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Tihar is here. Diwali, Dipawali, or Tihar—this is the festival of fruits and sweets. Dashain was for meat lovers, but Tihar is turning into a purely vegetarian festival. And whenever we discuss celebrating Tihar in the Nepali community, people often ask, “Where are the Nepali mithais (sweets)?”

What are Nepali mithais? Is selroti actually a sweet item? Can we use it as a dessert? Personally, I don’t think selroti is a mithai. It’s a unique Nepali item, a celebration of Nepaliness. This is my opinion. You might feel differently. But the question remains, what are Nepali sweets?

I can provide a list of mouth-watering sweets available in the Nepali market: jeri, swari, halwa, lakhamari, lalmohan, anarasa, pustakari, gudpak, rasbari, laddu, barfi, peda, dudhbari, rasmalai, khoya badam, and rajbhog. And this is, by no means, an exhaustive list either.

Jeri, swari, halwa, lakhamari, anarasa, and lalmohan were the traditional Nepali sweets that used to be served by middle-class families to the Royal Palace of Kathmandu. However, the popularity of these traditional sweets has declined, and new kinds of sweets have taken over. You can find every sweet, from Indian to Turkish, in the luxury market of Kathmandu Valley, but do they carry the spirit of our festival?

Nepali Mithai is the delectable sweet treat that graces the tables of Nepali households. These desserts, deeply rooted in the country’s cultural and geographical diversity, offer a unique and delightful experience for your taste buds. Nepali Mithai comes in a variety of forms, each with its regional influences and distinct ingredients. These sweet delights are a true testament to the rich tapestry of Nepal’s culinary heritage.

Most Nepalis think that Nepali sweets are slowly losing their appeal, thanks to the infiltration of all the Indian sweets in the market. But I don’t believe in the geographical boundaries of culinary art. The food we now enjoy has likely reached our culture after traveling a long journey. For example, Anarasa, the most popular traditional Nepali sweet of the Tihar festival, has Indian roots. In India, it’s called anarsa or hilsa and is a rice-based biscuit. It’s also commonly associated with the Hindu festival of Diwali in Maharashtra and Bihar. Its ingredients include jaggery, rice, poppy seed, and ghee in India.

Then, if you claim that traditional Nepali sweets are dying, then what have you done to preserve them? The majority of Nepalis (including the Nepali diaspora) love to blame others for doing nothing, especially the government of Nepal and political parties. But if you want to preserve your culture, you have to do it. Miss Nepal 2019 Anushka Shrestha is doing her bit to preserve and popularize Nepali sweets through her brand Makkusé. Makkusé is redefining Nepali desserts by producing a selection of pustakari, gudpak, and cookies.

But now, let’s get back to the Tihar festival. Your favorite traditional sweet could be the anarasa or lakhamari or the versatile peda but mine is simple kurauni and kheer. One of the most beloved and universal Nepali sweets is kurauni. This sweet, condensed milk delight embodies the essence of Nepali childhood. It’s made by simmering milk until it reduces and thickens, resulting in a creamy, sweet concoction. The slow reduction process creates a unique depth of flavor, and it’s often garnished with crushed nuts and spices for an extra layer of richness. Kurauni is not just a dessert. It’s a trip down memory lane, a taste of innocence, and a reminder of the simplicity of life in Nepal.

Kheer, which is rice pudding, is another timeless Nepali dessert. It’s simple, yet it never fails to delight. A creamy mixture of rice, milk, and sugar, kheer is seasoned with cardamom and garnished with dried fruits and nuts. This dish embodies the essence of comfort food and is often prepared on special occasions and festivals, bringing families together over its sweet and heartwarming flavors.

Nepali mithai isn’t limited to these classics. The diversity of Nepal’s landscapes has given rise to a plethora of regional delicacies. The northern regions, influenced by Tibet, often feature rice flour and wheat flour-based sweets. These include the delicious khudo, a treat made from sugarcane molasses, and various Tibetan-inspired dumplings, which are both hearty and sweet.

In the Madhes region of Nepal, the sweets draw inspiration from neighboring India, featuring sugary, milk-based delights like sandesh (kalakanda), rasgulla, and gulab jamun. These treats are a testament to the cultural exchange that occurs across Nepal’s borders.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Nepali mithai is their natural, chemical-free preparation. The desserts have traditionally been made without the use of preservatives or additives. Instead, they rely on natural ingredients such as ghee (clarified butter), milk, and locally sourced flavors. This makes them delicious and a healthier option in a world inundated with processed sweets.

It’s essential to bring Nepali Mithai into the limelight. These delectable treats deserve recognition for their unique flavors, cultural significance, and the love and care that goes into making them. Let’s celebrate the sweetness of Nepal, share these delightful treats with the world, and ensure that the tradition of Nepali mithai continues to flourish. Let’s savor these natural, clean, and rich sweets that are a testament to the beauty of the Himalayan nation’s culinary heritage.

The author is a London-based Nepali R&D chef

Deepawali, which literally means ‘the row of lamps’ is celebrated as the festival of lights in the month of October or November (Asoj or Kartik), about a fortnight after Dashain. This festival is also called Tihar, which lasts for five consecutive days and is observed in honor of Laxmi, the goddess of wealth and good luck. It is the most friendly festival observed throughout Nepal and also India. Laxmi, the goddess of prosperity and good fortune is invited into every home. People enjoy five days of feasting and family gatherings. It also heralds the advent of autumn in Nepal. Natural scenery is very pleasant during this time of the year. 

The aroma of Deepawali pervades the atmosphere several days before the actual festival begins. During Deepawali, traditional lamps are lit with twisted cotton wicks (Batti) saturated with pure ghee or mustard oil in a small earthen bowl called Diya. So it is also called Diyabati. It is usually solemnized in the last week of October or the first week of November on the occasion of Amabasya or Aunsi (full dark night of Kartik) according to the Nepali lunar calendar. In this period, the sky is starry but the moon is missing in the milky sky throughout the whole night. A gentle, genial and warm weather continues and purifies the mind of the Nepali people during this festival. This festivity reflects true rejoicing and jubilation of the masses.

Laxmi Puja is observed on the auspicious occasion of Deepawali. This is the third day of Tihar when the sacred cow is worshiped with great honor. Hindus worship and regard the cow as their holy mother. So people worship the cow in the morning with garlands of flowers and apply red tika on her forehead. Thus the Hindus pay their tribute to the mother cow. The ceremony is solemnized with reverence in the morning hour of Deepawali. This tradition was initiated by the people of Ayodhya  to express their boundless joy when Lord Rama returned after 14 years’ exile. This is illustrated in the Ramayan.

A few days before Tihar, preparations are in full swing for cleaning and whitewashing to add a new look to houses and buildings. During this festival, houses, shops, offices, factories and mills are brightly decorated with lights. They are also illuminated with electric bulbs and traditional lamps. It is a time of lights and decorations. This type of illumination is done for five consecutive days, beginning from the first day of Tihar. But special light arrangements are done on the day of Laxmi Puja. Oil-fed traditional lamps light courtyards, doorways, roof-tops, verandahs and windows. All streets and roads are full of flags and beautiful banners. People stroll around in new clothes and buy sweets and gifts. 

After the illumination in the evening, the main part of Laxmi Puja is performed at night. An illuminated and well-decorated house is believed to draw the goddess of prosperity. This also makes for easy entrance of Laxmi to every house. It is believed that the goddess of wealth is ritually invited to enter the house and offer blessing to its occupants. For this purpose, a ritualistic drawing is made of purified cow-dung plaster to guide Laxmi through the main door. From the drawing, a trail of plaster of rice and red vermillion leads into the house and the room where Laxmi is worshiped with utmost devotion and dedication. 

A beautifully decorated image of Goddess Laxmi is placed before the family treasure box or safe, which contains hard cash, jewels and jewelleries, valuable documents, ornaments and cheque books. Prayers are offered, believing that the fortunes will grow.

Throughout the whole night the earthen lamps filled with ghee or pure mustard oil, are kept burning at the place where the goddess of wealth is worshiped. To please this prosperous and generous goddess of good luck all the doors and windows of the house are decorated attractively. Nobody wants to miss this golden opportunity. Thus there is competition in the worship of the wealth goddess. Everybody tries his best to welcome and please the goddess of prosperity. She loves lights and sacred cowrie shells. Children love to play with fireworks during Tihar, especially during Laxmi Puja. However, as free crackers could be dangerous and harmful, they are banned in Nepal these days.

It is understood that being the wife of Lord Vishnu, Laxmi is the paragon of beauty, who sprang from the fathom of the sea when Gods and the Demons churned the sea together. There was a tug-of-war between Gods and Demons. At last, Lord Vishnu chose her as his life partner. She wears a crown of jewels and garlands of scented flowers. Her arms are bedecked with heavenly gems. She is herself considered a valuable treasure of the ocean. She holds a conch shell in one hand, blossomed lotus in the other, a sheaf of rice in the third one and a jar full of nectar in her fourth hand. She loves to rest on a fully-blown lotus with her husband Vishnu under the shadow (hood) of Sheshnag (mythological snake).

The Nepalis worship this benevolent goddess and offer gifts and sweets to please her. She is believed to travel around the earth on an owl, her vehicle, making house-to-house inspection to see whether it is clean or not. Being a lover of light, she also observes whether a light is left burning throughout the whole night in her honor or not. She thus visits every house. If pleased, she protects all the valuable things and grain-stores of each family and grants prosperity for the coming year. For this purpose, every house is decorated with red powder, flowers and festoons. She likes to visit only those houses, which are fully prepared and artistically decorated. 

All monetary transactions are forbidden on this auspicious occasion. The only exception is the giving of small coins and food (Selroti) to small groups of Bhailo singers. Groups of singers go door to door singing and dancing and asking for money. This is a time-honored tradition. Girls are supposed to ask for money on this solemn occasion. Boys’ turn comes the next day, which is called Deusi. 

Deepawali is also considered auspicious for gambling. Before 1940, gambling was legal in Nepal during the five days of Tihar. Nowadays, it is banned in public according to the law but people still gamble in their houses. Happy gamblers assemble at certain houses; sit on carpets shouting their bets, throwing the cowrie shells. In the ancient days, cowrie shells were considered a medium of exchange. It is believed that Laxmi loves gambling. 

The final day of Tihar is spent in friendly family gambling. 

Before 1940, during the five days of Tihar troupes of musicians used to go around the town announcing that games were now open to all. Gambling seems to receive semi religious sanction during Tihar in the belief that it is pleasing to Goddess Laxmi.

Newars of the Kathmandu valley perform Mha Puja on the first day of the bright lunar fortnight of Kartik. It is the worship of one’s body or self. It is believed that the human body is divine and the heavenly spirit dwells in it. The Puja is performed for purifying the heart and the soul for the coming New Year. The day also honors Yama, the lord of death. 

On the last day of Tihar called Bhai Tika, sisters worship their brothers, who bestow blessings and benediction upon their sisters for a long and prosperous conjugal life. Sisters also pray to God for their brothers' long life and wish them success in all walks of life. 

There is no evidence to support that rigorous jail sentences reduce the number of hardcore criminals or violent acts perpetrated in a society. Correspondingly, there is no research which suggests that the convicts given a premature release through pardon have reformed themselves and rehabilitated in society.

When you read news stories that reveal that pardoned persons got arrested in connection with a crime, then you start believing that convicts cannot change. If convicts cannot change, then we are fooling ourselves by setting them free to walk under open sky.  

Recently, Lok Bahadur BK, one of the 670 convicts, who walked free on the basis of a presidential pardon granted on the Constitution Day (Sept 19) on the government’s recommendations for “exhibiting good conduct”, was again arrested for allegedly murdering Bhawana BK of Rukum district. Murder convict Yograj Dhakal Regal, doing a 20-year term, also got freed for a brief period, only to be arrested after a Supreme Court order.  

Pardoning hardcore criminals is nothing new in Nepal. Former lawmaker and Maoist leader Balkrishna Dhungel, awarded life term in 2004 for masterminding the murder of Ujjan Kumar Shrestha of Okhaldhunga during the Maoist insurgency in 1998 along with the confiscation of his property, had received a pardon in 2018 along with around 800 convicts. But the Supreme Court had issued an order against the government vis-a-vis the pardon granted to Dhungel.

Legal recognition

Article 276 of the Constitution of Nepal 2015 provides that the President of Nepal “may grant pardons to persons convicted, and suspend, commute, or reduce any sentence imposed by any court, judicial or quasi-judicial bodies or administrative officer or authority.” But this provision is not absolute in nature, as the prevailing criminal law of the land has put certain restrictions on the exercise of this power. 

Section 159(4) of the National Criminal Procedure Code, 2017 prohibits pardoning of people convicted of corruption charges; rape; genocide; human trafficking; money laundering; abduction or enforced-disappearance; (possession of) explosives; murder in a cruel and inhumane way; and narcotic drugs trafficking or transaction punishable by a sentence of imprisonment for a term exceeding three years.

The pardoning could help the convict walk free before the completion of the sentence so inflicted, but it does not necessarily mean they are innocent. In other words, pardoning could ensure a premature release but cannot eliminate the stigma or guilt.

Global precedent

The constitutional power to pardon is not a unique concept in Nepal. It was derived from the Royal Prerogative of Mercy. This power is delegated to the Lord Chancellor in England whereas in the United States (US), it’s secured under the constitutional scheme.

Article II, Section 2 of the US Constitution envisages that the President “shall have the Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.”

The Constitution of India also recognizes presidential power of pardoning under Article 72, which confers on the head of the state the power to grant pardons, reprieve, respite, and commute or reduce the sentence of any person convicted of any offense.

Unlike in the US, the president of India or Nepal does not act in person but on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.

Is it an absolute power?  

The Supreme Court of Nepal on November 2 in the case of Bharati Sherpa v the Office of the President, Kathmandu and Others observed that the remission, respite, reprieve, remission or commutation of the sentence should be based on public interest, prevailing laws and the rulings of the Supreme Court.

The presidential clemency for the sake of political adjustment or political bargaining shall amount to violation of the constitution and established legal norms, the Supreme Court of Nepal held in the case of Resham Lal Chaudhary and Others v Government of Nepal (2023). 

The author holds a degree in Constitutional Law

This is part 1 of a two-part series

As China assumes the presidency of the UN Security Council and the Presidents of China and the US meet in San Francisco on the sidelines of APEC summit this month, the two superpowers are expected to take serious steps to bring the conflicting parties— Israel-Palestine and Russia-Ukraine— into negotiating table for tangible outcomes.

As compliant partners and rational competitors, the two giants should work for the greater good of society, humankind and the universe, keeping in mind that they will be able to retain their prime positions only through decent leadership, equable and nimble rationality, amity and cooperation. 

Globalization and a corresponding drive toward neoliberalism had a role in shaping the global political order in the past. At present, the intricacy of ‘techno-geopolitics’ and ‘techno-nationalism’ is making a sway in digital, economic, social and democratic order thereby impelling a new global order.

‘Democracy’ is said to be in decline in many parts of the world, while its global state is ‘complex’, ‘fluid’ and ‘unequal’ in 2023 (Global State of Democracy Initiative). Considered to be a process rather than a “system” or any form of institution, democracy can come to a halt when it encounters critical threats from any actor— be it human or machine.

 “The human being ranks higher than machines and technology”, reads Article 12, Section 1 of the 1947 Constitution of Bremen, an entity of the German federal state, perhaps foreseeing the prospective supremacy of machines (AI) over humans. 

An Open Letter titled “Pause Giant AI Experiments” originally signed by a 1000-plus tech, social and AI leaders around the world on March 22, 2023 has garnered more than 33700 signatures, including that of this author. 

It reads, “Contemporary AI systems are now becoming human-competitive at general tasks, and we must ask ourselves: Should we let machines flood our information channels with propaganda and untruth? Should we automate away all the jobs, including the fulfilling ones? Should we develop nonhuman minds that might eventually outnumber, outsmart, obsolete and replace us? Should we risk the loss of control over our civilization? Such decisions must not be delegated to unelected tech leaders. Powerful AI systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks manageable…” 

Unlawful development and deployment of generative AI has heightened risks of weaponization of AI technology to the detriment of humanity and human civilizations. The extensive misuse of AI has been posing a serious threat to democracy and humanity through ‘deep-fakes’ or ‘scams’.

After a Covid-19 pandemic that continues to haunt humanity, the world is witnessing two major threats—the “tech threat” that is challenging the sovereignty of nations, posing crucial threats to democracy and impinging on personal sovereign dignity of individuals; and the “religious radicalism” that could foment civilizational clashes and lead to disastrous consequences like ethnic cleansing. These two threats can sweep human civilization by wreaking havoc around the world.

Civilization clashes—be it Hindu-Muslim conflicts or the Manipur violence in India, Islam-Christian tensions around the world after 9/11, Black-White racial clashes in the US, the Rohingya sweeping in Myanmar, ethnic conflicts in Africa or Middle-East or ethnic clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh, the  diplomatic fiasco between India and Canada that is deep-rooted to religious radicalism or the recent Hamas attack in Israel and the Israeli counter-attack that are fuelling Muslim-Jews clashes—all reflect domination of religion over religion, culture over culture, human over human, nation over nation, and civilization over civilization. These developments could permeate beyond national boundaries and end up challenging the existing global social, civilizational or democratic order. 

Transnational issues such as terrorism, war, crimes, financial issues, climate change, economic stability, energy and food security, intellectual property rights, cybersecurity, nuclear and AI threats, maritime security, poverty and pandemics are also causing chaos worldwide.  

The author is a geopolitical analyst. This article is part 2 of a three-part series