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Nepal is all over the news this week in the Indian media. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Kathmandu this weekend. Most of the Delhi edition newspapers carried extensive analysis of India-Nepal relations. Complex issues concerning India’s historical relationship with Nepal. A second Constituent Assembly is attempting to draft a new constitution for Nepal. The Himalayan Kingdom’s transition from a monarchy to a democratic republic has been eventful. The federal character of the new republic has become a contentious issue. India has been suggesting an ‘inclusive approach’ in reference to the sensitive questions on the nature of federalism as Nepal is discussing it. It looks like most political parties agree that Nepal should become a federal republic. But, the difference seems to be in regard to the nature and modalities of how the federal structure should be. On what basis the devolution of state power should take place – ethnicity/identity oriented or capacity/capability oriented or even different. In a way it can become a unique experiment in ‘an inclusive multi-ethnic federalism’ aimed at balancing regional imbalances of capacities. If India takes an active role, that will be perceived as an interference in Nepal’s internal affairs. If it doesn’t, Nepal’s divided internal polity may not be able to put together a consensus. And there is always a Chinese interest from across the Himalayas, for India to be mindful in relation to its own geo-political interests. That makes it complex and sensitive.

But, before I could finish up reading the political commentaries in Times of India, HT and the Hindu, on a long flight across the Pacific last night, my memories wandered back to the little village Nagarbhavi’s post graduate hostel. That’s where I had my first tryst with Nepal and its people. There were a number of them from Nepal at the post graduate program, mostly on an inter-governmental scholarship. A bunch of senior officials, several of them high-ranking judicial officers. The one exception to that was a man who came closest to me – Indra Lohani. Tall, fair and truly handsome. Very unlike someone from Nepal in his appearance. Indra had a larger than life personality. Warm, friendly and he was a gifted communicator. He made the evenings beautiful making Sajan Thapa sing old Kishore Kumar songs. ‘Kaaji’ as we used to call Sajan, in reference to his royal lineage, is a gifted singer. On one of the early days in the hostel, Rajesh Kafle’s parents came visiting. Rajesh was a Judge. So was Ananda Bhattarai. Ananda Dai was the most learned among all of them, well-read and composed, a truly Supreme Court Judge material. Saroj Shrestha the youngest of all and a fabulous guy was in our batch.  Kedar Poudyal who eventually shared my hostel room was a Public Prosecutor, and now a UN diplomat. Kafle was a bit aloof among the friends from Nepal in the senior batch. Still, we decided to put together a meal for his parents. Sajan Thapa and Kedar Poudyal were amazing cooks. They gave me good company. The tall handsome Indra Lohani agreed to do dish washing. What a visual – Indra, a Hritik Roshan look alike sitting on the edge of a kitchen sink, cleaning vessels, singing “mera jeevan kora kaagaz, kora hi reh gaya..”  Anirban Mazumdar went buying vegetables. Anand Bhattarai, the Judge he is, was presiding it over. Shreya in his real Calcutta tradition, agreed to eat! Joychayan was the quintessential help for everything we turned to – and eventually became a friend, philosopher and guide. We sat on the floor for a meal. Tried to make it special for Rajesh’s parents. That’s when Anand Dai prompted Sajan to sing a Narayan Gopal song. To Kafle’s parents’ surprise, I knew the lyrics of one of Narayan Gopal’s masterpiece:

‘Premko Mala Pahirai Diye Samhali Rakha Yasalai

Naoiline Pphoolko Mala Ho Yo Sangali Rakha Yasalai..

What followed was an afternoon full of Narayan Gopal songs. Narayan Gopal is an icon of Nepali music. Probably the most admired and popular singer and composer in the history of Nepal’s musical tradition. He has a Calcutta connection. He studied in Calcutta and some of his early songs he composed and sang while he was in Calcutta. And he married one his fans who used to live in Darjeeling.

Indra went on to become one of the most admired television personalities in Nepal. He put together a TV show and brought to the studio just everyone who mattered in Nepal politics. His informal style, direct questions, and just everything that made him unusual made his TV program extremely popular. I got a taste of that when I walked out with him from a Kathmandu hotel where I went to take part in a seminar as part of a GWU delegation. After my session, at the coffee break, I was answering something someone asked me, and I saw Indra walking in. The entire crowd turned to him. He walked up to me and said ‘what nonsense, how can you be here without telling me’. We walked out that afternoon to a Kathmandu street and soon people started walking up to Indra to say ‘Namaste’. I realised he has become a TV celebrity. That evening he got a local singer to sing some of Narayan Gopal’s amazing songs for me, and in between some Kishore Kumar and Rafi numbers. His TV program ‘bahas’ was extremely popular across Nepal.

It was 2009 January. I got a mail from Ananda Dai’s to tell me Indra passed away. I was travelling. It didn’t sink in for a while. He was just 42.  While walking in a nearby park with his daughter, he died of a cardiac arrest, at the peak of his fame and career. A week later I visited his home. We all met at Anand Dai’s home the next day and spend a day talking about Indra. This week’s news from Nepal bring back his memories. Deeply engrained visuals. Indra was unusual, lived and went away unusually. He will smile if he read this, that disarming smile of Indra.