Palpasa Cafe and Nepali Book Reading Habit

Images and ’soundbites’ from the book signing program that we saw rarely in Nepali book world. Star of the moment was Narayan Wagle, awardwinning writer of debut novel Palpasa Cafe.
By Dinesh Wagle
As he reached the stall of Educational Book House in the Book Fair at Bhrikutimandap immediately after landing at Kathmandu airport from a week [...]

Bringing Nepal Army Under People: American Perspective

Mike Bailey, a retired US army colonel addresses a video conference from Washington DC organized by the American Center in Kathmandu. Pic by Sudhir Mahat via US Embassy.
By Dinesh Wagle
After the historic May 18 Parliamentary Declaration, the process of brining the military under the civilian control has started (though shockingly very slowly). The declaration stripped [...]

Meet the Rebels: Maoist Guerilla of Nepal

A personal encounter with Nepal’s Maoist rebels is a ’show’ of force in more ways than one.
By Kevin Sites
Pics and captions by Dinesh Wagle

Even if you don’t have a gun, act like you have one! That’s what this guerilla girl was doing in a parade organized on the play ground of a primary school in [...]

Backpack Journalist: Kevin Sites In Kathmandu

American war correspondent Kevin Sites points his camera toward an armed Maoist guerilla girl in Kailali, far west Nepal, this week. Pic by Wagle
By Dinesh Wagle
Saturday Blog
A soldier heading for the war zone would carry a loaded rifle along with a bandolier of bullets. What about a journalist who is going to cover that war? [...]

Out of Jail, Maoist Comrades Chanted Slogans On The Street

Walking with Maoist folks who, after being released by authorities, were taking out rally and chanting slogans on the main street of the town.

Bijaya Kuwar aka Comrade Sapana, 15, wants to continue her sixth grade study. “But,” she said while chanting slogan in a rally organized immediately after her release from 3-month-loing imprisonment this afternoon. [...]

Monitoring Leaders From The Streets

In front of Singha Durbar: Nepali people are constantly pressurizing to their leaders who have assumed the responsibility of fulfilling their aspirations. Pics by Wagle
The best thing about democracy is that it lets people have their say. Another hallmark is that the folks at the government can’t stop people from raising their voices. Here is [...]

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Changing the National Anthem (that sings the song of the kings) and renaming His Majesty’s Government to the Government of Nepal might seem like cosmetic changes. But these proposed changes symbolize Nepali peoples’ deep hatred to Monarchy. An article in Nepali:
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They Want Republic Nepal… Jhyamma Jhyamma

After spending three weeks in the United States, blogger Dinesh Wagle is back in action on the politically sensitive streets of Kathmandu.
If you go by the opinions on the street, you will conclude that everyone wants to see a Democratic Republic of Nepal. Yes, Bikash Sherpa included. All pics by Wagle

Who is this boy? What [...]

Reading Nepal in American Media

Nepal coverage in US media is encouraging
By Dinesh Wagle, New York
Wagle Street Journal, American Edition

Manish Swarup/Associated Press via The New York Times
Head of the wonderful American family that is hosting me in this alien land of New Jersey, half an hour drive from downtown New York City, was pleasantly surprised by what he saw [...]

Democracy: Voice of Nepali Youth

“Nepal never got real democracy. Constitutions made after the revolution of 2007 BS gave power to the king. Same happened even in 2046 (1990). Political leadership failed to make people feel democracy. We have seen [that the king's] ‘golden wish’ after Magh 19 (Feb 1) has gone to the opposite direction.” -Suraj Kumar Dev, (front) [...]