BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE
Madhyapur thimi, bode, khapala tole- besides being a small world within itself to attract tourists from all over the world by some of its specialties like the tongue piercing jatra and the great Bisket jatra, its customs and traditions have given rise to a burning problem – ‘Alcoholism’ .Though the Newar community has been enriched with its norms and values and gifted a peculiarity by the ancestors, a curse of malpractice has been pasted on its forehead that has made most of the eyes tear. And the curse is non other than ‘Alcoholism’.
Newar festive is an initiation as well as an excuse to drink though peer pressure, imitating the elders; trying to be grown up and being prestigious among the groups are some other contributing factors. Some of their biggest festivals are Mani (Dashain), Gunhipuni and Bisket Jatra. The varieties of dishes they (Newars) serve are mouth watery and delicious. Beaten rice, chhyoyela, pickle, alooz and different forms of meat are some of the foods which u can’t say NO. Along with these dishes, in each and every festival, chhyang (home made rice wine) is a must. Bratabandha is one of the most important ceremonies for the young boys when they are supposed to taste wine. This is their start to the future drunkard.
Khapala tole of bode is a common resident of Newars. Most of the people, here, depends on agriculture which involves working in field under the scorching sun, transporting loads of vegetable on their shoulder and selling them early in the morning and getting back home at mid-days. To carryout all these tiresome works, the only way to recharge their energy is the home made rice wines. This is how their thirst to drink increases. Chhyang is the easily accessible drink and most of the hotels make it available to serve the customers. To this enthusiastic schedule and cool and enjoyable days with friends and drinks, a cloud of sadness has covered these days. Up to now more than a dozen of people have lost their lives with the same symptoms- liver failure, large belly, and decrease in blood pressure.
Residents of khapala tole got an uncertain call which informed Rakesh Dheke, one of the residents, who was rushed to hospital few days before, immediately needs blood. Without delay, some of the people gathered and donated their blood to him but the following day he was declared dead. He left this world leaving his newly wed wife a widow. Similar was the case of Chandra Hari. Some people had gone to donate him blood but he expired. It was those days of Dashain and everyone was filled with happiness and joy. His death could hardly be forgotten both by his family and the relatives. Within a second he turned a fine shining day into a rainy season. Waiting for a whole hour to worship the god Ganesh, the relatives of Chandra Hari, got the information that his deceased body has been taken to Pashupati for funeral. They were shocked might be the greatest shock they ever had.
When I was in fourth standard, I was shocked by the demise of my maternal uncle. As I heard, his death was a mystery. He slept two days without eating anything before he died the third day. Now I am very much sure that his daily intoxication killed him. He used to visit us and each time I would find his both eyes red and body intoxicated. My mom along with my aunts and grandma had tried a lot to convince him but all in vain. Not only he but there are more others who have made their family tear. Rajesh karmi is one of the hotel owners who, besides serving alcohols to his customers, get drunk everyday. He always finds a good reason for his intoxication. He lives with his wife and two small daughters. The couple usually has a row at the end of the day. In spite of his responsibility towards his family, he is happy with his life. His wife and his relatives have been unable to take him on the way. Instead he can argue with anyone.
Alcoholism has become a parasite and is swallowing my village. Many youngsters and aged people frequent the hotel serving chhyang and other alcohols. Whoever has this habit, his relation with the family is cold. Those alcohols fill up the body with energies which are poured into the wives somewhere to the children. A drunkard never waits for a mistake to start an argument. My father has two faces. Whatever he is in the morning can never be the same in the afternoon. Though he never gets intoxicated, he frequently argues with my mother. If he is drunk, he will be making mistakes (waiting for the milk to boil and never notices that it has spilled out – he always does this). We all are tired of telling him that alcohols are bad for health, but who cares! Nobody not even a single drinking man thinks about the families after him. What they think is that the misfortune would never befall on them. They are out of the reach of every evil. But whenever they are at the last stage, they wish to get back into the past and rectify those mistakes they had made. But its too late …..
Madhyapur thimi, bode, khapala tole- besides being a small world within itself to attract tourists from all over the world by some of its specialties like the tongue piercing jatra and the great Bisket jatra, its customs and traditions have given rise to a burning problem – ‘Alcoholism’ .Though the Newar community has been enriched with its norms and values and gifted a peculiarity by the ancestors, a curse of malpractice has been pasted on its forehead that has made most of the eyes tear. And the curse is non other than ‘Alcoholism’.
Newar festive is an initiation as well as an excuse to drink though peer pressure, imitating the elders; trying to be grown up and being prestigious among the groups are some other contributing factors. Some of their biggest festivals are Mani (Dashain), Gunhipuni and Bisket Jatra. The varieties of dishes they (Newars) serve are mouth watery and delicious. Beaten rice, chhyoyela, pickle, alooz and different forms of meat are some of the foods which u can’t say NO. Along with these dishes, in each and every festival, chhyang (home made rice wine) is a must. Bratabandha is one of the most important ceremonies for the young boys when they are supposed to taste wine. This is their start to the future drunkard.
Khapala tole of bode is a common resident of Newars. Most of the people, here, depends on agriculture which involves working in field under the scorching sun, transporting loads of vegetable on their shoulder and selling them early in the morning and getting back home at mid-days. To carryout all these tiresome works, the only way to recharge their energy is the home made rice wines. This is how their thirst to drink increases. Chhyang is the easily accessible drink and most of the hotels make it available to serve the customers. To this enthusiastic schedule and cool and enjoyable days with friends and drinks, a cloud of sadness has covered these days. Up to now more than a dozen of people have lost their lives with the same symptoms- liver failure, large belly, and decrease in blood pressure.
Residents of khapala tole got an uncertain call which informed Rakesh Dheke, one of the residents, who was rushed to hospital few days before, immediately needs blood. Without delay, some of the people gathered and donated their blood to him but the following day he was declared dead. He left this world leaving his newly wed wife a widow. Similar was the case of Chandra Hari. Some people had gone to donate him blood but he expired. It was those days of Dashain and everyone was filled with happiness and joy. His death could hardly be forgotten both by his family and the relatives. Within a second he turned a fine shining day into a rainy season. Waiting for a whole hour to worship the god Ganesh, the relatives of Chandra Hari, got the information that his deceased body has been taken to Pashupati for funeral. They were shocked might be the greatest shock they ever had.
When I was in fourth standard, I was shocked by the demise of my maternal uncle. As I heard, his death was a mystery. He slept two days without eating anything before he died the third day. Now I am very much sure that his daily intoxication killed him. He used to visit us and each time I would find his both eyes red and body intoxicated. My mom along with my aunts and grandma had tried a lot to convince him but all in vain. Not only he but there are more others who have made their family tear. Rajesh karmi is one of the hotel owners who, besides serving alcohols to his customers, get drunk everyday. He always finds a good reason for his intoxication. He lives with his wife and two small daughters. The couple usually has a row at the end of the day. In spite of his responsibility towards his family, he is happy with his life. His wife and his relatives have been unable to take him on the way. Instead he can argue with anyone.
Alcoholism has become a parasite and is swallowing my village. Many youngsters and aged people frequent the hotel serving chhyang and other alcohols. Whoever has this habit, his relation with the family is cold. Those alcohols fill up the body with energies which are poured into the wives somewhere to the children. A drunkard never waits for a mistake to start an argument. My father has two faces. Whatever he is in the morning can never be the same in the afternoon. Though he never gets intoxicated, he frequently argues with my mother. If he is drunk, he will be making mistakes (waiting for the milk to boil and never notices that it has spilled out – he always does this). We all are tired of telling him that alcohols are bad for health, but who cares! Nobody not even a single drinking man thinks about the families after him. What they think is that the misfortune would never befall on them. They are out of the reach of every evil. But whenever they are at the last stage, they wish to get back into the past and rectify those mistakes they had made. But its too late …..
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