Democracy Series

Early political undertakings: Citizens Rights Committee With Singh on the run and with zero knowledge about his whereabouts, I started feeling restless at home. I needed to do something; anything that would give me a purpose. One day, I learned that people had gathered on the roof of Bishnu Sundar Pradhan’s home in Nyokha for […]

In the words of Mangala Devi Singh: Singh’s conviction eventually sinks in: After Singh and other members of the Praja Parishad were convicted, they were transferred to Bhadragol Jail. Occasionally, I would have to hear a comment or two about Singh’s imprisonment. To which I would defiantly reply, “Yes, he is in jail. Not because

Remembering members of the Prachanda Gorkha The seeds of revolution in Nepal were sown before the arrests of Praja Parishad members in 1940 AD. The names of Khadka Man Singh, Maina Bahadur Khatri, Khanda Man Singh, Upendra Bikram Shah and Ranga Nath Sharma, who had formed a secret society “Prachanda Gorkha” to overthrow the Rana

Singh’s blood stained clothes: Every day at 2 PM, Bekha and Kalu Maharjan would reach Singha Durbar with Bada Man Kazi’s tea and snacks. As the guards checked their package, they would find an opportunity to talk to Ganesh Man Singh. One day, Singh had used the opportunity to give his clothes for laundry. When

4 months into our marriage, I learn my husband’s real name: And just like that, time passed – Singh’s household was a large household. As mentioned earlier, my responsibilities were limited to mostly coordinating a smooth household. I would ensure Ratna Man Kazi could conduct his morning prayer ritual properly, ask the cooks to prepare

Settling in my new home: Knowing Sanunani (my mother-in-law): The only person I knew in my new home was my mother-in-law Sanunani Shrestha Singh. Related to me from my mother’s side, I had seen her in a few family functions before my marriage to Singh. A well spoken, mannered lady, who would always hold her

I was engaged to Singh: Owing to business, my father would have to constantly travel to Calcutta for work. There, he met with Ganesh Man Singh. My father was impressed with Singh – educated, mannered, sociable, well-to-do family, he checked all the boxes. Meanwhile, my mother was still insistent that I should not be married

I got myself a tutor: While my mother would tutor me during her free time, I still wasn’t convinced entirely that my brothers would go to school, and I would have to stay home. I patiently waited for my father to return home from Dhanbad to raise the issue. One day, he came home, with

My brothers would go to school, I stayed home: Despite the fun and games during my childhood, when I reflect upon my early days today, I feel we could have done more – especially on the subject of equality. At the time, women were systematically barred from getting an education – right from the government

Learning Nepali: Coming from a Newar household, and that too living in Ason and Thahiti, people were quick to express their surprise when they would hear me speaking in Nepali  fluently (not to be confused with Nepal Bhasa). “How is a young Newar girl like you able to speak Nepali so fluently?” they would ask.