Birth Anniversary Of Raja Jai Prithvi Bahadur Singh
Nepal’s National Hero

By Mani Nepali Paneru

IT is a matter of pride for all Nepalese that a national hero like Jai Prithvi was born in such a remote place of far west. This was a sentimental expression by Sher Bahadur Deuba, Prime Minister of Nepal at one of the functions recently. (He was not prime minister then). Although many people don’t seem to be aware that Raja jai Prithvi was really a global personality who was regarded as one of the pioneers of humanist movement many Nepalese scholars have admitted that he was indeed the pride of Nepal. On the death of Jai Prithvi, one of the renowned newspapers of India ‘The Hindu Daily’ had honoured him as Second Buddha. He was a funder of World Fellowship of Faith. His ideas, speeches, writings and activities were good ingredients for the press and media of that time. He criticised the defects of the League of Nations and gave many thoughts and suggestions to establish the United Nations Organisation. The Asian countries are proud of him as he gave many thoughts and suggestions to form the Asian Community.

His Life

His life and activities are clear and give loud messages of humanism and world peace Coincidently his life resembles that of Lord Buddha. He was born on Bhadra 7, 1934 B.S. (August 21,1877) the eldest son to Raja Bikram Bahadur Singh, the fifty fifth Raja of Bajhang state. Jai Prithvi received his primary education in Kathmandu. The Rana Prime Minister Bir Shumsher dethroned Bikram Bahadur Singh in favour of Jai Prithvi, which was rather shocking for Jai Prithvi. He was married in 1894 to Khageswori Devi Rana, the daughter of Chandra Shumsher, probably the most powerful Rana Prime Minister in Nepal. The most praiseworthy aspect of Jai Prithvi’s life was that instead of enjoying the worldly prosperity, power and luxury he chose hardship and rather nomadic life for the welfare of the people and the world. He initiated and inspired some remarkable social reforms in close coordination with Dev Shumsher, the most liberal Rana Prime Minister. Some of the areas of his contributions (direct or indirect) are abolition of Slavery and Sati System, establishing and leading the first Nepali Newspaper Gorkhapatra, opening up schools, industries and dispensaries. Jai Prithvi has played a vital role in initiating land reforms, publishing books, constructing roads and so on. It was hard to get along with his father-in-law. After resigning from the post of Raja in favour of his brother, he chose self-exile in India Raja Jai Prithvi established a Nepalese settlement in Koorga with the help of Maharaja of Mysoore. He wrote three volumes of philosophy on humanism. He founded the Humanistic club in Bangalore and contributed significantly to propogate the idea of world peace and brotherhood. He made a world tour preaching his humanist philosophy and was a cenrtre of attraction among the prevailing communities.

His Philosophy

Jai Prithvi was an ardent humanist. All his thoughts, speech and actions reflect the philosophy of humanism. Humanism is a non-relations philosophy based on liberal human values. He wanted to identify humanism from non-humanism i.e. animalism or divinity. He said a higher man has divine qualities and god is the superman. Jai Prithvi feels that natural human character is benevolance and humanness, sense of cooperation and brotherhood on the other hand animal is self centered and selfish. Fighting and killing is more of their nature. "In fact, individualism of the most extreme type, backed by mutual suspicion and hatred marks the animal character." Jai Prithvi says "Humanism indicates a certainly of his superiority over animals and the possibility of his superiority over his present condition. He believes that by exercising humanism man can attain his ultimate goal and meaning-fullness. He thinks that there are three major duties of main in this regard: to preserve his life in the best manner possible, to attain comfort and happiness, and to avoid slow poisons such as greed and unfair means, which will ultimately lead to destruction."

Jai Prithvi was worried about the human beings going far away from humanism. Man cannot be happy only with physical means. Man can be happier if he keeps his mind purer, more peaceful devoid of passion and fear. He was a severe critic of conservatism and dogmatism. He expressed that if destiny writes on our head then it is indeed a cruel, partial and whimsical divinity. He feels that we are the makers of our own fate. According to Jai Prithvi religions actually mean heaven as a state of happiness and peace but not a material heaven somewhere in the sky as many religious dogmas maintain. According to Buddhism Nirvana is that state where there is nothing mundane, nothing of the falls, failures and faults of the earth. According to science, that is also the end of evolution. He thinks that evolution is an upward progression, the achievement of something not possessed, through struggle, failures and forward march. If Jelly-Fish has become the monkey and the monkey the man, then surely the man can become something higher and nobler which we may denominate as the superman.

Jai Prithvi’s ideas are systematic and convincing. We must conduct studies on his life and philosophy and exalt his importance in the 21st century. We must admit that if we forget our history, our future will forget us so it is high time now to honour our national pride Raja Jai Prithvi Bahadur Singh as one of the national heroes of Nepal. Prime Minister Deubas expression should be now realised.

Here’s To The Drink That Cheers!

By Gyan Rai

VODKA, the potent liquor that has been a fixture of Russian life for over five centuries, has finally received due recognition, according to a news item carried by this daily (August 31, 2001).

This liquor, which is said to be synonymous with Russian life and culture, is housed in a new museum in the heart of St. Petersburg, Russia’s former imperial capital and named after its founder and builder, Czar Peter the Great. The museum’s two rooms are filled with vodka bottles, glasses and advertising posters collected from assorted sources. Similarly, at the vodka museum’s entrance, a mannequin in a monk’s dress stands with a primitive distilling appliance used by the Russians to distill vodka—a heater with two tubes to separate spirits from water. Interestingly enough, though vodka distillation processes, over these five centuries, have been greatly refined, the same technology is still in vogue in countless village homes to produce homemade vodka called the "samogon".

Yet another interesting fact to note is that as per St. Petersburg archives, vodka first made its appearance in Russia between 1438 to 1478 in a monastery! Yes, of all the places, in a monastery. The monks, who learned the distilling techniques from Italy, were the first distillers of vodka. And, just as the saying "He who harvests the honeycomb slurps the honey first", they were the first tasters of this potent liquor.

Herein, it may be recalled that in Europe during the Middle Ages the monasteries, apart from being the havens of spirituality and religion, were also the centres of learning. As such, these vodka-drinking monks, for reasons best known to them, could have disseminated vodka distilling techniques among their laity, most of whom were obviously the Russian peasants. Maybe these well-meaning monks, seeing the hard life of their laity (the Russian peasantry), wanted to provide them some relief from their morn to dusk toil—herein, by teaching them how to make the potent drink that imparts them with the much-needed "cheers". The Russian peasantry, in the beginning, could have imbued this monk-introduced liquor with a pinch of salt, followed by a piece of bread as a "zakuska" (snack). Obviously they not only found this potent liquor to their taste and liking but also its power to elevate their sagging spirits and relief the pains of their labour-hardened bodies.

From then onwards, it was no looking back for the Russian people. So much so that vodka drinking not only began to seep into the Russian people’s life and culture, but also to spawn its own rituals. Over the centuries, vodka drinking became a national fixture, highly praised by some and thoroughly vilified by others. In the mean time, taxes levied on vodka began to fill the state’s (or czar’s?) coffers. In fact, during times of instability and troubles, vodka was easily the most traded and widely used currency! This just shows how much vodka has permeated the Russian people’s life and, undoubtedly, psyche.

Yet another interesting point to note is that the Russians were not the only people who were introduced to this potent liquor that "cheers" by their religious mentors. In the Russians’ case, by the monks and priests of Russian Orthodox Church.

Many centuries earlier, in ancient Greece their priests had elevated the drinking of wine into a religious ritual. The Greek priests, after dedicating wine made from grapes to their God of Wine, drank it as a consecrated "ambrosia". That Greek wine was popular among Greek colonies ringing the Mediterranean Sea has been proved by archaeologists retrieving "amphorae" (wine cellars) from debris of ancient Greek colonies. Or from sea-wrecked Greek and other trading or war-ships of that period salvaged from the Mediterranean Sea.

This ritual of drinking consecrated wine was also very much prevalent among the Romans who succeeded the Greeks as empire builders. The Roman priests too dedicated the grape-made wine to Bacchus, their God of Wine (and Revelry) and imbued it as consecrated "nectar". But more often than not, such rituals used to turn into an orgy of drinking, especially among the nobility. So much so that Roman Emperor Nero, in an inebriated state, was reported to have fiddled his harp while half of Rome was being razed to the ground at night by fierce war-like tribes, the Vandals and the Goths from Europe. He had the impression that the fire sprouting all
around him was lit by the citizens in his honour.

Even among some Christians, wine is consecrated to the memory of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity. Mostly by Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church priests during mass.

As far as Hinduism’s attitude towards this drink that "cheers" is concerned, although most of its off-shoots and sects are dead against the use of liquor, some, like the Tantric sects, do allow its ingestion. It’s not that the Hindu seers were not familiar with liquor, though. For, in the ancient texts, the word "soma" (a kind of intoxicating drink) is frequently mentioned. Of course, some have interpreted it as a hallucination-inducing drink extracted from the juices of the "soma" plant. Even Buddhism seems to have an ambivalent attitude towards the use of liquor, particularly by those Buddhist sects subscribing to the Mahayana (Greater Wheel) doctrines, precepts and rituals. Hence, it is not uncommon to see some of the sects’ monks or priests imbibing liquor during religious functions. As for societies that subscribe to nature-worship and believe in the power of the shamans, the least said the better. For, almost all the shamans use liquor in their rituals to appease the supernatural beings or their gods.

Be that as it may, it seems that the use of liquor is prevalent in almost all societies of the world. One ready reason is obviously the "green" signal given to this drink that "cheers" by their respective religions, be they in the organised or unorganised sector. Yet another could be due to such societies’ socio-cultural mores and practices. Still another could be the societal changes taking places even in such societies that frown on those who drink liquor.

Whatsoever the reasons, one thing is for sure: this drink that "cheers", if imbibed in moderation, acts as a tonic to pep up one’s life. If not, then it would slowly yet surely destroy the drinker’s body, mind and later, spirit. In other words, turn him/her into a diehard alcoholic.

No wonder late poet Bhupi Sherchan, in one of his poems, had said, "To all my friends who get angry with me whenever I drink; Try to drink yourselves, how difficult it is to drink".

Godavari In Autumn

By BT

THE fact that the rainless days are not very faraway tempts you to make the most of the season. If you are possessed by the spirit for day tripping, you know what the rain-washed and mist-free days are for. When the shrinking limitations set by monsoon are over and yet the bloom and lushness brought by it are still there to be enjoyed, the weekends are worth an outing.

Be it just a leisurely climb upto the Swoyambhu stupa or a ride to Kakani or Godavari, beckoning spots are now there to greet with all the newness and glowing vividness. You are bound to discover a beauty that you never saw there before. The trick is done by the best visibility- the boon of the season. The greenery, the landscape, the azure sky, the gentle breeze and the abundant creeks are at their best. And the unique thrill of the outing takes you to one of the spots. Once there, you do not mind to hang around till the clear horizon turns pink and flocks of homeward bound birds silhouette against the rosy background. Even by the time the Jhyaukiris begin to sing and the hum of the hornet is already at rest, you feel at no hurry to move.

For instance, let us dwell on what a visitor finds at Godavari at this time of the year. Perhaps you contend that it is a place to be to escape the boring heat of Spring. But actually what it offers during Autumn is not less enchanting. Creeks mean-dering through the woods still form the waterfalls here and there. The orchids, gladiolus and carnations are still blooming with sweet perfume.

The plants are in the full growth and you hear the doves crowing somewhere in the deep woods. With the departure of the rain, the menace of the leeches and mud are away too. Lovely meadows with grazing cattle, local shepherd girls engrossed in the sports of their own, couples chatting under the trees, women folks under the burdens of cattle fodder passing by, birds chirping from the tree branches and the silent flights of colourful butterflies from flower to flower- Godavari has the most lively atmosphere at this time of the year.

Godavari derives its name from the famous Chrysanthemum flowers. The Royal Botanical Garden boasts of an abundant collection of its species. No wonder then that this place attracts not only the holiday makers. Botanists, bird watchers and butterfly experts love to be here for study and research purposes. The government has set up different offices under the Department of Botany. Nestled on the lap of serene and green mountains, Godavari creates a paradise of flora and water. This is not the place made for those who love hustle and bustle. Go to Godavari for solitary joy and to avoid the tedious routine of the crowded city.

Try if you can take a bath in the freezing cold water in Naudhara at the foot of Phulchoki hill. If you shirk to do so, at least wash your face, hands and feet and drink the icy cold water. This, they say is good for your health, especially to eliminate the virus of the skin diseases. The water captures the temperature of the Phulchoki hilltop, it seems, and brings it down unchanged to the spring. The water from the cold spring flows down nine stone water spouts. Then the water falls into a pool teeming with fish. The spouts are in the compound of Goddess Phulchoki’s second shrine, the first is on hilltop.

Godavari Kunda or pool is another place to take a dip for your health and devotion. This holy spot draws thousands of pilgrims from India and Nepal every twelve years.