This is the time of year in Nepal, the smallkingdom perched in the Himalayas between India and China, when mountaingoats, buffaloes and chickens are slaughtered to appease the Hindu godsand ensure good fortune for the coming twelve months. Nepal’s KingMahendra, 47, is himself revered by his 10 million subjects as a godincarnate, but he does not trust his kingdom’s fate entirely toheavenly hands. This week he was off to Washington to see LyndonJohnson, in the hope that the coming year will bring an ample number ofgifts stamped “Made in U.S.A.” Accompanied by his petite wife, QueenRatna, and Crown Prince Birenda, a Harvard student, the King will tryto persuade the President of the need and importance of aiding Nepal,to which the U.S. has contributed $98 million since World War II.
The diplomatic talents of the canny poet King are as cool as hismile-high capital of Katmandu. He has not only managed to keep hislandlocked, Wisconsin-size nation from being swallowed up by its giantneighbors but has turned Nepal into a highly profitable “neutralcockpit”—as admiring diplomats call it—by letting all the world’sgreat rivals pay handsomely for his friendship. The Chinese have givena shoe factory, a warehouse complex and a highway that cutsstrategically through the mountains from Red-held Tibet to Katmandu. India, which dominates Nepal’s foreign commerce and is pledged to defendthe kingdom, has built a rival road south from Katmandu towardCalcutta. The Russians have chipped in with a cigarette plant and asugar refinery. The U.S. is working on rural development, malariaeradication, family planning and education. It also hopes toparticipate, along with India, Britain and Russia, in Mahendra’s mostambitious scheme: a third major highway that will open up the fertilericelands to the impoverished Nepalese mountain tribes.
Awesome Real Estate. Early in his reign, Mahendra decided that a countryjust awakening from the somnolence of the Middle Ages and still 93%illiterate needed strong leadership from the throne. In 1960,introducing Pakistani-style “controlled democracy,” he abolishedpolitical parties, put the election of the legislature on an indirectbasis and clapped potential troublemakers in jail. This has left himfree to emancipate women and untouchables, end polygamy and beginbreaking up Nepal’s feudal estates.
Mahendra has also worked hard to promote tourism. As the custodian ofseven of the world’s eight highest mountain peaks and, like his Sherpatribesmen, a mountaineer himself, he recognizes the spectacularattraction of Nepalese real estate. The most exciting of several newtourist hotels is Tigertops, which is built on stilts (like Kenya’sTree Tops) overlooking Nepal’s fabled tiger country. Nepal also hassome less awesome sights, such as Katmandu’s Hindu temples, whosetimbers are decorated with erotic carvings designed to frighten off thevirginal goddess of lightning. Obviously they are not frightening offforeigners. Last year 12,500 visited Nepal and, if Mahendra cancontinue to keep his neighbors quiet, many more are expected to visithis lofty realm this year.