More than just holidays

The hallmark of an inclusive state is recognising and celebrating differences.

With Christmas come and gone and celebrated as a public holiday as well, I cannot help but imagine some who would have been quite put off by the state’s nod to our Christian compatriots. To begin with, there has never been a shortage of detractors pointing out that the number of government holidays Nepalis enjoy surely cannot be conducive to our march towards economic prosperity. Those naysayers do have a point. For, besides the 53 Saturdays this year (Bikram Sambat calendar), the government has declared 35 other holidays, of which 27 are festivals and the rest are anniversaries, namely, Buddha Jayanti and Prithvi Jayanti, and special days such as May Day, Republic Day, etc.