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Surreal landscapes. Stark rolling barren mountains. Desert-like basins and moraines. Massive canyon walls—carved up by the Kali Gandaki River. Eroded cliffs, redolent of giant anthills. Mysterious sky caves dug into craggy heights. That’s how Mustang stands apart as the most otherworldly. 

Hang on! One more characteristic sets Mustang apart—the notorious diurnal gust. The afternoons in Mustang get ripped by a gale-force wind with a speed of 30 to 40 knots (60 to 70 km per hour)—the record-high monitored by Jomsom Air Tower stands at 80 knots, nigh 150 km an hour.

In 2018, during a cycling trip to Lo Manthang, Upper Mustang, I got caught up in a horrible windstorm with three cycling mates, Khasing, Diwas, and Shayeet.  

Following a hearty breakfast of tsampa (naked barley) porridge laced with shu cha (Tibetan butter tea) and omelets at Chhusang (2,920m), we hopped into our mountain bikes, heading off to our next destination, Samar (3,660m).

The path in Chhusang led through rows of white-washed houses with narrow stone-laid alleys. We had to duck our heads in some places as we pedaled past gate-like exits built smack dab through the houses. Sheep horns and yak skulls hung on the walls in the pathways—a local religious custom and belief to ward off the village’s evil spirits.

After leaving the town behind, our eyes met arid landscapes as far as we could see. The November morning at eight had a chill, but the sun was up—no wind, though, contrary to our fear. As we gained elevation, we could see high precipices and eroded sandstone cliffs towering over the Kali Gandaki gorge.

After two hours across a desolate, treeless terrain, Chele (3,050m), a cluster of white-washed houses with neatly stacked fuel wood on flat roofs, appeared amidst a bit of greenery and barley fields. We stopped for tea and some refreshments. 

To our surprise, the weather remained calm with a light wind, albeit at 11 am. 

We thanked our stars since we had to grapple with high winds right after we began a day before from Kagbeni—the gateway to Upper Mustang.

Our joy was short-lived, however. Barely past noon, the wind gathered momentum and closed in upon us by afternoon. The wind had taken on a gale force as we huffed it up to Dajong la Pass (3,735m).

The grueling climb on that wind-swept incline seemed impossible, and I fell behind my junior partners. The situation turned for the worst; a massive dust storm hit hard—a fat chance to pedal against it. I dismounted and started shoving my bike.

But the wind was so fierce, and the dust and sand so blinding, I hastened to take shelter under a big rock and flopped on the ground, hugging my knees, my buff pulled over my face; still, I could feel the sand grains pelt my cheeks.

It got so ferocious I feared I might get buried under heavy dust and sand if it continued much longer; the wind carried virtually a wall of dust and fine sand, evocative of a ‘dust devil,’ visibility literally at naught.

The gale eased, though, and the dust, to my relief, settled down after half an hour. A motorbike came roaring up the incline, but as the track held ankle-deep powdery dust, it skidded and could only make it up the slope after being pushed by the pillion rider.

I dragged my bike up the rise—but with no sign of my companions.

I suddenly felt dizzy; my stomach groaned. As a diabetic, I had to replenish myself because we were late for lunch. Just when I thought and feared I would bonk out and relapse into hypoglycemia, Shayeet appeared.

Worried, he had come down to check on me while Khasing and Diwas waited at the crest. It took two small energy bars, three to four gulps of multigrain cereal, almost a bottle of electrolyte drink, and a half-hour rest before I finally felt revived to muster up enough courage to push my bike to the ridge.

A rock cairn marked the pass; prayer flags and flagpoles whipped madly as the wind lashed at them. The jeep track descended a gentle slope as we slid down a canyon into the valley of Samar. 

I sighed in relief as we ducked into the comfort of a lodge, the first in sight. The intense icy windstorm outside still whistled, swooshed, and howled—sounding utterly unnerving. 

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Nepal should step up efforts to join any sub-regional, regional and international organization whose objectives are compatible with her foreign policy objectives and priorities. 

With Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina and the UAE set to become its new members on Jan 1 next year, BRICS (comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) is one such organization that our country should make efforts to be a part of. The bloc aims to promote international peace, stability, cooperation and investment and these objectives are similar to Nepal’s foreign policy objectives. 

So, our country should make attempts to be a member of this grouping.

If our party—the CPN-UML—comes to power, we will intensify our engagements to join sub-regional, regional and international organizations whose vision, missions and objectives are in sync with our foreign policy objectives and priorities. Of course, BRICS is one of the organizations that we will strive to join. 

The author, a CPN-UML standing committee member, is the chief of the party’s foreign affairs department

Nepali Congress Central Working Committee (CWC) members have strongly criticized the government’s performance in an ongoing CWC meeting. They have raised concerns about the government’s failure to effectively manage governance, combat corruption, and revive the struggling economy.

The CWC members have further warned that the current economic crisis has the potential to escalate social tensions and lead to law and order issues. They have also urged Party President Sher Bahadur Deuba to reconsider the support it is lending to the Dahal-led government.

Pradip Paudel: Several of our party leaders hold ministerial portfolios in this government, but I cannot tell a single good thing that they have accomplished. The economy is heading toward disaster. Around 33 percent of shop space in Kathmandu is closed. The prices of essential goods and food grains are soaring. The party president should tell the government to address these pressing issues. It is crucial for the Nepali Congress to have a meaningful presence in the government. 

Binod Chaudhary: Our Central Committee is too much focused on political matters while the economic and development issues are taking a back seat. The government should develop a clear road map to bring back the youths who are working abroad and to revive the stagnant development works and ailing industrial sector. We have to understand the current problems faced by the business sector. As the largest party, the Nepali Congress should come up with a 10-year plan to address the challenges facing the country.

Ram Janam Chaudhry: In the absence of job opportunities at home, our youths are leaving the country in droves. Meanwhile, the economy is on the verge of collapse. The party leadership should strongly urge the Ministry of Finance, which is led by NC leader Prakash Saran Mahat, to come up with a clear strategy to address the economic challenges.

Rajiv Dhungana: The Nepali Congress is a significant part of this government. So it is essential to conduct a thorough evaluation of the government's performance. While the government has opened some corruption cases, people have not witnessed a decrease in corruption. In fact, corruption has increased under the current government. The law and order situation continues to deteriorate, and businesspeople face a host of challenges.

Bhim Parajuli: This government should take immediate action to address the economic crisis. The role of Minister for Home Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha is not satisfactory. He has taken a selective approach to controlling corruption, targeting only Nepali Congress leaders. Our party leadership has not adequately prepared for the political crisis unfolding in Koshi province.

Laxmi Pariyar: The ongoing economic crisis would lead to an increase in crime in society. Are there any initiatives from the government in order to address the crisis that the country is facing today? What is the government’s road map to end the current crisis? Small businesses are facing a lot of challenges. The Nepali Congress is leading the Finance Ministry, but it has done nothing to address the economic challenges.   

Shiva Humagain: There are problems both in the government as well as in the party. But there seems to be a distinct lack of discipline within our party. This became apparent when our leader Bal Krishna Khand was arrested without substantial proof, and a group of our leaders met Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha to thank him. As far as this government is concerned, it has failed to comprehend that the people are extremely frustrated. The cost of living is increasing and the economy is hurting, but the government seems to have no plans to address these challenges.      

Shankar Bhandari: The Nepali Congress should stand in favor of federalism and Hinduism. In the previous Mahasamiti meeting, we had submitted a memorandum demanding for the reinstatement of Hindu state, but the party had not acted on it. The upcoming Mahasamiti meeting should take up this agenda because there have been systematic efforts to attack the Hindu agenda. The party should also consider scrapping the federal structure, which has not only become a huge economic burden but also a threat to our national security. Supporting secularism and Hinduism may be the compulsion of some leaders, but it is fatal for the party as well as the country.

Shyam Ghimire: The Nepali Congress, as a largest party, should be able to provide a clear road map to the government as well as society in general. Currently, the people are deeply frustrated with the political and economic crises. Many of them blame us for these problems.

Jivan Bahadur Shahi: We are yet to prepare the legal as well as institutional mechanisms for effective implementation of federalism. There is a lack of clarity on the party's position on federalism and other issues. If the party does not like federalism, let’s get rid of it. If not, let’s take the initiative to formulate the laws required for federalism to function smoothly. 

Ramesh Lekhak: The main opposition, CPN-UML, is not playing a constructive role in Parliament. This has created a lot of problems. The UML is obstructing the House even on tiny issues and as a result, Parliament is not performing its duties effectively. The Nepali Congress should take the necessary steps to address this situation.

Surendra Raj Pandey: There has been an all-round attack on federalism. Our party does not have a clear position on federalism and secularism. Our ruling political parties are not serious about formulating laws to implement federalism. Do we want to keep federalism or do we want to dismantle it? As the largest party, the Nepali Congress should come up with a clear position.

A couple of years ago, I watched the Netflix adaptation of ‘Behind Her Eyes’ by Sarah Pinborough. It was a slow-burn thriller about a single mother who unwittingly becomes a part of twisted mind games when she begins an affair with her psychiatrist boss while secretly befriending his mysterious wife. The ending shocked me. I hadn’t seen it coming. I really enjoyed the series but I wished I had read the book before watching it.

So naturally I was excited to come across ‘Insomnia’ by Pinborough. Reading the blurb and the reviews I was sure it was a gripping and unsettling psychological thriller. But it took me a while to get through Insomnia because it was so dark and dense. I’d have to put down the book after a few chapters to process what I had just read.

The plot is actually creepy. Emma has a great life: a successful career as a lawyer, a husband, Robert, and two children, Chloe and Will. But she’s unable to sleep and that is really messing with her head. Emma’s insomnia causes blackouts, makes her doubt her actions and question everything and everybody around her. When the police become involved, Emma starts wondering what she is capable of.

Emma and her older sister Phoebe grew up in foster care after their mother was admitted to a psychiatric facility on her 40th birthday. As Emma’s 40th birthday approaches and she finds herself struggling to sleep, she fears the ‘bad blood’ that made her mother go mad is affecting her too. She can’t trust her husband or her sister, both of whom are hiding things from her. Worse, her son Will is terrified of her and her daughter Chloe is a rebellious teenager.

There is a lot going on and it is all very paranoia-inducing. It’s difficult to trust any of the characters in the book. Everyone seems to have a sinister motive behind their actions. Or is Emma the real villain, her own worst enemy who is as deluded and psychotic as everyone around her is claiming she is? The horror/thriller aspect of the story is subtle but disturbing. It comes unexpectedly and takes root in your heart and mind.

Reading Insomnia also makes you wonder what traits you have inherited from your family. Do we all become our parents and embrace their faults and weaknesses? I can’t say I loved the book but I enjoyed reading it. I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for a scary book to get lost in during the weekend.

Fiction

Insomnia

Sarah Pinborough

Published: 2023

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 342, Paperback