Have we learnt to live with stigma attached over our foreheads?
By Bibhu Bikram Pant
You can call me a commoner, or a layman, or simply a Nepali. A man who has dreams of peace and prosperity, but fears to dream since dreams and aspirations are suppressed under the current affairs of the country. A man who sets out for his office every morning with the hope that the day will be good, but fears of the unknowns and bears a strange phobia that someone or something is lurking behind for an ambush. Someone has truly said - dare to dream. Today, it takes a daring to dream a great future. The question that hunts me the most today is why the f__k I didn't go aboard for study, and settle there? Was it the love of the country, or love of the closed ones, or simply my inabilities? Frankly, I do not know. But the question remains - is it a sin to stay in one's own native land and dream of a good life? Definitely not. The ground realities, nevertheless, are still the same - insecurities and uncertainties.
The biggest blow to my sense came when the holy shrine of Pashupatinath was meddled in the controversy. What greater debacle could one hope after this? Education sector was attacked, health sector was not spared, socio-economical issues were tainted – the branches of foul politics spread everywhere, but Pashipatinath?? Give us a break!! I don’t believe in craps like “desh ma aba anista hune bho, Pashupati lai pani chhodenan iniharule”. The so called “anista” has hit the nation way back. I blame politics for all what is happening, you certainly do too. But what are we doing about it? Politics, or dirty as you may, is a result of our indifference. Better late than never, we should act now. Well there, that was easy. I know it’s simple to lay down one’s frustration over words, which I am doing right now. No action whatsoever on my part to try to mend the current affairs. After all, I am also a human being – a lone man can not act in solitude, no matter how great his intentions are. This is actually what is happening. I do not have solutions, neither do you. The problem requires a joint action on the civilians’ part. Or, have we learnt to live lives with stigma attached over our foreheads and simply say “C’est la vie”.
Let me share a story from the other side of the fence. I wake up every morning and just
pray that I was that close to Pashupatinath and be able to stroll there after an tiring day at work or stressful moments at life. I know that it is not possible and just think I have selected a path that leads to high rise buildings and concrete pavements not to our fresh mountains views or ever occurring bandhas and dark nights. Not that I am thrilled about what happens there but let me tell you this, people who live far away are not immune to ever happening incidents of Nepal.More so as we are always worried about our loved onces back home.
You mentioned about not being able your foreign trip as I have known you for almost three decades ; only reason for you not leaving your home like we did is your immense love to your parents, your utmost respect to your duty as a son and your divine love for the country. If you had wanted you could be in States, UK or Australia in matter of seconds.
Having said that, things abroad are not the best either. Yes there may not be bandhas,
tire burning or a big pot hole on the road, but you must be aware of all the financial
crisis thats deeper than Nepal's biggest worries. How does this effect us? there is no
certainty in our life our career nor our financial stability. It is even more stressful
as there is no one to go to and cry .I believe that being able to be closer to your native land gives you this unique strength that says, I am not fighting this war alone and one day all of us will rise together and make this a great place to live. Unlike people here when you will be left alone and discriminated based on your skin tone.
The fact about Pashupati, changing Names of our roads, university and other petty issues has side tracked our transformational period so much that the constitution writing process is almost stand still.
Let me end this comment by saying, this is not the time to say "This belonged to
me in the past, someone snatched it from me, now I need it back". Rather, this is the
time to say, "We are at a new crossroad, I have a plan; lets work together and get the
job done. A job of creating a safer Nepal and prosperous life to our future
generations."
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The fact about Pashupati , changing Names of our roads, university and other petty issues has side tracked our transformational period so much that the constitution writing process is almost stand still.
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Good Day. Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome.
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Thanks
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Hi! everyone,
wow ! how it will look when we all will attach a stigma on our forehead on walk on the roadsides.
regards to all.
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i think so the article written by Bibhu Bikram Pant is very interesting , that is really the good one.
thanks and regards to all.
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As far as I'm concerned with this New Nepal (the way of breaking Nepal again into 22-24 states), I think we are destined for this. This is our result of supporting so called corrupticians (my terms for netas of our country), everywhere in the country there is a wasted source of AGONY, INSTABILITY in public life.
But alas, do you see anything that I could do to my motherland, and now I'm still in this land, and I don't want to live Nepal atleast for always...
This is a great presentation, I liked here. Thanks
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Bibhu, great post. Dreams and aspirations often bring with them fear. The fear is that the dream will not be realised.
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