Biswas Baral

I may be one of those few to remain unaffected by bandhs. I do all my usual chores without an iota of worry whether it is a bandh or not. The reason is quite simple; at any rate, we have classes only once a week. They provide another excuse for poor results.

Most of Kathmanduites seem to be fed up with this Nepali “phenomenon.” During the recent five-day shutdown, most of us refused to go by it after the third day, and the last two days of bandh had to be called off. But the fact remains that people are intimidated by sporadic bomb explosions.

Nevertheless, it is not that bandhs can only be bad. For one, the roads of Kathmandu get some reprieve from the overloaded traffic while we get to breathe fresh air. The jogging shoes are out and so are the skates! For all the sports fans, no better way to show off their skills in cricket and football than by firing a shot or two on the sleek tarmacs!

Although bandhs no longer boast of much clout as they did sometime back, no matter who calls them, due to frequent occurrences, some still dearly hope there is one bandh every week — just ask the Rickshaw pullers and my languid classmates.

An interesting trend on those days is the rise in number of vehicles on the road with covered number plates. Why not dare to stand up for your conviction when you have decided to take the risk in the first place? What more, it is against the law to do so; though, the policemen don’t seem too concerned.

But the covers can be quite interesting. I am accustomed to seeing PRESS over the number plates, and thanks to bandhs, everybody now knows that every third guy on a bike that day, is a scribe! “Foreign passengers only,” on buses without a single foreigner is not uncommon. And I came across a new one the other day, HOSPITAL, with two black crosses flanking the doodled imprint — it was on a bike, mind you. But the most interesting was the one reading: “Yo Man Magcha More.” That guy certainly hadn’t had enough bandhs!

A shutdown, means nothing to me as it does to others. So here is a suggestion: How about all you bureaucrats getting together and coming out with a “prospective bandh calendar” each year.

That way, we can make our travel and businesses plans too. If not, I only need a few keen ears to pass the message around — I am organising a bandh against bandhs. If you must disagree, you are entitled to organise a bandh against my “bandh against bandhs”, yourself!