Naresh Gyawali
“Vanja, how are you all there? We (Madhav mama, Prakash mama, Hajurama, Narayan buwa) are at Jomsom on the way back from our visit to Muktinath Temple. I will call you when we reach to Kathmandu”. These were the last words from my maternal uncle Mohan Ghimire when I called him from Toronto, Canada on Thursday evening on 22nd September. I was waiting for his call and, in fact, I am still waiting for his call. However, when I woke up on Sunday morning on 25 September and started to surf the Facebook, I was shocked, devastated, and, in a moment, could not feel the sense in my body. I wished if I was in a dream reading the news. And my wish never came true, the cruel waves of Trishuli River collapsed my wish and embraced the most important person of my life in depth of her Holy water with the Holy Prasad from the Holy Temple Muktinath before we could even have that fortune moment to taste it.
My father kissed the heaven in 2052 when I was 15 years young, since then he took the responsibility to nurture me, educate me, and make me what I am today. Without him, I cannot imagine at this time where I would be. He played a guardian’s role to me and my family and, all of a sudden, now, he left us to swim in the ocean of tears with no one to turn if we experience any challenges ahead. My wish to invite him to visit Canada and show him the country where I am living because of his sacrifice remained unfulfilled.
All those blissful moments with hajurama, Prakash mama, Madhav mama and Mohan mama and family when I visited Nepal in Dashain 2073 have now turned to a memoire only. I remember how hajurama was happy playing cards with us, the roof-top local barbeque with Prakash mama’s family and Mohan mama’s family, an inspirative interaction with Madhav mama and family about the Canadian life, the Dashain tika with Mohan mama.
My trio uncles were not only an inspiration for our lives but also contributors in Nepal’s political and cultural life. Nepal got new federal democratic constitution because of successful the election when Madhav uncle was nation’s Home Minister. Prakash uncle contributed his valuable time for the progress of National sports council of Nepal. Mohan uncle was a very honest and hardworking employee of Nepal Telecom and served the nation for long. They are pride of nation and pride of Palpa district.
Knowing the fact that every creation has an end, every birth has to die, death is an inevitable to all, I still am not able to accept their absence on this earth. I feel as if Mohan uncle will pick up my phone say “Vanja aramai hunuhunchha?” when I call him today too. I feel as if I will get to play cards with Hajurama, crack jokes, laugh with Madhav uncle and Prakash uncle in my next visit to Nepal. I want all of you to be there in your homes when I visit Nepal next time and I will be waiting for all of you to return home one day no matter what the world says and I will just be waiting for you all till my last breathe.
(Toronto, Canada)
