It’s World Wood Day in Kathmandu. I arrange with Paruna to meet at the gates to Tri Chandra College so he can give me a tour of the Institution. But he tells me about this fantastic exhibition that’s happening not far away. It’s the World Wood Day Exhibition. Nations from all corners of the globe are here to show off their wood carving skills. It’s amazing to see such a large number of countries here, from the rich to the very poor. Some I haven’t heard of. Laos is here, so are little west African countries, and Australia too, and those impossible-to-pronounce USSR breakaways. Tools of the trade ranged from delicate little chisels to chainsaws of all sizes. This is day one of the exhibition so many of the big sculptures are at the start of their shape. Day four will have all the glory. Also on display are different Nepalese cultures displaying how wood is important to their way of life. Traditional dress and dance are also on show. What s fantastic thing.
Back at the hotel Raju’s brother explains the plan for our trip to his village in the Gorkha region. We leave on Wednesday. We also have a long talk about life in Nepal. He gives a thorough insight into the politics, religion and cultures of this amazing country. He’s both full of dispair and hope for the future. He can see somethings improving like the slow diminishing of the dreadful caste system that is integral to Hindu life. But he dispairs at the quality and conviction of Nepal’s politicians and the political system. The politicians are there for themselves, not for the people. Corruption is rife.
The caste system is incredibly complex. It determines who you can marry, who you can eat with, where you can go to worship your gods, and who you can socialize with. If a low caste even touches the food or water of a higher caste, the food is thought to be tainted and thrown out. Low caste people can’t enter the homes of high castes. It goes on. I can’t get my head around such discrimination. Raju’s brother grew up with this ideology ringing in his ears from all angles, including his parents, but he refused to listen. He teaches his children equality and he also fights the descrimination in an orphanage he runs. He sees things improving in the cities and even in the villages, though at s much slower pace. Education is the key. The more educated people become, the more they see the unfairness of it all. Sadly the Hindu faith perpetuates these descriminatory customs. Low castes can’t enter the Hindu temples to worship. They must practice their faith outside. There was an instance where the low castes protested in a village in Gorkha and a young man entered a temple. A fight broke out and he was banished from the village. He now lives in Kathmandu.
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