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About the Blog
The Radiant Star is a personal blog of Ujjwal Acharya, 29, - a professional journalist and a hobbyist blogger.
This blog features personal posts with occasional opinion on media, citizen journalism and blogs of Nepal; and resources for the journalism students.
Apr
13
Once again, Nepalis surprised themselves. The Maoists sweep (still to complete but it is confirmed that the Maoists will establish itself as the leading party in the Nepal CA Election as they are way ahead than any other political outfit of Nepal) was something that the political analysts, media and leaders failed to predict.
Nepalis voted for change, and no wonder the new party with new agenda, was the one that the people hoped would be best for bring the change.
And, the old parties failed to understand the wave – they went for same old faces (in most of cases, ignoring youth who the large portion of the voters, youth, would have easily associated themselves with). And, they suffered as the top leaders failed to win.
The election was held after eight years in Nepal, and the large portion of the voters voted for the first time. Those grew up witnessing one of the most troubled times of the country and hearing the frustrations of parents towards the political parties.
Now that Maoists have got the people’s mandate, the worse fear for us is that they could deviate themselves from the democratic process and try to establish a communist nation (which looks largely unlikely).Otherwise, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the victory. Here are three of mine:
- Success of Peace Process: The win of Maoists means that the exemplary peace process will not be derailed. Democracy wins here. Had Maoists suffered a heavy defeat, there could be a danger to the process.
- Change! Change!! Change!! : If any party is likely to bring revolutionary changes in Nepal, it has to be Maoists. They are under pressure to do so otherwise when the general election will be held in two (or two and half) years, they are likely to suffer heavily as the people will put them on the same footings as of the ‘old talk-big-do-nothing parties’.
- More Changes: Well, now Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (UML) have to look back at their policy, strategy and tactics and review it hard. They need to go back to people and reconcile and it would be good if all party started caring for the people (something that they
seriously missed in last 18 years). And, next time, there will be new faces for all those parties.
Congratulations to Maoists! May you change the face of Nepal (after all that is going to give benefits to all Nepalis regardless of whom they voted for). And, also for all other parties and people, let’s give up the party politics after the election and join hands for the nation building! (of course, the parties can resume party things in the General Election).
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Apr
10
Nepal Votes Peacefully
Filed Under Politics Talks, Wow | Comments Off
Nepalis continue to surprise themselves… and the World. Didn’t we?
Today, Nepalis thronged at the voting booths to cast their votes in the Constituent Assembly Election that surprised almost everybody (the preliminary assessment is more than sixty percent vote casted). And, moreover, it went peaceful.
Despite the Young Communist League (YCL) behaviors, poll boycott calls by armed groups in Terai and the pro-monarchist anti-feeling (for the assembly elected by the election is set to declare Nepal a republic), it went peaceful – and that’s something that made everyone happy.
Four killed and the election suspended in 33 booths. The killing gives sad feelings but it’s less than in last parliamentary election (then it was half-a-dozen and that was not after a bloody conflict that killed 11,000 people). 33 is a small number among 20,889 total booths.
A Historic Day! A Historic Success! Read more
Aug
2
The Magic of Harry Potter
Filed Under Uzz Update, Wow | 5 Comments
- On 21 July, I knew some of the book shops had specially arranged to bring the last part of Harry Potter series to Kathmandu – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
- On 22, I read news about it that Kathmandu natives –especially youth and children - were thronging to get a copy. Until the afternoon of 23, I resisted the lure but then gave away and tried to get a copy in the evening but I couldn’t.
- On 24, I got a copy and immediately start reading and what a great fun it was.
I do not call myself a big fan of Harry Potter though I have read all seven parts and seen all the films and frequently visit a few sites about it. People have looked at me with wide eyes when I told them that I love to read Harry Potter and most of them often asked ‘aren’t they meant for the children?’
‘Ya, but I too love reading them,’ my answer. After finishing the seventh and sadly the final part, I sat satisfied the boy wizard at the end won the battle and it was a happy satisfying conclusion. Then I started recalling what had happened in the story and asked myself, ‘how on the hell can I believe all that thrash?’
I just looked at the collection of seven Harry Potter books – each new version bigger than earlier and asked myself why I enjoyed the books so much. I turned the first page of the first book – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and read a few lines:
Mrs Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbours.
I smiled! The humour in those gripping lines is so simple yet powerful and I understand why I enjoyed the unbelievable story so much. JK Rowling, I see, has not only given the gripping suspense that makes me turn each page as soon as possible but has also put a huge amount of simple humour that keeps me smiling and satisfies me like nothing else.
The childish story with all usual message – good will win over evil and courage is everything needed for success – got the largest audience ever, earned Rowling a fortune and there are many fans like me who would never call themselves a big fan of her but will always read/see the Potter Magic with intense interest.
I don’t know if I would get another such series in my lifetime but I don’t see that coming in near future, sadly!
***
It was not Harry Potter that kept me away from blogging for more than a month rather it was a series of events and illness that surrounded me in the last few weeks. I broke my ring finger in a cricket match keeping me away from keyboard, then my wife was ill, then I was ill myself with severe cold.
In between I was kept busy with my master’s thesis, which thankfully has now completed, reporting of women’s cricket, the inauguration of Nepal Photo Agency from my photojournalist friends and I helped them in a few matters and then preparation for the Players of the Year Awards from my association – Nepal Sports Journalists Forum.
Blogging at the same speed is not possible – a bitter truth I had already experienced yet hopefully now on I will try not to be absent from it for so long.
May
31
Sarangkot: A Jewel of Pokhara
Filed Under Travelogues, Wow | 1 Comment
The greed of seeing the sun rising as a golden ball is always an elusive offer and when there are mountains tops that are glorified by the early morning rays, it’s surely a life-time experience. And, that dreams became a reality when I had a chance to travel up to Sarangkot, a must-not-forget destination in the scenic city of Pokhara in Western Nepal.
Leaving the warmth of bed early morning, traveling the dwindling uphill road for more than half-an-hour and then walking for another half-an-hour for the agonizing wait for the sunrise in the cool breeze were all but forgotten when the outlines of the Annapurna Range with the famous Machhapurchhre Peak becomes visible on the north.
From Sarangkot, the Pokhara city looks like a sky with twinkling stars before the dawn and then when the visibility increases the mountains looks standing smiling – so near that I felt like I could touch with an extended hand.
The mountains were white and then glow in red as if there was a fire. And there were lots of clicks from the foreigners and Nepalis standing for long for the view. No body was speaking as everyone looked so engrossed in the view. “Will it turn golden now,” someone asked me. “It should.”
And I then realized I was so much looking at the mountains that I have forgotten to look east. There was half of the sun – as if floating – something that reminded me seeing the sunrise on the sea. The flickering sun rose slowly in the misty view and then the mountains began growing yellowish – and golden in color.
“That’s it,” someone shouted in ecstasy. And, it was probably the most beautiful scene visible from Pokhara – the Annapurna I peak at 8,091m and Machhapuchhre at 7,993m glowing in golden color.
From Nagarkot in Bhaktapur, I had seen a similar scene but the mountain tops looks so distant there when compared with Sarangkot and here the virgin peak shaped as a fish tail looked a beautiful girl modeling for gold jewelries.
[Originally written on Jan 18, 2007. I just forgot to post it then.]
May
10
Top 5 Joys Nepal Offers
Filed Under Wow | 28 Comments
I am going to Pokhara once again! Hopefully, this time I will be able to do paragliding. For me, the biggest attraction in Pokhara apart from usual scenic beauty and lakes is paragliding.
Nepal, though more known for its beautiful mountains, lovely people and cultural heritages, offers more. Rather than going through the usual things tourist guides usually recommend in Nepal, I have here my top five list of the things that a little bit adventurous people should do in Nepal.
Some of them, I have already experienced; some other I dream about.
Trek to Everest Base Camp
Not easy, but this is something you will cherish lifelong if you accomplish. The routine: fly to Lukla (usual dangerous looking hilly airport), trek two days to reach Namche – the gateway to Everest, and leave behind the usual life to embark a trek of a week to reach Everest Base Camp and return.
You will not only see mountain tops so near that you feel like you can just casually walk on the top of it, but also will have time to think about what life exactly is (that thinking comes as you see the hard lives of the people living happily in the remotest areas). I have done that and here is my diary of it.
Bungee Jump
This is something, that looked daring! The second highest bungee jump of the world, 500 feet drop, from a suspension bridge. My experience says, once you are on the jumping deck, you see all white (nothing else) and when you jump, you feel like everything inside your body is bundled, then there is the feel of the rope and you have that exciting feeling never to forget again.
Paragliding
I don’t know how it feels but its something that I believe is a fun. From Sarangkot, the view point of Annapurna range, you are with a pilot thrown into air flying like a bird. A good view of Pokhara city. Here is more.
Rafting
Nepal’s rivers flow quick in mountain and hilly regions, turning and twisting making a lot of rapids for rafting. Rafting in the natural rivers that offers the joy of rapids is something everybody shouldn’t miss. I had rafted in Trishuli and found it more exciting than anything else. Within a short time, the joy you get from rafting – the cool water hitting you and the raft that twists and turns creating a kind of feeling mixed with excitement and fear, is unforgettable.
Visit a Temple
This is somewhat weird looking for quite interesting as far as I am concerned. The best time to visit any popular temple of Nepal is in the morning because I am asking you to witness the people visiting temples and their faces more than the temple or the art in it. I love visiting Pashupatinath temple, not because I want to pray but I love roaming around amidst the sounds of pray and looking at the people – most of them happily chatting, with tikas on forehead and flowers on head.
Have to done any of them? Share your experience!