Freedom!!

A human is born free and is chained  everywhere he/she goes. We all live with different culture, customs and tradition and we adopt our way of life accordingly. Well I too come from patriarchal society where there is variation in lifestyle and gender roles in every families but majority of the families does not practice equality yet and follow same old patriarchal concept where a man get to decide what's best for rest of his family! I would like to express some scenario I got to see about my childhood friend "Maya". She was young beautiful and vibrant girl with positive energy and most beautiful smile I have ever seen with a good heart too! She was from middle class family after high school education she was enrolled for graduate studies. Simultaneously, she got a job in a reputed office which could be taken as her good fortune as getting a job right after high school was fortunate in that part of world. She was happy go lucky type of person and busy with her work and studies too. She was unknown what was planned for her destiny. One day as regular routine she came home after work but at home she had to entertain few guests too whom she had never met before. Later, she got to know that one of the guy named " Hari" liked her since long time and came to ask for her for marriage (this is one of the setting how arrange marriage takes place in eastern culture). Well she had not seen it coming and was astonished and confused regarding entire matter and denied that proposal saying she didn't want to get married instead wants to study and work. But the guy followed her and expressed that he would not be obstacle in her desires and would let her achieve her goal. The guy and his family members convinced Maya and her family that there would be no obstruction in her wishes instead they are not conservative and would support her. Maya's family liked the guy  and their family and persuaded Maya. She was in her early twenties and was obedient daughter of her parents and could not deny or become fixed towards her opinion and as every other decisions she  accepted this one too! She was ready to embrace entire new world and had mixed feelings inside her.

She had good few months together in her new family. Later on she was not encouraged to visit her birth parents which was just 20 miles far from her in law's home. Maya's husband used to make some other diversional plan or expressed need of Maya's presence at his home so her plan to visit her birth parents was less frequent. In between Maya's husband expressed his desire to plan baby even though Maya was not prepared for this but Hari insisted on that and subsequently she got pregnant and her graduate studies in her college was affected which means involuntarily she had to give up her college. Life went on she never got the same promise Hari and his family had done before marriage. She was restricted from visiting her friends, buying and wearing pants (which she really loved), several rules were imposed upon her. As, she was working women her husband made strict rule of arrival at home which was fixed as few minutes after her offices closes she has to reach her home. She never had time to have a cup of coffee with colleagues at work. She was in rush and fear. Maya's husband and family requested her not to work and said that they heard rumors that working women in big organisation don't have good character and so in order to maintain their prestige she had to give up her job. As she already had left her college she didn't want to quit her job (only place where she was herself no one to keenly look up after her with on going rules of does and don'ts) so she said she would not hang out with any colleagues and would return to home as soon as she leaves office.

This all went on she was already mother of 3 years kid who had many rules to follow. She had to look after her house, son and office work too! Even though she had few good friends at her office she could never make time for coffee, market or attend any office functions. She used to be happy go lucky before marriage and people were amazed with her beautiful smile but slowly few years after her marriage she seem to have upset face with forced smile on that and red swollen eyes as if she had flown rivers through her eyes. Now she had been a girl with chains everywhere, eventually Hari was able to make her resigne. Unwillingly, she quit her job too! Still everything wasn't right he used to doubt her with every male she spoke to or met anywhere at any shops/market/temples and quarrel at night with no any logical reasons. She was a girl with lots of desires and admirations and now slowly she has been converted to asset of Hari's home who has to do whatever their family wants, meet people they want make her meet and do chores they make her do. Eventually, she lost her freedom from every aspect. She was no longer human being with right but only with duties to be performed. Once she had been to her maternal home with her son, the next day she found Hari was around there just to make sure she was not visiting her old friends. Maya was bored with the direction of her life, nothing went well as she as expected, her ever doubting and arguing husband and her life with less motive she had less faith on that relationship and expressed with her parents that she want to end it up and be free from the chains. But, same parents who did not think twice about their daughter  while marrying her still they are not ready to hear her concerns instead Maya has to handle the the situation as divorcing her husband will give bad name to her parents. So, they convince her to adjust according her family and resolve her problems.

Well, once she had shared her feelings with me and expressed she wanted to end her life. She is not happy at all and mentioned that she cries entire night and only good thing her life is her son. She is of my age and I wonder she could have been graduate and done post graduation and have had good job with stability in her life. Marrying at tender age without completion of her education and gaining worldly experiences and accepting every other's decision in own life and giving up every wishes for other's satisfaction has led her to complex situation where she can't get out. I wish she gather enough courage to stand up for herself and live her life on her terms as life is short we never know about tomorrow. May she be able to overcome her pathetic phase soon. Now and then I keep in touch with her to comfort her and I feel happy knowing she has not ended her life and has hope of ray of happiness to overcome that chains!

May u get success!!

Prayers for you :)

Note: This is reflection of most of women compromising  with every decisions of their birth parent, later their husband ultimately their offsprings! Women needs equality in all stage of their life from beginning to end. Let's release them from unnecessary chains and give a life to live on!

May Day

 International Workers' Day (also known as May Day) is a celebration of laborer and the working class and occurs on May 1st every year. May day is promoted by the international labor movement. In our nation Nepal the day is observed as well. Various seminars and rallies are conducted, few snaps and videos of working class people and labors are discussed with endless measures to resolve their problems which has been annual routine without any substantial measures to resolve actual problems of the labours. Labours and working class people are most hardworking groups with minimum or no benefits. Their inputs benefit corporates, organisation and industries but workers are least paid with least benefits. These are the class of people who works entire day without loving work they do but just thinking they will get food if they work. Whereas with the income they hardly can afford good food but just survival foods. Besides survival foods, they also have accommodation and other basic needs to be taken care of and they hardly could manage them all. As they are backbone of any society, we rely upon their hard toil but what do they get in return is difficult life with uncertainties for themselves and their offsprings too!

I have come to know a teacher in a private school with very mediocre salary not able to rent a room and buy groceries too. I also knew the founders of the same school who used to divide their annual income every year with big bundles of money besides, they used to buy land, buildings and increase the property and valuation of their school. I meant they were in very good profit every year and used to have good living standards, share of money and investment in properties too. Whereas the teacher who had been working there for decades earns a mediocre salary not able to keep up himself/herself! This is our society's reality. In almost every field entrepreneurs suck the hard toil and benefits most making their life in oasis whereas making life of workers as desert.

All these concept of drawing maximum benefits with most inputs from workers and not sharing or providing good pay for workers has to be end. This has created or widened gap between rich and poors. We need to create minimum pay standard so that both entrepreneurs and workers can share the benefits. Working class people and laborers deserve good pay and respect too. I don't feel a company who neglects its employee will sustain in long run but at present in our nation we lack good rules and regulations and people are extracting maximum benefits for self at cost of other's miserable life. Most of the concerns are focused towards privatisation and its policy of least salary (on which one can't afford own life) and its attitude toeards working class people!

Working class and laborers needs decent pay!

Respect work and workers too!!

Roadways!!

Nepal is poor country with ample of possibilities! Nepal lags behind in almost many sectors. But seeing developed country's progress and their achievement we can conclude that we lack even basic infrastructures. Sad to hear every days road traffic mishaps and feels worst to see most of the road ways of our nation as world's most scariest roads! Okay we have many things to do but we really need to prioritise our needs as we can't fulfill all our needs at the same time. Transportation seems to be most important sector that has to be planned vigorously and meticulously. Education, health, water, food, job etc all has been directly impacted by lack of transportation. Several corners of our parts are just in need of transportation to improve their living standards.

Once we have good transportation nexus within our nation then majority of our vast and unresolved problems will be minimised. Seeing the most developed nation we could find difficult to reach standard quality of life but once we have good transportation facility then food crops grown in terai can reach to the hills and mountains similarly cash crops of hills can reach to mountains and terai. The apples of solukhumbu will reach teari, oranges from hills will reach terai. No any person will suffer due to lack of transportation. Our most hurdles will be minimised. I can't  never let go one experience I have been through while I was in emergency room of one of regional hospital of eastern Nepal I got to know one child bearing female patient who was brought there in doko (tools to carry loads manually) with four days walk from remote hills of eastern Nepal. The patient underwent serious conditions as she was brought late due to transportation delay. It is only one of the instances I know but I am sure every minutes people are being suffered.

Regarding the political instability and every rise and fall of regimes hardly people in remote and rural areas have been benefited. Since a very long era only aristocrats and politically affiliated people have been benefited in personal basis. But as a nation we have no any substantial development programs, if some are initiated they are not completed. I feel general people don't care who rules/governs the nation only thing that concerns is good governance by any of the political parties/aristocrats/bureaucrats along with substantial developmental agendas. Out of them I strongly beleive transportation system strengthening is backbone of development!

Let's motivate country leader to focus on Best transportation system in nation!

Then our national goal of development will be achieved!

Jay Nepal!!

Poverty alleviation or Empowerment?

Life is based upon comparative terms. There are categories of people according to financial possession as rich or poor. We all know millennium development goal (MDG) has target as poverty alleviation which has been rarely met in any of the development era. I strongly believe that poor people also have wealth, they may not have property or good financial source but they themselves are reliable workforce. If they get work as per their ability then they can raise their life from below poverty line to above and can have successful life too. So, the target of poverty alleviation seems non tangible one, instead we can have empowerment programs. Everyone has their own capabilities and need the path according to it only. So, poor may not have property but they are more hardworking and laborious people which is their asset and if they could use it properly they will no longer be poor but will be hardworking people (the most respected ones).

So, every people are in need of their proper placement so that they can enhance the productivity. Lack of opportunity can lead them  to be destitute. The next simple thing with big impact is respect for work and workers. No any work is big or small. Neither doctor is big nor a plumber or cobbler is small. Everyone has their own roles and responsibilities to perform and act. Society must be ready to respect everyone's work and give them  respect they deserve. With dignity and respect if every workforce persons can work then there lies satisfaction in work and ultimately leads to happy life. If every class and level people has proper work placement then we can eradicate poverty!

Would like to respect all hard working laborious people!

Poor people requires empowerment!!

Mother's Day 2071 B.S.

Mother's day has been celebrated in Nepal with strengthening bond among mothers and their kids. It's natural instinct that mother has nevertheless ever lasting love and care for their kids. Every mother who is healthy mentally and physically takes good care of their child according to their knowledge and capacity. Any mother whether rich or poor has same pious love to their kids. I believe this day helps every kids far or near to keep in touch with their mothers.

       

But, I was unaware of the fact that Mother's day (Mata tritha awsi) has not been regarded as  favorable day for the birth of child. I was astonished by the fact that such pure day to celebrate mother and child bonding is again the day which is not regarded as preferable day for child birth. Well, didn't make a lot sense to me as same day we celebrate as mother's day and same day is not considered good enough to give birth to baby. Such deep rooted beliefs which really doesn't make lot of sense has to be let go so that life has meaningful reasons to live on and enjoy!

I want to wish Happy Mothers day to all mothers who not only care for self but for new human being till their last breath. This non stop and everlasting love is mother's love.

Hats off to all MOTHERS!

Sustainable rural development

Nepal is least developed country with many rural areas. Most of the rural areas are far from any sort of basic features of development as water, electricity, health, education and transportation.  Per capita income of nation is very low. Nepal lags behind in almost each and every sectors. Nepal has not been able to raise the life standards of poor people. In past several decades only cities and urban area are benefited at most. The plans and policies are almost centralized. Rural area empowerment programs have not been launched. Still education, transportation and health has been reason for people in rural area to complicate their daily living. Merely any substantial focus has been done in this sector. Whereas most of the rural areas has most potential for agricultural products for both cash and food crops but due to lack of transportation facility all products gets wasted as market is far enough for viable use of those products. This is basic scenario in almost every rural corner situation is similar.

Nepal can't plan its prosperous future with Kathmandu, Pokhara and Dharan's development. There must be availability of basic infrastructure throughout the nation to raise nation's per capita income. The availability of updated brands in cities and fashion updates can't ensure national progress. We lag behind in the basic elements and we need to have that in all corner of nation. Yes, our nation has possibilities for development and we can achieve that but plan and programs must incorporate sustainable rural development!

Jay Nepal