TRIBUTE TO MY MUM !

My heartfelt tribute to my mum  late Ganga Devi Upadhyaya on the day of annual Shraddha ritual on Tritiya Tithi Yesterday. I am regularly following this tradition (performing Shraddha each and every year) since the passing away of my mother three decades ago when I had just entered my  teenage life. I could not imagine my life without my mother in those days (will I survive in her absence? used to be the question inside my heart, though I could not express such feeling openly fearing that the society would consider me a a weakest of the weak- a coward). But time passes, people live and life goes- but in a different way changing the life style completely in the absence of mother, who is the creator- more than God for every person.

Every mother is special to their children. But my mother was specially special and different from others- for me. First, the credit goes to my mother for all the positive things I have learnt  and achieved today. Her emphasis on education was immense, far reaching and deep. She instructed me to read religious scriptures Durga, Chandi and later Bhagwat and Veda. I still remember that she had inculcated me the habit of reading these books- at least one every morning chanting clearly before I eat anything. I exactly do not know when I started this but it must be when I was around 7/8 years old- long before my Bratabandha ceremony. That helped me a lot to develop the habits of reading books.

Secondly, she always said 'never do anything wrong, bad with the intention of harming others even if it benefits you personally.'  Living a life of value was certainly an exemplary  instruction of my mother. That helped me to lead that way of life- which I think is extremely positive to be fair,  live a life without prejudice and with justice and equality and thinking the underprivileged that makes us humble all time.   

Another important lesson I learnt from my mother was that simplicity is the best way. ''Look none is happy even if they are rich and have got everything because they have not lived a moral life and hungry for everything- material wealth all the time.'' That impressed me very much when I started to understand life later after she passed away. Despite not being able to get any formal education, she always thought that education is extremely important in life and always stressed us on that point. Though I believed without understanding, I now understand it clearly and she is absolutely right.

Now looking back, I remember how impressive were those words- the amulet of my creator- always chanting  like a delicious music in my head and  reminding me those important issues of life which I think has significance even today- even if I am living in a very completely  different age and environment today compared to my mother' day circumstances and environment. 

It is not necessary to be Mother Teressa and all cannot be like her as their influence is limited to only family, society and  specific country. But many mothers are more than Mother Teressa to some extent and definitely my mother was one of them- if not for the wider society - it was definitely for me.  I have a completely different feelings about mother, the creator,  as they can never be wrong to their children. Though the circumstances is completely different today in the place where I live, I still believe that mother is always the mother and cannot be replaced by any other except mother. 

Tribute to my mother on this annual Shraddha day!

May your soul rest in peace!

May you be eternally blessed!

MANDELA GLORIFIED NEPAL

Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa and the renowned freedom fighter, who passed away at the age of 95 ON 5th December 2013 had glorified Nepal during the Non Aligned Movement Summit held in Durban in 1998. There were a total of 114 member states of the NAM and they were attending the summit. Being the host country Mandela and his wife Graca Machel were receiving the guests shaking hands one by one before the inauguration of the summit. It took long time to receive them all so there was just hand shake and move process.

But when Nepal’s late prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who was leading the Nepalese delegation, came to   meet with Mandela, he not only shook hand but also hugged Koirala and spoke for a few minutes. When I asked Girija Prasad Koirala about the content of the talk after the summit, he said ‘it was about democracy and freedom in Nepal.’  I was covering the news of the summit sitting with media persons around the world. There was an editor of Al Aharam news agency of Egypt sitting beside me.  When I told him the person talking with Mandela for a long time was Nepal’s prime minister, the al ahram news agency journalist surprisingly asked me ‘’is there any special relations between Nepal and South Africa.’’ When I said 'no'  then he said ''why Mandela was talking with your prime minister for so long time.'' I replied ‘’Nepal’s prime minister is also a freedom fighter like Mandela.’’ That was just my guess answer.  Egypt’s then president Hosni Mubarak was also attending the summit and Egypt was one of the five countries to founding members of the non aligned movement including India, Indonesia and Yugoslavia. However, Mandela did not give any importance to Mubarak.  It was clear that Mandela was honouring  democracy and freedom.

The other leaders getting time to talk with Mandela were Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Cuban leader Fidel Castro, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Columbian president, who was the chair of the NAM before South Africa. It clearly showed Mandela gave priority to the democracy and freedom across the globe that also reflected his talk and meeting with Nepal’s prime minister.  Meeting Mandela was a great privilege during the summit.

I also remember another incident during the summit. Security was beefed up around the summit venue and big concrete blocks were placed specially in the evening. One day, we saw some people outside the summit and they were crying and protesting against the huge security presence and in fact what had happened was they were beggars and they were driven out of their usual place of the streets. They were crying and shouting to make their voice heard but when we met some of them all praised President Mandela.  I still remember a man saying ‘’Tata Madibu is like our father.’’ Then only I knew Mandela was called Tata Madibu as a respect.   We had danced the whole night in the beach, which used to be reserved only for 'white people' during the apartheid era  and the famous singer sang the popular song '' Tata Madibu.'  Now there are such song echoing in every corner of South Africa. 

There were and are still problems in South Africa. Crime was so rife that there was news in the local newspaper one youth was killed in the train for money and only less than 1 rand was found in his pocket. When we were taken to a hotel in Johannesburg from the airport, the local driver said ‘’ I am going to the long route,’’ when we asked why he said showing to a township near the area ‘’ that is a dacoits area.’’ Though there was security and it was in the broad day light that was the security situation. When we went to Durban airport to fly to Johannesburg after the conclusion of the summit, after security check up we were waiting to board a plane , our passports were stolen- all the 18 passports of the Prime Minister’s entourage were stolen from inside the airport that too after the security check up. Interestingly while discussing this terrible situation, Durganath Sharma of Nepal Television who was showing his passport was also gone within a second.  So we can imagine how the situation there was. Despite this, Mandela led the country, struggled for democracy, freedom, human rights and succeeded to achieve that goal. He spent most of his important youthful age in prison- 27 years and had to divorce his wife Winnie Mandela, a freedom fighter after she was found to be involved in criminal activities and did everything for the sake of reconciliation making his own captor the white ruler- instead he made him vice president.  He is an inspiring figure for democracy, freedom, peace, reconciliation, leadership, courage and bravery. Everyone should follow his path specially our leaders in Nepal.   Tribute to this towering figure and friend of Nepal.

TRIBUTE TO MANDELA

I am shocked with the passing away of Nelson Mandela, the towering figure of the world. He was 95. I am neither a politician nor a remarkable figure but his passing away makes me feel horror-struck  because I had the honour of shaking hand with him and he was remarkably a great statesman solely devoting his life for the sake of democracy and freedom in South Africa and around the world.  I had the privilege of covering the news of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s visit to the Non Alignment Movement (NAM) Summit held in Durban of South Africa in 1998. ‘Shaking hand with Mandela’ is a glorious moment of my life. He is a towering political figure, respected and revered not only in South Africa but around the world for his commitment and sacrifice for the sake of democracy and freedom.

No any political leaders of the modern day world match up with Mandela after Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. He is the symbol of principles and sacrifice and sense of responsibility. Despite spending 27 years in infamous prison Robin Island during the apartheid era in South Africa, he did not take revenge to his captors- the white rulers despite public outrage to arrest and take action against them. He set an example of tolerance in politics and reconciliation became a guideline to those who are aspiring to be leader. His principle for democracy and free society is the example  around the world.  He is the most respected and the most courageous leader of the globe.  

He sacrificed everything – 27 years in prison, his previous wife after she was accused of wrong doing and devoted his entire life for the principle of democracy, freedom and most importantly making reconciliation with the white rulers. He suffered, he struggled and ultimately he succeeded to achieve what he was fighting for-freedom in South Africa.  Mandela will be remembered for many generation as an exemplary leader of bravery, courage, principles and sacrifice.

I have a high opinion of Mandela for his values and principles for freedom, democracy and tolerance.  I also revered him for his reverence to Nepal. Before the inaugural session of NAM summit in Durban, Mandela had received 114 leaders of the world.  I was the witness of that event at the Durban conference centre, and among them he shook hand firmly and spent a few seconds/ minutes with five leaders.  Girija Prasad Koirala was among them and others were Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Cuban leader Fidel Castro, Palestine leader Yasser Arafat and president of Colombia who was then the chair of NAM.  Mandela giving time to Koirala was a respect for Nepal’s newly restored democracy.  Nepalese politicians must learn from the life of Nelson Mandela. He is an inspiring leader and we must learn his values and principles to make our life meaningful.

I pay tribute to this towering figure of the world. 

Maha Shivaratri

Aum Namo Shivan Nama! We are celebrating Shivaratri today. This is one of the greatest festival of the Hindus all over the world. Though we could not organise special formal religious programme on our own at our residence, which we wanted, we visited Hindu temple in Reading and paid homage to Lord Shiva. Chanting devotional Shiva bhajans and attending the arati was really inspiring and interesting, at least, we did something to give continuity to our great spiritual tradition of thousands of years. And it was really motivating to visit with all family members and friends. 

There are many stories about the tradition of celebrating Maha Shivaratri.  After  Samundra Manthan, Lord Shiva drank poison  then  went to the Himalayas to meditate. After the demons knew that powerful nectar was found , demons tried to steal it from the Gods because they wanted to be more powerful than the Gods and destroy and take over the heaven. After severe battles between the Gods and demons ( virtue and evils) Devas or Gods  became able to defeat the demons because victory is always with the good or truth and they received gift of immortality- the nectar. Drinking  the poison, Lord Shiva sacrificed himself for the safety of his universe and this is the remembrance of that day.

Another version of the story is this: After the  creation of the world,  Parvati asked Lord Shiva which devotees and rituals pleased him the most. The Lord replied that the 14th night of the new moon, in the dark fortnight during the month of Phalgun, is his most favorite day. Parvati repeated these words to her friends, from whom the word spread over all creation. Since then Shivaratri is being observed by Hindus across the globe.