Spotlighting Tharu, and Madheshi, food and culture in Nepal

Welcome to Nepal Now, the podcast where we discuss new ideas and approaches to move the country forward. My name is Marty Logan.

I hope you don’t mind a slight digression to start. A few weeks ago I met a friend, someone I see every few months. One of the first things he said to me was, 'I see your podcast is on a break'. We chatted for a while and later I realized that I had no idea he kept up with the show. This has happened to me regularly this year: every so often I meet someone who says they've been listening or that they met someone who mentioned Nepal Now.

When I started the show more than two years ago I imagined it becoming a viable piece of journalism, one that might generate a buzz, or at least a mention, among people interested in development and positive change. From what I can tell, that has not happened. I think we've gathered a small audience, like my friend above, which is relatively stable but not evidently growing. This has discouraged me – and I will admit, after musing over the future of Nepal Now regularly during the past couple of years, that I might discourage too easily. But now I wonder if I've failed to communicate clearly to you, dear listeners, my vision for the podcast.

So I will say very clearly now — I'm not doing this as a hobby, but as a journalism initiative. And frankly speaking, I think that we could have, and should have, more listeners, but I need your help to spread the word and attract more fans. That’s how we will make Nepal Now a sustainable venture. So please, share this episode with at least one other person you think would like it . You can click on the share icon (the one with the up-pointing arrow) in your podcast app, which is probably where you’re listening now. On social media it's even easier — just share one of our posts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.

Thanks very much. Now on with the episode.

Today we’re chatting with Sanjib Chaudhary.

He’s a communicator I got to know through his Twitter account, where he posts about the food, flora and fauna of Nepal’s tarai or plains region. Many of his Tweets are about the culture of the Tharu indigenous people, who are native to the tarai, or Madhesh region. Sanjib himself is Tharu.

And now, since it seems to be a day for speaking frankly, I have to tell you. When I invited Sanjib on the show I assumed that his social media activity was driven by Tharu nationalism, or Madhesi nationalism. But after you listen to our conversation I think you’ll agree that’s probably not the case—Sanjib just wants to share the new things that he discovers on his travels.

And one other confession: I put Sanjib through the nerve-wracking experience of recording this episode in visual as well as audio format. Sure he works in communications, so putting on a lapel mic, posing for cameras, and being told you c