NESOCA

Happy Gunhi Punhi !

Jwajalappa!!

Gunhi Punhi is once again here to make us realize that we the Newa: have in our culture this solemn festival which give us the message of togetherness within ourselves. Kwati makes a delicious and nourishing soup deriving the best out of the nine different ingredients which belong to the same group of pulses topped with that extra zing of nutritious juwano (thymol) and energizing ghew/ghee. Pulses could be within ourselves, i.e., we the Newa: or the whole human race, if we are allowed to go in for bigger sense of better mutual understanding and for greater cause of universal brotherhood.

We do not have to prove our rich Newa: culture, literature, history and heritage at least whatever is the extent of the chauvinism. It has been ages and it is evident everywhere in the valley and beyond – its deep ramification in the modern society irrespective of communal divide. If they want to prove the history wrong then they are wrongheaded and in the wrong foot. They should hold now and step back and also better check their knowledge bank to find out how low is their credibility on this account!

We the Newa: have big heart but this does not mean that we should go on accommodating every action to jeopardize our own identity and risk being over-flooded that too in our own mainland – Nepal Mandala! It is we the Newa: who have shown the world what we are and what we have to get its own identity in and for the Himalayan kingdom and beyond.

It is due to own sheer inborn instinct that we are loyal and faithful and in re-establishing this through generation after generation, we have often been too devoted to the authority but this trait is taken as submitting to the circumstances and treat us and our politeness to suit the whim of whosoever in power. It is now up to us to realize and come together to show our strength – numerically we may be minuscule but intellectually we are superb and par excellence! Without being ourselves satisfied with materially attained for own sake, we should excel and display it everywhere, wherever possible to show them that yes we have done it and just see this for yourself! Such achievement would not only help us excelling and attaining higher goals but make others feel psyched in accepting our supremacy over them. Clever too they are and just try to ignore and not even recognize our merits and achievements but deep in their heart they are weakened, wrecked and destroyed.

So, we should perform our best wherever we are, in whichever capacity, in whatever little way possible in every manner, accomplish it and be proud of the achievement in repaying the society in turn!

It is our intellectual supremacy they have accepted and acknowledged the Newa: are known and famous for. So, why should we not cash in and share it within and amongst ourselves to face the challenges our distinct identity is now facing everywhere wherever we are simply because we are numerically insignificant in this age of democracy! We all have to live in the system and survive. It is on our own individual merits that we have been successful too by trying singly and each to prove our own self just to survive in this cut-throat competition but what if we come together and share at least amongst ourselves inspiring each other. We should, therefore, motivate ourselves first to motivate our brethren to prove our worth. Others take disadvantage of this very dominant trait of doing aloof and alone to crash into our fort!

Else we are doomed if we do not realize it even now - before it is too late to mend our ways rather facing the odds keeping to ourselves. So let us share the good and bad as well and be open-minded and enlightened and be prepared to face the world to hand over our rich Newa: culture, literature, history and heritage for the posterity further enriched safe and secure.

Subhay!

For karunaguthi
Rajiva Shanker Shresta
August 19, 2005

After the Maoists’ recent assault on the Royal Nepal Army camps at Pili, Kalikot district, previously it was publicised that they had taken 60 RNA men, including Tej Narayan Shrestha of Kathmandu, in their captivity. Kantipur Daily of 24 August 2005 has published a long list of their captives quoting a statement by the Maoist ‘Western Division’ spokesman ‘Sudarshan’. The list contains following names of Newar soldiers of RNA in the Maoists’ captivity.

Subu Narayan Shrestha - Kathmandu
Laxmi Krishna Desar - Lalitpur
Lal Krishna Nagarkoti - Kathmandu
Surya Bahadur Shrestha - Kathmandu
Ram Bahadur Shrestha - Makwanpur
Indra Kumar Shrestha - Khotang
Hari Ram Chauguthi - Bhaktapur

NESOCA Nepal appeals to all of you to call on the Maoists for the safe release of the above Newar soldiers, including Tej Narayan Shrestha and all others in their captivity without delay. We also urge you to call on HM the King to initiate peace dialogue with the rebels and agitating political parties and for the restore democracy in the country as soon as possible.

As both the King and the Maoists are out of our reach, you may send your call for publication in the one or all of the following broadsheet newspapers.

The Annapurna Post editorial@annapost.com
The Gorkhapatra gopa@mos.com.np
The Himala Times hitanews@yahoo.com
The Kantipur Daily kanti@kantipur.com.np
The Kathmandu Post kpost@kantipur.com.np
The Rajdhani Daily rajdhaninews@yahoo.com
The Nepal Samacharpatra news@newsofnepal.com

Mr. Narendra Shrestha, Joint Secretary and Chief of Administration Division of Ministry of Finance, was taken into custody on 21 August 2005 on corruption charges by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, CIAA. His wife Rita Devi Shrestha, sons Niraj Shrestha (23) and minor Nishant Shrestha (11) have also been declared accomplices of corruption and made defendants. CIAA has accordingly filed a law suit at the Appellate Court Patan.

NESOCA Nepal holds that we should respect all just laws of the country. We also hold that we should extend our every possible cooperation to CIAA in its mission to fight corruption that has become so rampant in the country. We have nothing to say about CIAA charges of corruption against Mr. Narendra Shrestha. The court will give the final verdict whether he is guilty or innocent.

But NESOCA Nepal could not agree with the CIAA action of declaring all family members of the accused Narendra Shrestha as accomplices of corruption and of making them defendants in its law suit. Rita, Niraj and Nishant do not hold any government authority to abuse and to illegally amass ‘untold wealth’. The charges against them are therefore baseless, biased, illegal and unjust.

This has seriously damaged their family prestige and social status and immensely added to their distress. NESOCA Nepal has called on all its contacts to protest this part of Narendra’s case and send their protest letters to CIAA and demonstrate Newa Solidarity against abuse of authority by CIAA itself.

NESOCA Nepal has also sent a model protest letter to its contacts. One may make changes as he/she thinks necessary, insert name, address, date and send it simply as an attachment to the mail to CIAA at the given email address .

Dr. Sussie Shrestha has prestigiously passed MRCS (Member of the Royal College of Surgeons) examination held on 16 June 2005 at Edinburgh, UK. She is the first ever Nepali lady surgeon to have made this achievement and has thus set a national record in the history of medical profession in Nepal.

Daughter of Mr. Krishna Bhakta Shrestha (former Editor-in-Chief of Gorakhapatra Daily) and Prof. Dr. Pushpa Shrestha, (former member of National Planning Commission of Nepal) Dr. Sussie Shrestha also has to her credit the distinction of being one of the two first Nepali lady doctors to complete MS in General Surgery from Tribhuvan University in 2001. (News sourse, Nepal Samachar Patra Daily, 13 August 2005)

With these outstanding achievements and to have set a national record by becoming the first Nepali lady surgeon with MRCS grading, Dr. Susie Shrestha has added a valuable jewel to the pride of all Nepalis in general and we Newars in particular.

Hearty congratulations Dr. Sussie Shrestha ! We are very proud of you and wish you all the best for further successes and achievements in the days to come.

Here is her email address for those who wish to congratulate and/or say something to her : sussieshrestha@yahoo.com.

Renowned singer and musician Mr. Krishna Man Dangol passed away on 06 August 2005 at the age of 81 at his own residence at Naxal, Kathmandu. He was suffering from heart and lungs diseases and bedridden for a long time. Late Mr. Dangol is survived by two sons and two daughters.

Endowed with clear and serene voice, late Mr. Dangol dedicated 70 years of his life to songs and music. He had sung a number of songs both in Newar and Khas languages. He is said to have given music to about 1500 songs including modern songs, patriotic songs, folk songs and prayers.

His album of Newar songs “Layalama” set a historical record sale of more than one hundred thousand copies. Another album Gyanmala Songs also in Newar language was released just on the day he died.

NESOCA Nepal pays its rich tribute to the deceased singer musician. We will always remember him with his serenading songs and prayers.

NESOCA Nepal conducted a 2-day (August 5 and 6) on-the-spot inquiry on the reported banning of Newa bhajans in Pashupati area. We met with and collected information on the issue from local residents, devotees, security personnel and the Pashupati Area Development Trust officials inclusive.

Pashupati Area Development Trust had asked regular bhajan groups to chant bhajans outside of the Pashupati courtyard on Mondays during the month of Srawan as there would be a large number of devotees flocking in to the holy shrine on the these days and during that month.

NESOCA is pleased to inform that due to the protests and pressure of all concerned, and due to the protest lodged with the Trust by the bhajan groups themselves, the Trust has allotted a specific area inside the shrine’s courtyard and allowed the bhajan groups to chant bhajans in any language.

The Trust has also issued a statement in this regard and is published in the Gorkhapatra daily of August 06, 2005. (web link not available)

NESOCA Nepal’s sisterly web magazine Newa Post reports that the Pashupati Area Development Trust has recently banned Newa Bhajans in the Pashupati areas.

Our ancestors fought and gave their life for democracy and monarchy in Nepal. But we have always been rewarded only with outright oppression, suppression and discrimination.

Our attempt to use Nepal Bhasa as the second official language in Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Nepal in May 1999. The Pashupati Area Development Trust has now banned to chant bhajans in our language.

This is too much against us and against our fundamental human rights. We appeal all of you to send floods of mails in condemnation of this tyrannical act of Pashupati Area Development Trust and demand with it to immediately allow chanting Newa bhajans to:

Pashupati Area Development Trust
Bankali, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Phone: 4470574, 4470575
Fax: 977 1 4472962
email: info@shripashupatinath.org.np

We also appeal you to send floods of protests mails, demand to allow chanting of Newa bhajans without delay in Pashupati area, and punish the trustees and/or authorities who have taken and implemented such an oppressive and suppressive decision to:

Mr. Buddhi Raj Bajracharya
Minister for Tourism, Culture & Civil Aviation
Singh Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Phone: 4222846, 4225579, 4226992, 5533846 (Home)
Fax: 977 1 4227758
email: motca@mos.com.np, motca@ntc.net.np