Eco-friendly cycles- Letters to the Editor

Read fromThe Kathmandu Post

Anil Bhattarai’s article on eco-friendly bicycles is not just a good read but also practical (“It’s embarrassingly simple,” Dec.1, Page 6). I, time and again, have been in Cold War with my friends on the feasibility of this go-green-ride in the Kathmandu Valley. They say it is improper and inappropriate in modern Kathmandu. They even blame the topography and the narrow roads without bicycle lanes for why they cannot pedal around.

It has been almost one-and-a-half month since I started cycling. This experience has proven to me beyond doubt that the only reason why our brothers and sisters do not cycle is their wrong perception about cycling.

Bicycle was a ‘low-class’ thing for me a few months ago. But now I lament the days I cried with my parents for a petrol-bike. The concept of ‘riding bicycle to fight climate change’ is not that compatible to our society. But it surely can contribute to the fight against pollution, ill health of valley dwellers and fuel crisis. We ought to pedal to ensure our sustainable future.

Rajan Kathet

Kathmandu University,

Member of Kathmandu Cycle City 2020

Chyangba & da Bloody Revolution

काठमाडौँ विश्वविद्यालयको CV Raman Hall को stage मा जोडले कराएर गाउने रहर थ्यो । प्रज्वल बस्नेत दाईको ड्रम र साथी दिवस मानन्धरको music back-up मा गाउन पाउनु मजस्ता चानचुनेको लागि भाग्यकै कुरा हो । काठमाडौँ विश्वविद्यालय होस्टेल वेलकम २००९ मा जे होस् गाइयो ।।

Hostel Welcome,7 Nov. 2009, C.V. Raman Auditorium, KU

Song- Chyangba & the Bloody revolution
Vocals- Rajan Kathet
Back Vocals and lead guitar- Diwash Manandhar
Rhythm- Bhabuk Koirala
Bass- Kul Shrestha
Drums- Prajwal Basnet
Original song by: 1974 AD
Camera- Ratan "Murda"

"Chyangba & da Bloody Revolution"

वरपर गाउँभरी हल्ला छ
पल्लोमा घरको च्याङ्बा चाहिँ
उता लाहुरेमा होकि काँ गा'हो
दुई चार महिना नै भइसक्यो
यता आपा र आमालाई सुर्ताले मार्यो नि ल है ...............

आघुन आउने मंसिरमा
बिहे मा हुने पो कुरा थ्यो
पल्लोमा घरको मैच्याङ्नि
बेहुली मा हुने पो कुरा थ्यो

गाउँभरी त हल्ला अर्कै भो
च्याङ्बा भने कतै लाग्या हो

'Can't stop this bloody revolution
who livin' in the world full of confusion'

यता आपा र आमालाई सुर्ताले मार्यो नि ल है ...............

TOWARDS CYCLE-FRIENDLY KATHMANDU BY 2020

(Read from The Himalayan Times) The Kathmandu Cycle City 2020 group, a youth group, which has taken an initiative to make Kathmandu a cycle-friendly city by 2020, organised a talk programme at CV Raman Auditorium, Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel on October 11. At the programme `Cycle: An Eco-Friendly Means of Transport', Dr Bhola Thapa, Dean, School of Engineering, and Dr Panna Thapa, Dean, School of Science, felicitated world cyclist Puskar Shah, who was also the chief guest of the programme.

Cyclist Shah, who recently completed his 11-year-long world tour of 150 countries, shared his sweet and bitter experiences at the event. He further explained about the benefits of using a bicycle and also assured to help the group. Constituent Assembly members, student leaders and environmentalists were also present at the programme.

The 10-year-long ambitious programme to promote the cycling culture is expected to focus not only on multiplying the number of cycle users but also on developing safe and sound infrastructure for cycling. The project also intends to make bike users, who use bikes even to travel very short distances, use cycles. To develop cycling as one of the most used transport choices, the project will use various trainings to encourage people.

The youth group was formed with an aim to improve the quality of environment, health and transportation infrastructure by promoting the use of eco-friendly means of transport, bicycle.

To create a cycle-friendly environment around the city and encourage people from all classes to use cycles is also one of the plans of this group.

The members of this group see cycling as a sustainable and viable means of urban transportation and aspire to make it happen in reality.

The cycling promotion campaign includes a series of activities like formation of lo cal cycling clubs and advocacy for cycling, which will motivate people to use bicycles more. The group also plans to celebrate Kathmandu Cycle Day 09 on November 21 by organising a cycle rally.

STUDENT REPORTER - TOWARDS CYCLE-FRIENDLY KATHMANDU BY 2020

The Kathmandu Cycle City 2020 read more...

कुसुमे रुमाल-२ को छिनोफानो

“पहाडको आँसु बोकी खोला बगेजस्तो, मायालुको आँसु बोक्ने कुसुमे रुमाल”
प्रकृतिको काखमा बसेर रचिएको यो गीत सुन्दै अनेकौँ पहाडहरू फोरेर बगेको दूधकोशीको किनारमा बालुवासँग जुध्दै म पाईला लम्काउँदै थिएँ । मेरो लागि यो माथिको लाईनले रमात्रै अर्थ बोक्यो पहिलो चोटी । कुरा अस्ति दशैँ मनाएर काठमाडौँ फर्किँदाको हो । एक रातको कठीन र ठेलाठेल बसयात्रा पछि कोठा पुग्ने बित्तिकै म झोला फ्याँकेर गोपीकृष्ण हलतिर लागेँ जहाँ धमाधम कुसुमे रुमाल-२ प्रदर्शन भईरहेको थियो । विशिष्ट श्रेणीको टिकट काटेर म गोपी हलको बालकोनीतिर उक्कालो लागेँ ।

युवानिर्मित चलचित्र भनेपछि जोसहरू आफैँ उम्रिएर आउँछन्। कम्तिमा पनि फूलबारी डान्स र चोभारे फाइट को आशा हुँदैन । कमजोर पात्रको रुपमा प्रस्तुत नायिकाको बचाउ चित्कार सुन्नुपर्दैन । नेपाली चलचित्र भनेर नाक कोप्र्याउनु पर्दैन । परम्परागत स्वादलाई त्यागेको नयाँपनको आशा हुन्छ । जहाँ चरित्र र संवादहरूलाई राम्रोसित नियालिएको हुन्छ । र, केही हदसम्म कुसुमे रुमाल-२ ले ति आशाहरूलाई तुहिन दिएको छैन । यसले कागबेनीले थालेको नयाँपनको यात्रालाई अगाडि बढाउन खोजेको छ । यसले नेपाली समाजका आधुनिक युवाहरूको प्रतिनिधित्व गर्न प्रयास गरेको छ । यसले युवाहरूको मुटु राम्रोसित छामेको छ । यहाँ युवाहरू सही ढङ्गले पस्किएका पाईन्छन् । कतै युवाहरूको जोस, चाहना, अश्लिलता त कतै अराजकता, यसले केही पनि बाँकि छोडेको छैन । हिँजो नायिकाले नाइटो देखाउँदा सेन्सर गर्न तम्सिने सेन्सर बोर्डलाई वाल्वाल्ती पारिदिएको छ ।

यस चलचित्रमा पहिलो कुसुमे रुमालका अभिनेता-अभिनेत्री तृप्ती नाडकर र निर शाहको कुशलता पनि हेर्न पाईन्छ । निर शाह एकदमै छोटो भूमिकामा भए पनि एकपटक उनले सबैलाई हल्लाई छाड्छन् । चरित्रहरूको उचित छनौटले सुनमा सुगन्ध थपेको छ । नायक निरज बराल र नायिका रूबी भट्टराईले चलचित्रलाई अन्याय गरेका छैनन् । सक्दो प्रयास गरेका छन् उनीहरूले । सहरी परिवेशमा बनेको यस चलचित्रका चरित्रहरू पनि राम्रोसित सुहाएका र जमेका छन् सिवाय चलचित्रकी दोस्री नायिका उषा रजक जसमा भने केही खोट देखिएको छ । कतै कतै उनी अभिनय गर्न खोजिरहेकी जस्ती देखिन्छिन् । बोल्न खोज्छिन् बोली मिल्दैन, रुन खोज्छिन् ओठ मिल्दैन । अन्य चरित्रहरू कुनै पनि ठाउँमा चुकेका छैनन् ।

प्राविधिक पक्ष यसको सबैभन्दा सबल पक्ष हो । निरक पौडेलको निर्देशन उत्कृष्ट छ । चरित्रहरूमा हुनुपर्ने हाउभाउलाई उनले चिन्न सकेका छन् । उनीहरूको लवाइखवाइ, बोलाइ, हिँडाइ आदि सबै चालचलनमा उनले ध्यान पुर्याएका छन् । सङ्गीतमा पाश्चात्य मोह पाईए पनि चरित्र र विषयवस्तुभित्र समेटिएर र सुहाएर बसेको छ । कथा र सङ्गीतको घुलमेल उत्कृष्ट छ । आँखा जुध्दा टुरूरू बज्दैन । नायिका नायकको बाहुपासमा परेपछि प्रेमगीत बज्न थाल्दैन । झरनाको मुनि नृत्य सुरु हुँदैन । क्यामेराले सही कोणहरू समात्न सकेको छ । अनावश्यक लगातार क्लोज-अपहरूलाई यसले अस्विकार गरेको छ । खिचाइमा नवीनताको आभास हुन्छ । चलचित्र सुरु हुँदा दृश्य सम्पादनमा कमजोरी देखिए पनि पछि सबल हुँदै जान्छ ।

सरल कथामा आश्रित हुने प्रयास गरेको देखिन्छ कुसुमे रुमाल-२ ले । कथा नौलो नभए पनि देखाउने तरिकामा नयाँपन दिने फरक शैली झल्किएको पाईन्छ । अनावश्यक तिलस्मीपना र संयोगहरूबाट यसले टाढै रहन प्रयास गरेको छ । सरल जीवन पनि एउटा कथा हो भन्ने विश्वासमा यो अडिग रहन खोज्छ र यसको पहिलो हाल्फ् कुनै क्लाइमेक्स् बिना नै सकिन्छ । तर दोस्रो हाल्फ् मा यो चलचित्रलाई बिनासित्तिमा लम्ब्याइएको छ । साँढे दुई घण्टा देखि ३ घण्टाको परम्परागत शैलीलाई जीवीतै राख्न अनावश्यक घटनालाई जोडिदिइएको छ । यस पक्षले कुसुमे रुमाल-२ लाई केही कमजोर बनाएको छ ।

कुसुमे रुमाल-२ का कमी-कमजोरी र त्रुटीहरूमा चलचित्रले बोकेको अश्लिलता पहिलो नम्बरमा पर्न जान्छ । यो पूर्ण पारिवारिक हुन सकेको छैन । अश्लिलता उच्चकोटीको नभए पनि कम भने चाहिँ पक्कै छैन । यसका अघि हिन्दी चलचित्रहरू कम पर्न जान्छन् । हलिउडलाई धक्का दिन नसके पनि बलिउडलाई चाहिँ पछारिदिएको छ । सबै वर्गका लागि यो चलचित्र उचित बन्न असफल छ । युवा, वस्यक र वृद्द वर्गले यो चलचित्रबाट पूर्ण मनोरञ्जन प्राप्त गर्न सक्छन् भने केटाकेटीहरूलाई यसबाट टाढा राख्नु नै उचित ठहरिन जान्छ । सायद यसले अश्लिलता व्यापक रहने जमात र वर्गलाई मात्र लक्षित गर्न खोजेको हुन सक्छ । नयाँपन खोज्ने र अँगाल्ने क्रममा कुसुमे रुमाल-२ ले केही हदसम्म चुक्नु परेको पनि छ । शैली नयाँ छ । कथा पुरानो छ । मिश्रित छ । यसले नयाँपनको यथार्थ आभासलाई समर्थन गर्न सकेको छैन । यसले विदेशी चलचित्रको नक्कल गरेर नौलो स्वाद पस्किन खोजेको जस्तो भान पार्छ । कहिले रङ्ग दे वसन्ती, कहिले हम तुम, कहिले मै हुँ ना, कहिले कुच कुच होता है त कहिले दि वाल्क टु रिमेम्बरको झल्को दिईरहन्छ । साथै यसले अमेरिकन पाइले सिकाएको पाठको पनि आदर गरेको छ । समग्रमा मीठो खिचडी बनेको छ नवनिर्देशक निरक पौडेल निर्देशित चलचित्र कुसुमे रूमाल-२ ।

कथावस्तु नवीन नभए पनि प्रयोग नवीन छ । किस्मतजस्तो चलचित्रलाई हामी वर्षको सर्वोत्कृष्ट चलचित्र बनाउन सक्छौँ भने हामीले कुसुमे रुमाल-२ र यसमा देखिएका प्रयासहरूको आदर र सम्मान गर्न सक्नुपर्छ । यसले चखाउन खोजेका नवीन स्वादहरूको पान गर्न सक्नुपर्छ । हाम्रा चलचित्रमा देखिन थालेका यस्ता फरक धारहरूलाई अझ प्रोत्साहन गर्न सक्नुपर्छ । नेपाली चलचित्रले स्वरुप फेर्न लागिरहेको यो मिर्मिरेमा, यो महत्त्वपूर्ण समयमा, उदाइरहेका ज्योतिहरूको सम्मान गरेर प्रोत्साहनको बाटोतिर लम्किनुपर्छ । छिरिङ रितार शेर्पा, नवीन सुब्बा, भुषण दाहाल, मनोज पण्डित, निरक पौडेल लगायत अन्य जोसहरूलाई मर्न दिनुहुँदैन । र, त्यसपछिको फेरिएको समयले अवश्य पनि गुहार माग्नेछैन । नेपाली चलचित्रहरूलाई माया गरौँ भन्नेजस्ता बकम्फुसे स्वरहरू टि.भि. र पत्रपत्रिकामा बज्ने र छापिने छैनन् । उज्ज्वल रहने छ नेपाली चलचित्रहरुको आउने भविष्य । युवाहरूद्वारा निर्मित त्यो भविष्य, त्यो युगले अन्तराष्ट्रिय धरातलमा नेपाली चलचित्र उद्योगको छाप छोड्नेछ ।

निर्माणको निमित्त भनेर (Nirman ko Nimitta Bhanera)

कसरी अल्पेछ नि एउटा दु:ख सागरमा जीवन निर्माणको निमित्त भनेर । कसरी अल्पेछन् नि सोझा नेपालीहरू एउटा सामन्त समयको भुँडीभित्र जीवन निर्माणको निमित्त भनेर । कसरी अल्पेछन् नि निमूखा जनहरू एउटा अँध्यारो र हृदयविदारक इतिहासको पानाभित्र जीवन निर्माणको निमित्त भनेर ।

मङ्गलसिंह मानविर, धनमान मगर र जेठाजस्ता कैयौँ निमुखा र सोझा नेपाली जीवनको सफल प्रतिनिधि र अभिव्यक्ति हो । ठेकेदार बीरबहादुर लामा थोरै सामन्त नेपाली समाज र जीवनको सत् चित्रण र उदाहरण हो । यो ठेकेदार कडा श्रम गर्ने जीवनहरुको खून चुसेर मात्ने वर्गको प्रतिनिधि हो । मङ्गलसिंह आफ्नो सुन्दर परिवारको निर्माणको निमित्त भनेर भोटाङ्को पहाडमा डकर्मीको काम गर्छ । दार्जिलिङ चिया कमानमा आफ्नी आमा र नयाँ दुलहीलाई छोडी केही जोहो गर्न भनेर ऊ काम खोज्दै यो ज्यानमारा भिरमा आइपुगेको हो । ज्यान नै माग्ने चिसो ठिहीजस्ता प्राकृतिक सन्तापसँग जुधेर पसिना र रगतले निर्माण गर्छन् मङ्गले र धनेहरू । अनि बीरबहादुरजस्ता ठेकेदारहरू न्याना सिरकमा गुटुमुटिएर निम्बु र ह्विस्कीको चुस्की लिँदै मजा लिन्छन् । यहाँ कोही कसैको लागि ज्यानमारा भिरमा जाकिएर मर्न आएको छैन । आएको छ त सुन्दर सपना बोकेर । एउटा सुन्दर जीवन र घरपरिवार निर्माणको निमित्त भनेर । कडा श्रमको बाबजुद पनि आफ्नो कमाईबाट बञ्चित छन् यि श्रमिकहरू । उनीहरू महिनौँ महिना पर्खाइन्छन् कमाइको आसैआसमा । कति सजिलै बेचिएका छन् उनीहरू । कति सजिलै गोर्खालीहरू हारेका छन् आज । कति सस्तोमा बेचिएको छ उनीहरूको श्रम । एउटा कहिल्यै पूरा नहुने आश्वासनले रोकिरहेको छ उनीहरुलाई त्यो तुच्छ संसारमा ।

क्षमता र चाहना हुँदाहुँदै पनि पारिवारिक समस्या र बन्धनले मङ्गलसिंह राईको शिक्षित हुने सपनालाई नौ कक्षामा नै सीमित पारिदिएको छ । बाबु बितेपछि उसको काँधमा थुप्रिएको छ एउटा धिपधिप गर्दै गरेको दियोमा सलेदो मिलाउने र तेल थप्ने जिम्मेवारी । पुरुष निर्मित समाज, सामाजिक कुण्ठा र अहंले मङ्गलसिंहलाई भोटाङ पुर्याएको छ । ऊ चाहँदैन आफ्नी दुलही सुनमायाले निर्माण गरेको सानो संसारको एउटा पात्र भएर बाँच्न । चाहन्छ ऊ सुनमायालाई आफ्नो न्यानो अंगालोको न्यानोपनमा फुलाउन । बाबु कमानको मंसीसाप, माता र तीन दिदीहरूको लाडप्यारमा बालापन बिताएको बच्चो मङ्गलसिंहलाई समयले सधैँ उही खुसि भरिदिन सकेन । कसरी फेरिदिन्छ नि समयले आफ्नो रूप मान्छेको जीवनमा । कुनै बेला मानबीरले पकाएको भात खाएर विद्यालाय जाने मङ्गलसिंह आज कसैलाई आहारा बुनिदिइरहेको छ ।

कति सजिलै हाँसिदिएको छ समयले मङ्गलसिंहको जीवनमा । दु:खले उसकी गाईजस्ती सुधि कान्छी दिदीलाई टपक्कै टिपिदिन्छ । दु:खले उसकी मातालाई निलिदिन्छ एउटा विभत्स युगको कोखबाट । अनि दु:खले नै उजाडिदिन्छ उसको बगैँचाजस्तो घर मरुभूमिमा ।

ओखती विज्ञानमा जीवन सुम्पेर पनि रवीन्द्र कुमार मोक्तानको साहित्यिक प्रखरता बिलाएको छैन । रस्सियाली माटोमाथि बसेर लेखे पनि यो ‘निर्माणको निमित्त भनेर’ शिर्षक उपन्यास नेपाली अभाव, विवशता र वेदनाजस्ता विषयहरुमा आश्रित छ । भोटाङको पहाडमा ज्यामी काम गर्ने दरिद्र नेपालीहरू र ठेकेदारहरू बाट हुने उनीहरूको शोषण नै यो उपन्यासको मूल विषय हो । मोक्तानले इमान्दार श्रमिकहरूको मुटुलाई छामेर यो उपन्यास लेखेका छन् । उनले नेपाली जनसित आत्मसात भएर श्रममा भाग लिएका छन् ।

लेखनभन्दा बोलीचालीको भाषालाई प्राथमिकता दिँदै व्याकरणिक नियमलाई भाँच्दै, औपन्यासिक सिद्धान्तलाई संस्करणात्मक रूपमा ढालेर कवितात्मक चिन्तनको रूपमा यो उपन्यास प्रस्तुत भएको पाईन्छ । सस्तो भावुकता, चिन्तन र तिलस्मीपनालाई कतै उब्जन नदिएर सरस शैली अँगाल्दै एउटा शुद्ध नेपाली उपन्यास बनेको छ ‘निर्माणको निमित्त भनेर’ ।

(यो पुस्तक पढ्ने मौका दिनुभएकोमा म गुरु जङ्गब चौहानप्रति हृदयदेखि नै आभारी छु)

Significance of Mass Media Research

Mass media research is that part of communication research, which scientifically studies the process of mass communication and how mass media influence individuals and the society. According to R.D. Wimmer and J.R. Dominick, 'Research is an essential tool in all areas of mass media. Virtually all departments and positions in mass media are involved in research of some kind.' However, the media research is generally concerned to

1. The nature and production of media output; and
2. The way individuals interact with and respond to the content with which they are provided by the media.

Barrie Gunter has differentiated the different style and strategies of media research in terms of two perspectives: "one, message-based studies, which moved from an analysis of the content of messages to their effects on audiences; and two, audience-based studies which focused on the social characteristics environment and, subsequently, needs which audiences derived from, or brought to, the message."

The World War I prompted the need to understand the nature of propaganda. Researchers working from a stimulus-response point of view attempted to uncover the effects of the media on people.

The realization by advertisers in the 1950s and 1960s (that research data are useful in developing ways to persuade potential customers to buy products and services) also contributed to the development of mass media research. Consequently, advertisers encouraged studies of message effectiveness, audience demographics and size, placement of advertising to achieve the highest level exposure (efficiency), frequency of advertising necessary to persuade potential customers, and selection of the medium that offered the best chance of reaching the target audience.

During the early part of the 20th century, there was no interest in the size of an audience or in the types of people who make up the audience. Since then, mass media leaders have come to rely on research results for nearly every major decision they make. The increased demand for information has created a need for more researchers, both public and private.

Research in mass media is used to verify or refute gut feelings or intuition for decision makers. Although common sense is sometimes accurate, media decision makers need additional objective information to evaluate problems, especially when they make decisions that involve large sums of money. The past 50 years have witnessed the evolution of a decision-making approach that combines research and intuition to produce a higher probability of success.

Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems or concern over practical problems within the media industry also initiates some kind of research. The concern over the impact of mass media naturally persuades to research. For example, the increasing interest of people in the effects of media in the public, especially on children, played role in increasing the research projects related to violence and sexual content in television programs. Researchers have expanded their focus to include the pro-social to anti-social effects.

Research is not limited only to decision-making situations. It is also widely used in theoretical areas to attempt to describe the media, to analyze media effects on consumers, to understand audience behavior, and so on. Every day there are references in the media to audience surveys, public opinion polls, growth projections or status reports of one medium or another, or advertising or public relations campaigns.

Businesses often need information that directly addresses their own particular situation. Therefore, they must ‘research’ or hire someone to do it for them. For example take the competition among the media for audiences and advertising revenue, which continues to reach new levels of complexity. Getting success over the competitors is of prime concern or major problem of media professionals. Proper research is essential in business today in order to maintain or gain a competitive edge. Unless you know what the customer wants, then failure is predictable. The media “survival kit” today includes information about audiences’ changing tastes and values, shifts in demographic patterns, and developing trends in lifestyles.

Statisticians, among other complex activities, generate statistical procedures, or formulas, called algorithms to investigate research questions and hypothesis. The results of this cooperative effort are used to advance our understanding of the mass media.

For example, users of radio and television ratings continually complain about the instability of ratings information. The ratings and shares for radio and television stations in a given market often vary dramatically from one survey period to the next without any logical explanation. Users of ratings periodically ask statisticians and the ratings companies to help determine why this problem occurs and to offer suggestions for making syndicated media audience information more reliable. As recently as the fall of 2001, media statisticians recommended larger samples and more refined methods of selecting respondents to correct the instability. Although the problems have not been solved, it is clear that statisticians and researchers can work together.

In order to set the advertising rates, Radio and TV stations need to know how many people tune in to their programs. Likewise, publishers of newspapers and magazines also need evidence to convince the advertisers. They need information to decide on editorial policies. Here is the research helping you to cope with your practical problems.

The increased demand for information in every field of media business has widened the scope of research. To get trustworthy knowledge there is no alternative than turning to research for answers.

Research is not done only for professional purposes. There are many evidences to prove that desire to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work, desire to be of service to the society as well as desire to get respectability are also the motivating factors to do media research. The evolution of various communication theories is not basically from the contribution of researchers who did their research with a business view, rather those engaged in basic or fundamental research has contributed mostly in this regard.

References

Adhikary, Nirmal Mani. Understanding Mass Media Research.1st edition. Kathmandu: Prashanti Pustak Bhandar, 2062 B.S.

Wimmer, R.D., and J.R. Dominick. Mass Media Research: An Introduction. 7th edition. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2003.

Water (2005)

“Where do man-widowers live?” whispers a child widow, Chuyia (Sarala), to an adult widow Shakuntala (Seema Biswas) while offering prayer at the bank of a holy river. Other widows yell at Chuyia for speaking such bad of men. At another scene, Shakuntala speaks of an old dead widow as, “She’ll directly go to heaven. If God desires, she will born as a man in her next life.” You are widow means you are half dead and this movie ‘Water’ is all about this. It’s your misfortune to born as a female.

Water, made in 2005, by Deepa Mehta both as a writer and director, who has notable films to her contributions like 1947 Earth and Fire, stands as a dawn of change to the rustics of Hinduism. It’s a story, of around late 1930s, of a plight of widows living in poverty at a temple in Varanasi. Most of them are forced to live there from their very childhood after the demise of their aged husbands.

Chuyia is a child widow living there by the care of other widows like Kalyani (Lisa Ray) and Shakuntala. These widows are often made involve in sex activities with rich men by an old leader widow, Madhumati (Manorama). Kalyani falls in love with Narayan, played by John Abraham, who is against all kind of taboos and inhuman activities. The rise of Mohandas Gandhi seems to liberate these bad lives. It makes easy for Kalyani and Narayan to tie into marital relationship. But it doesn’t happen so. The relationship built through the help of Chuyia ends after Kalyani discovers Narayan’s father as her sometime partner. Kalyani dies by the river.

Chuyia is sold by that old brutal woman with the help of her right hand, Gulabi (Raghuvir Yadav). Shakuntala makes Chuyia to the hand of Narayan for nurturing.

Water is a great film standing against the still prevailing traditional taboo. At some points, the more desire for promoting the cause has left the characters unfocused and not lively.

Oedipus Rex

(This review is not sequential. But it’ll not be problematic to understand the core of drama.) This is the story of a nation called Thebes of ancient Greece. The current King Oedipus (Saugat Malla) is much wanted, respected and famous among his countrymen. He considers the meaning of his being as to serve his countrymen. He takes pride in his being. So he is most of the times surrounded by his countrymen with complains of sorrows, epidemics, diseases and other difficulties.

The worse enters his life after he vows to unfold and punish the murderer of Laius, the previous king of the state. The future of Oedipus is already foretold as an ill-fated guy, for he’ll kill his father and marry his own mother. The Queen Jocasta (Aruna Karki), to prevent such misfortunes and worse to enter her life, handovers the baby Oedipus to a Gothalo / villager (Vishnuvbhakta Phuyal) for execution. The villager couldn’t dare to kill the baby, so he further handovers it to another villager. The latter gives the baby to a childless King and Queen. Oedipus grows up in that state as a prince, soon to discover the rumor that he is not the actual child of King and Queen. He also hears the rumor that he’ll marry his own mother.

Oedipus lefts the palace so that he wouldn’t have to kill his father and marry his own mother. While travelling all alone, helpless and full-tempered, he meets an old man out for the trip with his bodyguards. He kills them all following their misbehavior with him. The old man happens to be the King Laius from Thebes. Oedipus goes to the country of Thebes and frees all the countrymen from a female-demon. The countrymen find him suitable for the King of their country and crown him to rule the state. He marries widow Jocasta to prove his ill-fate very sadly. Jocasta hangs herself while Oedipus blinds himself.

“Oedipus Rex” is a great tragic Greek Drama written by Sophocles. The drama staged in Rimal Theater, Gurukul (from 2066 Ashad 20- Shrawan 15) in Nepali version is translated and directed by Sunil Pokhrel. All the actors have performed very well, still Saugat Malla (Oedipus) and Sarita Giri (maid) have proved themselves much stronger and experienced. Thumbs Up for Saugat Malla!!

Sunil Pokhrel has been very clever this time. He has concluded some of the scenes in narration that are really hard and time consuming to present in stage. There are lots of uses of symbols and colors in artistic manner that add extra to the drama. Greek story plus Nepali dances really suit the drama.

Ardh Satya (1982)

Classic movies, art movies, experimental movies or whatever............ these movies somehow reflect humans, or they are somewhere around us, representing us. So, I love them. I don't need to wonder after I watched them. Partial reality plus fiction, which I cannot bear. Just letting them be of a genre would obviously mean something somehow, I believe. I love animated movies. I do enjoy watching super-character movies, but, mixed spices spoil my taste.

And, Ardh Satya (अर्ध सत्य), made in 1982, respected my feeling. Starring the legendary performer Om Puri, Smita Patil and several others (like Amrish Puri and Naseeruddin Shah in short and significant roles), the story (theme) is nothing extra and unusual. But the way the things are shown is different- not mainstream type. "I am not your wife"- Anant Velankar (Om Puri) shouts at his old father, played by Amrish Puri, who tries to force him to accept to marry the girl of his acquaintance. Anant has been forced by his father to become a cop leaving all his studies and dreams behind. He always saw his father beating his mother without reasons. He no more feels like acting in his arrogant orders, which he has respected till today.

Ardh Satya is the story of a sub-inspector, Anant Velankar, who wants to do his duty being just and honest. But the corrupt police-politics-bureaucrat nexus always forbids him from doing his duty properly. He feels like a no-man at all. Rama Shetty (Sadashiv Amrapurkar) is a local powerful gangster, who has his influence up to the CM. He is never charged for his guilts because of his power and influence. Velankar not able to sue him in the lockup starts getting drunkard during and after his duties. He fights hard for the profession and other receives the medal for it. He has a close chemistry with a college girl Jyotsna Gokhale (Smita Patil) with whom he shares all his feelings and frustrations. He, in his frustrations, derogates himself killing a suspect.

Velankar is suspended from his duty now. The issue is about to move the whole nation and civil societies. Velankar doesn't want this to happen against him. A police officer suggests him to take helps of Rama Shetty to solve the crisis. He makes it to Shetty but is offered to be his man in counter. He kills Shetty to defense his pride and dignity. He surrenders to the police.

The story of just and disobliging policemen and their behavior has been presented very well. Everything go as they had to go. Everyone performs matched with their bests and likes. The movie ends in the best way it had to.

कान्तिपुरमा मेरो रात्रीदृश्य

अहिले यि प्राविधिक टिलाहरुले चौबीसै घण्टा चारैतिरबाट घेरिराखेको बेला पुराना पानाहरु पल्टाउने फुर्सद पनि नहुँदो रहेछ । हिँजो पनि थाहा थियो यो कुरा, तर अनुभव गर्न फुर्सद निकालेको रहेनछु । बल्ल थाहा भो’ जब म एउटा पुरानो डायरी पल्टाउन थालेँ । त्यो बेला केही कविता, गीत र गजल लेखेको जस्तो लाग्थ्यो तर खासै लेखेको रहेनछु । लेख्न खोजेको मात्रै रहेछु । अलिअलि मुस्कुराउँदै, अनि मज्जाले हाँस्दै र जिल्ल पनि पर्दै पानाहरु पल्टाउन थालेँ । तर एउटा कविता चाहीँ साँच्चै मन पर्यो । ‘नौ कक्षा’ भनेपछि ठ्याक्कै २०६० सालकै कविता परेछ । त्यो बेला चाईनिज फुल्टिनले लेखेको थेँ’ रंग पनि उड्दै जान थालिसकेको रहेछ । तर अब पासवर्ड कदाचित ह्याक नभएसम्म रंग उड्नेवाला छैन ।

“कान्तिपुरमा मेरो रात्रीदृश्य”

दुर्गन्ध हावा छिचोलेर निर्मल हावा आइसकेछ
झिल्-मिल् बत्ती जताततै नक्षत्र बस्ती छाइसकेछ
धुलैधुलो त्यो आकाशले पनि स्वच्छ पहिरन लाइसकेछ
हूल-घूइँचो थाम्ने बाटोले केही पल मुक्ति पाइसकेछ ।।

जीवन माग्ने कोमल हातले घरपीढिँमा निद्रा पाइसकेछ
झुटो आश्वासन दिने मुख पनि रक्सीको मातमा लडिसकेछ
दिनभर कराउने विदेशी मजदुर डेरामा सपना बुन्न थालेछ
राष्ट्रसेवामा तैनाथ ज्यान उभिँदाखेरी नै सुतिसकेछ ।।

धूर्त र ठग चिसो भुईँमा पापफल भोग्न थालिसकेछ
दलाल पनि दलाली कमाईमा आनन्दले घुर्न थालिसकेछ
पेट-पाल्न फोहोर खोताल्ने कुकुर एकोहोरो भुक्न थालिसकेछ
कामवासना चाहने लक्का जवान परस्त्रीसंग लठ्ठीसकेछ ।।

दिनभर थर्कने मन्दिरको घन्टा चुपचापसाथ बसिसकेछ
मानव पाल्ने त्यो जन्तु पनि आफ्नै ओडार पसिसकेछ
देवता हुँ भन्ने ठग पूजारी मानवसरी विलिन भएछ
कान्तिपुरमा मेरो यो रात्रीदृश्य दिउँसोको भन्दा गजव रहेछ ।।