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Kathmandu Monday October 01, 2001 Ashwin 15, 2058.
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Lopsided story
This refers to news story titled "Urban
intrusion threatens age-old tradition in Maitidevi" (September 21, 2001) .
While the news story advocated for
maintaining traditional customs with supporting views of the so-called prominent cultural
experts and Guthiyars charging the surrounding dwellers on the construction of houses near
the crematorium, the news failed to heed over the burning issues of human rights and
environmental hazards. Does the news story mean that the valuable private lands in the
mid-city surrounding the crematorium should be abandoned? Do not they have right to enjoy
their property? If the Guthiyars want a real funeral ceremony, they should shift the
crematorium to some reiverbanks to facilitate flowing ashes with the river. Otherwise,
traditional cremation will simply remain superficial. Burning a dead body somewhere and
carrying the remaining ashes to other place is not a custom and thus a sheer nonsense in
the name of maintaining the tradition. This has been manifested by those Guthiyars
themselves, who were enjoying coke while the dead body was being cremated. Was that a
tradition? Why could not the news writer notice this?
There are lots of traditional customs that
are already abandoned or changed with time and place. The proponents of culture and
heritage are quite aware of this. If tradition is to be maintained, why did not these
Guthiyars bother at the time when people encroached on the Ghattekulo near Maitidevi
temple?
If Guthiyars claim their traditional right to
use the crematorium, the surrounding dwellers also do have their equal right to live in
hazard-free environment. Traditional customs were made for the welfare of human beings and
as such, can also be changed for the same cause. There are many holy crematoriums like
Pashupati, Tripureshwor, Shova Bhagawati, Shankhamul, etc. These alternatives will not
only make the cremation holy and complete but also reduce the environmental hazards and
relieve the resident of Maitidevi area.
"Live and let others live" should
be the best policy. News to promote peaceful coexistence is appreciated rather than
fuelling the issue.
Lord Mother Maitidevi will be pleased to see
the area clean, hazard-free, preserved as a valuable historical monument and idle land
area beside the temple be developed as a recreation park.
Anjani Shrestha
Maitidevi, Kathmandu |
