Tourism year & ancient theaters of Nepal

Nepal investment Year (NIY) 2012Where’s the bright lining?

                      Some ancient Theaters

Over time the concept of theater in Nepal has been slowly refined. From the medieval ages to the 18th century, rulers in the country generally regarded the theater as being an important avenue of activity because it symbolized the spirit of the community and because performances could portray powerful messages to those who were watching. Even today, the theater is considered to have great cultural significance. During the mid 1800s, the Rana family decided it was time to create different theatrical troupes and to create theater houses where they could perform for the royal court. This merging of traditional theater and western theatrical traditions resulted in more organized and lavish theatrical productions. In the early 1900s Balakrishna Sama decided that it was time to break down the walls and allow the common public to enjoy these performances too.

Today there are not many Nepali theaters but it is worth attending a production or two if you can. You might want to consider the Aarohan Theater Group and the Gurukul School of Theater. Theater in Nepal has gradually branched out into three very different theatrical styles and you should be sure which is which before booking your tickets. The traditional dance-dramas and ritual blends are very colorful and enjoy an air of festivity, while the masked performances are more stirring and imaginative. Western influences are very evident in both these forms of theater. The thirds style is that of folk theater which is distinctive from region to region and which has changed very little over the centuries. Regardless of which form of theater you enjoy, your attendance will be not only educational and enjoyable but will support the local acting fraternity. These people are working hard to use theater as a medium of education and inspiration and are looking for ways to encourage more youths to take an interest in this age-old form of self-expression.

Aarohan Theatre Group - Entertaining and Educational

        Gurukul School of Theatre - Unique Education

Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) 2012 is over, and two questions are raised: how successful was the year in bringing in more tourists and what are its consequences in terms of employment and income generation? The number of tourists coming by air and surface to Nepal in 2011 is not encouraging when compared to the previous years. The annual average growth rate was 2percent of the number of tourists who came to Nepal during 2000-2011, which is nearly stagnant. It indicates that NTY 2011 in aggregate was a failure. The answer to the second question is a subject fit for conducting a study for investigation.

Big talks are on about the Nepal Investment Year (NTY) 2012. The government has proclaimed it with a view to doubling the foreign Direct Investment (FDI), which of course, seems quite ambitious. It has also formed the investment board to deal with a the domestic as well as foreign private investment. Can this board be successful in attracting planned as well as desired level of investment?

No doubt, there are a number of unutilized economic sectors, as Nepal is rich in natural resources. These resources are waiting for proper investment to rap the potential. Nepal can be a potential country to invest in because of its cheap labor and raw materials. However, there is a need to identify sectors which are most preferable and could cater of serve national, regional and international interests and attract both public and private investment.

The potential sector for domestic as well as foreign investment could be agricultures, particularly food processing medicine manufacturing industries for which Nepal’s Himalayas provides adequate herbs, hydro-power for which its rivers provide a potentiality of 40 GW of power, tourism industry for which Nepal has bounty of natural attractions, and the cement industry for which Nepal possesses a huge stock of Limestone. All these potential sectors have not yet been utilized properly. They are waiting for policies conducive to attract adequate investment for their proper utilization.

Moreover, Nepal is an investment friendly country. Investors have ample opportunities to foster and promote companies and earn reasonable profit by producing goods and services with their investment for which a number of reasons can be put in place. First, Nepal has abundant human resources. Companies have an opportunity to employ cheap labor varying from unskilled to highly skilled.

Second, as described above, there are a number of untapped potential sectors which are waiting for proper action for their utilization. Thirds, there is a huge marker within and across the country for the products produced form these potential sectors.

Fourth, the resources available for investment would be channelized to the productive sector, which as per the past trend had been channeled to unproductive sectors.

But, why is Nepal unable to mobilized capital both domestic and foreign where it has ample potential sectors to invest in? The answer to this question is straight forward.

The domestic investments are limited. Foreign investment needs a lot of prerequisites which Nepal is unable to meet. Forest, historical evidences reveal that Nepal has not been able to get a leader with full of vision, who is unselfish, bold, consistent, popular and patriotic. As a result, political instability has become a major issue which puts good governance at threat. Since the past several years, Nepal is plagued with corruption, fraud, inequality, insecurity and many more anomalies because of the absence of good governance.

Second, the behavior of political parties to protest any action of the government is to undertake strikes, lockouts, Bandhs, threats, abduction and even killing. This puts the general people, and more strictly business people in fear and insecurity. In such a situation, investors, whether they are domestic or foreign feel insecure to invest their scarce resources.

Thirds, trade unions put demands in a way that any organization is unable to meet. Many industries in Nepal were closed down due to the labor unrest. Fourth, electricity is the major factor of production. To undertake any sort of business, electricity is the first and foremost prerequisite. Instead, Nepal faces short ages of electricity for the past several years. Even today, there is no plan and program to increase the supply to meet the growing demand for electricity. Fifth policy and programs of the government are not investment friendly. If there are any, they are not in action due to red tape. Sixth, ongoing projects are under threat because of the dispute with the local people. Finally there is no consensus, not only within the party concerned, but also among the parties associated with both the foreign and domestic investments.

These all put the investors in a difficult situation. Investors are not interested to invest in Nepal as it is unable to provide minimum requirements.

The government’s announcement of NTY with the goal of doubling the FDI will remain a failure if everything else remains the same. Instead, the expenditure for the investment board may exceed the limit for seminars, workshops, foreign visits, and so on.

When one considers a place as seemingly remote as Nepal, you would hardly imagine that it has a long history of theater. To most westerners the concept of theater goes hand in hand with ornate buildings and large, complex stages. And yet, Nepal has been involved in theater in one form or another for well over two millenniums. Unlike with western theater, theatrical performances have permeated many different aspects of every day life in Nepal. Members of both the Hindu and Buddhist faiths have employed different theatrical practices in their culture and religious rites for thousands of years.

The Aarohan Theatre Group has been in existence for more than twenty years, being established in the year 1982. It is known as a theatre group that embraces all the cultures, religions and rituals of Nepal, trying to empower the communities and even educate them on important events and topics that influences their daily lives. Aarohan works for the people of Nepal, and in the year 2002, the Gurukul School of Theatre was established.

Through the years, the Aarohon Theatre Group has gained the confidence and the respect of the community. Many of their stage performances have been influenced by religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Nepali folklore and the landscapes of Nepal also play an important role in their productions. Aarohon is dedicated to perform screenplays that have been written by local Nepali’s, such as Bijaya Malla, Ashesh Malla and Govinda Bahadur Gothale. International plays, including "The Respectable Prostitute" by Jean Paul Satre, "The Elder Son" by Alexandre Vampilov and "The Just and the Outsider" by Camus, were altered to project and relate to everyday Nepali life and become a play the public can relate to.

Drama and theatre has also been taken to the streets of Nepal, through the creation of street theatre. It has come a vital tool in the education of the public on important issues such as HIV/Aids, different cultures, democracy, welfare, the importance of sanitation, forestry, conservation, concerns of environmental issues and even in regard to elections. Street theatre has become an easy way to communicate with the public and educate them on their country in a language they can understand. Bringing information and awareness to rural communities empowers them and assists them in making the necessary changes to their lifestyles. It also encourages the communities to establish their own theatre groups, to voice their concerns and to entertain the crowds.The Aarohan Theatre Group has also produced a few television series for Nepal Television networks and has been involved in the making of fifteen films, for television audiences. Their voices can be heard coming across the radio waves in the form of radio dramas. The Aarohan Theater Group hosts workshops and takes part in international festivals, where they have won many awards. Their dedication to the people of Nepal and the belief in the work that they are doing ensures that they remain the best and most popular theatre company in Nepal.

The Gurukul School of Theatre was established by the Aarohan Theatre Group in the year 2002. Gurukul originates from an old traditional way of education. Students or scholars that attended the Gurukul would live on the premises, be educated by the guru and take care of the school. They would be responsible for the cleaning, cooking, taking care of the guru and collecting items that were needed for the daily running of the school. Of course, there were no classrooms or a formal educational system.

To combine this ancient tradition with modern times, the Gurukul School of Theatre offers courses, lectures and theatre related classes. But also offers more unusual courses such as martial arts. Believing in the Gurukul form of teaching, educating students on life and personal hygiene, students are in charge of managing and supervision of their dorms, class rooms and school grounds. This prepares them for life in general, with cleaning, cooking and other responsibilities, to give them confidence and broaden their perspective.

The residential course, that is a two-year program, includes subjects such as acting, dramatic literature, music, direction, creative writing and theatre techniques. Courses such as martial arts, dance, yoga and mime, fall under the Physical Preparation course. The school also offers painting classes and mask classes in the Visual Arts division. "Theatre as Politics" covers subjects such as street theatre, historical facts and social studies. Personal growth and skills are also offered to the students to prepare them for their futures. By the time a student leaves the Gurukul School of Theatre, they are able to direct plays, write their own plays, have complete knowledge in lighting, make-up, sound and stage props, be confident in speech and even improvisation.

Students of the Gurukul School of Theatre will be ready to enter the world of theatre and be able to make a difference in the lives of so many, including their own. The school teaches students how to entertain and how to educate. Life skills that are taught here are also invaluable and plays its part is creating an educated and skilled Nepali community.