested in trying out Gmail. I had hoped to received a few dozens requests for Gmail invite but as of now, the inbox says there are about 500 messages. Five days after the article, requests are still coming in.

    It’s a time consuming act though. Nevertheless, I am enjoying inviting these folks to the world of Gmail. This is also part of my passion of sharing information like in journalism. First, I shared the information I knew about Gmail with the readers of Kantipur and now I am sharing my Gmail experience with them by inviting them to join this cool email service from Google. Many of the requests contain interesting messages and those kept me smiling.

    Here is the article that I wrote in Kantipur.

    जमाना जीमेलको

    दिनेश वाग्ले

    एउटा पुरानो प्रश्न- कम्प्युटर निर्माता एप्पलका प्रमुख कार्यकारी स्टिभ जब्स र एक फेसन डिजाइनरबीच के फरक छ ? उत्तर- दुवै आफ्ना उत्पादनको बनावट र सौन्दर्यप्रति अति रुचि राख्छन् । आइपोडको कामुकता चर्चा गरी के साद्दे ? तर बितेका केही वर्षमा फेसनेबल, कामुक र लोभलाग्दो हुने दौड गुगलले जितेको छ । जीमेल पछिल्लो र सशक्त उदाहरण हो ।

    जीमेल छैन भने तपाईं के ‘फेसनेबल’ ? ‘कुल’ कसरी भन्ने ? दुई वर्षअघि ‘अपि्रल फुल’ मा आएको जीमेलका फ्यानहरू भन्छन्- हटमेल र याहुमेलका दिन गए, जे छ जीमेलमै छ । हुन पनि जीमेलको दुई जीबी स्पेसमा नअटाउने कुरै के रह्यो ? अनि गुगलको चकित तुल्याउने खोजी-क्षमताले जीमेललाई पनि धन्य पारेको छ जसका कारण दुई वर्षअघिका सन्देश एकै क्लिकमा फेला पर्छन् । खोजी-क्षमताले हटमेल र याहुमेलको टाउको दुखाइदिएको छ, उनीहरू चुस्त हुने अभियानमा छन् । त्यसैले हालै हटमेलले ‘विन्डोज लाइभ’ ब्रान्डअन्तर्गत सेवा थालेको छ भने याहुले नयाँ डिजाइनसहितको इमेल प्रणालीको परीक्षण गरिरहेको छ ।

    अन्य इमेल सेवामा नपाइने जीमेल सुविधा ‘च्याट’ हो जसका लागि मेसेन्जर चाहिँदैन । इनबक्समा छिर्नेबित्तिकै इमेल सूचीको बायाँपट्टी ‘सम्पर्क’ हरू अन/अफलाइनमा देखिन्छन् र च्याट स्वतः सेभ गर्न (या नगर्न) मिल्छ ।

    सुरुवातमा जीमेल केही विवादमा थियो, इनबक्समा देखिने शब्द-विज्ञापनका कारण । जीमेल भण्डार हुने कम्प्युटरहरूले सन्देश स्वतः पढ्छन् र त्यहाँका शब्दसँग मेल खाने विज्ञापन दायाँपट्टी देखाइदिन्छन् । त्यसले प्रयोगकर्ताको गोपनीयता भंग हुने गुनासो आएको थियो । सन्देश मानिसले नपढ्ने तथा कम्प्युटरले स्वचालित रूपमा त्यस्ता विज्ञापन राख्ने भएकाले गोपनीयतामा कुनै समस्या नहुने जीमेलले बताएको छ । विज्ञापन सबै इमेलमा हुन्छ, झन् अरूमा ध्यान विकेन्दि्रत गरिदिने झिलिमिली ब्यानर हुन्छन् ।

    प्रयोगमा सहजता र भण्डारण क्षमता जीमेलको सबैभन्दा आकर्षक पक्ष भएको यसका प्रयोगकर्ता बताउँछन् । सुनौं ओजस्वी राणालाई जो मलेसियाको एउटा कलेजमा ‘लिबरल आर्टस’ (स्नातक) पढिरहेकी छन् । ‘वास्तवमा धेरै स्पेस भएकाले जीमेल मन पराउँछु,’ जीमेल च्याटमा कुरा गर्दै ओजस्वीले भनिन्- ‘उसो त हटमेलले पनि धेरै स्पेस दिन्छ तर जीमेलले जित्यो । जीमेल सेवा छिटो छ । अँ साँच्ची, जीमेलमा त्यो च्याट प्रणाली समाविष्ट छ जो मेसेन्जर प्रतिबन्धित स्थानमा प्रयोग गर्न सकिन्छ । जस्तो, मेरो कलेजको पुस्तकालय !’ पहिलेदेखिका र धेरै सम्पर्क त्यहाँ भएकाले हटमेलको मेसेन्जर अझै प्रयोग गर्ने गरेको ओजस्वीले बताइन् ।

    जीमेलेको ‘स्पेस’ दुई जीबीभन्दा बढी छ र प्रत्येक सेकेन्ड चार बाइट बढिरहेको छ । अर्थात् सन् २००९ सम्ममा जीमेल स्पेस तीन जीबी पुग्नेछ । ‘कुनै सन्देश मेटाउनुपर्दैन’ भन्ने जीमेलको नारा छ । ओजस्वीको जीमेलमा १ सय ७४ एमबी भरिएको छ । ‘चार महिनाअघि मैले असावधानीवश सबै इमेल मेटाएँ,’ उनले भनिन्- ‘नभए यसको झन्डै पाँच गुणा बढी थियो ।’ अरू इमेल प्रयोगकर्तालाई जीमेलले सुरुमा अचम्मै पार्छ । ‘लामो समयसम्म हटमेल प्रयोग गरेकीले जीमेलमा फोल्डर नदेख्दा अप्ठेरो लागेको थियो,’ ओजस्वीले भनिन्- ‘तर लेबल’bout मैले छिट्टै कुरा बुझें र यो सजिलो लाग्यो । सुरुमा स्पेसले चाहिँ मलाई साँच्चै उडायो !’

    स्पेसकै कुरा गर्दा अब जीमेलमा वर्ड फाइलहरू पनि जस्ताको तस्तै भण्डारण गर्न सकिन्छ- इनबक्सको माथिल्लो भागमा रहेको ‘डक्स एन्ड स्पेडसिट’ मार्फत । ‘फरवार्डिङ’ सुविधाबाट कुनै एउटा जीमेलमा आएका सन्देशलाई स्वतः अर्को ठेगानामा पठाउन या आउटलुकमार्फत कम्प्युटरमा झारेर अफलाइन हेर्न सकिन्छ । हटमेल या याहुमा भएका सम्पर्कलाई जीमेलमा ल्याउन सकिन्छ जो जीमेल खोल्ने बित्तिकैको सन्देशमा हेर्न सकिन्छ ।

    यति पढेपछि जीमेल प्रयोग गर्न मन लागे त्यो हुने साथीसँग निम्ता माग्नुस् । चिनेको कसैसँग छैन भने, विषय हरफमा जीमेल चाहियो भन्दै blogmandu at gmail.com मा इमेल गर्नुस् ।

    Internet and email habit of Nepali people has changed over the years. More and more young people are becoming loyal consumers and heavy users of Internet and email in cities like Kathmandu, Biratnagar and Pokhara. They want to try out new technologies and services. I have found that the more and more young users are not just limiting their internet usage in Chats or messaging. In my interaction with young internet users in various cyber cafes in Kathmandu couple of months ago, many said that they were logging on to look for universities in the US or UK or Australia. Some of them wanted to be in touch with friends they made during their stay abroad.

    Even if we are one of the poorest countries in the world, emailing has become a very necessary part of Nepali life; that is to say in the city area. I can’t imagine working without Email though we went through that horrible experience for a week following Feb 1, 2005 when King Gyanendra dismissed democracy, imposed autocracy and emergency, cut off telephone liens and switched off Internet connections. Emailing has emerged as new cultural phenomena in Nepal that is changing the way people communication. An email account is a must if you are studying in private colleges to be considered that you are not unfashionable. No email, you are considered backward. Young people have found it easier to communicate via email things that they can’t say in telephone. Instant messaging and chat are other examples. Not to mention the growing popularity of mobile SMS phones among youth.

    Hotmail and Yahoo Mail are the most popular fee email service in Nepal. More than 95 percent of the requests I received were from Hotmail and Yahoo addresses. Sorry Bill Gates and Jerry Yang but Gmail is so cool that I want many people to try it once. I don’t mind if they don’t like the service and stick with old addresses. I have noticed that Hotmail and Yahoo have also upgraded their services and space which is definitely good.

    So my friends were asking me if I was hired by Gmail as they saw me writing article on Gmail and inviting readers to it. No, I am not hired by Gmail or associated with Google. I wrote the article because I thought it was important for readers to know about the service and I gave the email address to make sure that those interested would get opportunity to try the service as it can’t be used without invitation.

    It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Gmail (and Google in a whole) and I am immensely enjoying the service since the third week of April, 2004, 22 days after it was launched by the search engine company. I wrote an article in Nepal Magazine about Gmail at that time. My request to try Gmail for that article was reciprocated by someone at Gmail and I got the invitation from Google. I have abandoned Hotmail since then (though I have reactivated the account for reporting purpose) and I rarely use my Yahoo accounts. And I am totally into Gmail chat that is incorporated into the inbox. I rarely use MSN messenger (though I have been logging in to the service once a day these days for reporting purpose) that too with my own domain email address.

    I have invited many people in Gmail and those I invited have also invited many others. Gmail network in Nepal is growing day by day. I think people will be enjoying Gmailing until a new service with better features comes into effect.

    Note: Okay, if you still don’t have Gmail and want to give a try, email me at blogmandu (@) gmail.com. Don’t forget to mention “Wagle, Malai Gmail Chahiyo [I want Gmail]” in the subject line!