Nomad at the desk!

“This is the first time we are celebrating Lhosar as an equal and free citizen.” An elated and jubilant Gurung boy said. Nepal has never been colonized and 1990’s constitution had acknowledged basic human rights. So how come this is the first time Gurung people are celebrating Lhosar as a free man. He replied, “Nepal is now secular country. We don’t have to bear tag of being Hindu Kingdom any longer. We all are equal and have our own religion. My country doesn’t have primary religion and I don’t have to nod when any foreigner told me Nepal’s Hindu Kingdom feeling as if me and my religion don’t belong to Nepal.

Yes, Nepal is secular state now. After the April Revolution, Nepal has witnessed many changes in state mechanism that is bound to have future significance. On Jestha 4, 2063 (18 May, 2006) reinstated House of Representatives declared itself sovereign and sovereign House declared Nepal as secular country. Soon after its announcement euphoric indigenous and people of other religion than Hindu came to street to celebrate. Declaring Nepal as secular state had been demand for long time. While drafting 1990’s constitution also this voice roused. Drafters put this demand in the constitution and sent it to royal palace for final approval. But when it came out, it has declared Nepal as Hindu Kingdom not secular as demanded. Finally people’s demand for secular Nepal is fulfilled.

But not everyone feel the same way. Orthodox and extreme Hindus have also come to street demanding Nepal be declared Hindu Kingdom not secular one. Many general public also share this view. They are not just yet ready to accept the changes. They argue that despite being Hindu Kingdom, people of other religion were never discriminated and Nepal hasn’t witnessed any communal violence. Now it has been declared secular state, communal violence might pick up. Asked how, they reply that by declaring secular, state has given chance to Hindu extremities like Shiva Sena etc. to play their game. In 2061 Bhadra, Nepal witnessed the worst communal violence after 12 Nepalis were killed in Iraq by insurgents. As response to the brutal murder, mob attacked Mosques, Muslim’s houses and their religious places. Analysts believe many extremist Hindu organizations like Shiva Sena etc. were behind this. So declaring Nepal as secular would be a big mistake. They also argue that every religion was given equal space and liberty.

But those for secularism don’t feel so. They say only they know the pain and discrimination they faced during those times. Prior to 1990 carrying Bible was like a crime. They were sent to jails or tortured on the accusation of converting people’s religion. People of other religions were laden with many Hindu Systems and processions. They were given 15 day long holidays during Dashain but not in Christmas or Lhosar or Eid etc. In 2058 when King Birendra and his entire family were killed, government ordered all of its service men to go bald though many religions like Islam or Sikhism prohibits people to be bald. Other religions values and sentiments were not considered. This is major example of how primary religion of a nation plays major role in state mechanism. Many laws, rules and regulations of Nepal were made according to Hindu religion or sentiments. Still there are many laws carrying Hindu spirits.

But people for Hinduism as primary religion of Nepal believe that now their identity is in big crisis. There have been many allegations that Hindus are being converted to other religions by showing them money or other promises especially by Christians. They fear such cases would rise.

Even if we see the census of 1991 and 2001, we can see surge of population of other religion than Hindus especially of Christians. So a big question arises i.e. is really conversion taking place? But there are also defenders of such allegations. They say that every human has right to choose his or her religion. If someone likes other religion and wants to convert, it shouldn’t be a big issue. If we want to clip this, then talking about democracy and freedom would be total nonsense.

Whatever the accusations are, declaring Nepal as secular state has been definitely a positive step towards inclusive democratic process. Though it made extremist unhappy, it would be nonsense talking about New Nepal if some religion or community were left behind. By declaring Nepal as secular and recognizing indigenous and marginalized community’s demand, government and concerned parties have acknowledged that Nepal can be re-structured only if everyone is united. So let’s be united as Nepali rather than as Hindus or Muslims or Christians etc. and help in building new Nepal where freedom, democracy, prosperity and peace awaits.

But how do you feel about it? Are you in favor of secular Nepal or of Hindu Nepal? Come lets discuss.

I found some really funny quotes for those who are proud to call themselves ‘GEEKS’. Some of them are hilarious. Enjoy,

There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don’t.

Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.

Roses are #FF0000
Violets are #0000FF
All my base
Are belong to you

The box said ‘Requires Windows 95 or better’. So I installed LINUX.

The speed of sound is defined by the distance from door to computer divided by the time interval needed to close the media player and pull up your pants when your mom shouts “OH MY GOD WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!”

The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it’s twice as big as it needs to be.

Passwords are like underwear. You shouldn’t leave them out where people can see them. You should change them regularly. And you shouldn’t loan them out to strangers.

Windows had detected you do not have a keyboard. Press ‘F9″ to continue.

Use The Best…
Linux for Servers
Mac for Graphics
Palm for Mobility
Windows for Solitaire

MICROSOFT = Most Intelligent Customers Realize Our Software Only Fools Teenagers

Girls are like internet domain names, the ones I like are already taken.

Unix, DOS and Windows…the good, the bad and the ugly.

That’s a PEBKAC problem. (Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair)

Alert! User Error. Please replace user and press any key to continue.

LISP = Lots of Irritating Silly Parentheses

If at first you don’t succeed; call it version 1.0

1f u c4n r34d th1s u r34lly n33d t0 g37 l41d

You know it’s love when you memorize her IP number to skip DNS overhead.

UNIX is basically a simple operating system, but you have to be a genius to understand the simplicity.

ACs are like computers- Both work fine until you open Windows!

Dec. 24: The Himalayas — Just 40 minutes after he was spotted over the Great Wall of China, Santa was heard urging his reindeer over the Himalayan mountains in Nepal. “First we heard the bells jingling, and then we heard Santa call out all of his reindeer by name,” said one 7-year-old Himalayan local, “I’m so excited I can’t go back to sleep!”

This is the text taken from msnbc.com. But does he exist in real world??? This is the major question. NORAD, a bi-national U.S.-Canadian military organization responsible for the aerospace defense of the United States and Canada, claims it uses four high-tech systems to track Santa – radar, satellites, Santa Cams and jet fighter aircraft. This year too it tracked Santa at many places including Birjung To know more u can go here noradsanta.org. Every year norad tries to track Santa since last 50 years. How the tradition was born? here’s story:

Since then government of US and Canada has jointly tried to track Santa and many have claimed they have spotted him indeed. This year MSNBC with NORAD tried to trackSanta’s track. But dunno this whole affair is just a joke or a really serious topic. But we enjoyed reading about him and tracking him, so why not joining to track him (if he’s really there flying).

Saying goes “It’s never too late to study.” but it’s very hard to find people following the saying. But reading kantipuronline‘s news story made me feel there are still people who believe in power of education. According to the report, father Khadga Bahadur Rai and his son Bir Bikram Rai both studies at class eleven in Thakurdevi Higher Secondary School of Ankhisalla, Dhankuta. Interestingly father Khadga passed his School Leaving Certificate (SLC) the year his son Bir was born. Rai said that he wanted to study further but couldn’t. But now high school is established in village and he couldn’t help himself joining the class. His son Bir says that he felt awkward in the beginning but now it’s great fun to have his father in his class. And to add more spice, his mother is a member of school management committee.

Now days we heard many people saying there’s no value of studying. “We study hard but what we do get in return except the certificates. Neither I get decent jobs nor opportunities. If I have to work like menial labour, then what’s the point of studying?” Such voices are increasing day by day. In reality also sometimes, we feel they are right but not always. Agreed they got good marks in exams but are they equally qualified for practical life also? Now employers don’t see only good marks but also capabilities which we can build ourselves. But they also need to have good educational background capabilities and qualifications; both are part of a coin. So the power of education is still rising and we can only cash if we see it’s real power.

And such examples definitely help people to recognize the value of education. If there was no significance of education, people like Rai won’t have joined the college despite having family and social responsibilities. Accept or not, education definitely helps to shape future and make people ready to face the bitter world. Not only this, education makes people humans.

Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh
Through the fields we go
Laughing all the way.
Bells on bob-tail ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight.

Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way,
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh, O
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way,
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.

Every kid (who is familiar to Christmas and Santa Claus) might be singing this carol and wishing and praying for all those lovely gifts and presents from Santa. After all many of them had been good all year and behaved very nicely. So every kid deserves something from Santa. But what about us? We, the so called grown up ones, haven’t behaved well or does Santa presumes we can’t behave good at all. That’s why he doesn’t order his elves to make presents for us. May be the later one is true. Santa has prejudiced thoughts regarding adults.

But as a child also I never got anything from him. He never ventured in my room to give me presents. (I didn’t have chimney from where he can drop his gifts or come to put those gifts near my bedside but that can’t be the reason for not getting any gifts.) May be Santa also discriminates on race, religion or colour. I never became Christian (I am agonist) and I am of Asian origin. May be I didn’t meet his requirements so I wasn’t given any gifts at all. But he made enormous error. Now there are many international and national laws to prevent such discrimination. So I am thinking to sue him and get all those gifts meant for me with extra gifts as punishment. But I guess I can’t make his elves to work as punishment. So I have decided that he (Santa himself) would be making gifts for me all night this Christmas. But don’t worry kids I would be riding his sleigh and handing over gifts to all children around the world. So behave well because I am keeping my eyes on you.

And good news for adults too, I am also going to give gifts to them. As a first gift, you have got this blog to read and enjoy. Plus there are other gifts too. You will get good party mood (in festival seasons only, mind it) and nice sleep all the year. Ain’t that good enough????

So HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND SEASONS HOLIDAY TO ALL OF YOU HOHOHOHOHOHO