42 episode TV series on local conflict issues and resolution techniques.

program details

Maha Chautari was a bold and innovative step in creatively dealing with conflict issues – related to insurgency and traditional system.

A joint venture with Maha Sanchar funded by The Asia Foundation, the programme was broadcast nationwide and ran from February to December 2006. It raised conflict issues and provided solutions to them through a humorous drama set under a peepal tree. Two of Nepal’s best loved comedians, Haribansha Acharya and Madan Krishna Shrestha, effectively came into people’s homes through TV and raised and countered myriad social issues.

The stories, simply and clearly delivered in a humorous way by well known personalities, helped the messages to be accepted and learnt from.  The issues were seen as very relevant to the local context and therefore tools to resolve conflict highly appropriate and helpful.
Some respondents felt that decisions taken in Maha’s Chautari were made by one man which was not democratic – although the issues and behaviour changes were still the effect. Others felt that characters needed to be kept very close to real life to ensure acceptance of the messages (and this has since been taken very much to heart and action by Antenna).