The Legacy of "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" Politics of Nepal
Prakash Bom
March 08, 2009
How a glory of a nation on the tip of the two massive plate tectonics movement can be appraised in the first place with "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" as Nepali-menīs national dress over the geological time with the 21st centuryīs technology that has almost reached the point for new direction to shape process of natural selection for human evolution!
The origin of "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" a glorified national dress for Nepali-men if traced back in time it can reach to the mountain of Hindakush of Tajikistan in regard to its designing and developments. Later it traveled to Peshawar, Kashmir to Nepal through Afghanistan and its trace still can be found particularly regarding "Topi" with the hat of present Afghanis president Hamid Karzai.
The "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" dress was brought along Khash migrations all the way from the mountains of Caucasian of central Asia throughout Hindkush to the north western Himalayas of Nepal. Those Caucasians who migrated through Hindkush and Himalayas and settled upon the hills and valleys of high altitude such as Jumla, Humla, Bajura, Bajhang districts of North West Nepal adapted the dress to keep their body warm from the cold draught of Himalayas.
But when it became national dress for only Nepali-menīs glory in politics since the period of Malla regimes of Kathmandu the dress achieved religious attributions with its eight lucky ties as "Pancha-Ratana" then it overruled the indigenous nationalitiesī cultural heritage of the mountains, valleys and plains of Nepal.
The politics of "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" was enhanced when the Rana Prime Minister Janga Bahadur Rana went to state visit to England and returned with the British Jacked "Short-Coat" over the "Daura-Suruwal-Topi." But only in 1961 "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" became a mandatory national dress for male government officials and politicians.
Even now there are individuals in major political parties who cannot give up "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" politics for example GP Koirala of Nepali Congress with the complete dress and UML leaders with only "Topi" over the pants, shirt and jacket. Frankly, they all look odd if not jokers when they come to attend international conference.
We know these are the politicians who see all indigenous nationalities with their own self-image and thus do not see the need for indigenous nationalitiesī identity in socio-economic and political developments of the nation. They need public protest, road blocked, unrest, clash and death to see through othersī eyes than their own.
People thought this has occurred only with the leaders of NC and UML but now it is happening with Maoists once they led the coalition government. Thatīs way the indigenous nationality of plain "Tharu" are protesting with road blocked and clashing with security personnel.
It seems as if the history has repeated when the recent Madhesi movement for federalism tried to completely homogenize enter Terai with "One-Madhes One Pradesh" casting a new "Dhoti" politics by wiping out the identity of Tharu indigenous nationality of Terai just as how centuriesī politics of Nepal had almost wiped out the identity of entire indigenous nationalities of Hills with the "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" nationalistic politics.
The most unfortunate of all recent politics is the Maoist led governmentīs decree to wipe out the identity of "Tharu" indigenous nationality of Terai into Madhesi homogeneity. How Maoist led government arrived to this decision is nothing mysterious but same old story of mischievousness of Nepali politics that occurs in private among certain political leaders and government elites.
For Maoists it is important to know that "Tharus" are the most ancient indigenous nationality of entire delta of Ganges of South Asia and therefore they are the most ancient indigenous nationality of Terai. Tharus and other indigenous nationalities of South Asia were there before Caucasian or the Aryan migrations which transformed entire North West South Asia with the Vedic civilization that marginalized entire native indigenous population with greater exclusion.
Even now there are instances of indigenous population of South Asia is being deprived of by Indiaīs "Dhoti" politics. Thatīs why Jharkhanda state of India was created recently as separate federal state from Bihar which population is dominantly indigenous nationality. Similarly, Uttaranchal state was created as separate federal state from UP to give freedom to Kumaon and Garhwal Khash population from "Dhoti" politics of UP.
It is clear that Maoist party which has mostly failed to comply with the 2006 Peace Accord that its leadership in the coalition government is about to push the nation to further conflict that might end up with another civil war. Thatīs why UK IPU delegation has reported about the dangerous political situation of Nepal which is undergoing with the utter lack of unity among political parties for peace and democracy.
One of the misgivings that world suffers about Nepal is that if Maoists try to keep their PLA with the new additional recruitment in pretension to bring Nepal Army under civilian government to forge a one party dominated multiparty communist government system then the entire nation will go panic to fight back Maoists. Nepal Army again will have to defend democracy, protect democratic forces and fight PLA as well as bunch of multi-facet unidentified insurgents and criminal gangs.
Despite Maoist led government leaders Mr. Dahal and Dr. Bhattarai on suit and tie with or without Nepali-menīs hat "Topi" with hair style of Mao Zedong and Zhou En Lai Maoists have succumbed to "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" politics worst than NC president GP Koirala on Nepali menīs national dress without which Koirala can never walk to the world podium.
Unfortunately, it has become apparent that Nepal has no leader who can lead the nation at this transition period above the party line politics against aspiration of people for peace and democracy. Nor there is unity among political parties for consensus which has turned antagonistic with the opposition of NC because Maoists opposed GP Koirala to be the first president of FDR Nepal.
But what Maoists want clearly not the democracy but the Maoist rule in the pretext of people with the false promise of "people oriented" statute! People have seen Prime Minister Dahalīs double standard, self-contradictory statements, which made him incapable of fulfilling his commitments to peace and democracy against the will of his party hardliners. For instance, regarding army recruitment neither he was able to stop Nepal Army nor he will be able to stop PLA from new recruitment. In fact, PM is solely responsible for both recruitments.
It is one of the most admirable democratic norms that army serve the nation above the party-line politics to protect democracy and people and defend nation. It is for sure a politically indoctrinated army such as PLA will not comply with the civilian government in the absence of Maoist party in the government.
It is beyond comprehension how a people elected Prime Minister Mr. Dahal could not win the trust of Nepal Army and as a Chairman of Maoist party how he could not convince PLA for integration! It is becoming clear that Maoist commitment to peace and democracy is ploy. If it is not why then PLA should not have been kept for bargaining chip if Maoists were committed themselves for peace and democracy.
Therefore, Maoists have so far led Nepal at this transition period no where but back to the legacy of "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" Politics despite their professional appearance on "Suit and Tie" with the hair style of Mao Zedong and Zhou En Lai. As a consequence, Maoists have become bunch of conspirators in current politics, for instance Maoists had tremendously benefited from Tharu indigenous nationalities as their fighters both women and men in their 12 years insurgency but now they have betrayed them outright without considering Tharusī indigenous identity for state restructuring. It is obvious that Maoists are ideologically more ambitious for state power than serving people therefore they will not hesitate to swap people for any bargain power or rebellion.
The origin of "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" a glorified national dress for Nepali-men if traced back in time it can reach to the mountain of Hindakush of Tajikistan in regard to its designing and developments. Later it traveled to Peshawar, Kashmir to Nepal through Afghanistan and its trace still can be found particularly regarding "Topi" with the hat of present Afghanis president Hamid Karzai.
The "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" dress was brought along Khash migrations all the way from the mountains of Caucasian of central Asia throughout Hindkush to the north western Himalayas of Nepal. Those Caucasians who migrated through Hindkush and Himalayas and settled upon the hills and valleys of high altitude such as Jumla, Humla, Bajura, Bajhang districts of North West Nepal adapted the dress to keep their body warm from the cold draught of Himalayas.
But when it became national dress for only Nepali-menīs glory in politics since the period of Malla regimes of Kathmandu the dress achieved religious attributions with its eight lucky ties as "Pancha-Ratana" then it overruled the indigenous nationalitiesī cultural heritage of the mountains, valleys and plains of Nepal.
The politics of "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" was enhanced when the Rana Prime Minister Janga Bahadur Rana went to state visit to England and returned with the British Jacked "Short-Coat" over the "Daura-Suruwal-Topi." But only in 1961 "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" became a mandatory national dress for male government officials and politicians.
Even now there are individuals in major political parties who cannot give up "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" politics for example GP Koirala of Nepali Congress with the complete dress and UML leaders with only "Topi" over the pants, shirt and jacket. Frankly, they all look odd if not jokers when they come to attend international conference.
We know these are the politicians who see all indigenous nationalities with their own self-image and thus do not see the need for indigenous nationalitiesī identity in socio-economic and political developments of the nation. They need public protest, road blocked, unrest, clash and death to see through othersī eyes than their own.
People thought this has occurred only with the leaders of NC and UML but now it is happening with Maoists once they led the coalition government. Thatīs way the indigenous nationality of plain "Tharu" are protesting with road blocked and clashing with security personnel.
It seems as if the history has repeated when the recent Madhesi movement for federalism tried to completely homogenize enter Terai with "One-Madhes One Pradesh" casting a new "Dhoti" politics by wiping out the identity of Tharu indigenous nationality of Terai just as how centuriesī politics of Nepal had almost wiped out the identity of entire indigenous nationalities of Hills with the "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" nationalistic politics.
The most unfortunate of all recent politics is the Maoist led governmentīs decree to wipe out the identity of "Tharu" indigenous nationality of Terai into Madhesi homogeneity. How Maoist led government arrived to this decision is nothing mysterious but same old story of mischievousness of Nepali politics that occurs in private among certain political leaders and government elites.
For Maoists it is important to know that "Tharus" are the most ancient indigenous nationality of entire delta of Ganges of South Asia and therefore they are the most ancient indigenous nationality of Terai. Tharus and other indigenous nationalities of South Asia were there before Caucasian or the Aryan migrations which transformed entire North West South Asia with the Vedic civilization that marginalized entire native indigenous population with greater exclusion.
Even now there are instances of indigenous population of South Asia is being deprived of by Indiaīs "Dhoti" politics. Thatīs why Jharkhanda state of India was created recently as separate federal state from Bihar which population is dominantly indigenous nationality. Similarly, Uttaranchal state was created as separate federal state from UP to give freedom to Kumaon and Garhwal Khash population from "Dhoti" politics of UP.
It is clear that Maoist party which has mostly failed to comply with the 2006 Peace Accord that its leadership in the coalition government is about to push the nation to further conflict that might end up with another civil war. Thatīs why UK IPU delegation has reported about the dangerous political situation of Nepal which is undergoing with the utter lack of unity among political parties for peace and democracy.
One of the misgivings that world suffers about Nepal is that if Maoists try to keep their PLA with the new additional recruitment in pretension to bring Nepal Army under civilian government to forge a one party dominated multiparty communist government system then the entire nation will go panic to fight back Maoists. Nepal Army again will have to defend democracy, protect democratic forces and fight PLA as well as bunch of multi-facet unidentified insurgents and criminal gangs.
Despite Maoist led government leaders Mr. Dahal and Dr. Bhattarai on suit and tie with or without Nepali-menīs hat "Topi" with hair style of Mao Zedong and Zhou En Lai Maoists have succumbed to "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" politics worst than NC president GP Koirala on Nepali menīs national dress without which Koirala can never walk to the world podium.
Unfortunately, it has become apparent that Nepal has no leader who can lead the nation at this transition period above the party line politics against aspiration of people for peace and democracy. Nor there is unity among political parties for consensus which has turned antagonistic with the opposition of NC because Maoists opposed GP Koirala to be the first president of FDR Nepal.
But what Maoists want clearly not the democracy but the Maoist rule in the pretext of people with the false promise of "people oriented" statute! People have seen Prime Minister Dahalīs double standard, self-contradictory statements, which made him incapable of fulfilling his commitments to peace and democracy against the will of his party hardliners. For instance, regarding army recruitment neither he was able to stop Nepal Army nor he will be able to stop PLA from new recruitment. In fact, PM is solely responsible for both recruitments.
It is one of the most admirable democratic norms that army serve the nation above the party-line politics to protect democracy and people and defend nation. It is for sure a politically indoctrinated army such as PLA will not comply with the civilian government in the absence of Maoist party in the government.
It is beyond comprehension how a people elected Prime Minister Mr. Dahal could not win the trust of Nepal Army and as a Chairman of Maoist party how he could not convince PLA for integration! It is becoming clear that Maoist commitment to peace and democracy is ploy. If it is not why then PLA should not have been kept for bargaining chip if Maoists were committed themselves for peace and democracy.
Therefore, Maoists have so far led Nepal at this transition period no where but back to the legacy of "Daura-Suruwal-Topi" Politics despite their professional appearance on "Suit and Tie" with the hair style of Mao Zedong and Zhou En Lai. As a consequence, Maoists have become bunch of conspirators in current politics, for instance Maoists had tremendously benefited from Tharu indigenous nationalities as their fighters both women and men in their 12 years insurgency but now they have betrayed them outright without considering Tharusī indigenous identity for state restructuring. It is obvious that Maoists are ideologically more ambitious for state power than serving people therefore they will not hesitate to swap people for any bargain power or rebellion.
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