Family values
'Festivalonomics' (#473) touches a sensitive point. For generations the festivals and rituals in the Kathmandu Valley have been performed privately with great devotion and dignity. Restaurants are closed during these times so that cooks and waiters can perform their own worship. My impression is that the majority of Nepalis still hold cultural and spiritual values above monetary gain. Mr. Beed is suggesting that these values be sacrificed to boost the economy.

Betty Woodsend,
Tahachal

Community volunteers
The background of community management ('Demonstrating democracy', #473) goes back to the Rana regime: even in those days, democracy functioned in rural areas.

But local level initiatives and democratic decision-making processes were actually unleashed after 1950. Within a few months, both urban and rural areas saw local participation and decentralised decision-making processes reach new heights. This was throttled in 1960 but again came into play after 1990. The political energy released after the 1950 revolution was converted into local initiatives which helped in setting up schools, social, educational and religious clubs, health centres, public libraries, literacy and literary movements, etc not only in Kathmandu but even in remote parts of Nepal. If you talk to senior intellectuals and scientists in Nepal today they will tell you how important this period was.

The political zeal to convert Nepal into a modern country galvanised the intellectuals (though their numbers were very small) into dedicated volunteer groups in an unprecedented way. The change it brought in the participation of people in local governance systems was so powerful that within a short period Nepal made great progress. I think we really need to look more deeply into that period.

Kamal Kishor,
email

Found treasures
Great coverage on Mustang's restored paintings (Mustang's murals, #473).

Sanjay Budathoki,
USA

Women vs Men
'Leading by example'(#469) shows the Women's Caucus as very engaged in its work for the various committees of the Constituent Assembly. Without being sexist, it IS interesting to compare the work of women vs men in the Assembly.

Sandra East,
email