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“Nepal has many histories. It has histories of the Malla era and the Shah era, but a comprehensive history of the country is lacking. So, there is no history uniting the Mechi in the east Mechi with Mahakali in the west….” This is the gist of what the renowned historian Surya Vikram Gyawali said to Kedar Man Vyathit right after the latter’s appointment as the Chancellor of Nepal Rajkiya Pragya Pratishthan about 54 years ago in his capacity as a member of the Pratishthan, stressing the need to connect the Nepalis with the history of Nepal.

Even after the erstwhile Royal Nepal Academy got a new name, Nepal Prajna Pratishthan, after a wave of political changes that occurred about 17 years ago, Gyawali’s words remain relevant. 

Fifty-four years later, Gyan Vallabh Jwala, who was with the academy back then, cited this communication at a program that Pashupati Area Development Trust had organized recently to collect opinions from scholars for the establishment of a Shri Pashupati Hindu University. 

Gyawali’s communication with Vyathit features in ‘Vichar-patra’ of a committee formed to step up preparations for the establishment of the university and also in this journalist’s recently completed MPhil dissertation. 

My research is based on a unique perspective of Professor Harold A Innis, a Canadian scholar associated with communication theory, in particular ‘The Bias of Communication’ and ‘Time-Biased Communication’. This theory is based on the premise that the identity of a nation is built upon its own cultural heritages and civilizations. 

So, the plans for the development of a Shri Pashupati Hindu University have this journalist naturally elated. Indeed,  the Pashupatinath Temple, a UNESCO world heritage site, is one of the several religious-cultural-spiritual heritages that makes Nepal known to the world. If the university manages to emerge as the very best among similar other institutions in due course of time, with support from the government and other stakeholders, it will further boost Nepal’s image globally. 

At this point, it will be contextual to quote the author Stephen R Covey. He says, “What you do with what you know is far more important than what you know. If you do not use what you know, you can forget it or lose it. To share what you know is like planting a seed. If you plant a seed in the soil, it will germinate in the soil, grow in the field, and go to another place, and it will not die. If you throw it in the mud, it will rot, and if you throw it elsewhere, it will dry up. The seed will not germinate.” 

This statement points out the need to apply the acquired knowledge in the right time and place for desired outcomes. In the ocean-like span of Pashupatinath, my research may be a drop of water, but then drops of water collected from various pilgrimages have significant worth, don’t they? 

Also, let me recall a high-level promise to accelerate the process of establishing a Children's Literature Institute in Nepal. This wonderful plan is getting nowhere, with the ministry concerned not bothering to take initiative toward this end. 

But the proposed university should not suffer the same fate. 

Active involvement of the President in this project has given a glimmer of hope and so has the Culture Minister’s remarks implying that the government has attached due importance to the project. 

If the university materializes and, in course of time, manages to establish itself as a reputed institution, it may not even need government funding, for it can generate enough revenues by drawing students from far and wide, making it a self-sustaining institution.  

The onus is on the government and other stakeholders to turn this wonderful plan into reality. 

As we step into 2024, it's crucial to reflect on the tumultuous journey of 2023, a year marked by degeneration and pessimism for major political parties — the Nepal Congress, CPN-UML, and CPN (Maoist Center). These parties faced strong criticism from both their cadres and the public at large, revealing a deep-seated dissatisfaction with their performance.

Sher Bahadur Deuba, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and KP Sharma Oli, who are at the helm of these parties, find themselves wrestling with tarnished public images and a looming sense of party fragility.

At the start of the year, the Nepali Congress worked hard to dismantle the alliance between the Maoist and UML. By throwing its support behind Dahal as prime minister, NC succeeded in positioning itself as a key coalition player. The elevation of Ram Chandra Poudel as the country's president further solidified its influence. While these accomplishments are touted as major wins, the party struggles to instill hope and optimism among its ranks, contending with persistent intra-party rifts and organizational challenges.

Deuba continued to prevail in the party’s decision making process. Despite being a dominant power in all three levels of government, leaders and cadres largely feel that the party is on a downward journey. They are of the view that people are gradually losing their confidence in the major parties due to the government’s failure to deliver.

In the face of this, a disconcerting trend emerges—local-level leaders and cadres are feeling the heat from new parties and the resurgence of royalist forces. The once-enthusiastic cadres are noticeably absent from party activities, even as the leadership attempts to renew active memberships. 

A senior NC leader said that though the party has launched a campaign of renewing membership, a large chunk of cadres has not shown interest in it. This is very concerning for the future of the party.

The call for a special campaign to breathe life into the party structures falls on deaf ears, further fueling concerns about the party's downward trajectory. In order to provide an ideological and organizational guideline, the NC was supposed to organize its much-awaited Mahasamiti meeting, but it has been postponed time and again. This year, the party also saw the emergence of a third faction led by youth leaders including Gururaj Ghimire and Madhu Acharya. The faction has been running parallel activities inside the party.

This is not a good sign for the NC, which is already grappling with factionalism. Senior leader Shekhar Koirala and General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa are competing to wrest the reins of power from Deuba, whose supporters dominate the party committees.  The rivalry between senior Koirala and Thapa has further affected the party’s organization. 2023 was also the year the NC saw one of its influential leaders Bal Krishna Khand arrested in the fake Bhutanese refugee scandal. It was a serious blow to the party’s public image. Khand’s arrest also raised fear among several other leaders who were allegedly involved in corruption activities in the past. 

The internal strife within the Congress is not unique; the UML also grapples with its share of setbacks. Losing power both at the center and in provincial governments, the party attempts to rejuvenate itself in the face of challenges from emerging parties. Throughout the year, the party tried to dismantle the current government by offering premiership to NC, but to no avail.

Soon after the elections, the UML launched a grassroots campaign in order to resolve the party's internal problems and other issues.  At the end of the year, it launched the Sankalpa Yatra (Resolution March),  which covered the mid-hill districts of Nepal. According to the UML, the march helped to counter forces that have ramped up their activities in recent years. But the truth is despite the hard efforts, the party still faces significant challenges. The "Mission-84" initiative signals a renewed focus on the elections to be held in 2084 BS (2027), with aspirations to emerge as the largest party. However, corruption scandals involving senior leaders cast a shadow over their efforts.

On the Maoist front, 2023 witnessed a lack of substantive change. While the party launched a nationwide campaign to bolster organizational strength, the notable absence of leaders and cadres raised eyebrows. Despite facing criticism, Dahal's dominance within the party stifles significant dissent against the government.

In essence, 2023 posed significant threats to the major parties. Despite holding onto power, a pervasive sense of vulnerability lingers. The specter of the 2027 national elections looms large, and the three parties feel that regressive forces are actively trying to dismantle the 2015 constitution. 

As we step into 2024, the apathy of top leaders in mending their ways suggests a continuity of challenges. The failing performance of the Dahal-led government on economic and other fronts is poised to escalate people's frustration, further eroding the major political parties' standing. The year ahead will be critical for the three major parties, as they will have to resolve their own internal disputes as well as work with renewed vigor to meet the aspirations of the people.

Some books never leave your mind. You see their spine on the bookshelf and are transported back to that time and space. You remember how you felt while reading it. ‘The Missing’ by Chris Mooney is one of those books for me. I had to sleep with the lights on after finishing the book. I must have recommended it to all of my reader friends and they too had similar reactions. It’s horrifying. It’s so good.

Mooney is the critically acclaimed author of Deviant Ways, World Without End, and Remembering Sarah, which was nominated for the Barry Award and the Edgar Award for Best Novel. Mooney’s other works are also equally terrifying and I love many more titles apart from The Missing. But The Missing is my favorite because it was my first time reading the author and I wasn’t prepared for what was coming. I later found out that it was also the first book in the CSI Darby McCormick series.

Specific scenes of the book still make me shudder. I decided to reread it to see if it still evokes the same feelings as it did a decade ago when I first read it. It was every bit as satisfying. Mooney is a great storyteller with a special penchant for crafting characters you will come to love and then throwing them into highly unlikely and unsettling scenarios. Something about it just makes your heart race. You feel for these people and become invested in the story.

CSI Darby McCormick finds an emaciated woman hiding at a kidnap site. DNA tests confirm she is the same woman who has been missing for five years. She has somehow managed to escape the dungeon in which she had been held captive. Then a teenage girl goes missing and Darby begins to hunt for the dungeon as she suspects a sadistic serial killer is on the prowl. She soon discovers that she has a past with the kidnapper/murderer and that she might be his next victim.

I don’t want to say anything else and ruin the suspense. I feel too many emotions for this book so I don’t trust myself not to say anything to spoil it for those who haven’t read it. But I can safely say that everyone will enjoy this book. The plot is good. The writing is superb. The author has mastered the pacing and tension-building that makes a good thriller. But The Missing isn’t just a blood-curdling psychological thriller. Mooney knows how to evoke empathy and question your morals. So, it makes for an interesting, wholesome read. Best, the ending will make you squirm.

Fiction

The Missing

Chris Mooney

Published: 2007

Publisher: Penguin Books

Pages: 403, Paperback

Sajan Lamichhane has been the official photographer for the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) for two years now. He has his own studio ‘Sajan Photography’ under the banner of which he covers various events. He has five years of experience in photography. He is only 22 years old and is currently enrolled in college. 

Lamichhane’s love for photography started when he was in school, in the fourth grade to be particular. They had some visitors from Poland who showed cameras to the students and let them take some pictures. Lamichhane was enthralled. He wanted to own a camera. Fast forward a few years and he had saved every spare paisa to buy a DSLR camera. At 17, he started working as a photojournalist for Online Pana. He worked for Routine of Nepal Banda (RoNB) too. 

As the official photographer of CAN, he feels he has been able to make a mark through his work. He knows he has a long way to go, but he is proud of how far he has come. The photograph he captured of a fan holding Nepal’s flag in the crowd during the Nepal vs UAE match garnered much appreciation. It was featured by various international media and the International Cricket Council (ICC) and many prominent figures posted it on their social media as well. “That one photograph changed how people saw me and my work. It was a defining moment in my career,” he says. 

Lamichhane’s foray into photography came unexpectedly. He was always a nerdy kid who excelled in academics. Since most of his relatives were preparing for the Public Service Commission examination, his parents had the same expectations from him. He went against their will when he decided to pursue photography. But his hard work has proved his mettle and his parents, he says, are now supportive of his decision. 

As a photographer, he believes his job is to tell a story and tell it well. Cricket photography is not just about taking photos of the players in action but it’s also about capturing the myriad emotions of the placers and viewers alike. It can be challenging, he says, given the high adrenaline situation and the fact that he has to keep his biases aside and celebrate every win.

There has been a moment when he has been unable to hold back his tears on the field. Witnessing Nepal’s qualifier win after 12 long years was overwhelming and he had to remind himself to keep working, that he couldn’t stop long enough to let crucial moments pass. Lamichhane believes in giving every player their moment to shine through his shots. Every match is unique and there are highs and lows and he believes photos can highlight the best aspects of it, and that’s what he focuses on. For this, he says, he has to be alert every second of the match.  

He’s been involved in matches ranging from the grassroots to the international level, documenting events such as the ODI Series 2022, Nepal T20, ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2, PM Cup, and others. His dedication earned him the ‘Commitment Award’ from Monty Desai, the Indian professional cricket coach who is currently the head coach of Nepal national team. 

Despite an intense work schedule, his love for photography fuels him and keeps him going. “A major challenge in sports photography is expensive equipment and gear and there is no budget for it,” he says. But he says he has always managed to get his hands on whatever he needs to take good shots. He has borrowed equipment from friends or taken out loans to buy them himself.

Apart from good gear, a sound knowledge of sports is also necessary to take good photos of any sporting event. So Lamichhane constantly updates himself on what’s happening in the global arena. This helps him keep his eyes open for defining moments in a sports person’s life. 

Besides sports photography, which is his primary focus, he finds joy in street photography as well as capturing portraits. A good photo, he says, is hard work. You have to find the right angle and lighting and capture the emotion as well. People need to feel something when looking at a photo and Lamichhane wants people to connect with his work. 

Photography is a challenging but rewarding field, he says, and for those who want to pursue photography he only has one thing to say: “Be ready to learn and evolve. Your photography can be outdated if you always follow old, tried and tested ways.”