Siddhicharan, an epitome of humility

By Laxmi D Rajbhandari

In my view man is great because of his stature but to his humble nature . An epitome of humility was he. His poetry is appealing, full of imagery that move our feelings. He was and is a celebrated poet of all times. His poetry is not a wilting flower in the vase for a few days but a sturdy tree that lasts.

After my first encounter with him in 2047 Bikram Samvat (B S) I was so moved by his serenity, in reverence I wrote-

Your unique humility and simplicity
moved this anxious heart
Overwhelmed was I on meeting you
O Siddhi, son of Goddess of learning
I want to gain from you.

What can I offer
except the obeisence.
You the source of knowledge
fortunate am I
I could meet you

Even now when I reminisce, tears of admiration well up in my eyes, my mind reverberating with his compassionate greatness, as an individual and a spontaneous writer.

If anyone can win, it is with selfless love; not by envy or ego. He was a dedicated soul towards the nation. His work reflects loyalty to the nation, the realities of society, and through his pen he awakened many to human rights. In the poem, ‘ I am not mad’ there is an undaunted spirit, calling for the motherland despite all odds, even to the extent of being called mad.

" Mother ! Whatever they may say
I am not mad.
I have not done anything wrong,
I have not spoken anything
that is not to be uttered.
I have eyes, that is why I say
I be allowed to see;
Have stomach, I ask, I be fed.
Let no one walk bare I say
I say let the ears be allowed to hear.
Let the thoughts be allowed to be
expressed in words
For that if they call me mad
Mother! I am not mad."

An enlightened, inspiring, courageous heart all conglomerated in one personality. Though politically conscious, he was at heart a child of nature. He bounces melodiously towards the infinite ocean in his poem " Sunderijal", a waterfall.

" Forward forward every moment
march forward continuously
towards the blissful ocean
Happiness , happiness
transform all into happiness
Run, run blissfully."
His minute observation of nature is seen again in the poem " Butterfly".
" On beautiful flower, on tender grass
on the clusters of leaves of the green tree
Your dance, how fascinating
Butterfly, your life a worthy one
Oh beautiful one of the beautiful counterpart. "

In the poem. " A Letter to Mishri" there is a manifestation of the love of a husband and their having a happy conjugal life.

" Mishri you are a good book of my varied themes
which flutters with the breeze
of memories
How beautiful is our story
of tender affection
This richness tears apart
the pain of mind of intriguing darkness."
In the Nepalbhasa poem " Barkha" he wrote
"Here no peace will prevail
without rebellion."

In the poem 'here' signifies Nepal. For writing "Barkha" he was imprisoned for eighteen years and even his property was seized.

He was adept not only in Nepali but also in Nepalbhasa and has written a number of poems, epics, essays and plays. "Trishna", "Luvuni", "Sidhicharanka Pratinidhi Kavita", "Mangalman", "Karagar ka Samjhana" are some of his published Nepali works.

Siddhicharan was born in 1969 BS to mother Neer Kamari and a literary figure father Bishnucharan Shrestha. Siddhicharan started writing at the age of fifteen, but his first published poem was ‘Earthquake’ in the Gorkhapatra (1990 B.S.) He was founder, active participant, editor, co-editor and was affiliated with different literary and social organisations. He was a life member of the Royal Nepal Academy and a permanent member of the Raj Sabha.

He was a widely travelled man and had visited India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Korea, China, Russia.

A progressive satirical poet, a celebrity and a man of the street all together, he rose to the pinnacle of literary fame. He was Yugakavi SidhiCharan.

In his poem "Your father does not have money", he has reflected the pathetic economic condition of the country where the people could not even claim to have education for enlightenment

"To savour good food and to wear fine clothes,
To walk upright carrying books,
child ! You are not designed for.
Though born human be a dog
Your father has no money."
On the whole I say with my words-
The feathers of birds may have been dyed
but he was a flesh of true colour
without a false wrap on top
a clarity, a see through glass.
Fearlessly for truth he strode
lanes, pathways and streets
an invincible soul.
An unknown abode
now your realm
But the spirit you lived
and left behind is alive.

Patan Museum and its sustainability

By Rita Dhungel

Patan is honoured as one of the three old cities of Nepal. There is little historical evidence, which sheds light on its antiquity. Some chronicles mention Emperor Ashoka’s visit to the Valley in 250 BC and the erection of the five Ashoka Stupas, four of them in the four cardinal directions and one in the middle of Patan city. Patan developed into a melting pot of art, architecture and culture and is thus called "City of Fine Arts". Patan Durbar Square situated in the heart of the city, attracts visitors to this city. The square is adorned with a magnificent ancient palace, various temples and shrines in different styles, art work and architectural monuments, illustrating the skill of ancient hands on stone, metal and wood. Patan Durbar square consists of three main Chowks or Courtyards, the central Mulchowk, Sundari Chowk, and Keshav Narayan Chowk. Keshav Narayan Chowk was famous under the name of Chaukawath Durbar.

Almost all the historical documents mention Chaukawath Durbar. The local people are of the opinion that before the construction of Chaukwath Durbar a monastery called Ratnakara Mahavihar occupied the site. Once a year, a square copper vessel is placed in front of the gate. It contains an image of the Akshoby Buddha emerged in water. For a whole month, this image is worshipped in a public ritual recalling the ancient sanctity of the spot at the edge of a stream. However, its normal home is an old residential court of Patan Durbar, one of the royal palaces of the former Malla kings who ruled over the Valley. The massive earthquake in 1934 caused terrible damage to the palace. It was restored with the joint efforts of His Majesty’s Government and the Austrian Government. Some modern elements were added to the building, as part of the renovation and the result is a beautiful blend of old and new architecture. Only new feature added is a pair of bronze plaques flanking the gate. They were made through the traditional ‘lost wax’ casting process. The interior of the museum has been beautifully restored with dramatic lighting and spotlights. Restoration of Patan’s former royal palace and it’s adaptation to a museum occurred in the period 1983-1997. The project began with the restoration of the most endangered wing of Keshav Narayan Chowk. Over the years, all parts of the palace premises were included in the conservation and reconstruction programme with an additional wing converting the whole into a museum of international standard for the permanent exhibition of the ancient art of Nepal. Completed at a total cost of 2.7 million US$ and established as a semi -autonomous and self -sustaining cultural institution, the museum was inaugurated by His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev on October 28, 1997.

The main feature of the museum is an outstanding collection of cast bronze and gilt copper Hindu and Buddhist deities, mostly created in the valley, many in nearby workshops Patan itself. Others originated in India, Tibet and the western Himalayas. Mary Slusser, one of the leading experts on the cultural history of Nepal, was involved in the museum project for several years. She studies the existing collection of more than 1,500 objects, selected fewer than 200 of them to be put on permanent display and advised on the acquisition of additional exhibits.

This museum contains 9 galleries. The ground floor arcade and the main staircase play a vital role in attracting visitors.

The small gallery ‘A’ illustrates how to recognize Hindu and Buddhist deities by a combination of symbolic features such as how they sit or stand, how they hold their hands and what they hold in them, what ornaments and dresses they wear, who and what accompanies them, and various associated animals, birds and other beings known as mounts or vehicles such as the humanized bird Garuda which accompanies Vishnu and the bull Nandi, Shiva’s mount. Similarly, Gallery ‘B’ is devoted to Hinduism. The Gallery introduces and presents, various manifestations of the great god Shiva, his consort Parvati, and the familiar Ganesh. In addition, the stolen 12th century stone, Uma Maheshor, returned from the Berlin Museum is a big draw. There are also various images and artifacts of Vishnu. Some show him with his consort Laxmi and some with Garuda in gallery ‘C’. The image of a fluting Vishnu on Garuda is very nice to see in this gallery. A rare, ivory-handled bronze mirror and other ivory objects are magnificent examples of ivory carving. A gilded throne with inscriptions of the former Malla Kings of Patan is also a most important object. Similarly, a painting of Krishna Lila from the 17th century is notable.

Gallery ‘E’ devoted to Buddhism is the other gallery that has been drawing in most of the Buddhist visitors. This gallery introduces the genesis and evolution of the various schools of Buddhism. There are various Buddhist images on display, including a group of rare 11th & 12th century bronzes originated in India. The major attractions are the images of Sakyamuni Buddha, 12th century, Dipankar Buddha 17-18th, and a large-scale model of Bodnath.

The emphasis in gallery ‘F’ is on the Buddha and Chaityas. This gallery concentrates on the spiritual guides who in many forms, peaceful, fierce and ostensibly erotic, lead humans to salvation and Buddhahood.

Gallery ‘G’ depicts the metallurgical arts. Illustrations of the hammer bitten and lost wax processes can be observed here. Similarly, the silver seathing of the original Bagalamukhi shrine is also on exhibit. Furthermore, fascinating photographs of different world heritage sites and others taken at the turn of the century are on view. The illustrated manuscripts in Gallery D, E and M are also considered exquisite exhibits.

During the peak season, the museum has logged up to one hundred visitors per day. Otherwise, a minimum of 50 tourists visit the museum daily.

But the number of tourists visitors has nose-dived, following the levying of an entrance fee of Rs 200 on foreign tourists since January 1st 2000 by Lalitpur sub-metropolis. After paying that much just to enter the palace complex, only a few tourists would be ready to pay an additional entrance charge of Rs 120 for the museum. The entrance fee levied by sub-metropolis has not only discouraged tourists, but affected the business stalls and Patan Museum Cafe which is in operation inside Keshav Narayan Chowk.

In order to generate revenue, the museum has now raised its ticket price to Rs 250 effective from the 1st of Baisakha 2058 BS. The museum has also upgraded its services to the International standard with a number of facilities including a guest studio for foreign scholars and artists. The main and back courtyards remain open for cultural events in the afternoon and evening. A gift shop focusing on Nepal’s art and culture is also open here.

The ultimate result is a self sustaining, world-class museum that attracts 40,000 visitors a year or 5 percent of the total number of tourists visiting Nepal. It has been acclaimed around the world and its growing popularity guarantees its sustainability in future. A decaying old building has gained a new life with the preservation of ancient arts and cultural. It will certainly be Nepal’s pride for the coming generations.

A yardstick of good governance

By Rudra Prasad Sharma

Is there any light at the other side of the tunnel? Or has it also vanished? I mean, this in the context of good governance. I hereby humbly apologize for using the sacred word ‘ good’ before the most frowned upon word ‘governance’. I don’t know whether there is any governance or not in the country. However, we are never tired of talking about it. It is probably because of the blessings of Lord Pashupati Nath that we at least have at least a government in the country. Forget about governance. If you happen to put the most unfortunate word ‘good’ before it, it will be a complete mirage.

Nonetheless, as a camel in the desert never gives up hope of finding some water even in a mirage, people never wind up their hope of good governance because they are constitutionally entitled thereto.

In a similar vein, the Rural Development Fund/Nepal has, for the first time in Nepal, carried out research on good governance and has published a book (both in English and Nepali) on its findings. This is the first research of its kind in the sense that it is based on an exploratory assessment of local level perspectives on governance in Nepal, and it is unlike the arm chair research that is in vogue.

The book Good Governance in Nepal Perspectives from Panchathar and Kanchanpur districts mainly contains the findings of the study conducted in Panchter district in the eastern hills and Kanchanpur district in the western Terai. The report prepared by the pilot project bringing together the expertise of lawyers and jurists, community development workers, human rights workers, local development planners and women's rights activists seems to be focused on perceptions of governance held at local level and central level, with comparative insights.

The eight governance areas of the study and their associated concerns viz state viability and sovereignty, structure of government, transfer of power and electoral arrangements, levels of government, management of power, government effectiveness, institutional, government effectiveness and economic treatment of the population are relevant in the present scenario. They may be helpful to chalk out further plans for the effective implementation of good governance in future. It is interesting how the researchers received feed back from the locals about these vast and vague concerns. The findings seem to have been based on facts and reality.

The author of the English version of the book Bihari Krishna Shrestha seems to have concluded that "Democracy in Nepal is turned out to be one of the worst form of systems, yet Nepalese people are, at the grass root level, capable of practising democracy in its true spirit." While making such an observation, Shrestha is concerned more about the devolution process towards local governance. Further, Shrestha’s contentions are corroborated through comparison by the findings of the recent Human Development Report of Nepal. What is found is a trend of growing alienation of the people from the state within the democratic frame.

While dealing with alienation, the research is also focused on the prevailing contradiction between the nature of Nepalese people and general loss of faith in the government's capacity for fairness and integrity in politicians. People in Nepal are particularly fit for team spirit and cooperation. These are the key ingredients for effective democracy. But ironically enough, there is growing criticism against all the organs of state: general administration, judiciary, police, army, line agencies, political parties, their leaders, local government and the private sector.

The finding points to the disenchantment of the people. While there is a tradition of ameliorating their lives through self-help institutions and civil society involvement, things like local transfer of power and electoral arrangements, effectiveness of local authorities, accountability of local authorities, line agency effectiveness and private sector effectiveness are still in limbo.

Roughly speaking, good governance means ensuring rule of law in a just and equitable society. This was part of the three-fold agenda for which Girija Prasad Koirala ousted former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai last year. It was one of the key objectives of the popular movement of 2046 BS. His Majesty the King also, in His new year message, said ".....it has now become imperative to overcome the prevailing economic anomalies and social aberrations through good governance.....’. Good governance’ comes to the fore when we talk about the present deadlock and past shortcomings.

That’s why good governance is being given more and more importance and is sure to be given even more in the days to come. Therefore, efforts to bring out such a research publication seems to be relevant, timely and commendable. Though no drastic achievements can be expected from a single research work, it is of course, a ‘benchmark’ for those who want to work or even ponder in this field, as pointed out by author of the book Bihari Krishna Shrestha This kind of research publication also helps people develop their informed decision making powers. But still, something is lacking here. The research covers only two districts of the country. So, it may be quite early to deem the conclusion and findings of the research valid. I hope the president of the Rural Development Fund Krishna Man Pradhan will heed this in time. It would be laudable if similar research is conducted in some other districts also so that the findings would be broad based enough to be adopted both at micro and macro levels.

No more Kantipuri Nagari

By Seema A Adhikari

Nepal is a frugal child of Nature, as they say. But given the way we have destroyed our environment, particularly in the Metropolitan City of Kathmandu, the single question that looms most is: Where are we moving anyway?

To identify the problem is no big deal, but to convince the wrongdoers of the wrong they are doing is the biggest challenge. Especially worrisome is the fact that Kathmandu today faces not one single problem, but a host of them. And all of them are accumulations of the ills resulting from the mentality of people who have learned to sleep over their problems. The Nepali saying "Jati Jogi Aaye Pani Kanai Chireka" is a recurring perception that all Kathmanduites share. No doubt, they are happy to sustain their lives with two full course meals a day without bothering to imagine what price they have had to pay.

Once among the most fertile and productive lands of Nepal, the Kathmandu valley is today growing buildings on its fertile land like wayward mushrooms with little shape or colour. The buildings in Kathmandu are so unsystematic and unplanned that in most of the places we have hardly any space even to walk comfortably, let alone drive vehicles. Questions like- who cares and who is responsible?- are already meaningless cliches. The government that keeps on issuing building permits without any town planning goes well in tandem with the Nepali mentality whose biggest dream is to settle down permanently in Kathmandu. Hence the overwhelming sprawls seen overnight in this Kantipuri Nagari.

If we try to visualize what this decade of democracy gave to Nepal, we may simply answer it in a moment: the flood of motor vehicles and buildings. The story of the motor vehicles in this valley is not much different from that of those buildings. The only difference is that they change their positions and hence the points of the problem move from one place to another, otherwise the roads designed 50 years ago would have been so cluttered up that we would have to walk on the roofs of the vehicles! And it is so frustrating to find the buildings along the two sides of the road, built as if the road will never need expansion. Interesting and sad to say, some roads in the valley have never been expanded since they were built for the carts of Ranas.

Kathmandu, the city of temples! Or, more appropriately, a city of overshadowed and shattered temples? All our historic temples need to wait for foreign money for their renovation. We are not in a position to renovate our historic temples ourselves nor do we have the interest to take care of them. We arrive at the shrines to offer a bow to god, but lo and behold, where has the god gone? He’s taken to his heels! Temples and durbars are for us only another piece of construction; we forget the history and heritage behind them. All we know is to say, of course, : Oh!

‘How will I contribute my share to save it from dilapidation ?’- is never a question that strikes us. Last but not the least is the issue of the holy Bagmati river. Wayback, during my childhood when I’d not even seen the Bagmati river, my grandma used to tell me that it was a holy river. Holy? All I can say is that it is a sewer that flows by the holy temple Pashupatinath, but of course Pashupatinath is not a water purifier.

Nevertheless, today we are so conscious in making a hue and cry over the problem, as I do here. But it's time for actions. Lets move ahead. Let’s show ways to others. Let’s not build a house blocking the way; let’s care for this beautiful city; let’s think that we also need to answer our future generation. We are putting at stake the millions of unborn lives. Let’s share the problem and pain of mother Nepal; let’s speak for her.