The success of every poet who seeks to transcend the boundaries of time and space lies in his ability to present something personal as a work of art with universal appeal. Siddhicharan had the ability to identify with the suffering of exploited people and inspired them to struggle hard to achieve their noble and lofty goals and objectives. The poet’s personal sorrow is artistically transmuted into the anguished cry of the period in which he lived. In other words, poetry to Siddhicharan was not a means of romanticizing personal grief, agony and suffering. The suffering masses found in him a champion of justice, freedom and solidarity with mankind. The poet appealed to them as their friend, philosopher and guide since his poetry could eloquently articulate the pangs and despair of the teeming millions.

Siddhicharan is recognized and acclaimed as a representative poet, for like the English poet Lord Tennyson he was sensitive to the mood and ethos of the times. As Tennyson reminds us in one of his poems that old order changes yielding place to new, Siddhicharan could understand and express in poetic language easily understood by the common people their aspirations for change or a new order based on justice, equity and freedom from exploitation as well as peace, progress and prosperity. While he remained in jail, the poet composed a number of poems the predominant theme of which was a craving for change from the old regime to a democratic setup in which the voice of the people reigns supreme.

"Tears" composed by Siddhicharan in BS 2004 and later published in Jhilko, a literary magazine, can be cited as an instance of the poet’s understanding of human destiny and predicament and his abiding faith in the power of struggle for change. It is the poet’s conviction that popular uprising or revolt has the power to establish a new social order replacing the old order battered and weakened by exploitation, domination and oppression. "Tears" is no doubt a poem of epic dimension. Tears symbolise for the poet the misery and suffering of the people forced to live under autocratic rule for over a century. There is a message of hope in the poem as it visualises a future that brings happiness to all. This, in fact, is the meaning of democracy which does not serve only the interests of a small segment of self-centred rulers and their henchmen.

"Tears" presents Siddhicharan as a nationalist poet who loves his country and its people. The poet fervently believes that the motherland belongs to all and cannot be allowed to be exploited and tyrannized by a handful of ruling elites. Once the people realize their potential and assert themselves to regain their legitimate rights, tears can be transformed into joy or a state of bliss away from the dismal confines of ruthless exploitation and domination. The poet, too, weeps as he sees millions in tears. His desire for change is prompted by his sincere wish to see the distressed millions, that is, his fellow countrymen free, fearless, happy and prosperous.

Siddhicharan’s advocacy of rebellion in "Tears" is justified in a decaying society which has to be purged of its deformities, drawbacks and degeneration. The poet’s psyche embedded as it is in the revolutionary spirit is awakened by his deep sense of humanity and his consciousness of social unrest resulting in an impassioned plea for radical reform of the prevailing order. In other words, revolt is a logical response to the popular urge for the radical restructuring of a petrified social system. Siddhicharan does not plead for revolution as a dogma or an ideological creed.

"Tears" is an expression of outrage against negative trends and inhuman practices that have brought discredit to the ideals of human civilization. This is further exemplified in the following lines:

To exploit others is called civilization
To speak untruth is called gentleness
The society today is spoilt
The result of most callous customs and practices.

In the "spoilt society" mentioned above, the value system is distorted as ill-gotten wealth, machinations and callousness unbecoming of human dignity overshadow the long cherished values and norms of honesty, hard work and a humane outlook on life. The universal appeal of the poem lies in the fact that it portrays the excesses and atrocities of the Rana oligarchy as the woes and worries of mankind. It is true that injustice, tyranny and oppression are not unique to a particular society or a period in history. They are applicable and found elsewhere across the broad spectrum of human society.

Freedom of expression is the sine qua non of democracy, and people deprived of this freedom are hungry, naked and even condemned to live a beastly existence. The poet deplores the sad state of affairs in the following lines:

What a system now prevails
Living like a beast and dying like a
beast
What has happened to humanity
today?

Siddhicharan seeks to inspire in the masses dehumanized or brutalized by tyranny and injustice self-confidence, courage and the power latent in every individual to change an outworn system through their own efforts, dedication, struggle and sacrifice. A sense of direction is artistically communicated by the poet in most of his poems including "Tears."

For our construction projects, we shall not beg with the rich countries for loans, as it will surely trap us in a debt. Take minimum help for equipment, if we must, but we shall go to our own Nepali poor and rich alike, spreading both hands for their generosity and help. We may be poor, but with our pride and unmatched bravery, we can be just as developed in no time. Like many millions, I risked my life in the revolution for the sake of the country and the Crown with a hope to see prajatantra (democracy) bring happiness to the common people. The hard-fought democracy has instead become a source of personal gain for a few in the capital. It is sickening to watch self indulgence of the very protectors of prajatantra (democracy), while millions suffer. We risked our lives, and we lent our heads and shoulders to restore the Crown. Where are the fruits of democracy? Please decentralize, and do give us some power and some administrative autonomy, and have some mercy and leave some riches taken from the regional level for the locals.

Even worst is your arrogance in defining the meaning of Nepal, confining it to the capital, the Kathmandu valley, and its comfort without any regard for the millions throughout the country. Do not be surprised, hence, if such a centric arrogance were to ultimately force the very same brave Nepalis to rise again. These are excerpts from letters and notes written by Late Badahakim Pratiman Chand Bohara about fifty years ago during and after the revolution of 2007 BS. These are the voices of our forgotten generation, and an ironic deja vou perhaps. Born in Aglung (West Nepal), Shri Pratiman Chand Bohara moved to Tansen, Palpa and started his career by joining the army as a Sipahi. He rose through the ranks in the military and became a Major, fought in the liberation movement of 2007 BS and later was appointed Governor (Badahakim) of the Pyuthan region (Western Nepal). He died of diabetic complication in Palpa in 2015 BS. Late Shrimati Neema Chand Bohara, a woman of enormous strength and character, raised a large family left behind by the untimely death of her husband. She kept these writings close to her heart, and took good care of them until she died in 1992 AD.

Although personal in nature, these writings do give us a glimpse of that era through his life experience full of struggle and triumphs. Although he lacked a formal educational degree, his integrity, common sense, and his love for his country and its people were his greatest strength and they never failed him. During the revolution of 2007 BS, he followed his duty with utmost loyalty and earned the trust and friendship of political authorities such as, Kashinath Gautam, Anirudhra Sharma, Bholanath Sharma, Rudra Shumsher, and Dhairya Shumsher just to name a few, but, when needed, he did not hesitate to stick his neck out for a common soldier. Despite a reward of ten thousand rupees on his head for being a rebel commander, he did not hesitate to risk his life and career for the right cause that he believed in, which included helping Bisheshwar Prasad Koirala escape from Tansen during a military curfew. This unselfishness character became his hallmark throughout his career. A man of the people, he sometimes took issue with the bureaucratic authority and did not hesitate to show his frustration as clearly evidenced by the content and tone of many of his letters. He was far ahead of his time with a view that a key to this country’s development rested on its ability to build infrastructure: roads, education, energy, and most importantly a decentralized system of government.

During and after his bureaucratic career, he devoted his life fighting for these causes. In a newly liberated country without any modern capital, he knew that the only resource was its people.

He remained passionate about development work, especially building infrastructure. He urged common people to join hands for various developmental projects. At the same time, he challenged the privileged class (eg. businessmen) to offer capital through voluntary contributions. He also started writing to newspaper editors, and sometimes to the King, in an attempt to draw their attention to various development issues. Of course, there were businessmen and bureaucrats who did not appreciate such campaigns perhaps, but he took solace when people wrote gratifying letters praising his honesty and devotion. After he was appointed governor of the Pyuthan region, he started to have bigger dreams. Not only did he devote his time and energy to fight for the common people, he did not hesitate to donate his own property. For example, when he took up the governorship of Pyuthan, the people of the region approached him and sought his help to move the district capital from the hill to the plains.

Many people volunteered to raise necessary lands and the building facilities for the district headquarters. He himself donated properties worth 14,600 rupees for that cause on his parents’ behalf. Frustrated with the central government’s in aptness, he finally donated that property to a middle school in the region. A loyal servant of the country and Crown, he even warned the then central government of widespread dissatisfaction of the people outside the valley, and did not rule out a potential armed struggle, especially if the politicians were to continue with their narrow definition of "Nepal." The words and promises of the 2007 revolution were not enough for him. Sometimes, he was too eager to take actions and not wait for the central government’s bureaucratic snail pace. He wrote to various ministries for help, sometimes with language and tone that were undiplomatic.

In addition to asking for resources for development projects, the plain talker would sometimes demand administrative autonomy to get around the problem of bureaucratic red tape. While some of his contemporary governors were in India enjoying their newly found position, he was surveying the height of the water falls to bring electricity in the region, measuring the land for school buildings, and estimating road projects. Such were his passion and relentless dreams. Even though he fought on behalf of the Nepali Congress and was later appointed as a Governor, he was a non-political administrator.

He believed in free speech for all, and he was not afraid to be critical of politicians regardless of their party affiliation. It would not be hard to imagine that this did not sit too well with the politicians. He eventually became a victim of political musical chairs, and had to spend his last few years in the capital without any portfolio. It could not have been more frustrating for this man with so many unfulfilled dreams, and so he writes in his journal addressing to King, "How worthless I feel for drawing these undeserving paychecks, and I beg you to use them for electricity, irrigation, and roads, worthy causes that I have spent my life fighting for.

Since then I have been musing whether the minister’s jubilation would really materialize. The people of Nepal as well as all the well wishers of Nepal around the world have been gazing at the birthplace of the Buddha more intently since the visit there of the UN Secretary General U Thant in 1967 and the preparation of the master plan by the great Japanese architect Kenjo Tange in 1978. Developmental activities in and around Lumbini have commenced since then and are still continuing although critics especially those wishing for the welfare of Nepal are hardly found to be satisfied with the pace of development.

High hopes have been raised among people of the Lumbini area by information about the construction of the international airport. However, I remember how at the initial stage of the survey undertaken by the Civil Aviation Authority the local people of Bishnupura, Rudrapur, Sooryapura and Sandi Village Development Committees where the survey for the international airport had to take place were not being cooperative with the survey team for fear that they would not be adequately compensated when land and property was acquired for the said purpose. Meetings had to be organized to convince the local leaders of the immense significance of this project that is bound to drastically change not only their life style but also the economic status of the nation as a whole. On Jan. 22, 2000 all district level political leaders including the MP from constituency no. 4 and the Chief District Officer gathered at Rudrapur VDC and convinced the gathering of about 5000 villagers of the importance of construction of the airport reminding them not to miss this momentous opportunity. They also pledged to duly compensate the villagers in case of acquisition of their land and property. In fact this meeting had helped in paving the way for the smooth functioning of the survey team.

The international airport, no doubt, will facilitate the movement of thousands of pilgrims and tourists from their countries direct to Lumbini. The desire of many a Buddhist pilgrim to worship the birthplace of the Enlightened One will be fulfilled without having to stop at Kathmandu or waste time to arrange another air trip from Kathmandu to Gautam Buddha airport (the present airport at Bhairahawa from where Lumbini is about 22 km by road). It is not just saving the precious time and money of pilgrims or tourists but it also means saving them from the polluted environment of the capital city. A Majority of the devotees visiting Lumbini, as we all know, are from Japan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, China and so on. Just imagine if only 1 percent of the Buddhist population of Japan is to visit Lumbini annually we would be fulfilling more than double the target for tourist inflow set by the Visit Nepal Year of 1998.

The limited number of hotels and restaurants, the poor condition of the road, the lack of proper guides for the visitors or even laxity of behaviour towards visitors by our people could be a serious discouragement to the visiting tourists. The environment inside and outside of Lumbini still needs to be improved. Much remains to be done since the outcome of the pre-feasibility report of the international airport has yet to be made public. But we Nepalese have a rich treasure of experiences in tourism development in recent years. This scribe, for instance, had the opportunity to visit Jomsom (headquarters of Mustang district) and the Muktinath area some three decades ago when the advent of the tourists in this area was beyond imagination. Barring some nationals visiting Muktinath very few travellers could be met. In the now popular trekking route. In fact, the local inhabitants of the historically famous trade centre Tukuche and the surrounding areas had shunned them and migrated to Pokhara, Butwal/Bhairahawa and even to the capital. Gradually trekkers and mountaineers began to discover and enjoy the blissful charm of this area and with the increasing number of travellers, tourists and pilgrims flowing in facilities for tourism began to grow and are now easily available. We can, therefore, infer that it is not necessary to develop infrastructure first and then wait for tourists to visit. This should hold true even in the case of the sacred land of Lumbini. The present day necessity for us is to strongly propound and publicize the significance of the Buddha’s birthplace and to clear the misgivings of many faithful devotees of the Buddha around the world who have either been misled to believe that the Enlightened One was born in some part of northern India or who remain ignorant of the historical fact that it was Ashok, the great Indian Emperor who had erected the Ashok pillar at Lumbini in Rupandehi district of Nepal to reminding the world that The Buddha was born here. History has it that Huen Tsang and Fa Hien, the great travellers from China came to Lumbini in 403 AD and 636 AD respectively to pay homage to the Buddha’s sacred birthplace. Our diplomatic missions, consulates, foreign trade operators and Nepalese expatriates residing abroad should be active enough to give due exposure to these facts.

With the UN declaring Baishakh Poornima (full moon day), the day of the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and Maha Parinirbana (Passing away from the world) as a UN holiday the people of the world whatever their colour, creed or community have displayed a befitting and supreme respect for the Prince of Peace. This has strengthened my conviction that Lumbini which has been declared the Fountain of Peace at 15th World Buddhist Summit will now attract a large number of visitors from all around the world.

It is now up to us Nepalese to cash in on this opportunity and bring prosperity in and around Lumbini thereby affecting the whole Nepalese economy or just remain dumb founded not knowing how to use such an excellent opportunity. Very recently this scribe had the opportunity to visit the famous Balaji Venkateswar Temple at Tirupati, South India. A few hours stay won’t be enough to appreciate fully the managerial skill of the temple managers there. Different rates of entry fee have been levied to enter the main temple. Even at other temples around the sacred area donations are to be recorded. The funds thus collected are being used for the maintenance and further development of the temple area as well as for increasing the comforts of pilgrims who flock there in the millions.

This scribe also remembers one of his visits to a Japanese temple where every visitor had to pay a sum of 300 yen to enter the holy shrine. We Nepalese now should not lag behind in raising funds in this way, be it for Lumbini or for any other temple. It may even be wise to send teams to such temples to learn better management from friendly countries. Or serious thought should be given to the fact that in this age of globalization and liberalization Lumbini which has been included in the world heritage list and is now the property of the world needs to be internationalized in respect of its management and maintaining of security on a contractual basis. Lumbini Development Trust i.e., the policy making body should not be expected to be an all-rounder in management as past experience has shown. Needless to say it has been a playground for foul play by politicians of whatever hue and colour in recruiting their followers without least considering the latter’ background, faith and worth to the institution. Whoever or whichever organization may be entrusted with the task of the development of Lumbini the system they resort to must be result oriented and transparent. Let us not forget that the enhancement of the glory of Lumbini is the enhancement of the glory of not only a certain section of the population of Nepal but the enhancement of the glory of the whole nation. Our attempt to glorify Lumbini pertains to fulfilling the desires of all peace loving people of the world.