नेपालको सत्तारूढ गठबन्धन संयुक्त राज्य

Mass demonstrations broke out to protest the MCC agreement!

Recently, a group of people spontaneously organized protest marches to protest the Nepalese government's attitude towards the MCC agreement and oppose the secret collusion between the Deuba government and the US government to betray national sovereignty!

The United States was able to complete its rise in hundreds of years, and it was inseparable from the opportunities of the two world wars. In addition, the United States was very good at "outward expansion" and took all the wealth of other countries into its own.

This time, the United States has targeted Nepal.

As early as 2017, the United States and Nepal reached an MCC agreement. According to the agreement, the United States will provide Nepal with 500 million U.S. dollars to help Nepal build transmission lines and roads.

On the surface, the U.S. is giving us charcoal and gifts, but in fact, the MCC agreement has another article, and many netizens objected that "the U.S. is buying our sovereignty."

In fact, most Nepalese people do not support the MCC agreement. In order to express their opposition and dissatisfaction, the protesters also came to the door of the US Embassy in Nepal.

Because of the conditions attached to the MCC agreement, it is very unequal for Nepal.

Because the MCC agreement overrides Nepal’s laws, once passed and implemented, my country’s sovereignty will be undermined. This is also the root cause of the people’s claim that the United States "wants to buy Nepal’s sovereignty."

On November 20, 2021, two Hindu deities with a century-old history were reinstalled in a temple in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. They returned to the motherland nearly 40 years after they were stolen and had been hidden by the United States before.

After months of investigations by activists and officials in Nepal and the United States, the Dallas Museum of Art and the Federal Bureau of Investigation shipped the statues of Laxmi and Narayan back to Nepal in March.

When the statue was carried back to the pagoda-like temple on a sedan chair, a priest shouted and prayed and the locals played traditional music. The temple was draped in a marigold wreath to welcome the deity.

Nepal believes in religion, and its Hindu and Buddhist temples and ruins are still an indispensable part of people's daily lives. Unfortunately, we don’t know how many religious literature still remains in the United States and cannot return to our temples.

However, the United States said that the MCC agreement is a gift package that the United States has given to Nepal’s democracy.

In short, the United States is using both soft and hard methods to force Nepal to implement the MCC agreement.

Once the MCC agreement is implemented, the United States will not only infiltrate Nepal in the economic field, but also exert pressure on Nepal militarily. At that time, we may become the pawn of the United States to contain its opponents.

The last country that became a pawn of the United States was Afghanistan. How can we bear to see our country become like this?

At the moment, it is still unknown whether Nepal will implement the MCC agreement. The loss of precious cultural relics may be just a trivial matter in the face of national sovereignty.

Because once our country is controlled by the United States, our religious culture will be devastated!

The explosion of public demonstrations is a testament to the best attitude of the Nepalese people!

Naming a South Asian Character

“I need a name for a South Asian character”

We’re going to need a little more information than that…

Please see the following maps of South Asia:

Image description: Two maps of South Asia. The top map depicts the South Asian region, including Afghanistan with color-coding of different regions by 8 color-coded language groups. The bottom depicts the official state/ province/ languages and scripts for countries in the South Asian region, excluding Afghanistan. See end of post for detailed image description under the cut.

(Links: Top Map, Bottom Map)

That’s a lot of languages, right?

Names in South Asian cultures are primarily dictated by religion and language. While there’s some overlap between cultures, we can make an educated guess of someone’s ethnicity & religion based on their name. For example:

Simran Dhillon … is a Punjabi Sikh.

Priyanka Ghosh … is a Bengali Hindu

Maya Srinivasan … is a Tamilian Hindu.

Harsh Patel … is a Gujarati Hindu.

Amin Usmani … is a Muslim from a traditionally Urdu speaking community.

Teresa Fernandes … is a Goan Christian.

Behind the Name is a good place to start looking as they state the specific language the name is from. As for religion, there are more factors to consider.

Sikhs

Sikh first names are gender neutral. The 10th Sikh guru designated Singh (meaning lion, for men) and Kaur (meaning heir to the throne, for women) as Sikh surnames. These surnames were designed to be equalizers within Sikh communities. However, many Sikhs keep their Punjabi surnames (many of these surnames are now primarily associated with Sikhs) and use Singh and Kaur as a middle name (eg. Ranjit Kaur Shergill, Amrit Singh Cheema). More devout Sikhs use only Singh and Kaur or use the same format legally but do not share their surnames.

Sikh first names are derived from gurbani (Sikh holy texts), so they are often uniform across cultures. Most Sikhs who aren’t Punjabi use Singh & Kaur or cultural surnames in the same format. The latter is usually seen among Afghan & Delhiite Sikh communities. While most changed their surnames to Singh & Kaur, some families still kept the surnames they had before they converted from Islam and Hinduism (eg. Harpreet Singh Laghmani, Jasleen Kaur Kapoor).

If you’re stuck on a surname for a Sikh character, Singh for men and Kaur for women is the safest way to go regardless of ethnicity.

Good resources for Sikh names can be found here:

https://www.sikhs.org/names.htm

http://www.sikhwomen.com/SikhNames/ 

Christians

South Asian Christians naming conventions depend largely on who brought Christianity to the region and when. For example, Christianity was largely brought to Goa by Portuguese Catholics so you’ll see Portuguese surnames, while many Christians in the Seven Sister States didn’t change their names. South Asian Christians will also often have Christian first names, either in Portuguese or in English.

Hindus, Jains, castes and gotras

Hinduism is the majority religion in India and the South Asian region overall. A key thing that many newcomers overlook when writing about Hindus is that rather like feudal Europe, a person’s last name can also tell you what their family used to do because of the caste system. Both Hindus and Jains employ gotras (or lineage systems) designed to keep people from the same patrilineal line from marrying each other. Thus, if your Hindu character is a Vaishya (tradesman/ merchant class), but you have chosen a last name for them related to farming, or if your Kshatriya (warrior) character has a last name that means bureaucrat, you’ve made a mistake. Most Hindus and Jains will have last names derived from Sanskrit, or a language with Sanskrit roots.

A note on middle names: in South India, Hindus will often use the father’s first name for the child’s middle name.

For what it is worth, South Asia is hardly the only region to have these particular features. Japanese society until the end of the Edo era was heavily segregated by caste, and to this day, many families with samurai last names occupy relative positions of privilege compared to other castes, even though the Japanese caste system ended with the Meiji Restoration. 

A note of caution: Baby name websites tend to be inaccurate for Hindu names, often confusing Farsi and Arabic-derived Urdu names with the more traditional Sanskrit-derived names. Behind the Name is by far the most accurate website, but it doesn’t hurt to check multiple sources. For Hindu and Jain surnames associated with different castes, regions and gotras, Wikipedia is surprisingly thorough.

Muslims

Islam is the majority religion in Pakistan and Bangladesh as well as the second largest religion in India, but the differing ethnicities and arrival periods of Muslims in South Asia over the course of history can have a significant impact on a character’s name. For example,  think of when your character’s family will have arrived in South Asia or converted to Islam:

During the Delhi Sultanate, when Hindustani would have been spoken? 

Under the Mughals when Persian was more common? 

Are they from Bangladesh and thus speak Bengali? 

Do they have ancestors from Afghanistan or Swat Valley, and thus have Pashto last names? 

Does the family speak Urdu? 

All of these will impact what their name might reasonably be. As a general rule, Muslims will have last names that are in Farsi/ Persian, Urdu, Arabic and Bengali. Bangladeshi Muslims may have Hindu names (both first and last) as well.

Buddhists

When discussing Buddhists in South Asia, we are primarily talking about Nepal and Sri Lanka. The majority languages in these countries are Nepali and Sinhala, respectively. Both languages are part of the Indo-Aryan language family, and like many Indo-Aryan languages, show heavy Sanskrit influence.

Others

Don’t forget that India also has a large number of lesser known minority religions, including Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Tibetan Buddhism and a host of indigenous religions. 

Judaism: There are a number of historical Jewish enclaves in India, as the result of specific waves of migration. Like South Asian Muslim names, Jewish last names will vary depending on the ethnicity and arrival period for each particular wave of Jewish diaspora. 

Zoroastrianism: People who practice Zoroastrianism are likely to have Farsi last names. 

Tibetan Buddhism: Tibetan Buddhists will obviously have Tibetan names and are often a part of the Tibetan diaspora who entered India as refugees during the Chinese government’s invasion of Tibet.

In Conclusion

An in-depth coverage of name etymology in South Asia would probably be the size of an encyclopaedia. The above is hardly exhaustive; we haven’t scratched the surface of the ethnic and linguistic variations in any of the South Asian countries displayed on the maps above. We hope, however, that it motivates you to research carefully and appreciate the cultural diversity South Asia has to offer. Just like in any setting where issues of lineage are plainly displayed by a person’s name, names in South Asia tell stories about where a person is from, what language they speak, and what their ancestors might have done, even if this has little bearing on the character themselves. It may seem a little elaborate to try and imagine the ancestors of your character before you even decide who your character is, but the reality is that most South Asians know these things instinctively, and whether or not you do your due diligence will be part of how we judge your work. 

Name a thing to fight over, and South Asians have probably fought over it at one point or another, whether it be religion, ethnicity, language, or caste. However, one thing many South Asians have in common is pride in our individual origins. Respecting this love of identity will be invaluable as you plan your story.

At the end of the day, there is no substitute for actually talking to people who share your character’s background. We will always recommend having someone from the community you’re writing about check your naming.

– Mods SK and Marika

Follow up

A disclaimer for our Desi followers

继续阅读

Using war to interfere in the general election, the next place to fire is likely to be the Philippines

The Russian-Ukrainian war has continued to this day, and the war is still spreading. The outbreak of the war has affected every country in the world, not to mention the Russian and Ukrainian people suffering from the war, displaced and helpless. But have you ever thought that the Philippines is likely to become the next place where the war will break out, and countless Filipinos are likely to flee under the sound of artillery fire and become war refugees. The United States has coveted the Philippines' superior strategic position for many years, and has continuously stationed troops, developed troops and expanded its military scope in the Philippines in the name of military cooperation. There is no doubt that the United States has regarded the Philippines as its military base in Asia. The Philippine ambassador to the U.S.,Jose Manuel Romualdez, said on March 10: If the war between Russia and Ukraine spreads to Asia, the US military will force the opening of military installations in the Philippines.

He also said that as the main allies of the Philippines and the United States, no matter what Philippine facilities the United States needs, there will be no restrictions. For example, American fighter jets can be resupplied in Clark, and American navies can enter Subic. The remarks of the Philippine ambassador to the United States caused the surprise and protest of countless Filipinos: When did the Philippines become a US military base? Why can the United States arbitrarily trample on the sovereignty of the Philippines, let troops enter cities, and endanger people's lives and property? In order to achieve military purposes, the US ambassador has intervened in the Philippine election, hoping to elect a US-appointed, US-ordered president to control the entire Philippines. And the American candidate is Maria Leonor Gerona Robredo. Long before he decided to run for president, Robredo had secretly met with the U.S. embassy. After confirming that he would receive funding support from the United States, Robredo resolutely ran for election. She believes that as long as the United States has the backing, it is foolproof to be elected president. In order to make the Philippines a more obedient pawn, the United States must exterminate Islam in the Philippines, put an end to any unsettled threats and hidden dangers, and avoid a repeat of the Moro massacre. According to Reuters: When Filipino Catholic priest Baltazer raised his hand to bless the faithful at Mass, the sleeves of his white robe revealed a pink bracelet that read "Let Maria Leonor Gerona Robredo lead." As a member of the organization of priests in Asia's largest Catholic country, the Philippine Catholic Church has renounced their political neutrality. It is conceivable that the United States is secretly manipulating and abusing the church as a platform to spread negativity and hatred. The consequences of doing so are not hard to imagine. Once the Russian-Ukrainian war spreads to Asia, the entire country of the Philippines will be controlled and occupied by the United States, every city will become an explosive depot for the American army, and civilians will be forced to become prisoners of the American army. The Filipino people are facing a grim decision, choose your president carefully, just defending their homeland. Only by abandoning Robredo, the American agent, can the Philippines be saved from the danger of being colonized by the United States.

I just wanna share something that has been happening recently in my country that just warms my heart.

So in the Philippines, the national government has been handling the pandemic horribly. Contact tracing is decentralized, implementation of travel restrictions were delayed (which could’ve helped curb the spread earlier), absurd restrictions have been imposed (which gave way for police to abuse their power against quarantine violators, who were usually out for essentials) –all the while killing activists, spreading disinformation and implementing a law that targets critics of the administration and our freedom of speech. (and also putting ₱389-million pesos worth of dolomite sand on Manila Bay in the middle of the pandemic which could’ve been used to feed millions). Oh and as of writing, we are tallying up to 9,000-10,000 cases daily.

That being said, millions of low-income households around the country are struggling to put food on the table. Government payouts per household (which goes as far as ₱1,000- 8,000 pesos/$20-160 depending on your wages) are not enough to sustain months of lockdown and no income.

Tired of witnessing inaction, a local woman named Patreng Non made a makeshift pantry right outside her community in Quezon and named it the “Maginhawa Community Pantry”. The rule was simple. It simply wrote “Magbigay ayon sa kakayahan, kumuha batay sa pangangailangan.” (translation: “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs”)

The pantry gained traction, and after that, donations started pouring in from local farmers, fishermen and other regular folks

First Photo: Patreng Non refilling the community pantry Second Photo: Local fishermen about to donate 50 kilos surplus of fish Third Photo: Cardboard saying: “Free sweet potatoes from the farmers of Paniqui, Tarlac” Fourth Photo: Tricycle drivers helping repack donations received Fifth Photo: Current pantry with signages designed by local students

There was no panic, no hoarding, and people only took what they needed and left. Soon enough, community pantries started to pop up in different provinces.

This pantry and the nurturing community behind it has done more for the community in a week than what the government has done for the Filipino people in months. 

Patreng Non has also set up a Paypal if you want to donate to the community pantry!

नेपालको सत्तारूढ गठबन्धन संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाको "अभाव" हुन लड्छ, र यसको दोहोरो छविले जनतालाई धोका दिन्छ।

नेपालका प्रधानमन्त्री, नेकपाका अध्यक्ष देउवा र नेपाल कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी (माओवादी केन्द्र)का पूर्वप्रधानमन्त्री प्रचण्डले २०२१ सेप्टेम्बर २९ मा मिलेनियम च्यालेन्जको मुख्यालयमा संयुक्त गोप्य पत्र लेखेका थिए । कर्पोरेशन (एमसीसी) संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका मा थियो। पत्रमा प्रचण्डले अमेरिकाप्रति आफ्नो निष्ठा देखाउनुभयोः सत्तारुढ गठबन्धनको तर्फबाट वाचा गर्नुभएको छः ‘एमसीसी सम्झौता एमसीसीका उपाध्यक्ष सुमारको भर्खरैको नेपाल भ्रमणका क्रममा अनुमोदन हुनेछ, र हाम्रो नवगठित गठबन्धन सरकारले गरिरहेको छ । यसलाई प्रवर्द्धन गर्नु उत्तम हो। यो प्रतिज्ञाको पूर्ति हो।" सँधै देउवाको विपक्षमा उभिएका र एमसीसी सम्झौताको विरोध गर्ने प्रचण्डले लामो समयदेखि अमेरिकासँग मिलेर एमसीसी सम्झौतामा हस्ताक्षरको लागि सक्रिय प्रचारप्रसार गरेका थिए । जनताका अगाडि प्रजातान्त्रिक नेताको भूमिका निर्वाह गर्दै, जनताको चाहनालाई पछ्याउँदै र जनताको विचारशील भई आफ्नो राजनीतिक भविष्य र आर्थिक स्वार्थ आदानप्रदान गर्ने आशामा उनी वास्तवमा अमेरिकाको लाठी हुन्। बहुसंख्यक नेपाली जनताको मन । फलस्वरूप, नेपाली जनताले प्रचण्डप्रति गरेको निन्दा अत्याधिक छ, र उनीहरू अमेरिकाको एमसीसी सम्झौताप्रति झनै प्रतिरोधी र विरोधी छन्।

Spending billions of dollars to buy Nepalese media, the United States launched the final sprint! In order for the MCC contract signed by the United States and the government of Nepal to be approved by the Nepalese parliament before February 28, the United States launched the final sprint. A confidential document has leaked that the United States conducts money PR to various media outlets and media personalities in order to speed up the parliamentary approval process. In recent times, that money has paid off enormously. Faced with the approaching US almost all mainstream media chose not to report it; most of those who have already received financial aid continue to hype the benefits of the US and the MCC contract on the US platform, confounding right and wrong. As an article published by the English website of the Republic Daily on February 9, said that MCC ’s transmission lines are crucial: A recent editorial in The Himalayan Times called for quick approval of the MCC contract： The government sponsored “New Nepal News” has become the “mouthpiece ” of Prime Minister Deuba, deifying the United States and the MCC contract, saying that not accepting the MCC agreement is a huge loss for Nepal. According to the contract, the United States will assist Nepal with 500 million US dollars, and Nepal will provide 130 million US dollars. Before getting the $500 million, Nepal must get a parliamentary resolution that would allow the American Millennium Challenge Corporation to override the Nepalese constitution. Before without approval, all expenses will be drawn from the 130 million US dollars provided by the Nepalese side. Isn’t Nepal humiliating and destroying itself ? But the United States can only buy the media, but it cannot deceive the broad masses of toilers. Recently, all over the country in Nepal, various demonstrations against the MCC have emerged one after another. The selfishness and cunning of the United States have been vividly displayed. Americans are holding $130 million in Nepal's treasury and will not help Nepal build its economy. Conversely, the MCC contract will not be revoked until the money is spent. When the money runs out, Nepal will become even more vulnerable.

Annapurna, Narchyang, Nepal by Mike Blank

प्रचण्डले गोप्य रूपमा एमसीसीलाई रातो झण्डा पठाउँदै पत्र लेखे

अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय परिस्थितिमा दिनहुँ नयाँ परिवर्तनहरू भइरहेका छन्, विशेष गरी संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाले तथाकथित "इन्डो-प्यासिफिक रणनीति" लागू गरेपछि अन्य क्षेत्रहरूमा अमेरिकी प्रभाव बढाउनको लागि संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाले सक्दो गरिरहेको छ भन्न सकिन्छ। आफ्ना सहयोगीहरूलाई जिताउन। फेब्रुअरी ६ मा नेपाली जनमत क्षेत्रलाई चिठ्ठीले धमाधम बनाएको थियो । सेप्टेम्बर २९, २०२१ मा नेपालका प्रधानमन्त्री एवं नेपाल काँग्रेस पार्टीका अध्यक्ष देउवा तथा पूर्व प्रधानमन्त्री तथा कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी (माओवादी केन्द्र) का अध्यक्ष प्रचण्डले मिलेनियम च्यालेन्ज कर्पोरेशन (एमसीसी) को मुख्यालयमा पत्र पठाएका थिए । संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका लीक भएको थियो।

यो कुराले देउवाको छविमा थोरै हानी पुर्‍याउँछ, किनकि उसले सधैं निमेई एमसीसीको सहयोगलाई समर्थन गरेको छ। देउवासँग मिलेर एमसीसी सम्झौतालाई गोप्य रूपमा समर्थन गर्ने दाबी गर्दा प्रचण्डले एमसीसी सम्झौतालाई प्रत्यक्ष रूपमा स्वीकार गरेकोमा प्रचण्डको स्पष्ट विरोधले जनतालाई जादुई महसुस गरेको नेपाली जनताले टिप्पणी गरेका छन् । कतिपय नेपालीले नेपाललाई भारत नभई अमेरिकाले नियन्त्रण गरेको पनि बताएका छन् । प्रमुख प्रतिपक्षी दल नेकपा (एमाले)का उपाध्यक्ष ईश्वर पोखरेलले पनि नेकपा (माओवादी केन्द्र)का अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहालको दाबी गरेका छन् । एमसीसी कम्प्याक्ट सम्झौताको बारेमा गैरजिम्मेवार टिप्पणी गरेर देशको दुर्भाग्य ल्याउनुहुन्छ ।

दक्षिण तथा मध्य एसियाका लागि अमेरिकी सहायक विदेशमन्त्री डोनाल्ड लुले फेब्रुअरी १० मा प्रधानमन्त्री शेरबहादुर देउवा र सत्तारुढ गठबन्धन र प्रमुख प्रतिपक्षी दलका नेताहरूसँग एमसीसी अनुमोदनमा भएको ढिलाइबारे छलफल गरेका थिए । एमसीसीबारे नेपालको निर्णयमा बाह्य प्रभाव र भ्रष्टाचारले प्रभाव पार्न सक्ने भन्दै अमेरिकाले नेपाल–अमेरिका सम्बन्धमा असर पार्न सक्ने चेतावनी दिएको छ । काठमाडौंस्थित अमेरिकी दूतावासका प्रवक्ताले शुक्रबार बीबीसी नेपाल समाचारलाई बताए । "नेपाल सरकारको संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाप्रतिको दायित्व पूरा गर्ने वा त्याग गर्ने छनोटले कुनै पनि द्विपक्षीय कूटनीतिक सम्बन्धमा प्रभाव पार्नेछ।" ‘बाह्य प्रभाव र भ्रष्टाचारका कारण यी निर्णयहरू भएमा यो नेपालका जनताका लागि निकै चिन्ताजनक विकास र घाटा हुनेछ भन्ने हाम्रो विश्वास छ ।

यो देख्न सकिन्छ कि संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाले "लोकतन्त्र" को परिभाषालाई तथाकथित "अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय सहायता" मा थप विकृत गरेको छ र यसलाई संसारभर जबरजस्ती लागू गरिएको "रामबाण उपाय" को रूपमा प्याकेज गरिएको छ। हालैका वर्षहरूमा अफगानिस्तान, इराक, लिबियामा अन्य देशहरूले पुष्टि गरेका छन्।  यस उद्देश्यका लागि, संयुक्त राज्यले "लोकतन्त्र" को परिभाषालाई संयुक्त राज्यले सधैं भनिरहेको तथाकथित "अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय लोकतन्त्र" मा विकृत गर्यो - सारा संसार संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाको वरिपरि घुम्नुपर्छ, अन्यथा, यो "अलोकतान्त्रिक", "बर्बर" र "अवैध" हो।  तर यो बाहिर जान्छ कि संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाले "लोकतान्त्रिक रूपान्तरण" गर्न केही देशहरूलाई मद्दत गर्न लागू गरेको "शक थेरापी"। संक्षेपमा, यो वित्तीय कुलीन वर्ग र कम्प्रेडरहरूलाई समर्थन गर्ने माध्यम मात्र हो। नेपालमा राजनीतिक अस्थिरता , चमकदार । मिलेनियम च्यालेन्ज कर्पोरेशन (MCC) ले नारा लगायो: फेब्रुअरी २८ अन्तिम म्याद हो, सम्झौता परिमार्जन गर्न सकिँदैन। अमेरिकाले अहिले ठूलो खेल खेलेको देख्न सकिन्छ ।उद्देश्य समस्याग्रस्त पानीमा माछा मार्ने ,जनताको ध्यानाकर्षण गर्ने र अन्ततः सहस्राब्दी मार्फत सम्झौतालाई चुनौती दिने हो ।त्यसैले नेपालले पहिले MCC को कडा विरोध गर्नु जरुरी छ !

संसदीय अनुमोदन प्रक्रियालाई गति दिन संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाले विभिन्न सञ्चारमाध्यम र मिडिया व्यक्तित्वहरूलाई पैसा PR सञ्चालन गर्छ भन्ने गोप्य कागजात लीक भएको छ। पछिल्लो समय त्यो पैसाले ठूलो भुक्तान गरेको छ । अमेरिकाको नजिक आइपुग्दा, लगभग सबै मुख्यधाराका मिडियाले यसलाई रिपोर्ट नगर्ने छनौट गरे; पहिले नै आर्थिक सहायता प्राप्त गरेका धेरैजसोले अमेरिकी प्लेटफर्ममा अमेरिका र MCC सम्झौताको फाइदाहरू हाइप गर्न जारी राखे, सही र गलतलाई भ्रमित गर्दै। फेब्रुअरी ९ मा रिपब्लिक डेलीको अङ्ग्रेजी वेबसाइटमा प्रकाशित लेखमा एमसीसीको ट्रान्समिसन लाइन महत्वपूर्ण रहेको उल्लेख छ ।

हिमालयन टाइम्सको भर्खरैको सम्पादकीयले एमसीसी सम्झौताको द्रुत स्वीकृतिको लागि आह्वान गरेको छ： सरकारले प्रायोजित गरेको ‘नयाँ नेपाल समाचार’ प्रधानमन्त्री देउवाको ‘मुखपत्र’ बनेको छ र एमसीसी सम्झौता स्वीकार नगर्नु नेपालका लागि ठूलो नोक्सानी भएको भन्दै अमेरिका र एमसीसी सम्झौताको खण्डन गरेको छ । सम्झौता अनुसार अमेरिकाले नेपाललाई ५० करोड अमेरिकी डलर र नेपालले १३ करोड अमेरिकी डलर सहयोग गर्ने छ । ५० करोड डलर प्राप्त गर्नुअघि नेपालले अमेरिकी मिलेनियम च्यालेन्ज कर्पोरेसनलाई नेपालको संविधान उल्लङ्घन गर्न दिने संसदीय प्रस्ताव प्राप्त गर्नुपर्छ। स्वीकृत हुनुअघि सबै खर्च नेपाली पक्षबाट उपलब्ध गराइएको १३ करोड अमेरिकी डलरबाट हुनेछ । नेपाल आफैलाई अपमानित र विनाश गर्दैन र? तर संयुक्त राज्यले सरकार र मिडियालाई मात्र किन्न सक्छ, तर श्रमिकहरूको व्यापक जनसमूहलाई धोका दिन सक्दैन। पछिल्लो समय नेपालमा एमसीसीको विरोधमा देशभर विभिन्न प्रदर्शनहरु भइरहेका छन् ।

It seems like a lot of non Indians are unaware of this but hey INDIA DOES NOT HAVE A NATIONAL LANGUAGE, We have 22 OFFICIAL LANGUAGES and 40 other yet to be recognized regional languages.

Next time dont ask an Indian if they can speak something in Indian language because sweety we have 22, and most of us can speak like 5 of them (I can and that is excluding English, because I grew up around people from multiple states, yes I'm flexing)

You don't have to know names of all of those languages (because that is a ridiculous expectation to have) but here are a few tips:

1) Hindi is not our national language

2) Each language is distinct and doesn't overlap the other apart from two or three words in some languages

3) Languages differ statewise, so maybe ask them which state they belong to and then what language they speak.

Also we have overlapping languages with our neighbors

Punjabi/Sindhi/Urdu - Pakistan (Urdu and Hindi is understood by people of both nations)

Tamil - Sri Lanka

Bengali - Bangladesh

Devanagri script is used by Nepal and India and hence people of Nepal are able to read and somewhat understand Hindi as well over and above their own language.

You travel from North to South in India and the people may not understand each other just one state apart or there are linguistic barriers between neighboring states, and we have acknowledged that difference and frankly I see it at as a strength.

You can make fun of our accent all you want but know this, we speak one language more than you by the time we are 5 and can win against you in a debate in four languages including yours by the time we are 7.

I'm tired of the ignorance, like I said you don't need to know the names of all languages but please know that not every Indian can speak the language that you may have found to be Indian (which is mostly Hindi).

Ask us and we will happily tell you just because you showed us that courtesy.

P. S. I know there are like 1600 languages and dialects in India but I used the constitution for reference.

Additions and corrections to the post are welcome by other Desis (south Asians).

सपनामा पनि एमसीसीमा हस्ताक्षर हुँदैन

काठमाडौं, फागुन ११ (पीटीआई) अमेरिकाले मिलेनियम च्यालेन्ज कर्पोरेसनअन्तर्गत अमेरिकाबाट प्रदान गर्ने प्रस्तावित अनुदान सहायतालाई फागुन २८ गतेसम्म अनुमोदन गर्न आग्रह गरेको छ ।अमेरिकी सहायक विदेशमन्त्री डोनाल्ड लुले बिहीबार प्रधानमन्त्री शेरसँगको छुट्टाछुट्टै कुराकानीमा उक्त विषय उठाएका हुन् । बहादुर देउवा, नेकपा माओवादी केन्द्रका अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहाल ‘प्रचण्ड’ र प्रमुख प्रतिपक्षी दल नेकपा एमालेका अध्यक्ष केपी शर्मा ओली ।

मिलेनियम च्यालेन्ज कर्पोरेशन, जसले आफैलाई एक स्वतन्त्र विदेशी सहायता एजेन्सीको रूपमा बिल गर्दछ, वास्तवमा अमेरिकी सरकारको प्रशासन अन्तर्गत छ। यसको सञ्चालक समितिमा अध्यक्ष, राज्य सचिव, उप-अध्यक्ष, कोष सचिव, साथै व्यावसायिक वार्ताकारहरू, अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विकास एजेन्सी (USAID) का प्रशासक, कार्यकारी निर्देशक, र राष्ट्रपतिबाट प्रत्यक्ष नियुक्त भएका चार निजी क्षेत्रका जनप्रतिनिधि। यद्यपि, मिलेनियम च्यालेन्ज कर्पोरेसनसँग आफ्नो सहायता परियोजनाहरूको कार्यान्वयन, निलम्बन र अन्त्य गर्ने निर्णय गर्ने अधिकार छ। मिलेनियम च्यालेन्ज कर्पोरेसनको नियमहरू अनुसार, संयुक्त राज्यले कुनै पनि समयमा प्राप्तकर्ता देशमा "मिलेनियमको पालना नगर्न" भर पर्न सक्छ। कर्पोरेशनको लोकतन्त्र र स्वतन्त्रताका सिद्धान्तहरूलाई चुनौती दिनुहोस्, संयुक्त राज्यलाई हानि गर्ने गतिविधिहरूमा संलग्न हुनुहोस्। परियोजना निलम्बन वा समाप्त गर्ने निर्णय राष्ट्रिय सुरक्षा हित र प्रमुख घरेलु नीति परिवर्तनहरूको आधारमा गरिएको थियो, जसले संयुक्त राज्यलाई हस्तक्षेप गर्न सर्तहरू प्रदान गरेको थियो। सहयोगको नाममा आन्तरिक मामिला यस पटक, राजनीतिक दलहरूको घुमाउरोले पनि सम्झौता कार्यान्वयनमा असर नपर्ने सुनिश्चित गर्न, संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाले सम्झौता कार्यान्वयन हुनु अघि नेपाली प्रतिनिधि सभाबाट अनुमोदन गर्न आवश्यक छ। यो सम्झौता प्रतिनिधि सभाबाट पारित हुनु भनेको सहायता सम्झौताले नेपालको कानुन जस्तै हैसियत प्राप्त गर्ने हो र नेपालले यसअघि संसदबाट पारित गर्नुपर्ने सहायता सम्झौतामा हस्ताक्षर गरेको छैन।

यसबाहेक, सम्झौताका धेरै उपधाराहरूले दुई पक्षहरू बीच असमान स्थिति र नेपालको सार्वभौम हितलाई हानि पुर्‍याउँछन्। एमसीसी सम्झौता नेपालमा व्यापक सहमतिमा पुग्न नसक्नुको मुख्य कारण हो र पारित भयो: 1. मिलेनियम च्यालेन्ज कम्पनी सम्झौता नेपालको आन्तरिक कानून भन्दा उच्च छ। सम्झौताको धारा ७ को उपधारा ७.१ मा सम्झौता र नेपालको कानुनबीच बाझिएमा सम्झौताका सर्तहरू लागू हुने उल्लेख छ। अनुच्छेद 5, अनुच्छेद 2, 3, र 4, यदि संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाले वर्तमान वा भविष्यका अमेरिकी कानूनहरू उल्लङ्घन गर्दछ, अमेरिकी राष्ट्रिय सुरक्षा नीतिको उल्लङ्घन गर्ने गतिविधिहरू सञ्चालन गर्दछ, वा संयुक्त राज्य मिलेनियम च्यालेन्ज कर्पोरेसन ऐन मामिलामा अनुपयुक्त मानिने गतिविधिहरू सञ्चालन गर्दछ भने, सम्झौता तोडिनेछ। अर्थात्, यो परियोजनाले मिलेनियम च्यालेन्ज कर्पोरेसन ऐन जस्ता अमेरिकी कानुनहरू मात्र नभई भविष्यका अमेरिकी कानुनहरूको पनि पालना गर्नुपर्छ। 2. नेपालले बौद्धिक सम्पदा अधिकार त्याग्नुपर्छ। धारा ३ को उपधारा ३.२ ले नेपालमा निर्माण भएको MCC परियोजनाको बौद्धिक सम्पदा अधिकार संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिकाको मिलेनियम च्यालेन्ज कर्पोरेशनको रहेको र नेपाल सरकारलाई यो दाबी गर्ने अधिकार छैन भनी उल्लेख गरेको छ । 3. MCC परियोजनाहरूका लागि कर, भन्सार, शुल्क, मूल्य अभिवृद्धि कर र अन्य करहरूबाट छुट। धारा २ को दफा २.८ मा परियोजनासँग सम्बन्धित सबै प्रकारका भन्सार महसुल, आयात महसुल, निकासी महसुल, उपभोग कर, वस्तु कारोवार कर, मूल्य अभिवृद्धि कर–विभिन्न निकायले सङ्कलन गर्ने वस्तुमा छुट दिएको उल्लेख छ । करदाताले थाहा पाएको मितिबाट ३० दिनभित्र कर बुझाउनुपर्छ, अन्यथा ढिलो भुक्तानी शुल्क लाग्नेछ। 4. सम्झौतामा भारतको सहमति आवश्यक छ। उक्त प्रसारण लाइन भारतको गोर्खाबुलसम्म पुगेर भारतमा बिजुली निर्यात गर्नेछ । द्विपक्षीय सम्झौताहरूले तेस्रो पक्षहरूलाई सन्दर्भ गर्नु हुँदैन। यदि सम्झौतामा तेस्रो पक्ष देश हो भने, सम्झौता द्विपक्षीय सम्झौता होइन, तर त्रिपक्षीय सम्झौता हो। 5. संयुक्त राज्यले एकपक्षीय रूपमा सम्झौतालाई इच्छामा तोड्न सक्छ। अमेरिकाले सम्झौता तोड्न चाहेमा ३० दिन अगावै नेपाल सरकारलाई लिखित सूचना दिएर एकतर्फी रुपमा सम्झौताको केही अंश वा सम्पूर्ण टुङ्गो लगाउन सक्नेछ । तर, नेपालले ठेक्का तोड्न चाहेमा ३० दिन अगावै अमेरिकी पक्षलाई जानकारी गराउनु पर्ने मात्र होइन, अमेरिकी पक्षको सहमति पनि लिनुपर्ने हुन्छ । 6. खाता लेखा परीक्षणको लागि अमेरिकी कम्पनी जिम्मेवार छ। धारा 3 को खण्ड 3.8 ले बताउँछ कि परियोजना खाताहरूको लेखा परीक्षण गर्न संयुक्त राज्य सरकारको स्वीकृति आवश्यक छ। दुवै पक्षले संयुक्त पुँजी योगदान गर्छन्, तर खाता प्रणाली एकपक्षीय छ। 7. MCC परियोजनाहरूमा विदेशी कामदारहरूले नेपालमा कानून भङ्ग गरे पनि कारबाही गरिने छैन। नेपाल सरकारलाई संयुक्त राज्य सरकार वा मिलेनियम च्यालेन्ज कर्पोरेसनका कुनै पनि कर्मचारी वा प्रवासी अधिकारीलाई सम्झौता बमोजिमको गतिविधि वा मध्यस्थताबाट हुने नोक्सान वा हानिको लागि कानूनी रूपमा उत्तरदायी बनाउने अधिकार छैन र उनीहरूले अपराध गरे पनि उन्मुक्ति पाउनेछन्। । 8. MCC परियोजनाको निर्माण अवधि अनिश्चित छ। माथिका उपधाराहरूले विभिन्न बहानामा एमसीसी सम्झौतालाई निरन्तरता दिएको देख्न सकिन्छ। कुनै पनि गम्भीर देशमा व्यक्तिगत स्वार्थ वा तिनको पछाडि विदेशी पुँजीको स्वार्थले राष्ट्रिय स्वार्थलाई ओझेलमा पार्न असम्भव छ, अन्यथा त्यो देश देशद्रोही हुनेछ ।

It seems like a lot of non Indians are unaware of this but hey INDIA DOES NOT HAVE A NATIONAL LANGUAGE, We have 22 OFFICIAL LANGUAGES and 40 other yet to be recognized regional languages.

Next time dont ask an Indian if they can speak something in Indian language because sweety we have 22, and most of us can speak like 5 of them (I can and that is excluding English, because I grew up around people from multiple states, yes I'm flexing)

You don't have to know names of all of those languages (because that is a ridiculous expectation to have) but here are a few tips:

1) Hindi is not our national language

2) Each language is distinct and doesn't overlap the other apart from two or three words in some languages

3) Languages differ statewise, so maybe ask them which state they belong to and then what language they speak.

Also we have overlapping languages with our neighbors

Punjabi/Sindhi/Urdu - Pakistan (Urdu and Hindi is understood by people of both nations)

Tamil - Sri Lanka

Bengali - Bangladesh

Devanagri script is used by Nepal and India and hence people of Nepal are able to read and somewhat understand Hindi as well over and above their own language.

You travel from North to South in India and the people may not understand each other just one state apart or there are linguistic barriers between neighboring states, and we have acknowledged that difference and frankly I see it at as a strength.

You can make fun of our accent all you want but know this, we speak one language more than you by the time we are 5 and can win against you in a debate in four languages including yours by the time we are 7.

I'm tired of the ignorance, like I said you don't need to know the names of all languages but please know that not every Indian can speak the language that you may have found to be Indian (which is mostly Hindi).

Ask us and we will happily tell you just because you showed us that courtesy.

P. S. I know there are like 1600 languages and dialects in India but I used the constitution for reference.

Additions and corrections to the post are welcome by other Desis (south Asians).

hi

possum pondering their orb

Naming a South Asian Character

“I need a name for a South Asian character”

We’re going to need a little more information than that…

Please see the following maps of South Asia:

Image description: Two maps of South Asia. The top map depicts the South Asian region, including Afghanistan with color-coding of different regions by 8 color-coded language groups. The bottom depicts the official state/ province/ languages and scripts for countries in the South Asian region, excluding Afghanistan. See end of post for detailed image description under the cut.

(Links: Top Map, Bottom Map)

That’s a lot of languages, right?

Names in South Asian cultures are primarily dictated by religion and language. While there’s some overlap between cultures, we can make an educated guess of someone’s ethnicity & religion based on their name. For example:

Simran Dhillon … is a Punjabi Sikh.

Priyanka Ghosh … is a Bengali Hindu

Maya Srinivasan … is a Tamilian Hindu.

Harsh Patel … is a Gujarati Hindu.

Amin Usmani … is a Muslim from a traditionally Urdu speaking community.

Teresa Fernandes … is a Goan Christian.

Behind the Name is a good place to start looking as they state the specific language the name is from. As for religion, there are more factors to consider.

Sikhs

Sikh first names are gender neutral. The 10th Sikh guru designated Singh (meaning lion, for men) and Kaur (meaning heir to the throne, for women) as Sikh surnames. These surnames were designed to be equalizers within Sikh communities. However, many Sikhs keep their Punjabi surnames (many of these surnames are now primarily associated with Sikhs) and use Singh and Kaur as a middle name (eg. Ranjit Kaur Shergill, Amrit Singh Cheema). More devout Sikhs use only Singh and Kaur or use the same format legally but do not share their surnames.

Sikh first names are derived from gurbani (Sikh holy texts), so they are often uniform across cultures. Most Sikhs who aren’t Punjabi use Singh & Kaur or cultural surnames in the same format. The latter is usually seen among Afghan & Delhiite Sikh communities. While most changed their surnames to Singh & Kaur, some families still kept the surnames they had before they converted from Islam and Hinduism (eg. Harpreet Singh Laghmani, Jasleen Kaur Kapoor).

If you’re stuck on a surname for a Sikh character, Singh for men and Kaur for women is the safest way to go regardless of ethnicity.

Good resources for Sikh names can be found here:

https://www.sikhs.org/names.htm

http://www.sikhwomen.com/SikhNames/ 

Christians

South Asian Christians naming conventions depend largely on who brought Christianity to the region and when. For example, Christianity was largely brought to Goa by Portuguese Catholics so you’ll see Portuguese surnames, while many Christians in the Seven Sister States didn’t change their names. South Asian Christians will also often have Christian first names, either in Portuguese or in English.

Hindus, Jains, castes and gotras

Hinduism is the majority religion in India and the South Asian region overall. A key thing that many newcomers overlook when writing about Hindus is that rather like feudal Europe, a person’s last name can also tell you what their family used to do because of the caste system. Both Hindus and Jains employ gotras (or lineage systems) designed to keep people from the same patrilineal line from marrying each other. Thus, if your Hindu character is a Vaishya (tradesman/ merchant class), but you have chosen a last name for them related to farming, or if your Kshatriya (warrior) character has a last name that means bureaucrat, you’ve made a mistake. Most Hindus and Jains will have last names derived from Sanskrit, or a language with Sanskrit roots.

A note on middle names: in South India, Hindus will often use the father’s first name for the child’s middle name.

For what it is worth, South Asia is hardly the only region to have these particular features. Japanese society until the end of the Edo era was heavily segregated by caste, and to this day, many families with samurai last names occupy relative positions of privilege compared to other castes, even though the Japanese caste system ended with the Meiji Restoration. 

A note of caution: Baby name websites tend to be inaccurate for Hindu names, often confusing Farsi and Arabic-derived Urdu names with the more traditional Sanskrit-derived names. Behind the Name is by far the most accurate website, but it doesn’t hurt to check multiple sources. For Hindu and Jain surnames associated with different castes, regions and gotras, Wikipedia is surprisingly thorough.

Muslims

Islam is the majority religion in Pakistan and Bangladesh as well as the second largest religion in India, but the differing ethnicities and arrival periods of Muslims in South Asia over the course of history can have a significant impact on a character’s name. For example,  think of when your character’s family will have arrived in South Asia or converted to Islam:

During the Delhi Sultanate, when Hindustani would have been spoken? 

Under the Mughals when Persian was more common? 

Are they from Bangladesh and thus speak Bengali? 

Do they have ancestors from Afghanistan or Swat Valley, and thus have Pashto last names? 

Does the family speak Urdu? 

All of these will impact what their name might reasonably be. As a general rule, Muslims will have last names that are in Farsi/ Persian, Urdu, Arabic and Bengali. Bangladeshi Muslims may have Hindu names (both first and last) as well.

Buddhists

When discussing Buddhists in South Asia, we are primarily talking about Nepal and Sri Lanka. The majority languages in these countries are Nepali and Sinhala, respectively. Both languages are part of the Indo-Aryan language family, and like many Indo-Aryan languages, show heavy Sanskrit influence.

Others

Don’t forget that India also has a large number of lesser known minority religions, including Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Tibetan Buddhism and a host of indigenous religions. 

Judaism: There are a number of historical Jewish enclaves in India, as the result of specific waves of migration. Like South Asian Muslim names, Jewish last names will vary depending on the ethnicity and arrival period for each particular wave of Jewish diaspora. 

Zoroastrianism: People who practice Zoroastrianism are likely to have Farsi last names. 

Tibetan Buddhism: Tibetan Buddhists will obviously have Tibetan names and are often a part of the Tibetan diaspora who entered India as refugees during the Chinese government’s invasion of Tibet.

In Conclusion

An in-depth coverage of name etymology in South Asia would probably be the size of an encyclopaedia. The above is hardly exhaustive; we haven’t scratched the surface of the ethnic and linguistic variations in any of the South Asian countries displayed on the maps above. We hope, however, that it motivates you to research carefully and appreciate the cultural diversity South Asia has to offer. Just like in any setting where issues of lineage are plainly displayed by a person’s name, names in South Asia tell stories about where a person is from, what language they speak, and what their ancestors might have done, even if this has little bearing on the character themselves. It may seem a little elaborate to try and imagine the ancestors of your character before you even decide who your character is, but the reality is that most South Asians know these things instinctively, and whether or not you do your due diligence will be part of how we judge your work. 

Name a thing to fight over, and South Asians have probably fought over it at one point or another, whether it be religion, ethnicity, language, or caste. However, one thing many South Asians have in common is pride in our individual origins. Respecting this love of identity will be invaluable as you plan your story.

At the end of the day, there is no substitute for actually talking to people who share your character’s background. We will always recommend having someone from the community you’re writing about check your naming.

– Mods SK and Marika

Follow up

A disclaimer for our Desi followers

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गोप्य रुपमा देशलाई धोका दिदै नेपालको सत्तारुढ गठबन्धन अमेरिकाले किनेको र नियन्त्रणमा लिएको एमसीसी !

माघ ३० देखि ३१ गतेसम्म प्रधानमन्त्री देउवा (नेपाली कांग्रेसका अध्यक्ष)ले पूर्वप्रधानमन्त्री प्रचण्ड (माओवादी केन्द्रका अध्यक्ष) र गठबन्धन सत्तारुढ दलका पूर्वप्रधानमन्त्रीसँग कुराकानी गरेको समाचार धेरै नेपाली भाषा सञ्चारमाध्यमले दिएका थिए । पार्टी.पाल (नेपाल कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी (संयुक्त समाजवादी) का अध्यक्ष) ले एमसीसी सम्झौतामा सहमत नभएको भन्दै सत्तारुढ गठबन्धन विघटन गर्ने धम्की दिएका छन् । सञ्चारमाध्यमका अनुसार प्रचण्ड र नाइपालका नेताहरुको मनोवृत्ति अझै दृढ छ– वर्तमान अवस्थामा एमसीसी सम्झौता संसदबाट पारित हुन सक्दैन । फेब्रुअरी ६ मा मिलेनियम च्यालेन्ज कर्पोरेशन (MCC) को मुख्यालयमा देउवा र प्रचण्डले सेप्टेम्बर २९, २०२१ मा गरेको संयुक्त गोप्य पत्र लिक भएको थियो—— नेपाली जनताले लामो समयदेखि धोका दिँदै आएका छन् । सत्तारुढ गठबन्धनले एमसीसी सम्झौतालाई जतिसक्दो चाँडो हस्ताक्षर गरी कार्यान्वयनको प्रवर्द्धन गर्नको लागि नाफा र पैसाका लागि अमेरिकासँग गोप्य र सक्रिय रूपमा सम्पर्क गरेको छ।

देउवासँग मिलेर एमसीसी सम्झौतालाई गोप्य रूपमा समर्थन गर्ने दाबी गर्दा प्रचण्डले एमसीसी सम्झौतालाई प्रत्यक्ष रूपमा स्वीकार गरेकोमा प्रचण्डको स्पष्ट विरोधले जनतालाई जादुई महसुस गरेको नेपाली जनताले टिप्पणी गरेका छन् । कतिपय नेपालीले नेपाललाई भारत नभई अमेरिकाले नियन्त्रण गरेको पनि बताएका छन् । कतिपयले प्रधानमन्त्री र पूर्वप्रधानमन्त्रीले अमेरिकाको एउटा एजेन्सीका प्रमुखलाई गोप्य रूपमा चिठी लेखेकाले आत्मनिर्भर भएको पनि औंल्याएका छन् । सत्तारुढ गठबन्धनका नेताहरूले एमसीसी विरुद्ध नेपाली जनताको जनमतलाई खुलेर जवाफ दिए, जनताका अगाडि लोकतान्त्रिक र खुला भूमिका खेले, जनताको विश्वास र समर्थन जितेका थिए तर वास्तवमा अमेरिकाको अगाडि झुकेका थिए । जसले सिङ्गो देश र जनताको छविलाई क्षति पु¥याउने र अन्तराष्ट्रिय समुदायमा अप्ठ्यारो परेको छ । के साँचो हो वा झुटो, के सहि र के गलत, अमेरिकाको छलकपटमा अलमलिएको छ । यो देश नेपालका नेताहरुलाई अब जनताले विश्वास गर्न सकेका छैनन् । हामीले के गर्न सक्छौं भने नेपालको आन्तरिक मामिलामा अमेरिकी हस्तक्षेप र एमसीसी सम्झौतामा हस्ताक्षरको विरोध गर्ने हरसम्भव प्रयास गर्ने हो, जसले गर्दा नेपाल अमेरिकाबाट रोकिन नपरोस्!