Dear Mahesworju, skalapasapin Jwojalpa I am disheartened to see the boundaries of Nepal Mandala chalked out by Newa Dey Daboo/Nepal Mandala Forum for the following reasons: (remember we went through that exercise with Suresh, Binod and team long before Deydaboo deliberated it at the Staff college?) 1. The map presented by Dey Daboo is based solely on population distribution, looks pretty tattered (sorry to say so) and does not in any sense take into account the historical existence of Nepal Mandala. If majority population pockets alone is taken as the base, we will have less than the kathmandu valley floor as Nepal Mandala. Majority pockets of population can not be used to demarcate the boundaries of federal states. 2. We must claim Nepal Mandala - all of it - as it existed prior to the Khas invasion. For Nepal Mandala, the time line stands still there and then. The Tibetan army that came to support the Malla Kings from the North did not cross Tamsaling or any other sovereign country en-route to Kathmandu valley, which proves that the boundaries of Nepal Mandala bordered with Tibet, China. In fact, Tamangs entered Nepal Mandala only with the Tibetan armies. As Prof. Tamot explains 'Ta' means 'horse' and 'Mang' means 'keepers or experts or negatively put, devils'. Tamangs, devilishly expert at handling horses worked the stables of the Tibetan armies (please do not construe this to mean any negative feelings for the Tamangs) 3. It makes no sense to demarcate half a hill or half a village to mark a state boundary and the other halves as belonging to another state. The Trishuli Narayeni river in the West and Likhu Khola Sunkoshi river to the East together with the Siwalik hills adjoining the two in the South demarcate the boundaries of Nepal Mandala. Just as majority pockets of other ethnic populations exist within Nepal Mandala, so also, majority pockets of Newa settlements exists in other states, but for that reason alone it would be illogical to extend or hotchpotch or hitchhike the boundaries of Nepal Mandala to those areas and vice versa. That, I think, is not only totally illogical but also verily impractical. 4. Badan Lal Nyachhon's vertical stacking theory - all of Nepal is all of Nepal Mandala, all of Nepal is all of Limbuwan, all of Nepal is all of Khas Pradesh, all of Nepal is all of Tharuwan . . . . . with only state capitals designated at majority pocket locations is interesting, but whereas the concept may diffuse one tension arising out of overlapping claims on state boundaries, it is likely to trigger numerous intense conflicts when it comes to developmental issues, use of natural resources, authority and responsibility pertaining to law and order and the political processes of representation, election etc. 5. Present day norms and standards point to the creation of a federation of one-piece federal states (as opposed to multiple pieced) demarcated by geographical boundaries. What final shape the federation will take is still anybody's guess. But for the here and now, we Newars must stake a claim for our historical Nepal Mandala (however, juxta-positioned with Tamsaling or any other lings) with clear dependable, defendable geographical borders. Dey daboo or any other Newa organisation, institutions, individuals must not claim or present tattered sketches for Nepal Mandala based on majority pockets of population distribution only. Let's avoid being the laughing stock of our neighbor states, if at all. This is a very very pressing, pertinent issue. Your comments and suggestions are valuable. Please do. Subhaye Artha Tuladhar President NESOCA 2009.06.26 |
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