I just visited The Nepal Digest ( www.thenepaldigest.org) site after a very long time, and found out -- much to my dismay -- that it has ceased publication as of last March.

The parting editorial implies that the editorial team quit over its supposed inability to implement free and fair editorial decisions, and hurls veild blame at other people (whoever they might be!)

My question: What happened, guys? Were the differences of opinion so great that
the publication had to, well, die out like this?

************

Likewise, sometime late last January, The NATION newsweekly in Kathmandu died out after the editors and the publishers had a falling out after only a few months together.

My question: Again, were the differences of opinion so great that the patrika had to be killed?

*********

My observation: While working in Nepal as a business advisor, one thing I noticed
again and again was this. That most business partnerships (among Nepalis), started
with great hopes among friends, eventually soured to bitterness . . . so much so
that people who were earlier friends had become sworn enemies by the time the
ashes cooled off from the corpses of their business.

********

My question: Are most of us Nepalis fundamentally incapable of working on a team that has people who hold different ideas from us?

Alternatively, when the going gets tough, is it easier for us to fight with one another than address the problems at hand so that at least minially amicable solution can be found?

******

My comment: Isn't it ironic that while we do everything nice and polite with one another to avoid conflicts and confrontations, our lives in Nepal and Nepali societies might well
be mired in unaddressed and simmering conflicts . . . ranging from that of the Maoists
to businesses gone sour?

oohi
ashu

Nepe, Give it a rest. Learn from your jigri dost poonte, aka ANIL. Whatever he claims to be, he tries to be neutral by staying quiet as Ashu is by saying ?something?. Dang, let?s learn from each other??? whatever there?s to learn. Besides, I am terribly baffled why Nepalis, all they want to talk about is POLITICS. Don?t we have anything else?

Getting back to TND? here?s the LAST EDITORIAL.

Editorial : Signing Off

Dear Readers:

As you all know, the rejuvenated "The Nepal Digest" is being published by TND team under my
coordination and editorship from January 2003 till now. However, to protect the editorial dignity
daunted by philosophical differences within TND team, effective April 1st, I will no longer be
volunteering for TND Foundation. (All 3 members of TND team have followed suit afterwards.) I want
to make it clear that it is not the "lack of commitment" on our part, rather it is ?lack of system of ideas?,
and the circumstances in which even to implement free and fair editorial judgment, we are forced to
be on defensive. While I offer my sincerest apologies to all those readers who have expected so much
from TND and from this voluntary team, we are proud of what we have accomplished in over past two
years.

I would like to thank all the team members - Pramod Pandey, Deependra Malla, and Sunita Dhungana
who have contributed so enormously and selflessly to the publication. I would like to thank Kamala
Sarup for her relentless support by her writings, advice and encouragement. I would like to thank
Ramesh K. Shrestha, Attorney at Law who has added a great value to the publication by answering
immigration questions and answers for over 2 years. I would also like to thank advisors Dr. Pramod
Mishra for his visionary guidance and Rajpal J. P. Singh to set the policies for the rejuvenated
publication.

My utmost gratitude goes to all those writers/columnists, contributors, and friends who have made the
rejuvenated TND what it is today - from 3 subscribers (Ujjwal Bhattarai, Dr. Pramod Mishra, and
Rajpal J.P. Singh) in December of 2002 to over 5,000 subscribers in March of 2005.
Finally, I would like to thank all the readers and well-wishers from around the world, who have visited
the website to read, to comment, and to provide enormous support (financial and otherwise), which
has given me everlasting spell of inspiration for the love of the Nepal and Nepali.

Let rejuvenated TND remain as a free and fair conduit of views and ideas.

Signing off,


Ujjwal Bhattarai
Editor/Co-coordinator
The Nepal Digest (TND)

Yea Nepe,

If you feel that strongly about making change in Nepal, why don't you go back to Nepal, (if you are not already), and even if you are, put your theories into practise. Not a whole lot will be achieved just by publishing them on Sajha. Even Sajha has limitations.

k'dude

ssNY,

Thank you for bringing the original topic back. However, could not resist telling you that I am "baffled" by your bringing this highly politically charged topic when you just said you are yourself "baffled" by Nepalis only talking politics. Or am I missing something here ?

TND later. First I would like to reply to your annoyance with my postings.

You want me to give them a rest. Have you even read what's there ? Take a minute or two and read, you will be surprised to find that you just trashed things you probably are reading for the first time in your life.

I mean, when was last time you heard something that goes beyond whining about failure of political parties and actually tries to understand why and how they become what they become ?

How often have you found somebody presenting evidences to prove that the most common belief about the Constitutional Monarchy is WRONG ?

Have you ever heard a sound reasoning for the King to have MORE and LEGITIMATE political power as a permanent peace making in Nepal ?

ssNY, if you produce a single posting from Sajha which exactly says what I wrote in a few postings above, I will really give my political postings a rest, as you wished.

So do we have a deal ?

Nepe,
Did you star in a very popular telefilm, "Tada Ko Basti?"
I heard that you were once an actor in Nepal, is that right?

Kathmandude,

You are right, Sajha has limitation. But why are you posting your questions in Sajha, then ?

Please make me understand that first. Then I will answer your questions.

Nepe
tired of preachers who don't practice what they preach

Looks like Nepe is going insane in the membrane. Who the hell's gonna read all his psycho monologue?

Quick, someone get Nepe his drugs.

Hurry,

Thank you for bringing up a pleasant and non-controversial part of my life. No, not in Tadhako Basti. The few to my credits are:

* Saugat ( a flop movie)
* A tele Serial based on Basu Shahi's Newari story "Taachaa Pwanye"
* A tele drama (forgot name) co-starring with Saranga Shrestha
* Usko Kabitama Aba Ko Rundaina (play by Prakash Sayami, directed by Ramesh Budhathoki)
* Romeo Juliet (play)

Correction: Basu Shashi, not Shahi.

To Cryp,

पागल
-देवकोटा

जरुर साथी म पागल !
यस्तै छ मेरो हाल !

म शब्दलाई देख्दछु !
दृश्यलाई सुन्दछु !
बास्नालाई स्वाद लिन्छु !
आकाशभन्दा पातला कुरालाई छुन्छु !
ती कुरा,
जसको अस्तित्व लोक मान्दैन
जसको आकार संसार जान्दैन !
म देख्दछु ढुङ्गालाई फूल !
जब, जल-किनारका जल-चिप्ला ती
कोमलाकार पाषाण,
चाँदनीमा,
स्वर्गको जादूगर्नी मतिर हाँस्दा,
पत्रिएर, नर्मिएर, झल्किएर,
बल्किएर उठ्दछन् मूक पागलझैं,
फूल झैं एक किसिमका चकोर-फूल !
म बोल्दछु तिनसँग, जस्तो बोल्दछन् ती मसँग
एक भाषा, साथी !
जो लेखिन्न, छापिन्न, बोलिन्न,
बुझाइन्न, सुनाइन्न !
जुनेली गङ्गा-किनार छाल आउँछ तिनको भाषा
साथी ! छालछाल !
जरुर साथी म पागल !
यस्तै छ मेरो हाल !

तिमी चतुर छा बाचाल
तिम्रो शुद्ध गणित-सूत्र हरहमेशा चलिरहेको छ
एकै बाँकी रहन्छ !
तिमी पाँच इन्द्रियले काम गर्र्छौ
म छैटौँले !
तिम्रो गिदी छ साथी !
मेरो मुटु !
तिमी गुलाफलाई गुलाफ सिवाय देख्न सक्तैनौ,
म उसमा हेलेन र पद्मिनी पाउँछु,
तिमी बलिया गद्य छौ !
म तरल पद्य छु !
तिमी जम्दछौ जब म पग्दन्छु,
तिमी सङ्लन्छौ जब म धमिलो बन्छु,
र ठीक त्यसैको उल्टो !
तिम्रो संसार ठोस छ !
मेरो बाफ !
तिम्रो बाक्लो, मेरो पातलो !
तिमी ढुङ्गालाई वस्तु ठान्दछौ,
ठोस कठोरता तिम्रो यथार्थ छ !
म सपनालाई समात्न खोज्दछु,
जस्तो तिमी, त्यो चिसो, मीठो अक्षर काटेको
पान्ढिकीको बाटुलो सत्यलाई !
मेरो छ बजे काँढाको साथी !
तिम्रो सुनको र हीराको !
तिमी पहाडलाई लाटा भन्दछौ,
म भन्छु वाचाल !
जरुर साथी !
मेरो एक नशा ढीलो छ ।
यस्तै छ मेरो हाल !

म माघको ठण्डीमा
ताराको सेतो प्राथमिक राप तापेर
बसिरहेको थिएँ,
दुनियाँले मलाई तरङ्गी भने !
भस्मेश्वरबाट र्फकदा सात दिन
टोल्हाएको देखेर
भूत लागेको भने !
एक सुन्दरीका केशमा
समयका तुषाराको
पहिला छिर्का परेको देखेर
म तीन दिन रुँदा,
मेरो आत्मालाई बुद्धले छुँदा
मलाई छटाएको भने !
मैले वसन्तको पहिलो कोकिल सुनेर
नाचेको देख्दा,
बहुला भने !
एक सूनसान औंसीले मलाई निशास भएर
म प्रलय-वेदनाले उफ्रें!
मूर्खहरुले मलाई त्यस बेला ठिङ्गुरा हालेर राखे !
म तूफानसँग एक दिन गीत गाउन थालेको थिएँ,
मलाई बुज्रुगहरुले,
राँची पठाइदिए !
म आफूलाई एक दिन मरेको सम्झेर
लम्पसार थिएँ,
एक साथीले बेसरी चिमटिदिए
र भने, "ए पागल तेरो मासु अझ मरेको छैन !"
यस्ता कुरा भए साल, साल !
पागल छु साथी !
यस्तै छ मेरो हाल !

मैले नवाबको मदिरालाई खून भनेको छु,
छिमेकी रण्डीलाई लाश भनेको छु !
राजालाई गरीब,
सिकन्दरलाई मैले गाली दिएको छु !
महात्मा भनाउँदाको निन्दा गरेको छु !
नगण्य व्यक्तिलाई, तर,
सातौं आसमानसम्म,
तारीफको पुलमा चढाएको छु,
तिम्रा महापण्डित, मेरो महामूर्ख !
तिम्रो स्वर्ग, मेरो नरक !
तिम्रो सुन, मेरो फलाम
साथी ! तिम्रो धर्म मेरो पाप !
जहाँ तिमी आफूलाई चलाक सम्झन्छौ,
उहाँ म देख्छु तिमीलाई बिलकुल लाटा !
तिम्रो उन्नति, मेरो अवनति,
यस्तै छ मोलमोलाइको उलट-पलट,
साथी !
तिम्रो विश्व, मेरो बाल !
जरुर साथी ! म बिलकुल चन्द्राहत छु
चन्द्राहत,
यस्तै छ मेरो हाल !

म अन्धालाई दुनियाँको अगुवा देख्दछु,
गुफा-तपस्वीलाई भगुवा देख्दछु,
मिथ्याका मञ्च चढेकालाई
काला नटुवा देख्दछु !
विफललाई सफल देख्दछु !
प्रगतिलाई अगति देख्दछु !
या हुँला मै ऐँचाताना !
या हुँला मै दीवाना !
साथी ! मै दीवाना !

निर्लज्ज नेतृत्वको नीरस रसनाको
रण्डीको नाच हेर !
जन-अधिकारको डँडाल्नोको भाँच हेर !
जब भँगेर-टाउके छापाको कालो मिथ्याले
मेरो विवेक-वीरलाई
जाली झुठले ललकार्छ
तब हुन्छन् मेरा गाला राता साथी !
सल्केको गोलझैं राता !
जब निमुखा दुनियाँ कालो जहर पिउँदछ,
पिउँछ कानले,
र अमृत भनिठानेर,
र मेरा आँखाअगाडि, साथी !
तब हुन्छन् ठाडा मेरा रौं, रौं
गर्गनका र्सपकेश झैं, मेरा जिस्क्याइएका
रौं, रौं !
जब बाघले मृग खान आँटेको देख्छु, साथी !
या ठूलो माछाले सानो,
तब मेरा मर्काएका हड्डीमा पनि दधीचिको आत्माको
भयङ्कर बल पसेर, बोल्न खोज्दछ, साथी !
तब कडकडकउँछन् मेरा बत्तीस दन्ते बङ्गारा,
दुवै !
जस्तो भीमसेनका दाँत !
अनि,
प्रकोपको लाल-लाल आँखाका डल्ला,
फनक्क घुमाएर एक डबलले, म
यो अमानवको मानवजगत्लाई,
एक आगोको लप्काले झैं हेर्दछु, साथी !
अफ्रिन्छन् मेरा कलपुर्जा,
खलबल, खलबल !
तूफान हुन्छ मेरो सास !
विकृत हुन्छ मेरो चेहरा !
बन्दछ मेरो दिमाग, साथी !
बडवानलझैं, बडवानलझैं !
म वन खाने आगो झैं बहुला हुन्छु !
बहुला, साथी !
काँचै निलूँ झैं विश्वविशाल !
जरुर साथी !
म सुन्दर-चकोर, असुन्दर-फोर !
कोमल-क्रूर
चिडिया, स्वर्गाग्नि-चोर
तूफान-पुत्र !
पागल ज्वालमुखीको उदगार
भयङ्कर व्यक्तित्वपाल !
जरुर, साथी !
सन्के मगज छु, सन्के !
यस्तै छ मेरो हाल !
****

Nepe,
Life is not fair but it doesn't mean your lose your mind over it. You either got to do something about it, and if you can't you have to move on.
Your monologues in sajha are beginning to show that you are losing your mind over it. Either go back to Nepal and do something about it, crying in sajha only shows that all you can do is bitch about it and it's affecting your mental health.
Who the hell reads those 50 page long monologues in sajha anyways. There have been few others too. Thank god it's only a few otherwise this place is going to start looking like a PAAGAL KHANA.

Cryp,

FYI, Writing in Sajha has been politically as well as in other ways quite rewarding to me, to say the least. So Yo jyan ain't budging from here any time soon. So if you can't stand, sorry birader, can't help ya.

And don't underestimate Sajha (I know, you are not. You're just faking. By the way, who are you ? a new poster or a new incarnation ? Well, whatever.). If it wasn't politically important place, so many Rajabadis in every shade, shape and incarnations won't be hanging out here in the first place.

*** *** *** ***

Coming to the original topic of TND brought back by ssNY-jee, I am curious about it. What's going on ? Rajpal, now eklauti maalik of TND, would not say anything when I asked. However, I am more interested in 5000+ subscribers. Will they go for Jana-andolan against the King, or will they grasp his majesty's message Ashu knows how to put in words, "I am in charge. For ever. Leave to me."

"I am in charge. For ever. Leave to me."

You're the one who likes to put words in his mouth.

Nepe?s pomposity and posturing are legendary here on Sajha. BUT, I wonder why won?t he do the most logical thing: Return to Nepal and work towards achieving his goals.

It?s one thing to have romantic views about a certain political ideology (while enjoying a life of comfort in the US) quite another to actually be prepared to face/deal with the consequences/repercussions of one?s actions.

Nepe, come to Nepal, oust the King, and when the Maoists take over the country be prepared to suffer along with the rest of the population. That?s all I ask for. Fair and square. Go ahead - discredit your detractors...

It's funny how everytime there is an argument against the King's action/current role/existence, the immediate response is "The ground zero scenario is different. Why don't you come to Nepal and do something?" I could be wrong on this, but monarchists, and even the confused in-betweens, do not say the same thing to anyone supporting the monarchy. Are we playing a weird game here where the rules apply to only one side? Ah Makartantra, you are the great!
----

4:10. Time to go to another thread; heard somebody has dug into 2 months old archieves of the Kathmandu Post to make another real-Nepal-is-different-and-only-I-know-it argument!

"It's funny how everytime there is an argument against the King's action/current role/existence, the immediate response is "The ground zero scenario is different. Why don't you come to Nepal and do something?" I could be wrong on this, but monarchists, and even the confused in-betweens, do not say the same thing to anyone supporting the monarchy."

MP sorry to break your bubble but that's a dumb question. Monarchy is already in session, there is nothing that needs to be done so no need for monarchists to go to Nepal and do anything.

However, if you're for democracy or anti monarchy, then you should go back to Nepal and do something instead of preaching in sajha to fulfill your own 'mapain' goals.

There is still one more thing the (nuanced) monarchists, both abroad and at home can do: Join the RNA and go fight the Maoists in the jungles.

Ideas are ideas, and an idea's sacredness remains the same whether one is only a meter away, or thousands of miles away. ONLY attacks based on reasons and sound arguments are worthy of challenging those ideas -- it's rather silly when someone cannot come up with counter substance to challenge substantive ideas and just shun them as "coming from abroad". Chalenge them POINT BY POINT if you must.

AnilJShahi
"There is still one more thing the (nuanced) monarchists, both abroad and at home can do: Join the RNA and go fight the Maoists in the jungles."

Now you're arguing for the sake of arguing. Monarchy already has the power in Nepal, the king is under command. He does not need any help.

Whereas, I don't see a democratic government in Nepal, I don't see a Rebublic of Nepal. All you people writing 'mahakabya's' on democracy should go back and do something about it rather than mouthing off from faraway land.

"ONLY attacks based on reasons and sound arguments are worthy of challenging those ideas "

The fact that you are mouthing off from faraway land instead of being in Nepal and making changes happen, is a very reasonable argument for your opposition. Because comon, haven't you heard the saying Kaag karairahancha Pina sukirahancha. All you're doing is crowing from a foreign land. While democracy is drying out.

Precisely, Cryptonite! When someone throws in a surface-level argument without any substantive reasonings (like the likes of Lokman has been doing REPETITIVELY -- I mean, come one now, come up with something new so that we can enjoy debating!), what they get in return is an "argument for the sake of an argument".

Now on your respectable approach of broaching the the ISSUE of "mouthing off from far away land":

The struggle for democracy is not limited to KTM valley. This struggle requires involvement of people from the BROADEST spectrum of lives at MANY different levels. Yes, there may be some who are doing what they can by living in KTM, which is very admirable and perhaps they deserve a higher degree of respect than others who are living abroad.

But,

What is so wrong with contrubuting in WHATEVER way they can, or choose to, for the cause of democracy in a far away land?

What is so wrong with throwing in ideas that perhaps can be used by people fighting on the grounds?

What is so wrong with making people THINK -- at home or abroad -- by generating and sustaining debates?

What is so wrong with EMPOWERING people -- again, at home and abroad -- with resourcing them with varying thoughts?

At the end of the day, if and when victory comes, EVERYONE -- from ALL OVER THE WORLD -- would have contributed to the cause in WHATEVER way they could. Some may have had contributed more significantly than the others, but the entire struggle would not have had been complete without the contributions of EVERYONE, albeit however small or from however far away.