Colourful threads --- Linking Memories!!!

Chennai:

It was the way Murugesan's eyes caught the small dust particles on 'thari', the way his expert hands knew how to untangle the colourful threads and the confidence with which he was turning them into beautiful cloth; that reminded me of my mother, back home in Nepal.

For as long as I can remember, I have never once seen my mother without threads. Whether she is taking a break from working in the fields, or on her way to the jungle to get fodder and timber, or babysitting my nieces, or chit-chatting with visitors, she would always be either making threads out of hemp and woolen raw materials or warping and wefting cloth on her 'taan'. She can make almost everything - from bags to blankets. So, I grew up wearing the shawls and sleeping on the sheep-woollen blankets she made. Even on my first day at school I carried an old hemp bag she had made for my elder brothers.

It was not just the confidence and sureness with which Murugesan handled those long, fragile strands that reminded me of my mother and her threads, but also the 'thari' (Tamil name for handloom), which looked similar to the 'taan' my mother uses while weaving. The only difference is the thari is more advanced than taan, with which weaving is slower and more laborious. It is bigger than taan and the cloth made on it is also bigger - both in length and width (19 meter).

The warping process, the first stage of making cloth by distributing the threads in a long vertical way was exactly similar. It has to be wound on to its roller and the threads passed through the lathe and fastened to the cloth beam. Here, because of the size of cloth involved, three men are needed for a job my mother does by herself.

In Vellore, Tamil Nadu, a handloom weaver.

The wefting process, however, was a bit different. The thari, the more advanced loom, consists of four wooden uprights joined at the top and bottom to form a box-like framework. The weaving operation consists of sending the shuttle containing the weft back and forth through the threads of the warp. Then, a device operated by a treadle lifts and lowers alternate threads and a lathe hung from the top of the loom enables the weaver to push each thread of weft up against the cloth already woven.

Therefore, though this process needs manual strength, it was made easier with some help from an advanced tool. It looked like a perfect machine in my eyes. While, in taan, just a few flat wooden plates and different sizes of rods are used as a tool while everything - from sending weft-shuttle back and forth to lifting and lowering alternate warp threads to weft -  is all done by hand.

It is not just the process of weaving that was different- in India, handloom weaving is an industry, not in Nepal. That is why 44 year old Murugesan of K.V.Kuppam has been working as a wage labourer for a decade. It took him two years to master the process of weaving while my mother learned the weaving technique from her mother and grandmother before she was a teenager.

Taking part in making threads out of goat and sheep wool, or hemp and allo fibre starts as soon as a girl is able to hold a taku (an indigenous tool used to make threads from fibre).  So, she has been weaving garments for more than half a century. But, unlike Murugesan’s, my mother's skill and work is invisible. It is taken for granted as the traditional knowledge of an indigenous woman, not as an income generating occupation.

In Nepal, weaving is more a women’s forte, with men just helping in making threads, cleaning the wool or preparing rods used in weaving. Buying threads is not much of an option so they buy wool if they do not have their own, or gather hemp fibre and make threads out of them, warp and weft those threads and make the garments of their desire. Only cotton is bought from the city - and they hardly buy them - for special occasions to make a special cloth for men called 'ghalek'. They don't have a mechanism to dye the threads so they only have the natural colours: black, ash-gray and white.

In K.V.Kuppam in Vellore, handloom weaving industries get white cotton thread from Gujarat at Rs 700/800 per kg and dye them in 20 different colours which usually cost Rs 150-250. Here, it is also a traditional family business where men and women work together, which is an interesting factor. Earlier it was also a caste or community-based occupation, but not any more.

In Nepal, indigenous communities are the ones who are mostly involved in weaving.

Murugesan is not involved in all the steps of the weaving process such as making threads. On the other hand, my mother does everything from washing the wool, making it into threads, and the warping and wefting. It takes her over a week to finish one garment and sometimes longer, especially when she has to do agricultural work at the same time.

But, there are some things in common that my mother and Murgesan share apart from their weaving skill. Whatever garments that are later sold in the US and the UK through Bishopstop Trading Company are made out of what Murugesan weaved for six days, giving him Rs 100 a day. With that money he is feeding his children and sending them to school. Though whatever my mother made was usually used by the family, she did manage to sell a few garments through which she supported my brothers and me.

Like Murugesan, who makes four meters of garment every day and is surrounded by threads and needles but doesn't have time to sew his torn t-shirt, my memories are of how her cholo (blouse) used to be torn and she hardly could find the time to sew them.

Murugesan and my mother also share a similar fate seeing how this beautiful skill is declining as the new generation is not learning it. As the owner of the handloom family business where Murugesan works, Anbu, says, "Not many people are doing it now.  Every kid goes to school and they are totally uninterested in learning the weaving." There are not many people coming to learn the technique and the ones who do come are all above 35 years old.

Anbu's anxiety resonates with my mother's words that I heard last year when I visited home. "I learned weaving from my mother. I wish I could transfer that to you," she had said wistfully. She had sighed, smiled and added, "But, what would you do by learning. Education is much more important. Of course, it is."  Here too, whoever comes to learn weaving are also women in their 30's, with their children studying in schools.

[During Covering Deprivation tour to Vellore, I met Murugesan, a handloom weaver, and got chance to see the handloom industry which reminded me of my mother, in Rukum. --- two women making threads in Rukum, Nepal. Photo courtesy - www.jvf-nepal.org]

टुँडिखेलमा ताप्लेजुङ

स्मिता मगर

काठमाडौं, ओल्लो कुनामा मगमगाएको तोम्बा, पल्लोमा मुखै रसाउने बङ्गुरको भुटन र चौरको बीचमा लिम्बूहरूको नाँचौंनाचौं लाग्ने धान नाच । ताप्लेजुङको यो रंगरस शुक्रबार दिउँसो काठमाडौंको टुँडिखेलमा देखियो ।

शुक्रबार सुरु दुईदिनेे ताप्लेजुङ मेलामा सुदूरपूर्वी पहाडी जिल्लाका एक होइन, अनेक झलक देख्न पाइयो । याकको छुर्पी, हातबाट बनेका धागाका कपडा, जडिबुटी औषधिसहितका ७५ स्टल आफैंमा घुमिरहुँझैं थिए । पहिलो दिनमा नै टुँडिखेलमा ठूलो जमात उपस्थित थियो । सांस्कृतिक भेषभूषामा सजिएर आएका युवायुवती पनि हूलमा थिए । त्यही भिडमा धाननाच हेर्दै बङ्गुरको मासु स्वादिलो मानेर खाइराखेकी सोलुखुम्बुकी दिलकुमारी राईले भनिन्, 'ताप्लेजुङको मेला कस्तो होला भन्ने कौतूहल मेटाउन टुँडिखेलभित्र छिरेकी थिएँ, एकदम रमाइलो भइराखेको छ ।'

'ताप्लेजुङलाई चिनौं, ताप्लेजुङसँग रमाऔं' नारालाई अझ बुझाउँदै मेला संयोजक बलबहादुर तामाङले भने, 'ताप्लेजुङमा आन्तरिक तथा बाह्य पर्यटक आकषिर्त गर्न मेला आयोजना गरिएको हो ।' गत फागुन दोस्रो सातामा फुङलिङमै ताप्लेजुङ महोत्सव भए पनि अरू भेगका दर्शकको उपस्थिति त्यति नदेखिएकाले सबैलाई सुदूर थलो चिनाउन काठमाडौंमा अर्को मेला आयोजना गरिएको उनले बताए ।

मेलामा धाननाच नाचिराखेकी गायिका झुमा लिम्बूले जिल्लाका आफन्त भेट्न पाएकामा खुसी हुँदै भनिन्, 'धेरै समयपछि एकैपटक मेरा जिल्लाका यति धेरै आफन्तजन भेट्दै छु, खुसी लागेको छ ।' उनले यो मेलाले ताप्लेजुङका नयाँ कलाकारलाई नयाँ अनुभवका साथै जिल्लाबाहिरका दर्शकसामु चिनिने अवसर दिने बताइन् ।

मेलामा महिला र पुरुष दुवैको डोरी तान्ने खेल प्रतियोगिताले यता खेलाडीलाई मैदानमा उडेको धुलोले फुस्रैफुस्रो मात्र बनाएन, डोरी तान्दा लडिबुडी भएका खेलाडी र तिनलाई हेरिराखेका दर्शक पेट मिचिमिचि हाँसेका थिए । अर्कोतिर भने पुरुष भलिबल प्रतियोगिताको जोस र दुवै टिमले जित्नका लागि बगाएको पसिनाले दर्शकलाई घरिघरि ताली बजाउन बाध्य बनाएको थियो ।

मेलामा ताप्लेजुङका प्रतिभा मनोज गजुरेल, नवीन सुब्बा, दीपक लिम्बू, जुना प्रसाईंलगायतका कलाकारको जमघट भने शनिबार हुँदै छ ।

मेला प्रसारप्रचार समिति संयोजक टंक श्रेष्ठले तराई बन्दका कारण जिल्लाबाट आउनुपर्ने जति सामान नआएको बताए । 'सबै सरसामान हवाईमार्ग र एम्बुलेन्सबाट ल्याइएका हुन्, बेच्ने सामान त ल्याउनै पाइएन,' उनले थपे ।

गोठभन्ज्याङमा क्याम्प-फायर

स्मिता मगर

ललितपुर, होली उपत्यकामा रहेका तराईमूलका बाहेकले मंगलबार मनाए । ठूलो जमात रंग दलादल र पानी छ्यापाछ्यापमा मस्त रह्यो । उपत्यका खाल्डामै रहेका तन्नेरीको अर्को जमात भने फागु मनाउन भिन्न उद्देश्यसाथ दलचोकी गोठभन्ज्याङमा थियो ।

पचास तन्नेरी करिब तीन घन्टाको कच्ची बाटो छिचोल्दै भट्टेडाँडानजिकैको मनोरम भन्ज्याङमा पुगेका थिए । अंग्रेजी लेखक टमस हार्डीको 'फार पmम द म्याडिङ क्राउड' मा भनिएझैं उनीहरू एकान्तमा बढी नै आनन्दित देखिन्थे ।

'फागु पूणिर्मा हर्ष र उमंगको उत्सव भए पनि उपत्यकामा पर्वका नाममा विकृति फैलेको छ,' तन्नेरीहरूलाई अगुवाइ गरेर दलचोकी पुर्‍याइसकेपछि युवा अभियानका उपाध्यक्ष रूख गुरुङले भने, 'त्यसको प्रतीकात्मक विरोध जनाउन यहाँ आएका हौं ।' विशेषतः सृजनात्मक कामसँगै कलासंस्कृतिको सम्मान गर्न दशकदेखि होली यसरी मनाउन थालेको उनले जानकारी दिए ।

राष्ट्रिय युवा सेवा र स्मार्ट क्लबको समेत सक्रियतामा जुटेको हूलमा दन्त चिकित्सकदेखि राष्ट्रिय फुटबल खेलाडी, मोडलदेखि विद्यार्थीसम्म थिए ।

लगनखेलमा मंगलबार बिहानै जुटेको जमात मध्याह्नतिर गन्तव्य पुगेको थियो । सुत्ने र खानेबस्ने चाँजो अभियानले स्थानीय बासिन्दाको घरमै मिलाएको रहेछ । तन्नेरीहरूले गुन्द्रुकको अचारले जिब्रो पड्काउँदै खाना खाए । भोटुडाँडाको हाइकिङमा रमाए । सल्ला र लालीगुँरासले भरिएको भोटुडाँडाको टुप्पाबाट उपत्यकाको क्रंक्रिट जंगल देखिए पनि सहभागीहरू वीरगन्ज सहरतर्फ लालायित भए तर तुवाँलोले तराईको औद्योगिक नगरीलाई ढपक्क ढाकेको थियो ।

घुमघामपछि गोठभन्ज्याङ पुग्नुको खास काम सुरु भयो ।

युवाहरू भोटुडाँडाबाट अलि तल मनकामना मन्दिरमा झरे । मन्दिर पु+mग उडेको थियो । साथै ल्याएको पेन्ट, चुना, कुचोले उनीहरू मन्दिरका भित्ता उजिल्याउन थाले ।

'गोरखाको मनकामनाकै प्रतिरूप मानिने यो मन्दिरमा वैशाखमा मेला लाग्ने भएकाले गाउँलेले रंगरोगन गर्न आग्रह गरेका थिए,' युवा अभियानका महासचिव विपिन पोखरेलले भेद खोले । सहरी युवालाई गाउँले जीवनको झल्को दिनु पनि उद्देश्य रहेको उनले बताए ।

तन्नेरीहरूले मन्दिर परिसरमा सरसफाइ पनि गरे । विगतमा अभियानले ललितपुरको बिष्टाछाप गाउँमा बाटो खन्ने, खेलमैदान, पानीट्यांकी बनाउने गरेको रहेछ ।

'साह्रै रमाइलो भयो,' एनआरटीका फुटबल खेलाडी बालगोपाल साहुखलले भने, 'थप सामाजिक काम गर्नुपर्ने थियो ।'

युवा जमघटबाट दलचोकी गाविसका निवर्तमान अध्यक्ष रामशरण आलेमगर पनि कम उत्साहित थिएनन् । 'यिनले हाम्रो गाउँको विकासमा लाग्न हौस्याएका छन्,' उनले सुनाए ।

दलचोकी गाउँ जान प्रत्येक सहभागीबाट ४ सय रुपैयाँ लिइए पनि आनन्द र उत्साहसामु त्यो नगण्य भएको प्रत्येकको अनुहारले बताइरहेको थियो ।

उपत्यका खाल्डाबाट 'पहिलोपल्ट बाहिर निस्केकी' काठमाडौंकी नर्सिङ विद्यार्थी प्रविना कर्माचार्य दलचोकी जाने बाटामा लालीगुराँस हेर्नमा मग्न थिइन् । 'एकदम रमाइलो लागिराखेको छ । प्रकृति र गाउँले जीवनको मज्जा लिँदै होली फरक तरिकाले मनाउन पाइयो,' उनले भनिन् ।

तन्नेरीले डन्डीबियोलगायतका खेलबाट पनि आनन्द उठाए । मध्यरातमा गितार र मादल
बजाए, गीत । मंगलबार रात पूर्णेको जून उदाएपछि क्याम्पफायर सुरु भयो जसले झनै लोभ्यायो । क्याम्पफायरको तातोमा दोहोरी खेल्ने र आलु पोलेर खानेहरू पनि रौसिए ।

(source: www.ekantipur.com)

“The Sari Soldiers”

Six Nepalese Women with Different Ideologies Find Common Ground Through Film!

Smita Magar

Kathmandu, December 22-These two strong women came together to film other six strong women‘s real life stories with different perspectives on the ongoing decade-long conflict in the country; on their reels.

A decade of bloody people’s war left Nepal with deep scars that no one knows when they will heal. These two strong women saw the extraordinary power hidden beneath the scars on six particular Nepalese women who struggled to overcome their loss and found the hope to fight on from different poles to reach the destinations they believed in.

These two strong women are Julie Bridgham and Ramyata Limbu; director/producer and co-producer of the documentary “The Sari Soldiers”. In 2005, during the time of the Maoist insurgency in Nepal, one, an American woman, the other, a 7 months pregnant Nepali woman took their chances and started filming the documentary. “It was very difficult and very challenging epecially after King Gyanendra’s coup on February 1st. We had no idea which direction the country was headed and also it was very difficult to physically reach some of the characters of our film,” said Julie Bridgham. “For Julie, being an American during those times was in some way dangerous because Maoists had their different way of looking at American citizens so we had to take considerable precautions,” Ramyata Limbu added.

The documentary observes six extraordinary women’s lives and their involvement in the decade-long conflict. The women include Devi Sunuwar, mother of a "disappeared" daughter Maina Sunuwar, a human rights attorney Mandira Sharma, an anti-Maoist village leader Krishna Shahi, a street protesting student activist & leader Ram Kumari Jhakri, a Royal Nepal Army officer Rajani K.C, and a Maoist People’s Liberation Army Brigadier Commissar Kamala Roka alias Kranti. It shows the role of women on all sides of the conflict as well as the greater political and human rights issues in the decade-long insurgency. It reveals their participation in major political events, exposes their victimization while showing the positive roles they played in transforming Nepal using bold steps to lead with their beliefs.

Though the Sari in the name is a metaphorical name for female-civilians, director Bridgham said “Each is a fascinating individual making significant impacts in the country, with her own perspective of looking at the conflict of the country. Each is to be celebrated as a person in herself, not in particular as a women.” While Limbu smilingly added that her life has been enriched by meeting those totally different, and yet so similar individuals, each with strong determination and each struggling through the conflict, it was a very wonderful experience for her to see the characters unfold through the different events.

Apart from the challenges they had to face while filming the documentary, Bridgman and Limbu shared another challenge when they showed their film to the six women together in the studio. “We were very nervous that day. We had brought all of them together in one place for the very first time. At first, there was hardly any communication between them, but then after seeing the documentary they talked about it with each other and interacted freely. The environment became more enjoyable then,” said Limbu remembering that memorable day.

After seeing the audience response in their two special screenings of the documentary in Nepal, the film makers are very excited. “It’s great to see people responding strongly to the film. We hope it will be shown the film. We hope it will be shown all over Nepal and result in discussion, dialogue and understanding between people with different views about the decade long conflict,” states Bridgham. She further added that they are hoping viewers will understand why these six women who hold different opinions are able to reach common understanding.

"The Sari Soldiers” delves into how women were increasingly involved in the conflict and for that, it is a captivating film. Each story touches the audience emotionally, changing their emotions with the changes of the story in the film. “The documentary is very powerful. Being able to combine each perspective and give full justice to each personality in the film is remarkable,” said one of the characters of the film, Ram Kumari Jhakri Magar said.

Photo courtesy: 1st & 2nd photos are provided by Julie Bridgham director/producer of the documentary “The Sari Soldiers”.

(Source:- www.usnepalonline.com)

Locking horns in the hills!

By Smita Magar

Posted on: 2008-01-17 01:55:27

“Next year, I'm going to buy a bigger and stronger bull to win the award," said Rudra Bahadur Paudyal of Budhasing-6, Nuwakot. He was one of the participants of the unique "bull-fight" tradition celebrated on the occasion of Maghe Sankranti in Nuwakot.
Despite losing the game on Tuesday afternoon Paudyal said, "This was my first participation at such an event. Therefore, I wasn't aware of all that was needed to win. But, next year I'm certainly going to be very careful and give my bull better nutrients, at least six months ahead of the tournament."
Ironically, Paudyal got injured by his own bull, just when he arrived for the registration. "I couldn't miss this chance; I was very excited to participate and wanted to show that my bull was no less a competitor," he shared.
Like Paudyal, every year when Maghe Sankranti arrives, the people at Nuwakot not only celebrate the day with traditional ghiu-chaku, but also make it a point to make the “bull-fight” a grand ceremony. This year was no exception either. Not only did the locals enjoy the event, some 2,000 neighboring villagers too witnessed the extravaganza.
"As people from places like Dhading, Kathmandu, Syangja and Chitwan too popped in, we experienced many more spectators than what we had last year," highlighted Toran Kumar Shahi, President of Maghe Sankranti Fiesta Management Committee (MFMC).
Along with those who seemed enthralled to witness the show, there were also a few who took it a malpractice in terms of animal rights.
"It is a guilty pleasure," told Rajan Shrestha, a youth who had come to watch the bull fight from Batar, neighboring village of Taruka, Nuwakot.
"Like anyone else I'm here to see how the event is conducted. However, though it has traditional values, I now realize that we human beings have become selfish to such large extent that we can go beyond limits for our pleasure and enjoyment," he added.
Similarly, Purushottam Adhikari, an active member of Human Rights Organization of Nepal (HURON) had his own point of view: "I agree that it's one of the unique cultural practices. Nonetheless, it is also a heinous crime when it comes to animal rights. However, I don't mean that the tradition needs to be abolished; one can instead make sure that neither the bulls nor anyone else gets injured."
According to the villagers the "bull-fight" was incepted in the district some 200 years ago. "Participating in a bull fight has always been an honor, a platform to portray class and status," said Jham Bahadur Pradhan, one of the elder members of the district.
Till a few years ago the winners used to be felicitated with red tika and would be carried on shoulders and with a panche baja procession behind. However, this practice didn't last long as some people did not admire this act. Pradhan put in, "There's nothing wrong in organizing such events. After all, we need to preserve out culture."
Along with a winning trophy, the winner of the competition also gets a hundred rupee.

(Source: The Kathmandu Post)

General secretary of NEFIN been attacked

General secretary of NEFIN been attacked
Kathmandu, Feb 15.

Ram Bahadur Thapa Magar, General Secretary of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) was attacked by some youths and has been seriously wounded in Kalanki.

Indigenous and marginalized people had called for Kathmandu valley bandh on Thursday to give government pressure to address indigenous and marginalized people's demand of their representation in New Nepal's constitution. To make it a successful bandh Magar had gone to Kalanki when the incident happened. He was taken to Kathmandu Model Hospital where he regained his consciousness. He had to have about 12 stitches on the back and side of his head.

Talking to journalists he said, "After we asked local shopkeepers and vehicle-users to support our bandh I was standing alone on the road side when about 16 youths came and attacked me. The attack looked planned. They definitely knew who I was and whom they should attack.

Though it was said to be peaceful protest about two dozens of vehicles were vandalized and one motorbike was burned by aggressive protesters after Magar was attacked.