Quite impressed with the first issue of ‘Y!’, a new Nepali youth magazine, I was eagerly awaiting for the second issue, which I found better.

Y! seemed to come with a serious purpose. It was reflected in the first issue in it’s bold cover design(which caught my eyes first), carefully planned content and intellectually stimulating articles.
The average ‘I hate politics’ youth too have now realized how vital politics is and how it impacts our studies, career, life and destiny.
Y! has cashed in the new burning interest of youth in politics and provided the youth with a platform for politics and activism.
Y! has actually fulfilled most of the requirements of a good youth magazine that I was looking for.
Bilingual medium is very practical and promoting Nepali literature is an appreciable approach.
By raising cultural and social awareness issues, it has carried the true essence of being youthful and modern.

But the way they highlighted pop singers like Nima Rumba, Robin, etc(who did no more than light candles of peace when so many youths were getting shot in the streets) in the article on youth political activism, made me doubt:
if this too is another same ‘light’ youth magazine but just trying to include some intellectual stuff.
or if this is too timid to be different in the youth market which is underestimated to be of just music, movies and fashion.

But in this second issue, Y! has been bolder and more vocal in its progressive and proactive purpose.

In this issue , I found almost all articles interesting . ‘The Constituent Assembly –Y! perspective’ is a very good read. It seemed serious and well researched (backed up with statistical facts) and at the same time it’s simple, catchy and intuitive style has made it vibrant and youthful.
Frivolous pop gossips replaced by accounts on local heroes like Umesh Shrestha is very sensible and to know about award winning documentaries by young Nepali filmamkers made me quite hopeful about future of Nepali creative energies.

I really appreciate that they have searched story of Barta Gandarva out of shadows and highlighted in the column ‘she is the story’ which was previously occupied by well known celebrity.

Good magazines do not only follow trends but start them, they do not only cover celebrities but create them.
We need more young celebrities in activism and politics, art and literature.

Posted on November 28th, 2006 by Dovan Rai

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