The Land of lakes
That has lost its smile

Clear blue skies, cold crisp air and the blossoming blooms, her charm is such that it beckons us again and again. And each visit gives us a feeling of gong back to the Lake City whenever the opportunity knocks at the door.

Isn’t it wonderful to set out for Sarangkot, the vantage point from where you can see snow-capped mountain peaks at the crack of dawn, with the morning chill driving away all sleepiness. The trek to the top takes anytime between 40 minutes to more than an hour depending on your speed and number of halts you take along the way.

All tiredness vanishes once you reach the top. It is worth the walk. What a breathtaking scene awaits us! The snow-capped mountains with pink and then orange hue when the first rays of the sun, which gets stronger by time, kisses them. Look around and greenery greets you. What better way to start the day than basking in nature’s full glory.

In the evening, the lakeside takes the centre stage, and no one complains. Lakeside is the very heart and soul of this once Chaubise Rajya (Twenty-four Kingdoms).

First, there is the boating that one can enjoy on the famous Phewa Lake against the majestic backdrop of Machhapuchhre (Mount Fishtail) is an experience that lingers long after we leave the place. The cool evening breeze and the serene lake, the second largest in the Himalayan Kingdom, prepare you for the evening to follow. Whoever is in your company, the mood for an unforgettable evening is set.

How should one write about evening in Pokhara lakeside? The lighted hotels, restaurants and bars et al beckon you with their own specialities. You can almost everything – from Nepali cuisine to Indian delicacies to Chinese and Japanese food to continental delights – the lakeside has all to offer. If you love a drink or two, look no further. You won’t be disappointed.

But Pokhara with all its charm is limping now and what a pity it is.

Even the spring time delights of the place are unable to wipe out the gloom that pervades the people who depend on tourism here. Although the natural beauty adorns one of her most exquisite smiles, Pokhara does not smile. And not for its fault.

The city is still coming to grips for the lack of tourists. This despite the ongoing cease-fire and the Jaun Hai Pokhara (Lets go to Pokhara) campaign launched by the Nepal Tourism Board.

Whether it is the breathtaking Sarangkot, or the Devi’s Fall or the Mahendra Cave, not to forget Pokhara’s the landmark, the Phewa Lake, the tourists are near non-existent.

It is really sad to see that those working at hotels, restaurants and bars are more polite than necessary to play host to the few people who do visit this tourist attraction.

Pokhara immediately needs a rescue act. What better way to help it revive its lost smile than spend at least a couple of days there? Even the spring time delights of the place are unable to wipe out the gloom that pervades the people who depend on tourism here. Although the natural beauty adorns one of her most exquisite smiles, Pokhara does not smile. And for no faults of it own.

Pain of being Albert Camus

By Bikash SANGRAULA

"Don’t walk in front of me, I may not follow you. Don’t walk behind me, I may not lead. Walk beside me and just be my friend."

- Camus

Albert Camus, son of a working-class family, was born in Algeria in 1913. He spent the early years of his life in North Africa, taking odd jobs in the weather bureau, in an automobile-accessory firm, in a shipping company, and so forth to help pay for his courses at the University of Algiers. He studied philosophy and then turned to journalism as a career. His report on the unhappy state of the Muslims of the Kabylie region aroused the Algerian government to action and brought him to public notice.

From 1935 to 1938 he ran the Theatre de l’Equipe, a theatrical company that produced plays by Malraux, Gide, Synge, Dostoevski, and others. During World War II he was one of the leading writers of the French Resistance and editor of Combat, an important underground newspaper of his times. Camus was always very active in the theatre, and several of his plays have been published and produced. His fiction, including The Stranger, The Plague, The Fall, and Exile and the Kingdom; his philosophical essays, The Myth of Sisyphus and the Rebel; and his plays brought him to eminence in modern French letters. In 1957 Camus was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. His sudden death on January 4, 1960, cut short the career of one of the most important literary figures of the Western world when he was at the very summit of his success.

Camus’s works are remarkably devoid of superfluous sentiments. The tenderness that he shows towards women is widely ascribed to his regard for his mother, Catherine Sintes Camus, who was an illiterate and partially deaf woman. The image of his mother, sitting idly by the window, indifferently watching passers-by was a influential one for Camus. Since his mother never left Algiers throughout her life, Algiers also meant ‘mother’ for Camus, and hence his escalated tenderness for his home country.

Camus was a soccer fan. Later in life, and in his novel La Chute (The Fall, 1956,) Camus declared that the only places on earth where he felt really happy and relaxed were in a theatre building or in a football stadium. Young Albert played football for Racing Universitaire de’Alger from 1928-30, football remained a great passion throughout his life. He would also later claim that his entire sense of ethics was learned on the soccer pitch.

Yet an event in 1930 would condemn him to remain thereafter a spectator rather than a player. Camus began coughing up blood and the first signs of tuberculosis were diagnosed. His body would carry that illness as a personal plague all his life. There is no doubt this illness plays a central role in the insistence on death and mortality in most of his work. Aside from other multiple interpretations, his novel La Peste (The Plague, 1947) can also be read as a private baptism of fire, a metaphoric journey through his own pulmonary system.

"If there is any sin against life, it consists perhaps not so much in despairing of life as in hoping for another life in eluding the implacable grandeur of this life."

Join the musical Extravaganza at Lal Durbar

Be a part of musical event at Lal Durbar. A huge set of cool music from world renowned artists awaits to enthrall you and give you a night to remember

Lal Durbar, a palace where the past meets the present in most exotic manner. The rococo facade of this Rana era palace will provide a backdrop to about to happen musical extravanganza, "A night at Lal Durbar". Four of the World’s renowned artists and bands, Trio Givone (France), Anna Phoebe (UK), The Caliche (India), The Agents (Australia) are going to enthrall the audience with their music. Wait there is more to this event. Yak &Yeti has planned a lavish buffet including premium drinks to go with the whole affair.

Excited? Maybe you would want to know more about the artists and get a glimpse of the highlights of the 28th Feb evening at Lal Durbar. The Trio Givone, one of France’s best Gypsy and Swing Jazz band, is renowned for their guitar solos, contrabass and percussion. So fluid and flexible is their music that it suits perfectly to both a mellow atmosphere as well as an up-tempo swingin’ jivin dance party.

Anna Phoebe is another star who make up the part of this star studded event. She is a violin prodigy who started playing at the age of seven, winning regional competitions from the age of ten. Although classically trained, Anna pushes the boundaries of classical violin and experiments with acoustic and electric sounds. She combines many genres like Jazz, Rock and Soul in her music. Anna has toured and performed at festivals in the UK and Germany.

The Caliche from India will be there to enchant you with their colourful and vibrant performance. The spunky trio of girls, Candy, Shazneen and Cheryl are known for their shows which always evoke a tremendous response from the audience. From Dubai to Delhi, they have toured the international circuit many times over and wowed the audience with their sensational performance. Their performance at MTV World’s Longest Dance Party in Delhi Dec 99 is unforgettable.

Here is the fourth of the four music phenomenon performing at Lal Durbar, The Agents from Australia. Versatility is this band’s trademark. From Rock, Blues and Classical, their music encompass many genres. This remarkable band consists of Ian Farrinton, Phil Spence, Tim O’ dea and Rhonda Kay. Ian Farrington, the band leader has toured as an advisor for many international artists in UK and USA including U2, Phil Collins, Rolling Stones, Dire Straits and more. These artists have played in leading festivals around the world in places like USA, UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand. They have 30 years of show experience neatly tucked under their belt.

Finally a look into the ‘more than music’ part of ‘A Night at Lal Durbar’ extravaganza . Yak &Yeti has planned the ambience, food and drinks to surpass even the most extravagant of all set-ups. Grilled delights, a wide selection of vegetarian selections, choicest drinks will be there to tempt your palate.

As it grows darker, you will get to witness the spectacular effect of the lighting and the displays in Lal Durbar. And as Yak &Yeti promises, you will have an unforgettable experience, quiet unlike any you’ve had so far.

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