After thanking the god for ending the day, I got another reason to thank the almighty; I got the bus without having to wait. As the saying goes ‘human’s hunger can never be satiated’ while sitting in the enclosed bus with no proper air circulation I wished there was sprinkle of water. After getting off at my destination, I rushed for my home. I am not in so much hurry to get to home when the office is over than the hurry I have when I get off at chabahil. The roads were muddy and people busy buying vegetables and other grocery. Children were splashing water in the puddle just to take me to the flashback of my school days. I remembered the huge ground at Siphal which we always strolled to get to school or to return home. We always avoided landing into the puddle or blot our uniform in the morning but in the evening nothing abided us to shun the mischief. Splashing the muddy water was something we loved to do. I don’t remember if I smiled at the kids jumping and playing with the water. After getting into the road that ran through the residential areas, there was suspicious quietness in the streets. Though the number of children was same as yesterday or as any other day there were few adults. The small vegetable stores that would otherwise be always crowded with people looking for vegetables had no people and some had even the owners missing.
On one of the crossroads, the loud volume of a television channel brought a familiar sound in my ear. I had heard the former king was supposed to provide a statement to the press and there it was. Though nothing exceptional was expected, I hurried to my home to see the expression, body language and the message of the former monarch. Clad in the national dress he addressed the press and the Nepalese people with no sign of remorse for those who expected it. The language had changed there was no royalty in his message. Certainly it was the language of a commoner. He in his poor Nepali vocabulary and poor nepali accent said the barrier which didn’t allow him to address so many issues has been broken and he seemed rather critical of media (not directly referred) and the opportunist who had tried to rise to glory by blotting his name and his lineage. He dismissed all speculations which suggested he will leave the country and said he has only best wishes for the people of Nepal. He said he will love to see a developed Nepal and will do everything possible to him to help the country and its people. May be his was the attitude of ‘let’s see what the people/parties you have chosen will do for you’ or may be he really meant it. In between he coughed and many opined that he was choked with emotions running high. He concluded with the trademark ‘Shri Pashupatinath le hami sabaiko kalyan garun’ (May the almighty bless us).
Time has its own path. No event or incident is a coincidence or an accident, so many things operate to make it happen and the history of Nepal is just an example. The late king Birendra was undoubtedly the most respected kings in Nepal. His attempts to win over the people had made him the apple of eye to most of the common Nepalese. As a institution monarchy had always been an umbrella for people from all castes and regions. The fateful murder of the king didn’t only brought the outburst of Nepalese people to the streets it also convicted the new king behind the conspiracy. It was part of the grand design, that was what people said. Accidents are least expected incidents so former king Gynandra Shah didn’t try to polish his image before general people. His arrogant son only tarnished the images. Parash Shah former crown prince became the most notorious figure in the history of Nepali monarchy. When the ominous incident shook the country and majority of the country was against the new king. That was just the beginning of the downfall of monarchy in Nepal and last month we finally buried the unwanted monarchy deep into ground. When I look back I see how consecutive events took in harmony to convert the kingdom of Nepal into Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Change is inevitable, change is rule and the change has proved itself. The former king pinned the last nail when he took the executive power into his own hand, thanks to his aggression. Had he been able to rein the violence by peaceful mean rather than opting violence the end of the story might have been different or may be the story wouldn’t have ended? Bringing in the corrupt and failed faces to act for him was a self destructive act. When he could have used to glorify his tarnished image, he used the power to irk the people. Had he only been able to bring the Maoists into negotiation he would have amassed love and respect from people and he failed again. There he could have proven that he was the one who cared for the country not the political parties who the people had started to doubt.
Nepali people perseverance has been laudable throughout the history. They have given chance to everyone but everyone have ditched them one way or other. When the violence only escalated when different parties ran the government, people had started spitting on their ugly faces and king’s move to take the executive power was greeted with celebrations throughout the country, it was the King’s turn to betray Nepali people. Political parties had lost their hold among Nepali people and when they agitated against the king’s rule only fistful of people participated in their agitation. They outsmarted the king by striking an agreement with the Maoists. The 12 point agreement with Maoists and the inability of the King to deliver his promises had changed the equation. It all seems to be the part of a grand design of time itself.
Speculations and rumors are high among people who do not try to reason. This has been the case in Nepal. Nepal was declared republic amid speculations of violence and retaliation. People said the King was a wounded tiger and he will strike back, nothing happened, may be the tiger had been paralysed or may be the tiger came to know he was just a fox in the skin of tiger. Many people appreciated the King including the strong republicans for his acceptance of the will of Nepali people. When the villain shed his swords the supposed heroes are still fighting for power. No consensus has been reached to strike a balance and the country is moving to and fro like a pendulum. We can only hope soon negotiations will be done and we will move forward to build the clichéd New Nepal.
On one of the crossroads, the loud volume of a television channel brought a familiar sound in my ear. I had heard the former king was supposed to provide a statement to the press and there it was. Though nothing exceptional was expected, I hurried to my home to see the expression, body language and the message of the former monarch. Clad in the national dress he addressed the press and the Nepalese people with no sign of remorse for those who expected it. The language had changed there was no royalty in his message. Certainly it was the language of a commoner. He in his poor Nepali vocabulary and poor nepali accent said the barrier which didn’t allow him to address so many issues has been broken and he seemed rather critical of media (not directly referred) and the opportunist who had tried to rise to glory by blotting his name and his lineage. He dismissed all speculations which suggested he will leave the country and said he has only best wishes for the people of Nepal. He said he will love to see a developed Nepal and will do everything possible to him to help the country and its people. May be his was the attitude of ‘let’s see what the people/parties you have chosen will do for you’ or may be he really meant it. In between he coughed and many opined that he was choked with emotions running high. He concluded with the trademark ‘Shri Pashupatinath le hami sabaiko kalyan garun’ (May the almighty bless us).
Time has its own path. No event or incident is a coincidence or an accident, so many things operate to make it happen and the history of Nepal is just an example. The late king Birendra was undoubtedly the most respected kings in Nepal. His attempts to win over the people had made him the apple of eye to most of the common Nepalese. As a institution monarchy had always been an umbrella for people from all castes and regions. The fateful murder of the king didn’t only brought the outburst of Nepalese people to the streets it also convicted the new king behind the conspiracy. It was part of the grand design, that was what people said. Accidents are least expected incidents so former king Gynandra Shah didn’t try to polish his image before general people. His arrogant son only tarnished the images. Parash Shah former crown prince became the most notorious figure in the history of Nepali monarchy. When the ominous incident shook the country and majority of the country was against the new king. That was just the beginning of the downfall of monarchy in Nepal and last month we finally buried the unwanted monarchy deep into ground. When I look back I see how consecutive events took in harmony to convert the kingdom of Nepal into Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Change is inevitable, change is rule and the change has proved itself. The former king pinned the last nail when he took the executive power into his own hand, thanks to his aggression. Had he been able to rein the violence by peaceful mean rather than opting violence the end of the story might have been different or may be the story wouldn’t have ended? Bringing in the corrupt and failed faces to act for him was a self destructive act. When he could have used to glorify his tarnished image, he used the power to irk the people. Had he only been able to bring the Maoists into negotiation he would have amassed love and respect from people and he failed again. There he could have proven that he was the one who cared for the country not the political parties who the people had started to doubt.
Nepali people perseverance has been laudable throughout the history. They have given chance to everyone but everyone have ditched them one way or other. When the violence only escalated when different parties ran the government, people had started spitting on their ugly faces and king’s move to take the executive power was greeted with celebrations throughout the country, it was the King’s turn to betray Nepali people. Political parties had lost their hold among Nepali people and when they agitated against the king’s rule only fistful of people participated in their agitation. They outsmarted the king by striking an agreement with the Maoists. The 12 point agreement with Maoists and the inability of the King to deliver his promises had changed the equation. It all seems to be the part of a grand design of time itself.
Speculations and rumors are high among people who do not try to reason. This has been the case in Nepal. Nepal was declared republic amid speculations of violence and retaliation. People said the King was a wounded tiger and he will strike back, nothing happened, may be the tiger had been paralysed or may be the tiger came to know he was just a fox in the skin of tiger. Many people appreciated the King including the strong republicans for his acceptance of the will of Nepali people. When the villain shed his swords the supposed heroes are still fighting for power. No consensus has been reached to strike a balance and the country is moving to and fro like a pendulum. We can only hope soon negotiations will be done and we will move forward to build the clichéd New Nepal.
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