In the Land Everyone Takes Pride in as the Birth Place of Buddha, We are Very Short on Compassion

The caste system is highly corrupting. It has corrupted the minds of so many Nepalis for so long that, even while taking pride in the country as the birth place of Buddha who introduced compassion to the world and denounced the system, we are very short on compassion.

And this blog post documents just one example of that: responses to a tweet by a Dalit woman desiring "to live as a human being today."

Continue ReadingIn the Land Everyone Takes Pride in as the Birth Place of Buddha, We are Very Short on Compassion

The Story of Eklavya and Dronarcharya: More of Caste Supremacy Than Model Discipleship

Studying, living, working abroad, unconstrained by closed and inward-looking Nepali culture, society, and people, I questioned a lot of what I had been taught in Nepal.

One was the Hindu-mythology-based beliefs, practices, and values.

One lesson was taught through the story of Eklavya and Dronarcharya. We were taught that the story was about model discipleship. But after deeper questioning I have come to the conclusion that its more of caste supremacy than model discipleship.

Continue ReadingThe Story of Eklavya and Dronarcharya: More of Caste Supremacy Than Model Discipleship

ONE Reason Nepali Media is So Atrocious Could be This: The Federation of Nepalese Journalists is Of, For, and By Khas-arya Men

Nepali media is atrocious. Far from it being the fourth pillar of democracy, it panders to the those who are responsible for making the country a failed State. And that's only ONE of the many issues with them.

There's a very good reason for that. No different from those that make up the other three pillars of democracy and pretty much every other structure of any import, Nepali media is of, for, and by Khas-arya men. And that conclusion is based on data.

Continue ReadingONE Reason Nepali Media is So Atrocious Could be This: The Federation of Nepalese Journalists is Of, For, and By Khas-arya Men

“Better off struggling Abroad” than “Working my ass off…in Kathmandu”

Four years into living and working in Kathmandu, a young female adult -- a conclusion based on her Twitter profile -- has decided that working her ass off in the city is not worth it, and that she was better off struggling abroad. The tweet appears to speak to many others -- they tweeted affirmatively in response.

After living and working in Nepal for most of the last 8 years, I also concur.

Continue Reading“Better off struggling Abroad” than “Working my ass off…in Kathmandu”

Caste System Can Corrupt The Mind, Kill The Spirit, And Strip One of Humanity

Our social system, the caste system, is a pernicious, insidious, and a deeply corrupt monstrosity. It corrupts the mind, kills the spirit, and strips one of humanity and, worse, obstructs one from seeing the others' humanity. And as such, it corrupts everything else -- all other systems and structures -- based on or influenced by it as they are.

One of consequences of that we are seeing during these unprecedented times of the coronavirus pandemic.

Continue ReadingCaste System Can Corrupt The Mind, Kill The Spirit, And Strip One of Humanity

Like Gods, Like Humans? Or, Like Humans, Like Gods? Or, Like…F*cked up?

If the Gods discriminate, why can't -- or even shouldn't -- the humans as well?! If the Hindu Gods themselves discriminate against some humans (at least Dalits) the way at least some Hindus believe they do, what’s wrong with humans discriminating against the same humans?! After all, who better to follow than the Gods?! Right?

Continue ReadingLike Gods, Like Humans? Or, Like Humans, Like Gods? Or, Like…F*cked up?