Kathmandu:

Another pahilo Baisakh. Another new year. Another day for celebrations and resolutions of many sorts. And also a time to let go of things that clutter and hold us back. Here are a number of new things we hope to see in the New Year of 2065 BS.

• More quality movies. Please don’t get stuck with stunning cinematography. We know ours is a beautiful country and we are proud of it. Many bank on just the cinematographic qualities of Nepal’s natural beauties to push their film along. Let’s pledge to pay more attention to the script and original storyline.

• More original music. Let’s get over the Korean fever, hangover, whatever that is we are suffering from. We are capable of original compositions cause our maestros have inspired other greats in the past. Let’s not be so ‘inspired’ by other’s creations that we end up on the other end of the plagiarism suit.

PS: One may even win the ‘Cho-reography Award’.

• Less noise. Especially around hospital and school areas. Could we also have a ‘No honking day’ like the Indian city of Mumbai did just last week?

• Good teleserials. We want more of Bhind dekhi bhind samma and Maun akash type of teleserials. Pointless comedies lifted A to Z from international sitcoms are, of course, a bore.

• Stand up. To give your seat on public transport, a crowded hospital waiting room to the elderly and women/men carrying children, or at least offer to keep the child on your lap. Kudos to those who have done so, so far.

• One tight slap. Right across the cheeks of those who try to act fresh on local transport or on the roads. Even if other people don’t support you, you will at least not have to live with a guilty conscience that you didn’t behave with the pervert as you ought to have. With one tight slap on his face.

• Not a sofa. It’s a micro or a Safa tempo seat, not your plush sofa set in your living room. So don’t treat it as one. Others need to sit too. The fare is equal. So shift, not just wiggle your bottom on that space you are occupying.

• Say No. To customised bikes as they are said to be the cause of the maximum number of accidents.

• Looking forward. To see more of original Nepali advertisements. Nepali faces promoting the products makes it more reliable and believable.

• Hope for. Less power cuts, more drinking water.

• No more. Acute scarcity of petroleum and petro products. Please.

• Less crowding. By FM channels. There are so many that one’s transmission is overlapped by another. Nothing is clear. You end up turning off the radio.

Hopes. Aspirations. And dreams. Fulfilment of all the above.

Wishing all a Happy New Year 2065 BS.