NAC not bad a as expected

Recently, I had the opportunity to fly with the national carrier Ra-405 to thailand. I was pretty surprise with the performance and the level of service that I experienced during my trip and I must say was not bad.

Working in the tourism industry for more than 10 years, I had heard so many things about Nepal Airlines and was in a delima of what to expect and how to react. I had early traveled to various other international destination so I had an idea about international flying standards and condition. But to my amazement flying in the national carrier was quite different than flying with foreign airlines. Apart from that the normal perception of thinking NAC to be bad and un-comforting was completely wrong. I think it was not the best but I would say it was not the worst, in fact it was better than the international airlines that I had traveled with. 

The flight attendants were very smart and very focused towards their duties and responsibilities. 

Moreover, the attendants were very responsive and duly served as per your requirement. I wish the government would further work in its management as its not just a facility but traveling in a national is a  matter of national  pride for any #Nepali.

We all are very busy in our lives where most of the times believe what is being told in news and media which most of the times proves to be correct but in most case the news and stories are partially told. Hiding the reality having benefit of doubt to the story teller. Being a journalist and working in #journalism for more than 13 years, one thing I can be sure of is Nepal's media are very biased towards their, commercial objectives and very few  journalists practice #EthicalJournalism .

What we hear and experience is just the matter of what the reporters want to show rather than showcasing the reality.

It was a proud feeling traveling a national carrier and hope the government further work on the working condition of #NAC.

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PK may be the best movie for 2014 but has no soul to it

From its initial soft launching in October PK invited un-wanted attention with its poster and controversial statements in regards to religion. The movie was fully planned with better strategy and presentation in targeting its modern audience.
Though it is creating its record in the history of Bollywood but from a viewers point of view I find PK extraordinarily waste of time and nonsense. I personally think people loved this movie in craze of Amir khan and his legacy of profound creativity that he prolongs.

The movie hugely targets the orthodox prejudice tradition and taunts the religion and culture about its drawback.

The movie starts with a ultra modern theory of an Alien who lands up in a deserts and later on grasps the language and culture. Now tell me who would be dumb enough not to know the landing of a spaceship in the territory of India. More could have been done to add in adapting the current technological development and what India stands for in terms of Astronomy.

The movie tries to collaborates towards focusing the normality of Indian lifestyle but somewhere down the lane it also highlights the Indian cultural transitional phase and dramatic issues of Indo Pakistan relationship with a new twist.

A love triangle with a country angle in the middle is more confusing than anything but one thing is very credible that Mr Amir khan has done is he has tried to bring in his experience of a philanthropist that he worked in Satyamayaba Jayate a TV series.

Not to be rude I guess Vinod Chopra must hard time shooting and directing this movie than arguing with amir khan contemplating the situation and scene.

Everything works in India with the Khans, reality is for a movie to work well in Bollywood it doesn't need a good script and good technical support  but it takes big names and their experience.  
 

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Loktantra has given us nothing

Yesterday I was visiting  the Pasuti Griha and I noticed how visionary and credible the previous generation leaders were.  As if you look at the whole public sector there are merely very few infrastructures that have been set up by the government of Nepal. Whether you talk about setting up a schools or colleges or  hospitals in the last 50 years it is nil or only one percent has happened. We are sustained by the pre-existing infrastructures that have been remodeled to fit this new corrupt and manipulative system.

After the democracy the Nepal government and the leaders of Nepal were very much focused towards commercialization and capitalism, though we call our country a Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal but we are hardcore capitalist country.

Nepal has gone through various phases of political revolution layering the aspect of growth and development in its public welfare. we have the fake pride of Federalism and our identity where every day people are dying in remote village in absence of doctors and food, there is no explanation to this.

Now getting back to  my topic, Infrastructures like Prasuti Griha  are amazing wonder, they look dirty and filthy from outside in comparison to  Norvice International Hospital but when it comes to severity of case and public approach the Prasuti Griha is considered as one of the best in terms of doctors and public approach.

Looking at such infrastructure I think the leaders of previous generations were more concern about basic necessity of public. I think they were more responsible and public liable where they initiated better projects and policies towards safe guarding public policy in Nepal.

Whether you talk about schools, colleges and hospital most of the infrastructure that are currently running for public were mostly  envisioned and made during the pre-era of democracy.

The only Democracy has given us is commercialization, high cost, capitalism etc.

If you give it a thought you will surely notice that after democracy the country has further pressured the leaders to be more corrupt and not liable to the country. In fact it made them zombies of their own parties where they simply worship power and  money.

Reality of today is democracy and so called bloody Loktantra only brought commercialization in everything from food to health to every other sector. Even education today is so degrading that for application of any job minimum qualification required is  Master's Degree, what a joke?
 
People's have degree's and they do not have right jobs.

We call our nation developing but from past 8 years we have been struggling to even find a solution for an un-existing problem where our political leaders find it proud in saying sabhashad. We say our system is strong and poeple have the power where even today registering an FIR in the police requires pressure and  politics.

What are we doing and what is happening in our country?



  

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Killing poeple in the name of religion is wrong

#PeshawarAttack is certainly one of the most atrociousness inhuman attack against #humanity . Killing 131 innocent school going children in the name of #jihad is not just a question of judgment but its a serious crime against humanity. No religion Islam or any other promotes killing nor do they say killing innocent people in the name of religion is right. Its people's believe and  thinking that promotes killing and such carnage. What has happened in Pakistan is not just an example of terrorism but it certainly shows the prejudices and orthodox thinking of people who try to enforce their ideologies over the global world.


 


  

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36 countries where you need no VISA and can travel

These are the namelist of countries where you can travel and acquire the visa on arrival

1. Cambodia: Visa on arrival – 30 days
2. Cape Verde: Visa on arrival
3. Comoros: Visa on arrival
4. Djibouti: Visa on arrival
5. Dominica: Visa not required – 21 days
6. Gambia: Visa not required – 90 days
7. Guinea-Bissau: Visa on arrival – 90 days
8. Haiti: Visa not required – 3 months
9. India: Freedom of movement; Nepalese citizens may live and work freely in India under the 1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship.
10. Kenya: Visa on arrival – 90 days
11. Laos Visa: on arrival – 30 days
12. Madagascar: Visa on arrival – 90 days
13. Malawi: Visa not required – 90 days
14. Maldives: Visa on arrival – 30 days
15. Mali: Visa on arrival
16. Mauritania: Visa on arrival
17. Bolivia: Visa on arrival -90 days
18. Burundi: i Visa on arrival – 30 days; obtainable at Bujumbura International Airport
19. Micronesia: Visa not required – 30 days
20. Mozambique: Visa on arrival – 30 days
21. Myanmar: eVisa – 28 days. eVisa holders must arrive via Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw or Mandalay airports.
22. Pakistan: Visa not required – 1 month
23. Palau: Visa on arrival – 30 days
24. Philippines: Visa not required – 30 days
25. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Visa not required – 30 days
26. Samoa: Entry Permit on arrival – 60 days
27. Serbia: Visa required -Visa free for a maximum stay of 90 days for valid visa holders or residents of the European Union member states and the United States.
28. Seychelles: Visitor’s Permit on arrival – 1 month
29. Singapore: Visa on arrival – 30 days
30. Somalia: Visa required -Visa on arrival for 30 days, provided an invitation letter issued by the sponsor has been submitted to the Airport Immigration Department at least 2 days before arrival.
31. Sri Lanka: Electronic Travel Authorization – 30 days; must hold return or onward ticket
32. Tanzania: Visa on arrival – 3 months
33. Timor-Leste: Visa on arrival – 30 days
34. Togo : Visa on arrival – 7 days
35. Tuvalu: Visa on arrival – 1 month
36. Uganda: Visa on arrival

No Visa On Arrival

People of these countries do not get visa on arrival at the immigration entry points of Nepal:

1. Nigeria

2. Ghana

3. Zimbabwe

4. Swaziland

5. Cameroon

6. Somalia

7. Liberia

8. Ethiopia

9. Iraq

10. Palestine

11. Afghanistan

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How to get an MRP in Nepal

Getting a Machine Readable Passport (MRP) is not as easy as expected, though the process includes a general verification of original documents with the MRP form but still it’s not an easy process.  Its funny thing that for just verification it generally takes more than 2 hrs that too if you are lucky and if not can proceed to another day.

If you are planning to apply for the MRP in Nepal than it’s useless to waste your time downloading the form and filling it at your home. As if you do so, while verification process there are chances that your form might get rejected due to the indentation or some other errors. So better you come to the District Administration Office (DAO) and fill the form paying NRS 50. In case you do not have a photo also no need to worry, you can click a MRP sized photo instantly at NRS 150 at the near stall. It seems unusual but there seems to be a very good coordination in between so called mechanism. What I mean to say is the DAO is there to serve the public and these so called managing agents (typist+ photographers) are there to earn. The amazing thing is they even provide you with bills. It seems that there is a very good coordination in between the officers and the so called form typist and filler where everything works in close integration and management.

Though it looks very nominal amount of money but every citizen paying an extra NRS 200 for filling a form can be a hefty sources of income for both the fillers and the officer.

After filling your form through the small corner shop, you would be asked to take the form to the officer at room no 105 for validation this is needed to be done only for hand written citizenship. After getting it verified you are asked to take it to room no 107 for attesting. If you are lucky it can be done in second the officer available might ask you questions to verify your documents. After this you are asked to visit room no 106 for second verification process. After the second verification process they ask you to pay the money to the Bank and after getting the voucher you can submit the form and voucher to room no 107 which ends the process.       

After completing the process you are asked to check the official site of DAO for name publishing of people whose MRP are completed and you can come collect the document. They generally say it takes about 45 days for completing the process and getting your passport you have to get into lines to get the stamp and signature.

Documents required
-Citizenship photocopy -2
-Passport photocopy-1 (In case of previous issue)
-Photo (MRP size)
-MRP Form
-Old passport (for verification)

(Note: Just be careful not to sign in between the lines. If you sign touching the box the form is rejected.
Please reconfirm all your information as once it’s done it cannot be changed and you have to apply again in case of any mistake.)    

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Gadhi Mai controversial sacrifice opposed by the western world

Photo courtesy: Gabriel Diamond 

It makes me wanna think and find logic behind understanding the complexity of crossing ideologies behind cultural and traditional values. When I see people blinded by the western ideologies in identifying cultural values over  controversies, it is literally amusing. How can you put cultural values in same view of modernism or going vegan where the whole ecosystem is based on the logic of survival of the fittest.

Moreover, the condition of understanding the so called pro-movement of the native people in opposing the animal sacrifice is something of being too western and running for the big donation effort. As I believe the western world cannot  understand these practices  which cannot be rationalized as its related with people's beliefs and tradition.  Stopping it or confronting it is a question of just controversies and anger but it can be adapted  in a more systematic and manged way of practicing a more human approach. But opposing it in view of  focusing western ideology confronting the eastern belief is a way of lack of understating the core values of traditions and culture.

Every year millions of people not just from Nepal but from the bordering towns in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in India add fury to this so called "Bloody Fest"

People come in hundreds of animal stocks specially with their wishes and sentiments.  Gadhi mai is considered as one of the worlds largest animal sacrifice event all over the world that brings huge attention and crowd in every 5 years.  

The most amusing aspect of the tradition is even vegan people bring in sacrifices and there is a tradition of so called manhood among the locals for attending the butchery and claiming the strongest.

Good or bad the sacrifices has been part of the culture from past few decades  where the tradition lives up to the mark of  its reputation. The tradition of Pancha bali, meaning the scared sacrifice of Five different species( rat, a pig, a rooster, a goat and a water buffalo) is a well practiced in various forms of culture in Hindu Tantric practice while devoting Shakti.

The Gadhi Mai animal sacrifice has been catching attention of the westerner who have been attending the festival in view of showcasing the amazing cruelity.

One thing that really amazes me is why not all these activism and controversies are raised when hundreds and thousand of turkeys were  sacrificed and killed in the name of thanks giving and how come the "Bakri ide" escaped the eyes of animal activists.

According to my sources this year the event was attended by more than 50 western photographers and video makers trying to find logic and creating story in view of portraying the strange.

Its just another agenda for the animal activists to find logic behind creating controversies where the solution would have been finding a proper way of managing and raising awareness of safe and unpainful butchery rather than question people's belief.

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Narendra Modi's cancelled visit to Janakpur

As promised by Narendra Modi during his last visit, Mr Modi scheduled his visit to Janakpur and lumbini by road where he was also scheduled to address the crowd. After the announcement Nepal's political scenario rumored with various speculation. The political fraternity presumed Modi's visit to various issues and agendas where controversy raised. With such condition the visit was  cancelled

After the arrival of Sushma Swaraj, the first thing that did was  to clear about the cancellation of Narendra Modi's visit to Janakpur and Lumbini. She reasoned it due to technical problem but validating the answer was completely out of question. Apart from that since Modi has kept the door open for his revisit again then there was no question of further query.

Though the move came in a strategical voice but a lot of speculation came up with the explanation. More or less it would have helped Nepal to promote religious tourism in Nepal but the political leaders of Nepal with their weak mentality resulted in such an action. I completely blame the lack of vision and leadership of the Nepali political leaders who detested his visit. The speculation of his visit raised  various issues of motives and favors. In fact it was the  weak mentality of Nepali political leaders that flooded various tweets and articles that surfaced  as the primary reason for his cancellation.

Reality is Nepal's political leaders are literally scared  of Narendra Modi and his presences. They feel intimidated as even today if any leaders stand tall in public nobody cares and Narendra Modi being an outside has so much of recognition and reputation.

I bet  any political leaders of Nepal has done and said so much in public than Modi.
 



 

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SAARC face-lift of Kathmandu cost whopping USD 20 million



Hosting the 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in the capital, Kathmandu  seemed very much busy with its new face-lift. It was completely an impossible work that was carried on by relentless  working of  more than 3 months to make Kathmandu look like a new metropolitan city just for the SAARC meeting.  

New roads are paved, the road from Tribhuvan International Airport to connecting valley hubs are all black topped with various plants and flowers  installed at the sides are really interesting. 
Understanding the need hundreds of  solar panels lights are installed around the valley road just to make sure they work  at times when the country is facing huge electricity crisis. 

With such huge investment the government of Nepal has already incurred expenses reportedly totaling $20 million  and completing the infrastructure work will likely exceed that figure.

No matter what the effort done is certainly credible and shows  workable attitude which needs to continue in further days to come. This attitude of the government and the hard work of the workers have certainly made the public believe everything is possible.

If only the Prime Minister of Nepal Mr Sushil Koirala could continue this work then his name would be written in the golden letters in history for at least doing something credible in his tenure.   

  

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Human Rights can be felt by behavior not by rules

From the right Shreedeep Rayamajhi, Govinda Sharma 'Bandi', Hina Jilani, Vrinda Gover, Mohamed Latheef  at Shangrila Hotel, Lazimpat.

Recently I got to meet Hina Halani and Vrinda Gover in a program named, "Combating Impunity in Nepal: Lesson from South Asia"  I was called to do interpretation work for these famous personalities and was asked to assist them at any point of their interest.

I was very surprised and fascinated hearing their perspectives and voices on impunity and human right. Both were associated to South Asians for Human Rights, they were tremendously energetic and full of knowledge but one thing that really moved me was their passion and determination for their work.

Hina Halani  during her speech said, "Human Rights cannot be felt by treaties, policies, and charters  it is felt by the people around you and with their behavior."

I think the practices of justice cannot be fulfill by just law books and court system, it needs to be respected, adapted and acted upon. Law cannot be discriminator but it treats everyone as equal  regardless of race, place, power and time.

Similarly, Vrinda Gover also highlighted various scenario of how the public sentiments can change the government's attitude and how Public Interest Letigation (PIL) can help bring in change in further strengthening the public sentiment. And she highlighted government official need to be responsible towards the public and the public need to be vigilant and aware of that.

If you look at Nepal's scenario then the human rights activists in Nepal are just limited within their organizations and  seminars of 5 star hotels. Practically speaking most of the Human Rights projects are limited within their funding and operation. They just needs reports and pictures, once its done they go back with good notion of their job completion.  

I am speaking rude but reality is what cannot be denied. Most of the Human Rights Activists are biased and limited within their connection. During the conflict situation their were millions of people who got displaced and affected by the conflict. There are many cases which were not heard and registered. If you look at the statistics then you will find more than 3 dozen national and international organization working in the field in Nepal but still you will find case of unheard human rights.

So where did we lacked and what were these organization doing ?

Reality bites  that still today its hard to even launch a FIR in the police office regarding any atrocities of Human Rights.  It takes sheer power and heart to stand up for  the pain and all these so called monetization of the development industry has made the human values less and worthless.

There are projects  and donors but at grassroots level there are no hands to protect you and your government being biased towards power, politics and manipulation simply watches upon having no clue of rights of public and tax payers. As the leaders and policy makers are corrupt big terms like Human Rights and policies are  only good for rules and regulation.

Even the international Developing agencies like United Nation(UN), USAID, UKAID support hiring people from abroad or from so called various  marginalized groups. so how can their be a equal opportunity. Everywhere there is politics and even in field like Human rights and development people who are really interested are  sidelined irrespective to their interest and talent. The only thing that works is favoritism and power which is a harsh reality of today.    
 







  

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