– Dr.BP Badal

“Dharmakshetre Kurukshetre, Samaveta Yuyutsawa”

The base of oriental philosophy, the Bhagavad Geeta, starts from the verse of confusion. Most people think Kurukshetra is the battlefield of the Mahabharat War literally but its intrinsic meaning is different: A battlefield cannot be the land of righteousness in general. The philosophy starts from the confusion of Arjuna, similarly, the diplomacy of the digital age in between Nepal and India is in the middle of the development of socioeconomic prosperity with certain confusions. Confusion has been created in tourism relations between the two nations.

Tourism diplomacy

The bilateral relation and diplomacy based on tourism is tourism diplomacy. Relation between two sovereign nations is called diplomatic relations in general. Diplomatic relation is found normally, highly formal and official, in most cases. The hierarchy portfolio plays a determining role in decision-making, sometimes such protocols, create an unbearable situation as well. However, to handle such a situation in a favourable environment, the countries have arrangements for foreign ministries, departments, councils, and embassies. Direct diplomacy works in normal situations but tourism diplomacy works and the course of direction in times of crisis. To the mainstream, the derailed diplomacy, the track two approach is in practice all over the world. The best practices of Track Two Diplomacy are the optimum utilization of tourism relations between two nations to mainstream track one direct diplomacy. However, tourism diplomacy is more than track-two diplomacy.

Nepal and India both have long historical track two diplomacy as Tirthayatra of prominent leaders. Track two diplomacy is in most cases more flexible and people-to-people rather than formal diplomacy. Prime Minister Modi on most of his foreign trips, manages the time for Tirthayatra and meets the people. His Nepal visits are always linked with the Tirthayatra of either Muktinath, Pashupatinath, Lumbini, or Janakpur. However, the leaders of Nepal, while visiting India, are reluctant to Tirthayatra and people-to-people relations.  Tourism includes medical, psychological, and spiritual healing for political purposes. The trip to Tirthayatra has double benefits, it increases the tourism of the area and people-to-people relations between the two nations.

The Confusion

There are certain issues that must be cleared in first-track diplomacy between India and Nepal. These confusions have created havoc in historical imperishable or even permanent relations between Nepal and India. India is Nepal’s first neighbour in every direction. The values of India-Nepal relation cannot express only in arithmetic statistics it’s beyond it all. The historical relation, “Roti Beti ka Sambandha”, is very true and popular in Nepal-India relations. “Jay Ram Jiki”, the salutation initiated around five thousand years, still have the sacred consecrated value in the people of both nations. Although at this point of time tourism relation between Nepal and India is not very warm. There are some confusions in both sides.

Psychological threats to sovereignty

Nepal has serious natural (It is lifelong) psychological threats from close neighbours (China and India) as Ukraine is facing now. Intentionally or unintentionally Nepal cannot support fully, ignoring one, India and China. Thus Nepal must stay in equidistance between Delhi and Beijing, although Nepal and India have many more cultural relations than China. At any situation or any cost Nepal cannot go one side, she must be in equidistance between India and China. So both neighbours must understand to respect Nepalese sovereignty.

The massive applause of Nepalese lawmakers in parliament on the speech of Prime minister Modi in 2014, was the psychological security of Nepalese sovereignty from India. The visit had given the high value of Nepal-India tourism relation. Prime Minister Modi has visited Pashupatinath and Muktinath. Both nations agreed to form the Nepal-India Eminent Persons Group (EPG), to study the bilateral issues and amendments of the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship between India and Nepal. To minimize the threats India has to increase the better scholarship and student exchange programs on history, philosophy, culture, and tourism in universities.

Big Brother Syndrome

There is a big confusion in the meaning and definition of the term, “Bharat” in India and Nepal both. Bharat is, beautifully defined by Sadhguru, “Bha- Bhawana, Ra- Raga, Ta- Tal’, the human composition of sensation, natural tune, and rhythm.  The man who has such a quality was named Bharat who has led more than 200 independent political units between the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean. He had nine sons but selected Bhumnyu Son of sage Bharadwaj as his successor as the real representation of democracy. Bharat is not a single nationality.

Except for present political maps, historically, culturally, and socially Nepal was/is spread Kasmir in the west, Ganga in the south, Kailas Mansarovar Lhasa Shigatse in the North and Kamarupkamakhya in the east – three times bigger than this. Thus Nepal is also in Bharatbarsh among those 200 independent political units. India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are a recent development in 1947 and after, whereas modern Nepal was unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah in 1767. The bigger population, geography and economy could not be bigger in sovereignty. The experienced politicians of both nations have realized but most of the young Media people do not know the fact and make sensational news about it as Big Brother syndrome.

Nepal is a sacred land of the Himalayas, the source of Ganga Maiya. Every drop of Nepali water flows in Ganga. Astu of 82 % Hindu Nepali flows in Ganga. Nepal is the base of the Ganga civilization.

The young generations of both nations are ignorant about the historical oriental origin of the philosophy. As being secular both countries are not able to teach it in schools but only travelling and visiting such places through tourism develops diplomacy.

Conclusion

India is helping since the historical period to Nepal but Nepal has not returned anything to help India. It is not bilateral; India is helping unilaterally to Nepal. The report prepared by the Nepal-India Eminent Persons Group (EPG), regarding the bilateral issues and amendments of the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship between India and Nepal are the major issues of confusion. The core elements of the confusion must be analyzed to start a new dimension of bilateral relations for tourism diplomacy. Tones of diplomats of the both countries are diplomatic. None of them are happy thus it is urgent and alarming to sit in dialog as soon as possible. Tourism flourish only in warm and open heart of Atithidevobhava in both sides. The Dharmakshetra (Land of righteousness) is the Kurukshetra (Land of Karma) for better bilateral tourism relation.

 (Dr. Badal is a practicing scholar on rural tourism development and planning)