Legitimization of Nepali Time

Published in Kathmandu post (Feb.19, 2015) after few edits.

The tendency of getting late has always been very popular in our context. Nepali time is the very famous phrase from the time I remember. This habit of ours has become a culture which everyone is well acquainted about and most of the people are the firm follower of this culture. Flexibility can be the synonym of this culture we are developing among ourselves.

In case, if any program has to be organized then the organizers tend to call people before time in the hope that people might come in the exact time. for example if any activity has to be conducted at 10 a.m. then people are informed to come at 9 a.m. but the organizers are also compelled to do that because of the circumstances around i.e. if people are informed to come at certain time, they are almost 1 hour late. Actually everyone is affected by this habit we are developing. People who are die-hard follower of the Nepali time themselves and others who are not the follower of such habit.

There are a group of people who actually are blind followers of this culture whereas others who believe that time is a boon and is supposed to be used properly. Those groups of people who show up in time loose an hour or so. Then one who shows up in time slowly changes into the follower of so called Nepali time. The connotation Nepali time itself so embarrassing. A person gets late and names it as Nepali time which is the shame on that individual, using the name of country in such mistake of oneself. We are the one following such malpractice and the name of country is misused which shows our uncivilized civilization.

Again this culture has been injected in our minds and we are transferring this tendency to our juniors as well. We are teaching younger minds to get late from our actions. This habit will lead to the lack of realization regarding the importance of time. There are various consequences of this malpractice. This practice shows the lack of development among us but we are so much into this habit of getting late and naming it Nepali time so change is difficult but then it has to happen and one of the reason we fall behind in this competitive world is that we are firm believer of Nepali time. In this competitive era, an individual must be able to do the best use of time but then wasting the time of oneself and even others is not justified.

Hypothetical example:

If a person has to attend any international conference but that person shows up in so called Nepali time then what might be the impression upon the other people regarding our country and that person.

Showing up in Nepali time has been so common that people think that they are cool when they are late, apologizing is far away, but this is the bad habit which has been effecting many people in our society. The thing is it seems so genuine and okay to be late that none of us sees this habit as the infecting one. We are so habitual to be late and see others being late that getting late does not seem to be a problem but this habit is not letting us go in any positive direction rather we are pushing ourselves back. Lastly, time is money supposed to be used wisely and surely let’s not waste time of someone else at least.