A Story Of Struggle And Love

Facts never obliterate, and to substantiate this truth, we have the under-review book entitled “Maobadi Janayuddha” (Kaidi Number 51 Ko Bayan) authored by Krishna Mabuhang. This exceptional work delves into insurgency that spanned over a decade, showcasing the author’s commendable endeavor despite not being a prominent historians or esteemed writer.  It is remarkable scholarly contribution that offers readers valuable insight. 

 This book has two thematic pillars – one prominently is about the author’s horrible situation which he faced in the name of Maoist Insurgency and the other equally important theme dealt with in this book is his unlimited thoughts which he has in his heart for the good of the nation and the people. Times fly and human civilizations move fast, and life changes are inevitable, but the author’s wish to live a simple life is denied in the insurgency period. How can such a conundrum go unwritten? When the heart brims with emotions to write, things take shape spontaneously even to do scholarly work. Krishna Mabuhang, thus, writes about the Maoist Insurgency which in his opinion is an indestructible and unforgettable fact of our national life. 

There are three sections in this book: The first one is about Basobas or place of living and the second is no other but the principal theme of Janayuddha itself. In the third section, the author is very brief for the discussions of matters related to the historic events of ‘the first elections of the Constituent Assembly (CA) and the second Constituent Assembly’.  How could rural people from one of the beautiful hill settlements of Eastern Nepal which is not only the birthplace of the author but also the sacred ancestral land of his family joins a highly deadly movement imposed by the Maoist Force in the country is that meaningful curiosity which grabs the attention of readers for knowing the compulsive situation of the innocent rural people. The author is not here to tell the facts of insurgency-hit life in the illusive literary language from the upper layers of the state power; what he believes is to describe life stories from the bottom which means he wants to provide focus on common life in that uncertain period of the insurgency times. 

What are the means of description for the author in this venture? One prominent asset to do it for Mabuhang is his impeccably praiseworthy style of simple writing. No doubt, he has written in the Nepali language dominantly in the style and tone of the Limbu community of the East, which is his community. In addition to it, the plain Nepali language, which is the means of communication for many Nepali-speaking people, especially in villages, is the prime preference of the author and he has been successful in it to describe his stories. This is, in fact, an autobiographical/semi-autobiographical novel. So, this is the story of the author himself. There are only a few characters – prominently Munse (a word with the Limbu tone for the common man) is no other but himself; Rupa is the name of Munse’s sweetheart and Thapa is a retired policeman and some members of local communities like Lunga and Nuntel (Luintel) and a few other families. The author, thus, surrounds all the themes ranging from common necessities of village life to the dreadful issues of insurgency among these characters to tell stories in this novel. 

Is the principal character Munse (a Maoist rebel of that time) of this novel happy just because he is alive to see the changes which were introduced after the successes of the People’s Movement of the 2062/63 BS? The author writes things that need to be seen in spirit: The politics look changed in a cosmetic sense but is still hollow in the delivery of services to the people. How can Munse, who himself suffered near-death torture in custody and lost almost all his dear ones due to insurgency, be satisfied with such cosmetic achievement? That is why he calls for real change, which can’t be other than the progress and happiness of the people. This book has not been interesting just because it offers a unique description of more than a decade-long insurgency in Nepal. It also offers an insightful reading about the Limbu way of life in the context of social harmony, which is known as a guiding value of national life in Nepal.  

In gist, it is essential to recognise that author Mabuhang skillfully portrays both the hardships endured during the insurgency period and the achievements of recent political successes in his book. However, the invaluable aspect of his work lied in his poignant reminder to the nation to never forget the sacrifices made by the martyrs. This cautionary message serves as a timeless and precious insight for all. 

(Kafle is a former Deputy Executive Editor of this daily.)