National 7 (Spotlight Weekly)

Cultural Invasion

The growing number of discotheques, clubs and bars mirrors a distinctly alien effect

By THAKUR AMGAI

At midnight on a Friday night, when the rest of the city was sound asleep, a group of teenagers were rejoicing with glasses of beer in front of them. In a large hall dimly lit with colorful lights some youths were playing the guitar, while others were humming lyrics of an English song and others just joining the group with nods and claps.

The hall was filled with groups and individuals all drinking alcohol of different brands and blend, and rejoicing in their own ways. The walls were full of pictures and modern art paintings and the atmosphere was filled with smoke. The pictures on the wall portrayed members of different musical bands and famous Hollywood actors and actresses.

A restaurant : Enjoying the evening

Although, most of the clients focused their eyes in a corner of the hall with dancers showing their skills to entertain the clients, a considerable number of people sang and danced in their own small groups. A room beside held a snooker table. The players also had glasses drinks with them.

Not long ago, bars, restaurants and snooker houses were rare in Nepal. However, in a short span of time, they have virtually proved to be an integral part of the life-style, particularly for people with a strong financial background. With the growing impact of satellite television channels and development in information technology, western culture has invaded Nepal.

With the growing popularity of spending nights outside the number of dance, dohori and cabin restaurants, bars, clubs and pool houses and discotheques has considerably increased in the past few years. Until a few years ago, there used to be a craze for Gazal restaurants in the city. Now that craze has shifted to dohori and dance restaurants. And a wider avenue for night culture has been opened for those who love to stay out late. The bars initially opened to entertain tourists have now turned to be a place for Nepalese.

People have various reasons for spending the night out. "It is fun to come to discos in weekends and holidays with friends," says a 9th grade student of LRI School. Some go there to refresh themselves from a hard day's work, while others just to keep them abreast with global culture.

Although most visitors are unemployed youths with a strong financial background, there are people from different professions and different social classes as well. Unlike most others who seem to fully enjoy the nightlife culture without any regret, middle class youths and professionals find the contrast between the rural youths and their privileged urban counterparts particularly stark.

Mahendra Dhakal, who comes from Trishuli, confessed that the disco culture has imparted a negative effect in Nepalese society. However, he was rejoicing in Babylon discotheque with a can of beer in hand as he spoke. A student at government-owned Saraswati Multiple College, he does not actually cherish the moments spend at discotheques. Still Dhakal visits the discotheques quite often. Unemployed, Dhakal does not spend his own money. "My brother owns a shop in Thamel and I ask him for money."

The culture of nightlife started in the western world as a tool of recreation after a hard day's work. Now it has been growing as a fashion rather than for any reasonable purpose, which is underscored by the fact that most of the discotheque and club visitors in the city are students and unemployed.

While youths in rural parts of the country are deprived of basic needs of life including education, their privileged urban counterparts are squandering their parents' hard-earned money. The trend should be controlled, particularly by parents, before it is too late.

The growing cultural invasion can be seen in many other places, be it the celebration of Christmas or Valentines' Day. If not controlled in time, a time will come when the upcoming generation will accept western culture as their own, oblivious of the rich heritage bequeathed by their ancestors.