http://admin.myrepublica.com/opinion/story/34932/prithvi-s-legacy.html
Why are some of us trying to distort history? Why is the legacy of King Prithvi Narayan Shah being misinterpreted?
Many of our compatriots have become too critical of King Prithvi and historicity associated with him. Some think of him as a despot and others as an expansionist who had no feeling for the subjects he conquered and ruled. Perhaps this is why they mock him and demolish his statues.
Many of our compatriots have become too critical of King Prithvi and historicity associated with him. Some think of him as a despot and others as an expansionist who had no feeling for the subjects he conquered and ruled. Perhaps this is why they mock him and demolish his statues.
Poush 27 as National Unity Day did not materialize even this year. Following 2007 change, revolutionaries of all hues made it a point to defame Shah kings. They removed the Shah kings from school textbooks and even deleted their names from billboards of schools and colleges. The government led by Girija Prasad Koirala revoked the national unity day, despite criticism from various sections. The discourse of nationalism since has not done justice to King Prithvi's role as a nation builder. In fact, his contribution has been distorted for vested interests. KP Oli's government, we were told, was under pressure to correct this mistake and reinstate the Unity Day. But this did not happen.
Why do Indians pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru? Why have Americans erected colossal statues of George Washington in his memory? They remember these heroes for the reason we remember Prithvi Narayan. A nation needs its hero. Every nation has such a person. Nepal has Prithvi Narayan.
Tolerance is the basis of social harmony and development. It comes from appreciation for our past, present and future. Respecting history is also building trust among diverse groups. When we fail to appreciate the good aspects of the past, we contribute to intolerance. King Prithvi himself is an example of tolerance. A powerful and ambitious King of Gorkha defeated the valley kings, but preserved all those big statues of Malla kings in and around his own palace, instead of demolishing them. He handed them to his progenies.
The world is trying to redefine their old and otherwise hostile relationship with each other. Japan and India have come to realize that remembering past animosities will only bring bitterness in their relationship. If India kept resenting the British for the occupation and Japan kept bearing ill feelings towards the US for bombing it, they would not be able to move forward. Bitterness does not help us move forward. So better to learn from history and chart out a new course.
Even with the infamy attached to historical figures, civilized societies preserve their relics. Hitler's museum is one of the most visited places in Germany. Jews have not demolished it. There are huge statues of British rulers in thoroughfares of New Delhi. Indians have not destroyed them.
But following the second Jana Andolan in 2006, we demolished statutes of Shah Kings, including King Prithvi's. The culture of doing away with the past came with a number of anomalies. Even simple incidents from road accidents to student-teacher discussions end violently. Smearing the faces of professors with soot is considered the best compensation for low grades! The worst example is of our university students, expected to illuminate the world with their knowledge, setting fire to the library.
Even taxi drivers bring the city to a halt calling for a strike against cross-checking of fraudulent meters. This insanity has developed into a sort of culture. It might take years for us to correct it. But there is good sign in at least one area: the newfound respect for Prithvi Narayan.
There is a growing realization that the great king needs to be credited for his contribution to the country. Those who rejected monarchy are revisiting their position. CPN-UML leader Bamdev Gautam tabled a proposal in the cabinet meeting last year calling for declaration of Poush 27 as National Unity Day. Nepal Army and Nepal Police marked National Unity Day in their own ways this year. Many others have joined the chorus since.
The government last year reinstalled King Prithvi's life-size statue in Devghat, where he died some 238 years ago. Let us hope it won't be long before the government also officially starts marking Poush 27 as Unity Day. It did not happen this year. But hopefully it will happen next year.
The author is a development communications practitioner and lawyer
Why do Indians pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru? Why have Americans erected colossal statues of George Washington in his memory? They remember these heroes for the reason we remember Prithvi Narayan. A nation needs its hero. Every nation has such a person. Nepal has Prithvi Narayan.
Tolerance is the basis of social harmony and development. It comes from appreciation for our past, present and future. Respecting history is also building trust among diverse groups. When we fail to appreciate the good aspects of the past, we contribute to intolerance. King Prithvi himself is an example of tolerance. A powerful and ambitious King of Gorkha defeated the valley kings, but preserved all those big statues of Malla kings in and around his own palace, instead of demolishing them. He handed them to his progenies.
The world is trying to redefine their old and otherwise hostile relationship with each other. Japan and India have come to realize that remembering past animosities will only bring bitterness in their relationship. If India kept resenting the British for the occupation and Japan kept bearing ill feelings towards the US for bombing it, they would not be able to move forward. Bitterness does not help us move forward. So better to learn from history and chart out a new course.
Even with the infamy attached to historical figures, civilized societies preserve their relics. Hitler's museum is one of the most visited places in Germany. Jews have not demolished it. There are huge statues of British rulers in thoroughfares of New Delhi. Indians have not destroyed them.
But following the second Jana Andolan in 2006, we demolished statutes of Shah Kings, including King Prithvi's. The culture of doing away with the past came with a number of anomalies. Even simple incidents from road accidents to student-teacher discussions end violently. Smearing the faces of professors with soot is considered the best compensation for low grades! The worst example is of our university students, expected to illuminate the world with their knowledge, setting fire to the library.
Even taxi drivers bring the city to a halt calling for a strike against cross-checking of fraudulent meters. This insanity has developed into a sort of culture. It might take years for us to correct it. But there is good sign in at least one area: the newfound respect for Prithvi Narayan.
There is a growing realization that the great king needs to be credited for his contribution to the country. Those who rejected monarchy are revisiting their position. CPN-UML leader Bamdev Gautam tabled a proposal in the cabinet meeting last year calling for declaration of Poush 27 as National Unity Day. Nepal Army and Nepal Police marked National Unity Day in their own ways this year. Many others have joined the chorus since.
The government last year reinstalled King Prithvi's life-size statue in Devghat, where he died some 238 years ago. Let us hope it won't be long before the government also officially starts marking Poush 27 as Unity Day. It did not happen this year. But hopefully it will happen next year.
The author is a development communications practitioner and lawyer
