Need to strive for better infrastructure

Nepal — the Himalayan Kingdom sandwiched between the two great nations—China and India— is a country rich in traditional arts, culture, and heritage. It is the land of heady mixture of unique and rich cultures in scenic nature. It is a pleasant country where foreigners can revitalise their mind, body and soul amidst beautiful scenery.

Experiencing Nepali culture, festival and arts could be the highlight of a visit to Nepal — the land of vivid colour, dances, thousands of gods and goddesses and the lively pleasure of festivals.
The peaceful coexistence of multi-religious system and the age-old tradition are unique among the cultures of the world.

Nepal’s culture, festivals, art and so many other traditional rich artistic objects are dynamic, enthralling events for every foreigner. The influx of new sights and sounds are full of energy and life, and rich with genuine excitement.

Nepal’s wonderful cultural heritage is an invaluable resource, one which the Nepalese are striving to preserve.

As Nepal was opened to the outer world only from 1950 onwards, unlike other areas, Nepalese art flourished in the decade of sixties. Since then, Nepalese art has become much popular in most of the nooks and corners of the world. It has been able to make its way to Sotheby and Christies — both the world’s auction houses— which have so far auctioned many Nepalese sculptures, thankas, traditional and contemporary art works.

Over the past two decades, the Nepalese art world has seen many ups and downs. It was possible due to the onerous efforts of all the art related people to give a filing to the publicity campaign with a deluge of new ideas and artistic commitments.

But there still exists the dearth of books published on traditional or contemporary Nepalese art. The bitter reality is that the art market mechanism is still in an incipient stage. Hence the need of the hour is to strive for a better infrastructure and mechanism to develop the art market.

There is the lack of documentation and Nepalese criticism of art works is still very weak. Compared to the past, the Nepalese seem to be taking more interest in buying the art works. The general public has a penchant to contemporary paintings. Thus, the sales of contemporary art artists who could be leveled up to the artists from other Asian, European and North as well as South American countries. Thus, in Nepal also it has become necessary to fix standards for pricing of the art works. Nepal should have some institution where art critics, historians and other experts could be built. Research in art must be encouraged. The lack of basic knowledge of art in general is a difficult issue that is being faced by the Nepalese art field. The collectors are looking for solid information on art and artists. As there are no journals and newspapers highlighting art works, people at refined culture with concentration of religious monuments unequalled in the world, we have many arts, music, cultural talents from all over Nepal who have achieved global acclaim and opened up new horizons for the country’s art and cultural development while being based in Europe or in the home too
In fact, art and culture should be recognised as one of the most important factors of the country’s development which determines a country’s quality of life as well as one of the strategic elements for encouraging creativity and enhancing economic value added.

The government’s vision of knowledge on arts and culture is both meaningful and refreshing. But such an ambitious vision requires effective implementation to realise these lofty goals. For this, there needs a visionary leader to expose Nepal’s rich cultural heritage and inspire the artists to create worthy pieces to the world stage.

Thus, time has come to make timely changes and rectify the lapses by inspiring the people to develop the art into an industry as practiced in the West.

‘Peace must for development’

RSS

BIRATNAGAR, April 5: Muslim gathering for their Friday prayers at the Islamia Jama Masjid at Birtanagar Sub-metropolis have wished for peace following successful talks between His Majesty’s Government and the Maoists.

As overall development of the country is possible only with the establishment of peace, Dharma Guru Moulana Mohammed Isriel prayed to Allah for peace in the country.

Thousands of Muslims including coordinator of the Mechi-Koshi Public Service Monitoring and Inspection Team Jagdish Khadka and member Mohammed Arif were present on the occasion.
The gathering on the occasion also wished good health and long-life of Their Majesties the King and Queen.

Lack of raw materials hinder basket weaving

RSS

BIRENDRANAGAR, April 5 : The business of weaving Dhakiya ( basket ) of the Tharu women is in difficult situation due to the lack of raw materials.

The profession of Tharu women of Surkhet is in crisis due to the lack of Babiyo Grass, Eleusine Indica, it is said.

The alternative profession of Tharu women is in crisis due to the lack of Babiyo in Chingad and Chhinchu area of Surkhet district, Ratna Chaudhary of Uttarganga said.

The tharu women used to weave five Dhakiya, basket, per month and the price of each Dhakiya is Rs. 500 in the local market therefore it was a good source of income to the Tharu community living in a condition of poverty.

“But now we can not find Babiyo in the forest then how can we weave the basket and make income for the livelihood”, Mina Chaudhary of the same village development committee said.

Without alternative profession I cannot make livelihoods, now I have started to collect the packets of biscuits, noodles, chocolates and weave basket,’’ said Muna Chaudhary who used to depend on the income from basket weaving.

“But how long will this go therefore we are in an uncertain situation,’’ said another tharu women.
There is no any report of the income made by the Tharu women by making Dhakiya.

‘Social awareness must to check drug abuse’

RSS

BHADRAPUR, April 5: Chief District Officer of Jhapa Tikaram Aryal inaugurated the “District level enhancement of public concern against drug abuse” here on Friday.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Director General of the Department of Drug Abuse Control and Natural Calamity Management Kumar Prasad Poudel said though drugs are not produced in Nepal their consumption is very high and pointed out the need for enhancement of social awareness with a target on every house and individual.

From the chair, CDO Aryal said drug abusers in Jhapa district is on the rise due to the open border, unemployment and unnecessary spending by the prosperous families.

Police officers, local office chiefs, former people’s representatives, entrepreneurs, students, former MPs and social workers and journalists took part in the programme.

In the second session of the programme, director general Poudel shed light on the efforts made by the government in checking abuse of drugs, the existing organisational management and the contribution made by various social organisations and their role in future.

Senior Superintendent of Police at the Regional Police Office, Mechi Shiva Kumar Khadka shed light on the criminal activities arising as a result of drug abuse, its affect on the society and relating problems and their solution in Jhapa district.

Director general of the Department of Drug Administration Dr Bhupendra Bahadur Thapa highlighted the role of the department and existing challenges in the sector.

Chief of the Drug Abuse Control Law Enforcement Unit SP Hemanta Malla shed light on the national, regional and international trend on drug abuse control, production, abuse and smuggling of drugs, its condition in Jhapa district and the legal barriers in control of drug abuse.

CDO Aryal discussed the facts on drugs abuse in Jhapa district, the state of drug abusers and legal and social barriers in checking the social anomaly.

Director general Poudel presided.‘Social awareness must to check drug abuse’

NEA takes action against electricity thieves

RSS

ITAHARI, April 5: The Nepal Electricity Authority, Power Distribution Centre, Itahari and the Area Police Office, Mahendranagar, Sunsari have in a joint effort taken action against eight persons on the charge of illegally hooking up to power supply line.

Those facing action include Tula Bahadur Shrestha, Bharat Bista, Govinda Shrestha, Prem Bahadur Sapkota and Basanta Kumar Khadka of Mahendranagar-9 and Santosh Luintel of Prakashpur and two others.

All the eight were fined Rs. 2,253 each, says the authority.

Likewise, the team has also seized the motor that was run with power illegally hooked up by Khem Raj Udas of Mahendranagar-4. He has been warned against the mischievous act.

German helping children go to school

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, April 5: Mathias Kasper has stopped buying new clothes for himself and other luxuries. He has stopped going on vacations to Italy and other places. He wants to save money to help children in Nepal go to school.

Kasper, a retired German soldier, came to Nepal for the first time in 1990. He went trekking with a group to Kanchenjungha base camp. When it was time to return, Kasper refused to go back with the group despite repeated pleadings from the group leader.

“That time was a period of transition in Nepal, and also I could not speak a single word in English,” he said. The group leader had feared for his safety.

Seeing many poor children, he decided to stay behind to help them. He stayed for six more weeks to look at Nepal – its villages and the people. While trekking we do not see much of the people and the villages, he says.

After that the 63-year-old German has come to Nepal once every year. He has visited the length and breadth of the country. “I have been to the north, south, east and west of Nepal.” In Bardiya, he once had to fend for himself from a tiger with a stick. He likes to recount this experience.

Seeing many children who were poor and destitute, he decided to do something to help them.
Kasper comes from a small village near Koblenz in Germany. “In Germany, we have everything. Children there do not die of preventable diseases, and they go to school.” We in Germany have more than what we need, and the children here do not have even the basic necessities, he said.
He has arranged foster parents in Germany for children who are orphans. He said he is currently helping 16 children to go to school. “Three of them are in high school at Loreto Convent in Darjeeling,” he said.

One girl he especially likes to talk about is a nine-year-old handicapped child, he had met during his visit to a village near Ganesh Himal in Dhading in west Nepal. The girl has a deformed spinal cord. Her mother had died while she was taken to a hospital to take out a still-born baby when the girl was about three years old.

Kasper has taking X-rays and other medical documents in Germany, and, if possible, he will take her to Germany for medical treatment.

He is also planning to build a small hospital for children in Dhading with the help of his Nepali friends. “If that is not possible, we plan to build a school with a hostel for the children,” he said.

Kasper works alone. That way things are easier to work, and the money he collects goes directly to the children, he said.

He said he wants government support for his project and also he wants the rich Nepalis to help children who are poor.