REINVENTING TIJ
Mallika Aryal's 'Reinventing Tij'(#465) is misleading. Tij is part of our religious and cultural heritage and can never be used for revolution. The red sari is a component of our culture, not a catalyst to misguide women and hoodwink the country. To some extent, I agree with her in the sense that the tycoons have dared to tag Tij with commercial culture. Let's help save our culture from the one-eyed monster of consumerism.

Bed Nath Sharma,
Kaski

ROOTS OF WAR
Rabi Thapa's article ('How far we lag behind', #465) was right about the under-representation of various ethnic groups amongst Nepal's elected officials, but it was prefaced by a fallacious statement that inequality and discrimination were at the roots of Nepal's conflict. I would suggest that, in fact, the roots of Nepal's conflict were greed for power and the lure of corruption. What have any of the political parties done besides lie during election campaigns and then amass wealth for themselves during whatever brief time they gain power? Then it's the next party's turn. Sometimes it's the NC sometimes the UML and sometimes the Maoists, they are all the same. All of these organisations use ethnic tension and division to their advantage. Where are the modern leaders who see Nepal's diversity as a flower garden of ethnic groups, and not as an opportunity to pit castes and ethnic groups against one another in order to perpetuate their own power over a fractured society? This sort of political culture doesn't augur well for the future.

Daniel Birch,
USA

MAKE LOVE, NOT WAR
In response to Subodh Rana's 'Jung Bahadur's "tip"' (#464) let me say that there is nothing contradictory in the title 'Brave with the Sword at War', but how about the name 'Pyar Jung'? 'Love War', as it would translate from Urdu, is definitely the mother of all oxymorons. By the way, Rana made no mention of the contribution made by the army towards adapting English words into the lexicon. There are plenty, but some of the more common ones are: Platoon ? Paltan, General ? Jernail, Captain ? Kaptaan, Lieutenant ? Laptan

S S Pal,
email

OFFENSIVE TITLE
You guys need some common sense when you give titles to your pieces ('Nepal goes to India', #463). Do you have any common sense, and any common responsibility to the Nepali people and to Nepal? Your press should be shut down immediately when you write this nonsense. I hear the YCL vandalised your office and beat you up. You deserved it. How much is the Indian government paying you?

Pashupati Neupane,
MBA, CMA

GREAT ASS
The Ass today ('The other Manmohan'#465) was really, truly hilariously enjoyable. I was split asunder with laughter, and more laughter till tears streamed down my eyes. Perhaps the best Ass I have read from you so far.
Keep going. Your wit, sarcasm (and bravery) astound me.

Madhukar,
email