It is with great interest that I read Anoop Pandey's article on Bob Marley ('Raja of rasta and reggae', #232). I am a professor of mathematics here in California as well as a reggae DJ and a historian on the side for the last 12 years. I am afraid that Bob Marley has never been to Nepal or India. I am good friends with Roger Steffens (Marley's archivist and historian). Him and I have had countless hours of discussion on Bob Marley's life. We have concluded that he has never been to Nepal. Bob's music touched us in the 1970s and I was very pleased to see that his music is just as strong today in Nepal. I was there only a month ago and left many rarities of Bob Marley CDs with some of my friends and some bars around Lajimpat and Thamel. Also, there has been quite a discussion on sadhus vs rastas but there is yet to be any link between them other than the few similarities in lifestyle.

Sanjay Dev,
California

. Thank you for that excellent curtain-raiser on the Bob Marley 60th anniversary. Bob Marley was not just a musical prophet, he was also a messiah for the Third World and decades ahead of his time. What he did for African pride and for the self-esteem of the 'two-thirds world' through his music is incalculable. Perhaps the reason for his popularity in Nepal is that the Nepali people feel downtrodden and want to sing his redemption song?

Kumar Pradhan,
Kathmandu