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The justice delivery system has not been able to deliver justice to the victims of organized crime because of the state’s failure to ensure protection of the victims as well as the witnesses.  

The Constitution of Nepal 2015 has provisions for the protection of the victims as well as the witnesses, but the inability to ensure their protection means the latter contradicting their own statements given while moving the court of law. This makes it harder for us to deliver justice.

The witnesses may have been turning hostile and the victims contradicting their own statements because they are economically, socially and educationally disadvantaged.

The right to justice is enshrined in the Constitution. It also entails the protection of the victims as well as witnesses. We have also introduced laws related to protection.

But have we been able to ensure their protection in a meaningful way?

This is a serious question. 

The author is Chief Justice 

Despite being the second most spoken language in Nepal and the first in Madhes Province, the discourse on Magahi, Hindi and Madhesi languages seems to have obscured the need for recognizing Maithili as the official language in the province. Although the Language Commission has clearly mentioned Maithili as the leading language of the province, calls for recognizing Hindi as the lingua franca and Magahi as the mother tongue have undermined the Maithili language. 

Since Maithili is not enlisted as an endangered language in the world-famous reference book, ‘The Middle East and South Asia’, we can rest assured that the language is not in peril for now. The speakers of Nepali and Bhojpuri can also heave a sigh of relief as the book has mentioned these languages for the same reason. However, a careful analysis indicates that Maithili may not have a rosy future. 

In its glory days, Maithili spread well beyond the Mithila region, including in the Kathmandu Valley and Palpa. It has a rich literature and its own script, and historical accounts show that the kings of the Sen dynasty used Maithili as the official language. 

Researchers have confirmed that the Malla kings of the valley used Maithili in plays, poetry, song compositions and artworks because it was a rich and well-developed language capable of showcasing the dignity of ancient Nepal. Scholars have described Maithili as the mother tongue of ancient Mithila. According to stanza 18 of Sundarkanda of Balmiki Ramayan, when Rawan made Sita captive and kept her at Ashoka Batika, Hanuman visited the garden to know about Goddess Sita’s plight, doing the bidding of Lord Ram. It states that Hanuman conversed with Sita in Maithili. 

According to the book titled ‘History of Maithili Literature’, penned by Dr Durga Nanda Jha, Mithila has been in existence since the Vedic era. The environment, vegetation and wildlife described in the Vedas, Puranas, Upanishad and Mimamsha are found in the region that was a huge Mithila state during the reign of the Janaka dynasty, with Janakpurdham as its capital. 

Historians have mentioned that the dynasty ruled the state, the birthplace of Sita situated in the middle of Koshi, Kamala, Bagmati, Gandaki and Ganga rivers, from 3000 BC till 600 BC. The Siddha scriptures written in the eighth century are in Maithili and so are the works of literary figures, including couplets and songs of sage poets like Dak, Bhas and Bhusuppa. They all have stood the test of time. Jyotishwor’s ‘Dhurat Samagam’, the oldest ancient scripture, mentions Maithili as one of the languages of the Indo-European language family. 

According to linguist Dr Ramawatar Yadav, of 150 manuscripts of plays written between 900 AD and 18th century (preserved in the National Archives of Nepal), 115 are in Maithili, 26 in Newari and five in Bengali. Out of 28 Indo-European languages, Maithili is the ‘second oldest language’ after Marathi. 

The report of a survey conducted in the 19th century under George Abraham Grierson states that Maithili enjoyed an independent literary tradition in Nepal’s Tarai and most parts of Bihar (India).

Findings of historian Tulasiram Vaidhya’s research conducted in Simraungadh state that Maithili had received state patronage during the reign of the Karnat dynasty. During the reign of the Karnat kings (from the 14th century), the language is said to have spread in several places, including Kantipur, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and Banepa.

According to historian Baburam Acharya, the Sen kings had used Maithili as their official language. Born around 1340 AD, Mahakabi (the great poet) of Maithili, Vidyapati, is said to have composed more than a dozen poems and prose in Maithili. There is evidence to suggest that Vidyapati had translated the Bhagawat Gita in Maithili, and wrote half a dozen books during his stay in Banauli near Janakpurdham. Even Rabindranath Tagore regarded Vidyapati as the ‘poetry guru’. 

Per historical accounts, Maithili was used as an official language in the Kathmandu Valley before King Prithvi Narayan Shah conquered the valley. Malla kings would speak in Maithili, and write literature in the language. 

However, after the conquest of the valley, the state’s policies aimed at promoting Nepali as the official language and King Mahendra’s slogan of ‘one nation, one language and one dress’ took a toll on the Mithila way of life. 

In the face of emerging threats to Maithili, which have also put the related culture, civilization, self esteem and identity of a people at increased risks, there’s a need to launch a linguistic campaign for the language by drawing strength from a rich history backed by scientific evidence. Having weathered attacks from Shah rulers desperate to hold onto power, Maithili is seeking a revival, a departure from long periods of state neglect. 

Although Maithili has not provided the language speaking people with the ethnic personality and identity, it has enriched the literary, civilizational and cultural heritage of Nepal. Words referring to places, names, vegetation, food, lifestyle and popular local things used in daily life in the Maithili language are found in the Nepali language, showing that Maithili has enriched Nepali language as well. 

According to the latest National Census report, of the 124 mother tongues spoken in Nepal, Nepali accounts for 44.86 percent, Maithili 11.05, Bhojpuri 6.24, Tharu 5.88, Tamang 4.88, Bajjika 3.89, Abadhi 2.66, Newari 2.96, Magar Dhut 2.78 and Doteli 1.7. A comparative study of relevant census data shows that the number of Maithili speakers is dwindling. The tendency of abandoning the mother tongue to embrace other dominant languages and unfavorable state policies are to blame, among other factors.

Summing up, it’s time Maithili speakers showed their deepest respect for their mother tongue by using it in school curriculums and other fora. Government authorities should come up with a comprehensive language plan, conduct a sociological survey of the Maithili speaking regions and take measures to preserve Maithili language, culture, customs and traditions. Such measures will not only be in the interest of the Mithila region but of the whole country. 

The author is a journalist and researcher of Maithili language and literature

Born to a father whose profession required traveling to different places, my journey as an internal tourist started quite early—two months after birth, to be exact. Since then, I, driven more by my father’s profession than my genuine interest, have been traveling. During these journeys, I’ve basked in the excruciatingly hot sun of Jhapa, learned how panipuri held its name as ‘puckha’ in Biratnagar, gotten the chance to smell the tea leaves of Ilam, imagined with utter bewilderment the life that my mother lived as a student in Dhankuta, deeply felt the people’s faith in deities in Saptari, and smelled the cosmopolitan air of Dharan.

After making it to almost every district of the Tarai region, I recently got a rare opportunity to travel to the mountainous region of the country. Often referred to as ‘Mahendra Lake’, the mid-western region of Nepal (Karnali Province) is home to a 167-meter-deep lake popularly known as the Rara. Turning the pages of history, we find that King Mahendra happened to discover the lake while traveling around the country on his helicopter. Spellbound by the beauty of the water body, he is said to have described the lake as ‘Swarga ki Apsara’ (a divine beauty).

Brimming with youthful vigor, I, along with four of my friends, recently hatched a 5-day trip to western Nepal. The itinerary first landed us in Nepalgunj. Fighting the scorching heat, we felt invigorated after tasting the trendy ‘Dhamboji Sekuwa’ there. The straight road, guarded by the vegetation of the Bardiya National Park on either side, escorted us to Surkhet, from where we kicked off our 8-hour-long Bolero trip to Jumla. While Padam Rai’s super hit ‘Gurasai Fulyo’ blasted through the sound system, our eyes were blessed by the sight of the scarlet rhododendron growing alongside the road to Dailekh. The Karnali River flowing through the hills of Accham and Dailekh reminded me of the crystal-clear water of the Teesta River gliding through West Bengal. On reaching Jumla, we were welcomed by the warm hospitality of the owner of the Kanjirowa Hotel, accompanied with the Marsi Chaamal (brown rice), which acted as an ointment to relieve us from the burnout of our tiring voyage.

The following morning, all five of us were awakened by the bubbling sound of the serene Tila River. The echoes of the early morning briefing made by my father to his junior police forces were witnessed by the twin hills, namely, Dewal and Garel Daada, of the Jumla valley. Humming in the playlist of western Nepal, the un-gravelled road led us to the birthplace of the Khas-Arya language, the Sinja Valley. The valley, in a nutshell, was inhabited by roads waiting to be constructed, assemblies that demanded an assemblage of people sharing similar political ideologies, students who talked of their modest dreams, and kids who blocked the road and made the travelers listen to their melodies song in hopes of earning some money.

After handing us two punctured tires, the road opened to accommodate the ‘dhupi salla’ trees, which stand to be one of the hallmarks of the Rara National Park. In an attempt to bridge the gap of unfamiliarity with our destination, the driver started narrating stories that were startling for the privileged ears to listen to. The road leading up to the hiking trail of the park was in poor shape, its existence marked by one or two houses wrecked by landslides.

The picturesque starting point of the hiking trail to the lake was no different than the wallpaper on the Windows desktop. Equipping ourselves with all the hiking essentials, we tied our shoelaces for the 2-hour hike to the soul of the lake. The road awaiting us was built with sloppy stairs where horses were seen running up and down on their master's command. Rich in natural resources, Mugu district of Karnali relies on horses as its means of transport. After climbing down the stairs, the scene before us opened to a heaven-like abode with glitters of water sparkling even in the dusk. At this moment, I was convinced by the King’s decision to name the lake ‘Swarga ki Apsara’.

Away from the everyday chaos of Kathmandu and walking shoulder to shoulder along the magnificent lake, I was reminded of the factual reality of traveling being a therapy for the mind. Alone with my thoughts, I was able to experience the heartbeat of nature at its full length. The nature of the lake was astounding. It kept changing its color, accustoming itself to the indecipherable riddle of the environment. The tiredness that had to be felt after having hiked for two hours evaporated on reaching the hotel overlooking Rara Lake where we were to lodge for the night with arrangements to let us spend the night in the tent. And it was in the tent where we exchanged laughter in the bargain of memories to be cherished for a lifetime. While we were cocooned in the warmth provided by our friendship and blankets, the rest of the world outside the tent kept themselves warm by consuming ‘tin paaney’ (a local drink).

The following morning, we were awakened by the howling of wolves at five in the morning. If not for the wolves, we would have missed the morning sunset! After clicking on Instagram-able posts, we bid farewell to Rara by boating across the lake. As I immersed my hand in the sparkling water, I was reminded of one of the lines from ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’: ‘Pighle Neelam Sa Behta Hua Yeh Samaan, Neeli Neeli Si Khamosiyan, Na Kahin Hai Zameen Na Kahin Aasman’. On recalling this line, I was hit by a sudden epiphany where the surroundings around me whispered to me the confluence of nature and my soul.

To bring us back into the regular humdrum of our lives, the horses were waiting for us across the lake. Leaving pieces of our hearts at the lake, we mounted the horses while communicating gratitude and appreciation to the equestrians.

The Central Committee meeting of CPN (Maoist Center), slated for Aug 2-6, will be live-streamed through the party’s Facebook page. The move is meant to share discussions with the public and rule out propaganda campaigns.

As for governance, I feel the government is trying to deliver on its promises, but there is plenty of room for improvement. The meet will take stock of an entire gamut of things.

A key agenda of the meet is to assign tasks to different committee members and strengthen the party’s organizational base. Reorganizing the central committee is on the agenda and so is the finalization of the itineraries of the party’s upcoming policy convention. Discussions regarding the formation of a Samajbadi (Socialist) Front and the possibility of unification with the Netra Bikram Chand-led  Maoist faction are also on the table. But rumors regarding changes in the party leadership and the secretary-general position are baseless.

The author is a Central Committee member of CPN (Maoist Center)