Editorial . November . 2011

Harvests of Hope

The season for hope and a good harvest is here upon us. As Nepali farmers reap the benefits of their hard work all summer, you can see hope in everyone’s eyes. This country may be going through an endless political transition, and stability is probably an illusion, the common man and woman seems to take everything in stride. The farmer does not have the luxury to wait and see. They do not wait for the rains to stop, or for the sun to shine. The winter crops and vegetables must now go into the ground so that spring will be just as fruitful. The early result of the latest census shows that we are now 26.6 million Nepalis and that we are growing at about 1.4 percent per annum. The census puts the population of Kathmandu at 1.7 million.

In this issue of ECS we take a really close look at the citadel city of Kritipur. If you have not been to this great historical city and walked around, and engaged with the local people, you can be sure that you are missing a key piece of the Nepali mosaic. From its strategic location overlooking the Kathmandu valley, the beautiful monuments, the agro centered lifestyle, and the glorious history all make it a great place to go to and spend time. Being the location of the last stand taken against the Gorkhali invasion, the city has since paid a very heavy price of neglect for the past two and half centuries. Today, the people of Kirtipur know that they have outlasted the conquerors. There is a great future for Kritipur.

Through this issue of ECS, we also get to walk around the picturesque Junbesi village in east Nepal and in the true spirit of bringing out the Nepali way, we give you a taste of Sherpa and Thakali food. When asked why they love Nepal, many often respond that it is the people; but deep inside, I think it is the food that you have with the people. It is the combination of the two that does the trick. The choice to go trekking to Solu Khumbu and Thak khola areas must surely have something to do with the good food that is served in these regions.

Poetry is not the first thing that comes to people’s mind when they think of Nepal. Reality is that there is a very vibrant literary community in this country who are composing, reciting and publishing all the time. In this issue we feature a young, promising poet, and to show that ECS cares for all sections of Nepal society, we feature people and personalities you have to engage with to get to know the Nepali way a little deeper. We also have our regular features to introduce you to various art form and the artists who keep our towns as a living heritage. This is besides the wonderful images from all over the country. Whatever you are planning on doing in the coming month, we hope you set aside some time for the Nepali way.

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