Here's the link.
http://nepaljapan.com/gallery/DC/New_Folder/july/chalchitra%20mahotsab.htm

I smell some Marxists here.

>>But it is only obvious that his INSTANTANEOUS free will had been, like many other Nepalis', manipulated over time by how he grew up.

Just because you have been staying in America for few years, and that you don?t give a ?dhog? to anyone but rather have accustomed yourself to handshakes does not mean that giving a ?dhog? is a bad thing. On one hand you shout about ?free yourselves? kinds of slogans while on the other hand you deride someone just because he bowed a little much than what is considered to be conventional. What does it mean to be ?free? anyway? Is it being against royals or being against conventional traditions?


Coming to this manipulation thing, I don?t think there is this big problem of ?manipulation? by royals, as you seem to suggest. We are most vulnerable to manipulations when we ourselves are ignorant. My grandparents would probably have believed that the King was a form of good. Do I believe the same thing? Hell no. Does Shiva Shrestha believe the same thing? Probably not.

माथिको फोटो हेरेपछिको मेरो पहिलो प्रतिक्रिया थियो ? ल! ल!
यानी, मैले शिव श्रेष्ठको ढोगाईलाई आफूसंग तुलना गरेर हेरें र म उनको ठाउंमा भएको भए त्यसरी ढोग्दैन थें। त्यसैले मेरो प्रतिक्रिया ? ल! ल! के ग-या होला।

हामी मध्ये कसैको प्रतिक्रिया थियो - शिव श्रेष्ठले आफ्नै बा-आमालाई नि तेसरी ढोग्दैन, थुईक्क, राम्रै ग-यो, श्रद्धा ग-यो आदि ईत्यादि।

फरक मान्छेका फरक हेराई। त्यसमाथि हामीले त्यो ढोगाईलाई कसैले आफूसंग तुलना ग-यौ, कसैले वर्तमान राजनैतिक परिवेशसंग तुलना ग-यौ त कसैले आफ्नो अटूट राजनैतिक विचार र आस्थासंग तुलना ग-यौ। त्यसैले आए भिन्न भिन्न प्रतिक्रिया।

हाम्रो देशमा असहज स्थिति नभएको र राजा राजनैतिक बिवादमा नफसेका भए सायद हाम्रा प्रतिक्रियाहरु पनि फरक हुन्थे होलान। हामीले नै देखे भोगेका कुराहरु ? ०४६ सालमा बीरे चोर देश छोड भनेको र उनको हत्यापछि सयौको संख्याले शिर मुडेर शोक मनाएको। त्यो घटना वर्तमानमा घटेको भए ति शिर मुड्नेहरुले कति हप्की खान्थे होलान। त्यसैले, हामी घटनाहरु दांजेर प्रतिक्रिया जनाउछौ। सायद घटनाहरुसंग प्रतिक्रिया नजानाई आफूलाई सधै सन्तुलित राख्नेहरु पनि छन कि?

दोश्रो कुरा जो मान्छे झुक्छ, म त्यसको प्रशंसा गर्छु। झुक्नु भनेको आफ्नो अहं तोड्नु हो। हुनत हामीलाई पूर्ण ज्ञान छैन कि साच्चै शिव श्रेष्ठ केही हासिल गर्ने लोभमा शक्तिका सामू झुकेका नै हुन सक्छन्। तर सबैसंग झुक्ने उनको स्वभाव हो भने उनीप्रति मेरो श्रद्धा बढेको छ।

VB:

Nepal during the Rana rules might have been better for people who belong to the middle/higher hierarchy of social stratification, who have today come to form the 'elite' and enjoy elitist socio-political prerogatives (Madhav Kumar Nepal and others). for me and million others who belong to the lowest strata of social classification, and are deceived by socio-cultural norms of castes, class, religion, the Rana rule did much to strenghthen this difference, and did nothing to change it. economic prosperity? what is your basis of evaluation? Rana's Nepal looks much secure economically, but disparity in income distribution among the people is frightening. Nepal's national income was a prerogative of the Ranas and the Shahs- nothing went out of palace, and it was impossible to penetrate that circle of elitism. there would be no way for me, or someone from a low middle class family with no social standing, to prosper socially and economically and move from one status to another. yes, today, there are opportunities, and awareness is slowly seeping in (thanx to hundreds of yrs of absolute rule that people in Rukum and Rolpa didn't know what democracy meant, what their economic and human rights meant, prior to democracy. now they know, they can ACT for their own interests).

you don't have to give me that leaders didn't do anything to smooth Nepal's transition. this has sort of become an acknowledgement now. and i agree. democracy is suffering miserably in Nepal today. i also agree. and i've explained the reasons for its suffrage in another thread in discussion with IF, so no repetations. but democracy suffered doesn't mean we have to revert back to the dark ages..i know we don't want democracy at the cost of lives, but maoist insurgency is not the outcome of democracy, and monarchy can do very little to solve it.

how many years since the king sacked Deuba in 2002 and assumed powers? it is too early to judge his moves, but his aggressive Machiavellian moves So Far haven't shown anything on how this is related to securing 'national interest'. instead of detaining and torturing human rights activists, he would have at the least, by now, said something, just even a press meet, about how is he solving or planning to solve the maoist conflict. the rest of agitating parties would have shut their mouths by now..

my point is- during monarchy prior to democracy, the government was 'installed' and run by one or a handful of people. it told the citizens what it wanted them to do, that It will provide eocnomic security, It will tell them what religion to follow, It will tell them what caste status they are 'put into'. in democracy, the citizens become self-governing. they know what religion is and whether they want to disobey the caste/class stratification. they know they have to prosper economically, so they will work hard, the government doesn't tell them what to do. in fact, the government does what the people want it to do, for them to prosper economically. that is an ideal democracy, or a handful of successful ones like we have in the US. Nepal is way behind, but it has made much progress in these 14 years. Monarchy is turning the clock backwards, and is definitely not the answer. but yes, of course, everyone has his/her own perspectives and ideologies, and i will listen to them much as much enthusiasm!

and IF and VB again,

what Shiva Shrestha did is 100% out of his own sincerity and love for monarchy the institution, or the queen as an individual, whatever it is..i don't think he was manipulated to do so, Shiva Shrestha is an honest, very dignified person for that matter. and it is individual freedom, i don't have anything to say on that. but if i and thousands others thought the same way, and if there were no minds to challenge those actions and perspectives, there would be no revolutions (throughout the world), there would be no regime changes, Africa would still remain a major slave trading industry to this day..

dc_girl,

I will take a wildest of guesses and say that you didn't live to experience the Rana regime. I didn't either. What you are saying is based on what we have read about the time and generation. I said Rana regime was better for Nepal in terms of social, economical and cultural aspects. Things were in order then. Personally, I could've walked the streets of Kathmandu without fearing any interogations by the army if I
stayed out past 8:00 pm. I was safe as long as I minded my own business. I could've lowered my head to my King and noone would've questioned my actions. That's our culture, why are we all of a sudden ashamed to admit that?

I am not from either the Shah or the Rana clan. I still believe that I could've prospered better during those times than I did when the good old democracy was introduced in Nepal. I was born and raised in the valley. That's my hometown (gaun bhane pani shahar bhane pani). I am aware of the changes the so called democracy brought to that place. She's been mutilated. The reason if you ask me, is because of the so called democracy. We lived fine back then. Things weren't great (could've been, I agree) but things weren't this out of control.

It doesn't take much thought to admit that Panchayat was the ideal system for Nepal and Nepalese. The main reason being it was created for Nepal and her people. It's devoid of foreign caricatures. I guess a lot of you missed class when they taught why King Mahendra introduced this system in Nepal. It is no mystery now that Nepal is stragically placed between two super powers. King Mahendra saw that before some of us were even born. He saw this before India or China had the power and influence they have in the world today. He adopted a system that was different yet somewhat similar to both our neighbours. And guess what, it actually worked! I agree that people in charge took things for granted, and the system was not implemented to its full potential but in principle it's still the best thing that has happenend to Nepal after the unification (which was also led by a Shah King).

My intentions are not to preach history here. I would like to believe that peole who express their views in a topic like this know what they are saying and who they are speaking for, with the emphasis being on "would like to believe." Yet, I fail to understand why did we think a democratic system would flourish in Nepal. Democracy succeeds in a place where general people can think for themselves and the next generation in the realms of time. Nepal boasts a literacy rate of under 40%. In a country where people cast their votes based on whether the sun or the tree is important to them, how do you propose that democratic form of government will be a success story. If you are still convinced about this, may be you will be convinced that sun DOES come out of the west
as someone pointed out.

I was ALMOST impressed by this individual's slur of personal ASSUMPTIONS on how we (Nepalese) have been brainwashed in a certain way that we don't even realize it. It just got me wondering how this protagonist is above us all. How is he able to detach himself from his self and examine people like it's his job. what the heck, who am I kidding. This assumptions is as impressive as a kid telling his/her friends about this boogie man who roams around the streets at night. BOGUS!!! Here's a real analysis for you, Assumptions don't make logic, they just reflect the mindset of idiocy.

Here comes another boot licker.

I don't know these goddam boot lickers r so naive or intellectually bankrupt.

VincentBodega's comment is completely unjustifiable. It seems he does not know that democracy is the norm not system like panchayat. Mahendra did not thought about the welfare of his subject and country while taking power! It was his thirst for power that gave birth to panchayat. You can refere lot of book on Nepal's hystory.
I dont understand why some people believe in autocracy and try to undermine the common people?

VB, bashing can turn ugly, so i refrain. if that last paragraph is meant for me, the gender in my username is clearly specified, so it will be a little nicer to address a woman as 'she'.

i mentioned my rural experience because the influence of governance does affect village life. through my personal experience of living there, and through observation, i feel that people there are a lot more aware educationally, socially, politically, and they do have a concern for the type of government we will have today.

about your comments above, your first paragraph concerns Nepal's safety. yes, Nepal was a peaceful country then. the maoist insurgency led to this recent chaos. BUT, democracy is not the cause of maoist insurgency.

your third paragraph, panchayat system was better than the absolute rule, i agree. but in no way is it comparable to democracy. yes, i did miss my class when they taught why Panchayat system was introduced in Nepal, i don't even remember what grade it was taught on. if you can briefly tell me what Panchayat system is, we can go further from there.

"And guess what, it actually worked!"

someone resumed to absolute rule immediately after, why?

"My intentions are not to preach history here"

mine neither :)

"I would like to believe that peole who express their views in a topic like this know what they are saying and who they are speaking for.."

me too :)

"Democracy succeeds in a place where general people can think for themselves and the next generation in the realms of time. Nepal boasts a literacy rate of under 40%. In a country where people cast their votes based on whether the sun or the tree is important to them, how do you propose that democratic form of government will be a success story..."

yes, and when will they start thinking on themselves? when there is awareness. if a Dalit is aware that his human and political rights have been trampled since ages, he will start fighting for it. democracy did change the socio-cultural setting of Nepal, it made people more aware of what they are and what they deserve. and for your information, if we don't act now, we never will, because Nepal is not going to turn into a mythical golden age all of a sudden where peace and prosperity will thrive, so that after 'some time' we can have democracy.

and lastly, if you can cut off a lil on bashings, will save some space here :)

Sorry ! It is little different with the ongoing discussion, however, related with the thread name--- now Ram Krishna Dhakal. I am posting a news from Kantipur.

http://www.kantipuronline.com/nepali/kolnews.php?&nid=45637

महोत्सव चाड बन्न सकेन
मुलुकमा प्रथम राष्ट्रिय चलचित्र महोत्सव भइरहेको बेला अनेकौं कोणबाट यसको पक्ष र विपक्षमा नेपाली जनमत विभाजित भइरहेको स्थिति छ । तर जो यसलाई महान् चाडका रूपमा स्वीकारेर सफल बनाउन कृतसंकल्पित थिए, तिनीहरूको पनि चित्त दुखाउने काम भएको छ ।

दुई दशकदेखि पाश्र्वगायनमार्फत म चलचित्रको सांगीतिक फाँटमा संलग्न छु । संगीत अत्यन्त अप्ठेरोमा हुँदा पनि हामीले आफ्नो क्षेत्रबाट सकेको योगदान पुर्?याइरहेकै हौं । यही योगदानको मूल्यांकन गर्न महोत्सव आयोजना गरेको हुनुपर्छ । तर जति-जति आयोजनाका रहस्य खुल्दैछन्, त्यति नै यो सम्मानभन्दा पनि चर्चा र कतिपय अर्थमा अपमान गर्न आयोजना गरिएको हो कि भन्ने लाग्न थालेको छ । चलचित्र समीक्षक, हास्य कलाकार, मातृभाषामा चलचित्र निर्माण गर्नेहरू महोत्सवको विरोधमा खुलेरै लागेका छन् । पहिला लाग्थ्यो, उनीहरू मात्र राजनीतिक कारणले विरोध गरिरहेका छन्, तर अहिले यस्तो लाग्न थालेको छ, उनीहरूलाई यसको परिणामको आभाष पहिलै रहेछ ।

नेपाली चलचित्रलाई यहाँसम्म ल्याउन संगीतको अहम् भूमिका थियो र अहिले बनिरहेका चलचित्रको प्रवृत्ति हेर्दा त्यो भूमिका छिट्टै समाप्त होला जस्तो पनि लाग्दैन । तर कालखण्डगत रूपमा समीक्षक अवार्ड समावेश गरिँदा गीत-संगीतलाई बाहिर पारियो । त्यसबाट गीतकार, संगीतकार, गायक र गायिका गरी चार विधा बाहिर पारिए । यो भनेको नेपाली चलचित्रमा जीवन्त संगीत दिने स्व. नातिकाजी, शिवशंकर, अम्बर गुरुङ, गोपाल योञ्जन, रनजित गजमेर जस्ताहरूको अस्तित्व अस्वीकार गर्नु हो । त्यसैगरी माधव घिमिरे, किरण खरेल, चेतन कार्की लगायतका महान् गीतकार पनि नेसनल अवार्डबाट विमुख पारिए । स्वर्गवासी प्रकाश थापा सम्मानित हुँदा नेपाली चलचित्रका महानतम पाश्र्वगायक नारायणगोपाल र अरुणा लामा सम्मानित हुने लिष्टबाट बाहिर पारिनु पनि त युक्तिसंगत थिएन । त्यसैगरी तारादेवीजस्ता गायिका पनि अपमानित नै पारिए । के यो न्यायसंगत हो त ? आखिर नेपाली चलचित्रका यावत् विधालाई नेसनल अवार्ड दिने भनिएपछि प्राविधिक रूपमा सम्मान गरिन बनाइएको कालखण्डगत समीक्षक अवार्ड गीत-संगीत विधालाई दिएको भए बिग्रन्थ्यो के ? यसबाट के प्रस्ट हुन्छ भने आयोजनाले यी र यस्ता कैयौं संवेदनशील पक्षलाई पटक्कै पनि ध्यान दिएको छैन । नेपाली चलचित्र संगीतका महारथी शम्भुजित बासकोटा स्वयम् चलचित्र विकास बोर्डका अध्यक्ष भएको बेला आयोजना गरिएको महोत्सवमा गीत-संगीतलाई बाहिर पारिनु आफैंमा दुःखलाग्दो विषय हो ।

क्रमश:

ठीक छ, कालखण्डगत रूपमा समीक्षक अवार्डको लागि गीत-संगीतलाई बाहिर पारियो-पारियो, तर प्रतिस्पर्धाका रूपमा सम्मानित गर्नेमा पनि खासगरी गायक-गायिकाको हकमा जे जसरी नामांकन प्रस्तुत गरिएको छ, त्यो पटक्कै चित्त बुझाउन सकिने खालको छैन । राष्ट्रिय चलचित्र महोत्सव भनिने तर भारतीय गायिका साधना सरगम र उतैको नागरिक रहेका थुप्देन भुटियालाई नेसनल अवार्डका लागि छनोट गरिने, के यो न्यायसंगत हुन्छ ? भारतकै नागरिक हुँ भनेर दाबी गरेबापत नेसनल अवार्ड पाइसकेका उदितनारायण झालाई दुई-दुईवटा नामांकन दिनु यो कस्तो खालको नेसनल अवार्डको परिकल्पना हो ? यसबाट कस्तो खालको राष्ट्रिय सम्मानको परिपाटी बसाउन खोजिएको हो ? योगेश वैद्य महान् गायक हुनुहुन्छ, तर उहाँ पाश्र्वगायक हुनुहुन्छ कि हुनुहुन्न, छुट्याउने कसले ?

प्रसंगवश यहाँ गायक-गायिकाको नाम लिनुपरेकोमा उहाँहरूको योग्यता र क्षमतामाथि प्रश्न उठाउन खोजिएको होइन, तर नेसनल अवार्डका लागि भने त्यसको सम्वेदनशीलतालाई गम्भीरतापूर्वक लिन जरुरी छ, मात्र त्यही प्रसंगमा उहाँहरूको नाम उठाइएको हो । यसो भन्दा आफू नामांकनमा नपरेर कुरा उठाएको पनि भनिएला, त्यसलाई पूर्णतः अस्वीकार गर्ने पक्षमा पनि म छैन । कसैले चाहेर होस् या नचाहेर, यही माटोमा उभिएर नेपाली चलचित्रको पाश्र्वगायनमा मैले पटक-पटक परीक्षा दिएर दर्शक श्रोताको मनमा खह्रो उत्रिएको छु । यसैपटक प्रतिस्पर्धामा रहेका गीतहरूको कुरा गर्दा पनि म उन्नाइस हुनुपर्ला जस्तो लाग्दैन । मैले केही मिलन कहीं विछोडका लागि देविका प्रधानसँगै गाएको युगल गीत देविका नामांकित हुँदा म नपर्नु, त्यो एउटा विडम्बना हो ।

महोत्सवले धेरै कलाकर्मीको चित्त दुखाएको छ, म पनि त्यो पंक्तिमा उभिन बाध्य छु । मलाई लाग्छ, सम्मानको भागिदार म नहुँला, तर अपमानको भागिदार बन्न मलाई मञ्जुर छैन । यस अर्थमा महोत्सव मेरोलागि चाड बन्न सकेन ।

- रामकृष्ण ढकाल

गायक

Dodhare jyu,

I agree with you. "faleko faal ko hanga najhukeko kaha cha ra?"

Anil jyu,

In Asia, we believe in hierarchy. The society is based on hirearchical order. One is ALWYAS subordinate to elders and or authority figures. This is evident in the Hindu, Shinto and Confucian societies of Nepal/India, Japan and China/Singapore respectively. This is why comparing the east with the west is not a good idea. The majority believes in "social order" which can be only achieved by respecting the elders and the monarch/president/govt. Culture/tradition plays a major role in shaping a country's political system and the population's political behavior. If culture was not a factor then why the hell would they offer Area Studies classes in the western academia? Why would we study how culture shapes people's political and social behaviors?

Certain human behaviors, which you tend to see as resulting due to "manipulation" , I see it resulting from the "culture".

In Nepali society, bowing down to your elders is seen as showing one's respect. The people of my father's generation even today bow down to their teachers on Guru Purnima. My grandfather even considered his teachers to be gods! -

Gurur Brahma Gurur Bishnu Guru Devo Maheswora
Guru Saxyat Parabrahma tasmai Shri Gurawe Nama:

Now regarding the royal family: Ask this to any Nepali hindu 60 + old who follows the tradition and who is not yet fully westernzed. If he does his puja-paath every morning and does his ama-ba ko Sharaddha every year, he has to offer PINDA to the late Kings too! You see, the tradition or religion, whatever it is, has made the institution of monarchy inseperable from people's daily lives. You see people respecting the institution everywhere, all the time, whether consiously or unconsiously. Even the high ranking Nepali Shakya/bajracharya Buddhist priests bow to the King during the Shamyak Puja/Shamyak Mahadaan, every 12 years, thinking of his as the incarnation of one of the Buddhas.


Of course, a revolution to free the society from all such influences sounds lovely, but no revolution, nothing can change the culture/tradition, as the Chinese people painfully realzied after 10 years of trying to do so. Culture/Tradition revives itslef in the long run, even in the short run people due to coersion and political correctness might submit to the new system/new culture. The revival of religion(s) including the Confucianism in China is one example of this.

You don't see this in the west/US, but in Nepal, for many people, bowing down to their teachers, elders and authrity figures is not uncommon or unnatural. Its a collective cultural trait, and any anthropologist will tell you, criticizining the majority's PEACEFUL behavior of people of given society as being feudal/manipulated/primitive is not only not RIGHT, its outright nonsensical. People do what they do based on how they were brought up, or how detached or attached they were from the external influences, and their way of doing things might not be what you expect them to be doing, but what can you do? You just have to accept the fact that people in different societies tend to do things differently, and that's how the world works.

Neither I nor you can get into Shiva's head to know what he was thinking when he did that, but we can make guesses as to what propelled him to do what he did. Maybe he saw in the queen his mother's image, and bowed down sincerely to show his respect. Maybe Shiva respects the queen, so he didn't want to let go an excellent oppurtunity to display his respect to the world. Also respecting women who are elders is a nepali hindu trait. He showed his respect to a Nepali female who is his elder publicly.. we can look at it from this light too, hoina?

criticizining the majority's PEACEFUL behavior of people of given society = criticizining the majority's PEACEFUL behavior in any given society

Ram Krishna is a loser.

Specially when he invokes Udit Narayan's thing. I don't know where Udit said he was an Indian. He has been recanting all that. He was born in India, his mom was from that side, and his house is in Bhardah, Siraha. We all know it. How better is Manisha than Udit, I don't know anyway, but he has been a victim of cheapshots by Kamana group and losers like Ram Krishna Dhakal.And, yea, national award is also given to foreigners. Acadamy Awards, British Film Association award etc are routinely given to foreigners too, even in non-foreign film catagory.

I don't even like Ram Krishna's rune-dhune type ka git, anyway. His songs are not even a fraction good as Udit's Lokgeets, such as Balla balla bhet bhako dina.Darpan Chhaayaa..etc. This youngster was probably not even born when Udit was struggling in Kathmandu. Now, he is throwing communal cards against the organizers and Udit. He should be ashamed of it. Language, culture, music shouldn't even think about nationality, and should have liberal opinion, and here this man is so nakedly narrow in his view.

The organizers may have other weaknesses. But nominating a talented singer who sang a native language song, whether swadeshi or bideshi, is a good thing. I wish them all the best in film ceremony.

AnilJ Shahi writes:

"An independent, free-thinking, and free-of-manipulation individuals NEVER submit to such humiliating acts, be it to the royals or anyone else."


It's one thing to say, "I personally don't like what Shiva did", and leave it at that.

After all, Shiva's genuflection need NOT appeal to everyone. It certainly did NOT
appeal to me, for one, BUT what Shiva did out of his own free will and without being forced to do this or that was his and his business alone.

His doing that was neither illegal nor immoral -- it was just offensive to SOME PEOPLE's political sensibilities. That was all.

But it's ridiculous to make a generalization saying that "an independent, free-thinking, and free-of-manipulation individuals NEVER submit to such humiliating acts, be it to the royals or anyone else." By this reasoning, are the Thais in Thailand who crawl to greet their King khattam and jhoor people? What about the Japanese who bow low in front of their Royal Family members?

Such a sweeping generalisation shows very little understanding of or even appreciation for how cultures, institutions and incentives come together to shape human behaviours in different contexts.

On another note, having known Shiva Dai personally, I'd say that he is an easy-going and apolitical guy who likes to keep EVERYONE happy.

True, he drives his producers crazy by repeatedly showing up late for film-shooting events. But he always manages to present himself as such a lovable guy that he is forgiven -- again and again.

oohi
ashu

VB,
You have to brush up your "Panchyat" knowledge if you really want to discuss on common platform. I agree with dc_girl. Do not post obscure remarks.

ashu ji,
I think you are comparing apple and orange. Siva's bow has nothing to do with Japanese Bow or Thai Bow. The thread is about "Power Puja" in nepali culture not necessarily that applies to OUR Siva dai. I totally agree that Siva dai EXERCISED his RIGHT.

SD MAN

>>>Just a thought about Ram Krishna Dhakal<<<

Just after Feb 1, Ram Krishna Dhakal had appeared in a NTV show which was aimed at supporting royal take over. He was one of the artists who, unlike his personal grief-stricken history, had appeared as a blind supporter of King's direct rule. It was OK.

BUT,

Now, when he was not nominated and selected for the award, he turned his face back and started to beg with the help of Kantipur. It is a complete SHAME. However, I do have NO doubts about his ability as a popular singer. I do not want to compare him with Udit because both of them are from different BIDA of music.

An political interpretation:

Is this NOT an typical EXAMPLE that shows how and why a small bunch of Nepalese still support Royals? Why not we answer this question like --- JUST for blessing and personal benefits. Ram Krishna Dhakal failed to get BLESSING from his GOD (in his words) and has started BASHING.

A projection:

When Shiva Dai does not get direct benefits after his full-flanged DHOG to Komal, he will certainly reversed his DHOG ---I mean, he will soon start to show his back --- not forehead.

-----
OK

PS: A weekly magazine (I forgot the exact name) reported that the sell of RK Dhakal's Music CDs were decreased more than 75% after his appearance in NTV show to support Monarchy and to lambaste Democracy.

SD-Man,

What I object to is this sort of non-democratic reasoning espoused by some self-styled Sajha democrats.

These democrats are all for political freedom ONLY so far as others do exactly what reinforces their own agreeable political ideologies.

They say:

a) What you do or say is offensive to MY political sensibilities.
b) Therefore, let me call you names and come up with a theory that explains your "shocking" behaviour.
c) Let me also gather my friends too so that we can all gang up on you for having this 'offensive' political stance.

I find all this pretty anti-democratic, and this is what I object to.

I wonder whether these people would have reacted differently if the photo had shown Shiva doing the same to:

a) Girija Prasad Koirala, or
b) Anuradha Koirala
c) Manisha Koirala
d) His own mother

In other words, isn't every social action context- and culture-dependent?

*****

Assuming no force/coercion is involved and assuming Shiva is prepared to accept the consequences himself, I, for one, remain INDIFFERENT to whether he does somersaults, or lies on his stomach or thumbs his nose to any of those
and above people.

oohi
ashu

OK wrote:

"PS: A weekly magazine (I forgot the exact name) reported that the sell of RK Dhakal's Music CDs were decreased more than 75% after his appearance in NTV show to support Monarchy and to lambaste Democracy."


OK,

I have long been amazed and amused by the way you use (numerical) evidence in
public forum to advance a point of view.

Three things:

a) Just because a Nepali magazine publishes something, that need NOT be true. Kamana, for example, has published a lot of rubbish on Udit.

b) It seems unlikely that music fans care SO MUCH about a singer's politics that they register their protests by NOT buying that singer's CDs. Even you yourself say that "However, I do have NO doubts about his ability as a popular singer."

People buy CDs for music they like, NOT for political feel-good factors.

c) And more than 75 % of what? Was Dhakal selling 100 CDs before, and is now selling only 22? Or was he selling 20 CDs before and is now selling only 4?

[Keep in mind that lousy newspaper reports in Nepal love throwing percentage figures around WITHOUT ever putting those figures in any context so that even engineers like you fall over to believe them.

Truth be told, except for Dhakal's album producers, NO ONE will know the true sales volumes of his CDs, and Dhakal's producers are not likely to volunteer negative information about Dhakal's album sales.]

oohi
ashu

Ashu,

FYI, I had used your "FOCUSED" point in my writing only as a side information--- which had no relation with my full text except the actor-related-information. It is a shame for a self-styled professional-commentator (mostly negative to democrats!) like you to take just a side information and say, "I have long been amazed and amused by the way you use (numerical) evidence in public forum to advance a point of view". You still lack in capacity to generalize the things and have a intellectual perceptions upon others---which are mostly biased by your personal will. If you did not read my full text, please have a look on it once more.

If I were full confident upon the truth of the news, I would have written in the main text than as a side note. It DOES NOT mean that all the information outside from or against with the Ashu's ideological beliefs are WRONG. In spite of occasional sourceless information, we believe (have to believe) in media and have to use for our analysis---simply because we are limited in our capabilities and resources to check and verify each and every truth by our own hands.

And,

You claim yourself as a brilliant product of Harvard Business School (It is not my original way of writing... I just borrowed from you!)--- not just as a tourist, I have little doubt upon your business skills from this writings "Truth be told, except for Dhakal's album producers, NO ONE will know the true sales volumes of his CDs, and Dhakal's producers are not likely to volunteer negative information about Dhakal's album sales".

It means we DO NOT know real market supply and demand conditions of a marketable product. Sorry folk! I DO NOT think so, even though it is not my JOB. It is your JOB !!!

Whether you believe or not, personal impressions upon a artist DO MATTER for his/her market demand.
----
OK