Art show on womanhood

By Subina Shrestha

KATHMANDU, Feb 15 - They are bold, direct and innovative... Asmina Ranjit is back with experiments on art, womanhood and sexuality in her new exhibit, "Cultural Body".

Her first solo exhibition since returning from Australia five months ago, "Cultural Body" remains true to the original essence of her work. The art continues to explore the sensuality and sexuality of the woman.

According to the artist, this exhibition not only explores women’s sexuality but also sensuality. She seeks to find the woman that lives under the clothes, behind social norms and values. "By using clothing and adornment we present our formerly naked bodies to be seen as social and cultural entities," she says. She has tried to express the sensuous woman -- "circumcised within social values."

This exhibition’s pieces are neither love poems nor tragedy. They are political statements that express the artist’s inner turmoil. Asmina Ranjit still fumes over the unequal status of women and longs to correct it. In Nepal, she is the first Nepali woman artist to be vocal about sexuality.

Unlike her earlier exhibitions, she has moved beyond paints, brushes and canvases and has entered into a daring venture of cloth, prints and women’s accessories. Layers of cloths with images of women’s clothing or adornments shimmer to form the woman. The colours represent the personality of an average Nepali woman -- they are bold, warm and loud, very Nepali, and very Asmina.

"Often people tell me that this subject is for the West," says the artist whose work has also been displayed in Australia. Even there, her work attracted wide recognition for its boldness. But Asmina Ranjit is not apprehensive about the response to this exhibition. Rather, she is curious about people’s reactions, especially art circles.

The exhibition, will commence from tomorrow at the Siddhartha Art Gallery and continue till March 3.

Nepalis may figure in Hollywood

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb 15 - If things turn out right, Nepali martial art champions will soon appear in a Hollywood production.

An American television actor, William Yallup Jr, is in the capital on a business trip visiting Nepali martial art champions to discuss projects including production of a movie on martial arts "in order to bring in American tourists interested in martial arts to Nepal".

A native American, his fascination for Nepalis is spurred by the fact that he finds Nepalis honest, "much like the American natives and both share a strong cultural and traditional heritage".

According to Glenn Phipps, coordinator of the project, Yallup Jr who represents the "Yakama Nation", comprising 14 native American tribes spread across one million acres in the state of Washington, will also establish relations with Nepali cottage and trekking industries on future joint venture projects.

"Ten Nepalis from all the concerned fields have already been chosen to travel to the United States and meet the Yakama Nation officials," he said. Nepali karateka Sambar Bahadur Gole, who bagged a bronze medal at the Bangkok Asian Games in 1998, is in the team.

The US delegation also plans to raise funds in the US for Empee Foundation, an NGO working for the empowerment of young Nepali women by accessing them to English language, computer training and income-generating skills, officials said.

NEFFA laments chopper incident

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb 15 - Nepal Freight Forwarders Association (NEFFA) has expressed deep sorrow on the incident of Ananya Airways helicotper being destroyed by fire by some undesirable elements, which was kept at Jiri for airlifting purposes of cargo last Thursday, states NEFFA press release issued here today.

The related organization of His Majesty’s Government such as the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal should be alert in security matters because of this incident as this will have negative impact in the freight forwarding as well as tourism industry, the release says.

As the role of export is very important in the economy of a country, the release states, it is necessary to increase export on the one hand but on the other hand, this kind of incident creates negative impact by the negative publicity in the export of cargoes. "If we do not become vigilant in future this will affect tremendously in our export," says the release.

According to the release, the foreign importers have sent various reactions to Nepal Freight Forwarders Association (NEFFA) because of this incident, which has resulted in the loss of cargoes amounting to rupees five lakhs including the helicopter itself.

Grand Mahayagya in Jhapa

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb 15 - Here’s a good news for Hindu devotees waiting to attend a grand Mahayagya. Astottar 1008 Srimad Bhagwat Saptaha Biswo-Kalyan Birat Gyan Mahayagya, a week-long historic religious event, will be held in Laxmi Narayan temple premises on the bank of Kankai river in Jhapa.

The week-long Mahayagya is due from 14 to 21 March, said Swami Bhagawatacharya, the patron of the religious ceremony at a press meet organized to highlight the event.

Hundreds of Hindu priests and Acharyas from the region and around the world, including Bashudevacharya Bidyavaskarji Maharaj from Ayodhya, are expected to participate in the Mahayagya.

"The Mahayagya is aimed at spreading the noble messages of Hinduism worldwide," said the Swami adding that all the necessary arrangements required to hold the Mahayagya would be made after collecting donations soon. Appreciating the organizers, Krishna Prasad Khatiwada, Chairman of Krishna Pranami Council, said," Such programmes help develop a sense of unity among all Hindus, and energy to fight religious invasion."

Chandika Prasad Poudyal expressed deep concern over the tendency to change religion out of temptation, and added, "It’s high time the government did something to protect Nepali culture and religion." Almost ninety percent people in Nepal, world’s only Hindu Kingdom, are Hindus, according to a census conducted in 1992. Dr Madhav Bhattarai, general secretary of World Hindu Federation, accused the government for not extending helps to those organizing ceremonies that are generally meant for social welfare.

One dies in mishap

Hetauda, Feb 15 (PR) - One person died and two others were fatally wounded in a motorbike accident in Narayanghat.

The accident occured at 7 pm when a motorbike carrying three people with the number plate (1) P 2229 collided with a tractor parked by the side of the road. The motorbike was heading towards Hetauda from Manahari. The motorbike rider, identified as 27-year-old Jayaram Barthola died on the spot. The two fatally wounded passengers were identified as Suman Karki from Manahari ward 4 and Narhari Subedi.

The district police sent the two fatally wounded passengers for treatment to Kathmandu on Monday night.

Since late September, 7 people have been killed in motorbike accidents in the district of Makwanpur.

Film fest kicks off

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb 15 - A three-day film festival on Soviet Union and the Second World War started here today. The festival has been jointly organised by the Kathmandu Film Society and the Russian Centre for Science and Culture (RCAC). The screenings are at RCAC at 5:30 pm.

Khati to sing again

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb 15 - Dil Maya Khati, whose duets with Narayan Gopal and Tara Devi earned much popularity, will be singing again after more than two decades of gap in her musical career.

Khati recorded a song composed by Ratna Bahadur here at Music Nepal today. Narendra Raj Prasai is the lyricist of the song.

Hailing from Darjeeling, Khati has sung more than 250 songs in Nepal and India including compositions of Narayan Gopal, Gopal Yonzon and Karma Yonzon.

Soaltee hosting jazz concert

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb 15 - Soaltee Crown Plaza is to host a jazz concert of the new season, billed as ‘Jazz Matazz’ on February 24 at the Megha Malhar Hall.

According to a press release, playing at the hall will be the Jazz commission. The four-member jazz group have been actively promoting jazz music in Kathmandu for the last four years.

The band comprises of Chris Masand, a Key Board wizard and also a music director/composer. Accompanying him are Naveen and Praveen Chhetri on the drums and bass.

The two singers of the concert are Abhaya Weize Subba who has sung with the Parikrama Band and the Lusa Celentano Quartett from Austria, also Britain’s Elain Macinnes, a music scholar from Manchester University who has performed his show in several countries.

This concert heralds in a season of musical voyage in the Soaltee Crown Plaza as a part of the hotel’s vision to bring in quality entertainment to Kathmandu.

The concert is produced in association with the Infinity International, an event management company promoted by social workers-- Pratima Pandey and Sangeeta Thapa.

The ‘Jazz Matazz’ is expected to be attended by more than 350 Kathmandu- based Jazz lovers.