The same malaise that has alienated Nepalis in their own land and helped stoke the conflict afflicts us still. Kathmandu Valley always behaved as if the rest of the country didn't exist or didn't matter. After all, Kathmandu was known as 'Nepal'. The rest of the country is now getting back at Kathmandu for decades of disregard.

Yet, our rulers party on in their walled fortresses pretending it is all ok, it will sort itself out, and somehow we'll muddle through like we are doing now. With this "let them eat cake" attitude, they distract themselves with inane ceremonies and the hollow rituals of power, playing musical chairs. They continue to lavish on themselves luxuries that can only be described as obscene.

We aren't saying they should all be living in penury, moping day and night about the sorry state of the state. But we have yet to see some hint of recognition of the despair and misery of their subjects, a flicker of compassion perhaps and a determination to set things right. Instead we see apathy, wanton escapism, or a frantic last-ditch attempt to rake it all in before the curtain falls.

And of those erstwhile politicians who are now in and out of government, the less said the better: just look at the way they are playing politics with the spontaneous outpouring of outrage against the Maoists by Dailekh's mothers. Instead of showing some empathy we heard from these usual suspects in Kathmandu more empty slogans.

Now, more than ever before, the capital should turn its attention to the mountains beyond the Valley rim. But there are few signs of that happening. Kathmandu still lavishes most of the country's budget, infrastructure and services on itself and even manages to convince donors to build new ring roads, traffic intersections and water supply systems for itself. Bloated by the internally displaced, the Valley is bursting at the seams. Only by investing on the rest of the country will this pressure ease.

The answer to Nepal's woes has always been to devolve power, privileges and opportunities away from the centre. After 1990, hesitant steps were taken in this direction and had started showing results. But we are back to building an Outer Ring Road so we can keep going round and round in circles.