Holi, Holikas and Horror

By Beena Kharel

KATHMANDU, Come Holi, and the evil forces seem to be on the rampage, against girls - be they adolescents, teenagers or grown-ups. To some, this may be an exaggeration. To those, who have had a brush with the wrong side of Holi, it does have a ring of truth. During the Holi festival, that informally kicks off several days ahead, girls literally live a veritable nightmare. This time too, the same story is unfolding. Though the city looks calm on the surface, its numerous gullies are actually seething with the rage of Holi.

Ordinary water-filled balloons are out of vogue. And in are jumbo balloons filled with all imaginable stuff—ink, egg, tomato sauce, to name a few. It seems that this festival is a golden chance to unleash mischief against females. Forget the ensuing rage, humiliation and mess; one cannot but help wonder over the accuracy with which lolaas are pelted at women. The attackers, in most cases, are often adolescents or teenagers.

Under the careful instructions of "bigger brats", smaller kids were also seen trying to excel in lolaa-throwing after a series of trials and errors. But those, who had yet to learn the objectionable tricks of the trade, wrought havoc when they missed their target. Innocent ones just ended up getting smeared and soaked in liquid that emitted a nauseating smell.

Just mention the name "Holi" in front of a girl or even a grown-up woman, and tales of woe and horror gushes forth. Or, if you care to observe for yourself, you can see plenty of scenes of Holi at its worst. Earlier this week, a pretty school girl, barely in her teens, was waiting for her school bus in Putalisadak, near the Traffic Police Office at Singha Durbar. All of a sudden, a group of rowdy and cowardly boys, atop a tall house, showered "loaded lolaas" on her. Drenched, humiliated and helpless, I saw her brimming with tears. And guess what? Patrolling police were on the roadside just stopping and staring, with half-concealed smiles. Retaliation is impossible when the onslaught is carried out from "inaccessible hideouts," and thus, the hit-and-run manages to go unchecked.

But of late, the story has taken a different turn. Increasingly, girls are trying to prove that lolaa-throwing is not a male monopoly. Their idea seems to invoke the saying that compulsion is the mother of creation, and hence the need to pay the miscreants in their own coin. But excessive encouragement could help the unholy Holi war flare up.

Traditional tale has it that the Holi festival is the celebration of triumph over evil. Holika, a female demon was burnt to ashes while an innocent child, who was a devotee of Lord Bishnu, was saved from the clutches of the demoness. But sadly, in Kathmandu Valley, demonic forces have made Holikas out of some of our urban dwellers.

The Home Ministry used to publish warning notices against miscreants every year, stating the punishment for misconduct. But it served as nothing more than a mere formality. Except for a few rare cases, the Holi miscreants always manage to go scot-free. And this time too, it wasn’t any different.

Surprisingly, on the Falgun Purnima, the last and legitimate finale of Holi, Kathmanduites seem to go off to sleep. The earlier vigour and excitement loses its tempo. Streets are almost deserted, and most people lock themselves inside their houses. Except for a few enthusiastic youngsters, others hardly participate in the festival. Even if they do, it is not with so much ebullience. Why this waning popularity of Holi? Perhaps, its bitter side has stolen much of its lively thunder and gaiety. Or could it be that the acute shortage of water, price hikes and individualistic culture are too overwhelming?

Anomalies do surface during festivals, and most of the time the darker side of man is exposed. What may start as an ordinary celebration of water and colour may take an ugly turn. There have been a number of cases of serious accidents and other highly unpleasant incidents. If excessive spending and ostentatious display are the darker side of the Dashain and Tihar festival, vengeance against womankind is the flip side of Holi. And since every dog has its day, the black business in adulterated vermilion and colour powder soars. Schools and colleges shut down several days ahead of the festival.

Holi, the festival of colour and vigour, heralds spring and liberates us from the tyranny of winter. The drab and dull cityscape, preparing to burst into springtime, is drenched in the celebration of Holi. But amidst the capital’s dust and filth, the traces of magnificent colour may look a bit incongruous.

Soon the balloons will vanish from the scene, pichkaris will be put away, spring drizzles will wash way the Holi colours. Girls too will heave a sigh of relief, at least for another year. And the Holikas and street urchins will remain subdued until another bandh or Hrithik Roshan episode breaks out.

Perhaps, this city needs a slight change. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to promote playing Holi on the Net?

‘Existing laws on abortion:a punishment for poor only’

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KATHMANDU, March 8 - Abortion for rich patients by willing doctors is common and the existing law against abortion remains only as a punishment for the innocent, poor and rural women, said Dr Shanta Thapaliya, social worker and chairperson of LACC, today.

"Everybody knows that abortion service is available in the city as well as just across the border. But, if you go and see in the prisons, only innocent and poor villagers are suffering detention because of abortion," she said.

Thapaliya was addressing an interaction programme on women’s rights as proposed in the bill formulated to make 11th amendment of the Muluki Ain.

Thapaliya blamed women’s inability to claim parental property in the present hazardous health situation of women. She said, "When the women are deprived of any financial accommodation, they have to depend upon their fathers or husbands, it is obvious that they have to ‘give up’ their life and bodies to the owners, who in return are not legally compelled to take their care."

A Bill is currently under discussion in the Parliament, which proposes to partially legalize abortion in the country. The Bill brought to make 11th amendment to the Muluki Ain - 2020 has not met many objections. Nepal is one of the eight countries in the world that bars women from their right to choose whether to give birth or not.

Non-government organisations have been pushing the government hard to get the bill approved and to get other legislations changed.

According to a report produced by Crepha, an NGO, although in all cases abortions are motivated and carried out with the active endorsement and assistance of the spouse or male partner, in most cases it is the women and not the husbands, who are convicted for the crime. A Crepha survey shows, only six men were in prisons for charges of abetting abortion where as 63 women were behind bars for abortion and infanticide.

Chairperson of Safe Motherhood Network Arjoo Deuba said that most of the women who die during childbirth or pregnancy are due to the lack of legal provisions on safe abortion. "Safe motherhood is a matter of human right for each woman and all the citizens should regard it as a matter of concern of both sexes. Women’s health should get the top priority for it affects both the mother and the child," she added.

Another report published by Family Planning Association of Nepal states that out of every thousand adult women, 117 carry out abortion and 54 percent of them are hospitalised for that.

Lawmaker Mahendra Yadav, the chairperson of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Committee, said that the bill formulates to make 11th amendment of the Muluki Ain was not tabled last year and now is in the pigeonhole. "The bill bears strong possibility of changing the whole scenario of abortion and related social and health problems. The discussion on this bill will begin as soon as the parliamentary session starts to do some business," he said.

Financial indepedence of women crucial for children

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KATHMANDU, March 8 - Women gathered at a workshop conducted to mainstream gender today expressed that women’s financial independence can play a very crucial role in stopping children from becoming child labour.

They said that the programmes should focus on preventing children to take up tough labour jobs rather than what the most programmes are currently concentrating on - rescue and rehabilitation.

"Women should also realise that sons and daughters are same and should not be discriminated," said Ram Bati Chaudhary, 47 from Udayapur at the workshop on Gender mainstreaming in the Time Bound Programme (TBP) organised by International Labour Organisation (ILO) International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC).

Stressing on the need of women’s participation in the formulation of TBP, Geir Myrstad, senior programme officer, IPEC ,Geneva said, "women have a major contribution in the family and so their inputs should also be sought when it comes to formulation of national programmes and policies."

Earlier speaking at the inaugural session yesterday, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives Chitra Lekha Yadav emphasised that the programmes should hit the roots - reach out to the rural population.

Leyla Tegmo-Reddy, director of ILO Kathmandu said that globally 250 million children are engaged in child labour and 110 million out of this are girls. "Working girls need special attention because they are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, and are more likely to be denied the right to education," said Tegmo-Reddy.

Prince Gyanendra in Bardiya

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THAKURDWARA, Bardiya, March 8- His Royal Highness Prince Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah inaugurated the silver jubilee celebration of the Royal Bardiya National Park amid a function at Thakurdwara today.

During the program, His Royal Highness the Prince gave away certificates of felicitations to several persons who have made outstanding contributions in the field of nature conservation. The two game scouts, Indra Bahadur Gurung and Gangalal Dhakal were honoured posthomously for laying down their lives for the protection of the environment.

Similarly, he also inaugurated an auditorium belonging to the Buffer Zone Development Committee which was contructed recently at a cost of about seven hundred thousand rupees within the premises of the national park, on the occasion.

Speaking at the inauguration function, Secretary at the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, Ravi Bahadur Bista expressed his determination to realise the government’s resolve to extend the area under the forest covering to 40% of the total land, within the next five year. The Bardiya National Park occupies an area of 968 sq. kms in the mid-western part of Nepal.

Germans help oppressed children

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KATHMANDU, March 8 - A German NGO, Help for Children in Nepal, has extended a financial support to Children Welfare Home (CWH), a Nepali NGO currently helping the crippled and oppressed children of Nepal.

The German NGO, which was formed solely to help the oppressed and crippled children in Nepal needing help for their life sustenance and education has agreed to provide 1.5 million rupees assistance to CWH. The donated money will be utilized by the non-profit and non-political CWH to support the living and education of 40 children currently taking shelter in CWH.

Jorgen Dahm, a German philanthropist and coordinator of CWH expressed happiness over the continued support of the German NGO for the welfare of the oppressed children in Nepal. Dahm, himself a backpacker-traveler few years ago, currently helps the hapless children in many countries including Nepal and Indonesia.

Jaya Ram Tamat, President of the CWH, said that the assistance from the Germans would be of great help in providing shelter and education to the needy children.

Japanese support for health post

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KATHMANDU, March 8 - The Embassy of Japan has donated $34,118(Rs.2,512,815) to B.P.Rural Service Center to construct a health post in Gangolia VDC of Rupandehi District, Lumbini Zone.

According to the press release, the contract was signed by Mitsuaki Kojima, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, and Nar Narayan Basyal, chairperson of the B.P. Rural Service Center.

A total of 38,714 population will be benefited by the project which includes health camps, immunizaton and nutrition programs, family planning, maternal/child health services and awareness programs in general, sanitaton and community health. It is stated in a press release received here today.

Speaking on the occasion, Kojima said that the health post should respond more efficiently to the demand of community for health services, states the press release.

Int’l Women’s Day observed

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KATHMANDU, Mar 8 - Various women organisations observed the 91st International Women’s Day (IWD) across the country today, demanding equal rights to women in all spheres of life and raised voice against women’s domestic violence and sexual harassment.

In Rolpa, on the occasion of the 91st International Women’s Day, the Women Development Branch honoured 20 women’s groups for their remarkable contribution to the welfare of women. Chief District Officer, Hari Krishna Dangi gave away prizes and certificates to the women’s groups.

Our reporter from Birgunj said that Women Development Branch organised a rally against women trafficking and raised awareness against HIV/AIDS. A seminar was also held on women’s legal rights on the same occasion.

Another dispatch from Gaighat said that 11 various women’s organisations jointly marked the 91st IWD highlighting their pertinent issues.

Similarly in Kapilvastu, District Coordination Committee, Women’s Development Branch and World Hindu Women’s Awareness Committee held various functions marking the international day.

Our reporter from Tamghas, Gulmi said that women held an agricultural and industrial exhibitions along with a district-level folk dance competition.

Women from Dhankuta district took out a women’s peace rally and converted into a mass gathering at local (Tundikhel) open air theatre. Various speakers addressed the gathering throwing light on problems faced by women.

In remote Dolpa district, women organised cultural dance followed by a colourful procession.

On the same occasion, women in Salyan held a talk programme on women’s issues. A talk programme on women’s rights was held in Bharatpur, Chitwan today.

In Baglung four different women’s organisations organised separate functions marking the 91st IWD.

A report from Dolakha said women demanded PM’s resignation on his alleged complicity in the controversial Lauda Air lease deal. The rally that converted into a mass meeting was addressed by CPN-UML MP in the National Assembly, Goma Devkota and Dolakha District Development Committee Chairman, Lal Kumar KC. At the end of the function, prizes were given away to winners of various competitions.

In Doti, a rally comprising various governmental and Non-Governmental organisations went around the local market before turning into a mass meeting. On the same occasion, local folk song competition was also organised to mark the 91st IWD.

A report from Siraha stated that an exhibition was displayed on local handicrafts prepared by the local women.

Similar types of programmes were also held in Dhadhing and Kavre districts marking the same occasion.

Jumla airport to be closed for runway works

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JUMLA, March 8 - Jumla airport is likely to remain closed for about four months from the next month (15th of Chaitra) for black-topping of its runway and other construction works, according to Jumla Civil Aviation Office.

Construction works are already in progress in Jumnla airport with the loan assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Earlier, it was announced that the airport will remain out of operation since March 10 to carry out the construction works.

ADB representative, L. Trudel, and Deputy Director in Nepal Civil Aviation Authority, Suman Kumar Shrestha, made on-the-spot visit of the airport on Wednesday to examine construction works going on at the airport. The team later returned to the capital.

Phone service out of order in Manthali

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MANTHALI, March 8 - Telecommunications link remains disrupted in Manthali, headquarters of Ramechhap district, over the past one week.

As a result, telephone contact can be established only within Manthali and customers are unable to speak to people in other parts of the same district.

The telephone system in this district is facing problems after the Marts system of telephone exchange was replaced only two months ago by C. Dot system. The telephone service frequently remains out of order for weeks after this change.

A technician of the Telecommunication office at Manthali, Shyam Dev Patel, said it was not certain when the telephone service would be repaired.

Different office chiefs at the district headquarters have vented their anger at the telecommunications office for not repairing the faults even after a week.

Journalists in the district headquarters are the most adversely affected people in the absence of telephone service. "We must depend on telecommunication facility. We have not been able to dispatch important news of the district in the absence of telephone service," said journalist Nava Raj Pathik.

When the telephone service is out of order in Manthali, people wishing to make a telephone call must go either to Ramechhap covering a distance of 6 miles or to Khimti, which is 4 miles frome Manthali.

Call to open Mt Ganesh for tourists

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GORKHA, March 8- The people’s representatives from the remote Tibetan border who are now at the headquarters to take part in the eighth District Council meet are demanding the opening up of the peaks of Mt Manaslu and Mt Ganesh for tourists, and complementary facilities for promoting tourism in those areas.

One of the ways to facilitate tourist arrivals is the long-demanded airport, a project which was passed by the seventh meet under the Rural Development Programme last year. But the expectations of the people there were ultimately let down as the projects favoured by the whimsical ministers and MPs got preference over local demands.

The Chhekampar VDC Chairman, Nima Lama complains, "What a tragedy! Neither do the ministers and MPs reach our villages to forward projects, nor do they let on with the projects passed by the local bodies."

Lama, who was one of the many delegates from the six remote VDCs in the Himalayas to make a week-long strenuous trek to take part in the Council meet, demands that Mt Manaslu be allowed to be scaled. "There is no point in prohibiting foreign tourists from climbing the mountain," he says. " Manaslu holds immense potentials not only for generating local employment, but also giving a boost to the entire national economy," Lama adds.

Chairman Chetman Shrestha of District Development Committee agrees with the demand to open up the ‘virgin’ mountain peaks in his district. "The prospect of tourism industry is the only ray of hope for the Himalayan people," he says. "And, if the development of the tourism industry is obstructed from being realised, there is nothing left."

Chairman of Samagaun VDC, Sunam Khunju Lama believes that northern Gorkha can be an ideal trekking route. "But for that, as for many more things that remain undone, we neither have a visionary leadership, one which heeds to the voice of the people and has a sensitiveness towards their expectations, nor are we electorally significant to put them on pressure," he laments.

The socio-economic relationship of the people in the two VDCs of Chhekampar and Samagaun is more akin to the Tibetans rather than with their fellow countrymen down below. Their business centre is the Tibetan border town of Kirongjong, a trek of three days. If they wish to reach the headquarters, they have to walk continuously for seven to nine days.

Longman dictionaries launched

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KATHMANDU, March 8 - Della Summers today launched the Longman Dictionary Range. She is director of Longman Dictionaries at Pearson Education, UK.

"New and new English words are coming up due to the Internet, new commercial dealings and experiments in medical sciences, which have become a difficult task for lexicographers," Summers said.

The range of dictionaries are to recognise the importance of spoken English, showing words,phrases and usage to communicate naturally in spoken English. Similarly, the most frequent words in spoken and written English are marked and this range highlights thousands of phrases and collocations in the clearest possible way.

Manoranjan Sood, the manager of sales and marketing, states that wider coverage and clearer definitions of over 80,000 words and phrases, expertly written using the Longman defining vocabulary of 2,000 words.

During the launching programme, Prof Abhi Subedi said that many of the students and even teachers of the English language do not know how to fully take advantage of such newly published dictionaries and poproses to teach the target groups for the maximum utilisation of the dictionaries.

KMC to help its ward chief scale Everest

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KATHMANDU, March 8 - Among the ever-swelling crowd of summiteers on the world’s highest peak, Mt Everest, a ward chairman of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), Ramesh Man Dangol, is hoping to be one of the latest one this Spring season.

Talking with the reporters, Dangol, 36, said Kathmandu has been famous around the globe for its world famous archaeological sites and he wanted to inspire youths.

"The whole world wants to scale Everest and so do I. This is something each and every Nepali should at least dream," he said.

Dangol is being guided by the veteran climber Babu Chhiri Sherpa, who had climbed Mt Everest in a record 16 hours 56 minutes last year.

Kathmandu Mayor Keshav Sthapit said that KMC Board has decided to assist Dangol in his bid to scale Mt Everest to symbolically express the only metropolitan office’s intense desire to face mounting and multiple challenges.

KMC is spending Rs 1.5 million on the project and also in search of other national and international assistance to make the first project of its kind a success. The total cost of the expedition would be around Rs 3,573,000.

"This ambitious programme would herald our message that if one carries on his work with unremitting devotion, he can hit the goal, no matter how difficult it may be," Sthapit said.

He added that this is a bold decision of KMC which is meaningful in the present time when the whole country is lacking in any sort of decision. "It is a counter to the present state of the government which has been unable to take any decision."

Dangol, 36, was born in Lazimpat and is a postgraduate student of sociology and holder of black belt in Taekwondo. He has completed basic and advanced training on mountaineering and summitted several over 5,000 m peaks in the Himalayas.

Negligence affects vaccination

SINDHULIMADHI, March 8 (PR) - The vaccination service has been severely affected in this district due to the negligence of the employees of District Health Office.

A woman who had brought her child for vaccination said her child was vaccinated by inexperienced people who were undergoing assistant health workers’ training because health workers were not present to run the vaccination programme on every Tuesday as scheduled.

Headmaster of Janajyoti secondary school Bhim Bikram Thapa said his daughter suffered pain all through the night as she was pierced by the needle at different places of her body by the trainee health workers in the course of administering her vaccine in the absence of regular employees of the District Health Office.

On Wednesday, some women who had come to the health office for depo provera injection did not find the health personnel. They visited the District Administration Office and lodged a complaint against the health employees.

In response, when officiating chief of the health office Hira Prasad Poudel was asked by the assistant chief district officer about the absence of the employees, Poudel said, "The employees are present at the office, but they do not work. They do not obey the orders of even the office chief."