Dry Spell
Nepal is going through a real dry spell. The fact that we have no constitution, no legislative body, no chief justice, no elected government and no rain all speak of how dry things are getting here. The monsoon is still a few months away and the day time heat is on the rise. Due to lack of work on the farm, people are available to participate in political activities and it is the season for political changes too. With the monsoon rain, people will go back to farming and politicians can take it easy till next year. The dry spell cannot go unnoticed and is marked by the stench coming off the different tributaries of the Bagmati River. Once the monsoon comes and the river fills up, we shall forget the smell for another year too. Someday, we shall have an elected government accountable to the people who will clean up the Bagmati.
Museums can be very popular in places where the cultural heritage is no longer living and has disappeared from day to day life. The dedicated spaces and glass boxes are for those “precious” objects that may not be recovered. In Nepal, we have been able to keep a big part of our heritage as a living phenomenon. It is true that people feel that the local culture is getting diluted and threatened by modern and global market forces. Prevention is of course better than cure. We hope you enjoy our story this month about a new museum in town. In the meantime we must all contribute to conserving our culture as a living heritage.
In this issue of ECS, we take you on a journey through Nepal. These places range from nearby Nagarkot to far away Jumla. We shall also take a detour to Bardia in the western terai as well. As the political heat builds up in Kathmandu, it will be good advice to all to begin your trips to these amazing places. No point in wasting time complaining about the state of affairs. It is better to be on the move. We hope these stories will help you to arrive at these decisions. West Nepal is still so natural and pristine; one may feel like a true Nepal experience. The dust and the pollution of Kathmandu are here to stay for a while. Please head west for clean air.
We also have stories on children and amazing individuals who are doing great work. Please take time out to follow the events in and around Kathmandu so that you can get to meet these people and establish networks. So many events are being organized that you actually have a choice. We also have the regular pages dedicated to art and craft, and again this may be a great season to spend some time visiting the various galleries and artist studios and workplaces to place orders and make purchases. Do not forget all the great food and eating places either. Whatever you are doing this month, please make time for the Nepali way.
