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Mithila is an ancient and artistic land on the map of the world with a rich and renowned cultural legacy. Janakpur, its capital and now the capital of Madhes Province, is a living museum of magnificent arts and crafts. Religious themes are the prime source of inspiration behind the emergence of Mithila art and its religious reference often goes back to the Bhagwat Puran.

Shashibhushan Chaudhary, in his book titled ‘Ethnic Settlement in Ancient India’, writes, “The Bhagwat refers to the Maithili in general” and says its inhabitants were skilled in arts and crafts.

However, it is impossible to trace the exact origin of Mithila art. The excavation and exploration at Murtiya of Sarlahi district, Simraungarh of Bara, Dhanushadham of Dhanusha, and Matihani and Jaleshwor of Mahottari, all located in the Madhes, apparently show that the colossal folk images of various gods and goddesses are made of stone. And these images and idols found in these places obviously bear religious overtones. They are the obvious manifestations of the work of both imagination and spirituality.

Maithil people, traditionally religious minded, paint the images of their favorite gods and goddesses like Shiva, Krishna, Hanuman, Kali, Ganesh, Vishnu and their vehicles too. They also paint pictures of newlyweds seated in a palanquin surrounded by the wedding party. During the wedding ceremony, an auspicious occasion in Maithil society, local people create very special objects of art known as ‘Kohabar’. 

A separate room is set and decorated tastefully with several motifs for its celebration. This painting is done in the inner as well as outer walls of the Kohabar Ghar (honeymoon house). As a popular social practice, its main motto is to increase sexual potency and fertility of newly-married bride and bridegroom. This special painting is drawn on the walls of the house in three places: The Gosaighar (special room for family gods), the Kohabar Gharak-Koniya (corridor or outside of the Kohabar Ghar) and especially decorated and designed for a newly married couple’s room.

These wall paintings are wonderfully depicted by the illiterate women folk of Mithila, and they are quite attractive to look at. They express their artistic sentiments and skills on various occasions, the outer walls of Kohabar are decorated with the paintings of rural life such as a palanquin with its four carriers, shady fruit trees like those of mango, banana, Kadamba and Ashoka. They also paint love-scenes of Lord Krishna and his constant companion Radha with Gopinis. The use of the mango branch or leaves is frequent during the wedding rites of Maithil society. Mango twigs are also used for lighting the sacred fire to purify the Kohabar Ghar. 

Tying the wedding booth with mango leaves customarily signifies the importance of the mango tree as a source of fertility. The newly married couple spends the night of Chaturthy (fourth night of marriage) at Kohabar Ghar. Traditionally, it is mandatory for the married couple to celebrate their marriage in the Kohabar Ghar in the presence of all the deities and umpteen sacred symbols of fertility depicted around the walls of their houses. The bridegroom’s Kohabar has only satt pattas (seven leaves) against 15 leaves in the bride’s Kohabar. This motif of Mithila art is painted in yellow. These paintings can be categorized into two types.

Firstly, the depiction of favorite gods and their consorts like Shiva and Parvati, Radha and Krishna, and Vishnu and Lakshmi, who are believed to bring blessings to newly married couples, and secondly, there are various sketches of animals and plants like elephants, fish, parrots, turtles, bamboo and lotus, which imply fertility as well as peace and prosperity. It is believed that paintings of these symbols bring good fortunes to newly married couples and also bless them to have progeny.

Nature, being the perfect and perennial source of inspiration, is the main theme of Mithila art. So, the women folk of Mithila often depict lovely flowers like the lotus and its leaves, bamboo and the betel leaf. They also like to paint animals like horses, elephants, peacocks and so on as well as gods and goddesses. All these carry symbolic significance in Mithila art. The elephant, horse and palanquin, for example, suggest royalty and richness while the sun and moon are the symbols of good luck. The bamboo represents the future and stands for progeny and prosperity. It also stands for purity and prosperity. 

As the humid climate of the Tarai flatland is suitable for bamboo cultivation, the traditional Mithila paintings depicting sparrows gamboling in bamboo groves is a popular motif. Another important aspect of Mithila painting is Aripan or Aipan in the Maithili language. It is also called Alpna. It is like Rangoli. A kind of floor painting, it is depicted on various auspicious occasions such as janau or Vratbandh (the sacred thread ceremony), Chhathiyar (sixth day rites of a newborn). Mundan (tonsuring ceremony of a child), puberty, conception, initiation into learning, and marriage. 

Coincidently, this form of Mithila art is also drawn in several parts of neighboring India under different names like Alpna in West Bengal, Mandala in Rajasthan and Rangoli in Gujarat. In Bhojpuri areas of Nepal and India, it is famous as Chaukpurna,while in the whole Mithila region it is known as Aripan.

Besides Kohabar and Aripan, Mithila folk art has five distinctive styles — Bharni, Katchni, Tantric, Godna (tatoos), Gobar (Cow dung painting).

Now they are also depicted on clothes, handmade papers and canvases, utensils, pen stands, table clothes and generally they depict various gods and goddesses and other village deities for satisfaction and gratification and fulfillment of local people’s inner desires. Nowadays, they also paint the popular story of Raja Salhesh (Salhesh, the king of Dusadh caste). These paintings are also suitable and sustainable for women’s empowerment.

The recent change in the governing coalition has cast a shadow over the upcoming investment summit scheduled for April 29-30 in Kathmandu. Former finance minister Prakash Sharan, who was leading the summit preparations, has been replaced by Barsha Man Pun. Before the coalition shift, Sharan had been actively engaging with various international stakeholders to organize the summit. Now, the responsibility falls on Finance Minister Pun to ensure its success.

The government is relying on significant foreign investment to recover from the current economic crisis. However, with less than a month until the summit, preparations seem to be moving slowly. Despite pledges to amend numerous laws and regulations to create a more investment-friendly environment, officials report that progress in this regard has been sluggish.

Officials at the Office of the Investment Board Nepal (OIBN) note that the change in the ruling alliance has hampered preparations for the summit. While Finance Minister Pun has urged officials to expedite preparations, the process of amending laws has not gained momentum, partly due to the federal parliament being preoccupied with political issues. 

In addition to summit preparations, the Ministry of Finance is busy with drafting principles and priorities for the fiscal year 2024/25 budget and a new five-year plan. This leaves Finance Minister Pun with limited time to focus on the investment summit.

Several committees have been formed by the government to prepare for the summit, each with specific responsibilities. The finance minister leads the Steering Committee, while the chief secretary heads the Implementation Committee, the industry secretary leads the Technical Committee, and the CEO of OIBN leads the secretariat. 

The Steering Committee initially decided to amend 10 laws and two regulations to signal to investors that the investment environment in Nepal has improved. However, priorities seem to have shifted following the sudden change in power dynamics.

A task force, chaired by the Office of the Prime Minister Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal, has been established to propose amendments to laws and regulations related to foreign investment. Its recommendations include amendments to various acts and regulations, including the Industrial Enterprise Act-2020, Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act-2019, Special Economic Zone Act-2016, Forests Act-2019, and National Parks and Wildlife Protection Act-1973, to improve the investment climate in Nepal.

Additionally, the task force has also suggested amendments to the Lands Act-1964, Land Acquisition Act-1977, Environment Protection Act-2019, Electronic Transactions Act-2008, Civil Aviation Act-1959, Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Regulations-2021, and Forest Regulations-2023.

In addition to the amendments to laws, officials say the process of selecting projects for the summit has also been affected. While the implementation and technical committees have evaluated approximately 130 projects, final selections have yet to be made.

Notable projects evaluated by the committees include the Rs 104bn China-Nepal Friendship Industrial Park, the Rs 85.83bn Upper Marsyangdi-2 Hydropower Project, and the $21.02bn 40 MW solar project in Kohalpur and Banganga. Several other projects like industrial zones, special economic zones, hydropower projects, solar and wind energy projects, and reservoir projects have also been submitted for consideration to the Investment Summit Secretariat.Besides, provincial governments and the private sector have also submitted projects for inclusion in the summit. 

In the 2019 Investment Summit, the government had showcased 77 projects, including 27 from the private sector, covering sectors such as energy, infrastructure, agriculture, education, and health. Although investors expressed interest in over three dozen projects, investment agreements were signed for only 15 projects.

International investors have expressed concerns about Nepal's bureaucratic hurdles and various restrictions, hindering their willingness to invest.

For instance, American private investors are keen to invest in Nepal’s tourism, medical, and other sectors. But they are unsure about the investment environment in Nepal. Prospective investors in China and India too have concerns about funding projects in Nepal. Their concerns range from a bad investment environment to unstable politics to problems related to labor issues and exit plans. 

This will be the third summit in recent history, following those held in 2017 and 2019, with the government aiming to showcase Nepal as an emerging destination for global investors, particularly in green energy, tourism, agribusiness, and the IT sector.

Minister Pun emphasizes the government's commitment to ensuring the protection and security of investments, as well as providing efficient facilitation throughout the business cycle.

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Proposed areas for international investors 

• Agro processing 
• Education 
• Health 
• Energy 
• ICT 
• Manufacturing 
• Mines and minerals 
• Tourism 
• Transport 
• Urban development 

Why is Nepal a preferred destination for investment?

• 57 percent population is between 15-59 
• Low-cost of Labor 
• Nepal is a member of SAARC 
• BIPPA agreement with five countries 
• DTAA agreement with 11 countries 
• Treaty of Trade and Transit with India
• Treaty of Transit and Transport with China 
• 100 percent ownership to foreigners 
• Repatriation holiday 
• Competitive corporate tax system 
• Private-sector friendly laws
• Market access to two Asian giant India and China 
• Easy visa service

On a fine Sunday morning, as I sat braiding the hair of my five-year-old sister, she looked up at me with big, hopeful eyes and asked if I could give her a makeover to make her look as beautiful as Cinderella. I asked: Why? Still a cute little baby, she said: “So that I could find a prince who will make me a queen.”

This seemingly witty response of my sister made me ponder upon how these fairy tales have been shaping highly flawed and toxic gender norms and standards for beauty even in today’s society. That a woman’s goal is only to be “accepted” by a man, as someone who cannot ever stand on her own. She is in a perpetual struggle for the mercy of a man—somebody must take control of her. In fact, she has been learning so much before she would start her formal education, which hardly enables young brains like hers to question any such conventional norms.

As a child, anyone would be captivated by the story of a young Cinderella who overcomes difficulty and finds her prince and lives happily ever after. Every child, even in today’s modern society, does yearn for his or her own fairytale ending, just like Cinderella’s. But as one grows up and gains a deeper understanding of the surrounding, one starts questioning the underlying messages embedded within Cinderella’s story — only if the education system develops in them a faculty for critical thinking. The realization that Cinderella is a narrative that conserves the notion that a woman’s identity is shaped solely by societal expectations and the acceptance of a man. It fails to embrace the concept of female independence and empowerment.

For real empowerment, there is a need for instilling a thought in our young generation to discern the inconsistencies that exist within Cinderella’s story. Why did Cinderella feel the need to adapt and change herself to fit into those stunning glass slippers? Why was her worth so closely tied to a prince’s recognition and validation? These questions should also be naturally popped up among growing young minds, in order to prompt a deep introspection and a desire to challenge the limiting beliefs imposed upon women.

One aspect that troubles child psychologists is Cinderella’s physical transformation, which plays a key role in her story. It emphasizes the significance placed on external beauty and continues to nurture the harmful notion that a woman’s worth is determined solely by her physical appearance. This narrative supports society’s pressures to adhere to narrow beauty standards, hindering the worth of a woman’s inherent value beyond her looks. It is high time we beat these restrictions and let both boys and girls embrace their true identities.

Cinderella’s story propagated the belief that a woman’s happiness and fulfillment revolve solely around finding a prince to save her. However, authentic relationships are built on mutual respect, equality, and the acceptance of one another’s true selves. Let a free mind of the 21st century, of whatever sex or gender, seek partnerships that celebrate their individuality, cherishing themselves for who they are rather than who they are expected to be. The flawed fairy tales should be deconstructed to let our new generation no longer wait for someone to hand them the key to their dreams. Instead, we should take charge of our own destiny. True empowerment originates from within—it comes from believing in our own abilities and trusting our intuition.

We, as women, are the authors of our own stories. We possess the capability to achieve greatness and create our own happily ever after on our own terms. So, let us free ourselves from the confines of Cinderella’s story and rewrite our own narratives that celebrate our strength, resilience and unwavering independence.

Among the busy crowd of bustling Kathmandu, I corner my scooter aside to the pavement and check my phone for calls. A pedestrian prances along and asks ‘Pathao ho?’—I deny. Just minutes later the same question was asked. I retorted, “I am not a Pathao driver.”

It sure becomes infuriating when I am a college student waiting for my future to clear out like the Kathmandu road but am nagged with people when I come to a halt. Their only assumption of me being a Pathao driver is the arachnoid mobile holder—I don’t have it, and yet again the question is presented.

I take off my helmet to act cool and nonchalant but people can be brave and reluctant with hurried questions. They are more disgusted by me not being the driver much more than I am pretending to not be one. The questionnaires are used to being asked by the drivers in a larger monopolistic way to take anyone from anywhere to everywhere.

Are people not phased with the threats that come with offline usage? The rampant entrusting of your security is whittled to a stranger. According to some customers, platform-based ridesharing fills an important void in the poorly provided and poorly functioning public transport sector of Kathmandu (Pg-21) yet the trust is frayed. You can only rely on the Nepali hospitality and humility. It is widespread now, for walkers to save money and go off the record with the vacant pillion seats as much of the fares demanded are lessened offline.

Section 8 (2) of the Vehicle and Transport Management Act 1993 states that no private motor vehicle shall be used for the transport service.  Section 12 (1) of the Act also states vehicles registered for one purpose cannot be used for another. So, I can’t be malevolent, can I?

The website Pathao clearly mentions that the riders are ‘not the employees of Pathao’ and are based on a freelancing model and only the concerned individual parties shall be solely responsible for the claims, judgements and liabilities that result from any accident, loss or damage, and not the company or Pathao. 

Another famed app InDrive, mentions on its General Terms of Use that any decision to offer or accept the Services is an ‘independent decision’ made in each user’s sole discretion at the user’s own risk. InDrive has a plus point as passengers offer the price and the drivers counteroffer seemingly as a colloquial Nepali style of bargaining. Less fares yet the company is not responsible for any damages or losses incurred. The initial fare, as should be determined based on a minimum distance of three kilometers. 

Some of these drivers are incautious and unwary of the traffic around, as they swerve across lanes without giving a side light increasing the risk to not just the passenger but to other common drivers and pedestrians. I know this because I have ridden on one.

The ride-sharing companies do give ample employment but the malice and greed of the drivers to earn a little bit more ruins everything. Even mixing in the honest working class.

Wonder if I could charge the galling people with my expensive petrol money… or play the bargain game which I am bound to lose. But unfortunately, I am not a Pathao driver.

The author is a student of Journalism and Mass Communication at St Xavier’s College, Maitighar