Long live Jagdish Ghimire

                                    Long live Jagdish Ghimire

I was reading Dhobighat Express in the morning. A local FM was being played. When the news was broadcasted , most of the news were about upcoming constitutional election like vehicles of leaders were burned down, bombs were exploded. It was very common these days. I concentrated on the book. At the same moment, I heard the news of the death of Jagdish Ghimire. It broke my heart. I couldn't believe to my ear. I waited the head news to be repeated. My hearing was right.

Jagdish Ghimire has made a space in my heart as a mentor. He is a literary icon for me. I have learned so many things from his books. "Antramanko Yatra" changed my thinking about life. He wrote this book while he was under the treatment of Maailoma Cancer. This book is the Bible of Humanism. What is to be human? How we should conduct our life? What is the value of human relation ? Such queries are addressed with the experiences of his life. Life is full of miseries, sorrows and hardships. We have to accept it and love with it. When we are healthy, rich and powerful, we may have several friends. We remain so busy that even we can't give time to our family members too. But when we are sick, old and poor, we need our family. People who were with us leave us alone. This is the bitter reality. We only know the meaning of our existence when we are in crisis. Antramanko Yaatra is about human existence, experience and evaluation of the deeds of the writer. He won Madan Puruskar for this book.

"Sakas" is another popular book by the writer. This book was also written while the writer was waiting his death. Instead of writing about his Sakas in real life, he wrote about the hardships of the country. He unfolded the pages of written and non written history of Nepal. How people suffered under the reign of the King and the Ranas has been shown artistically. He began his literary career with his book "Lilam".

The death of Ghimire has made Nepali Literary an orphan. He was the guardian of Nepali literature. He was suffering since long; so that his death could bring peace in his life. Death sometimes ends the pains and suffering of human life. He was a bold man. He lived more than six years wrestling with Mailoma cancer. It was his will power. It also taught us that we can live longer if we have strong will power to win the death though it is enevitable. His creative writing worked as therapy. He tried to forget the pain by writhing. He brought his death experience to publics so that we can conduct our life accordingly. 

Dhobighat Express is about the journey of human life which is similar to the Bus keeps on moving exposing the site of the world around and crossing the obstacles on the way. We are thinking that we are at motion. But we are circling the same ring road. Each time we repeat the same activities mistaking it for new. Newness is an illusion. Nothing new has remained in the world. Everything has been done, written and experimented. We are living in the age of simulacrum. We break the existing structure and creat new out of it. In fact, it is not new. We are writing the same thing differently. Jagdish Ghimire's bus has stopped at the station today. It is his final station. He made several circles on the ring road of life. Now it is stationary for ever.

Although Jagdish Ghimire died physically, his soul never dies. His soul will remain eternal till people can read. He will be living on the pages of his books. I knew Jagdish Ghimire from his book which made an image in my mind. It can't be erased. For me Jagdish Ghimire is still alive. He will living ages ages. He will be inspiring me throughout my life. His death for me is mere a sad news. But not bad news. Death is final truth. The great philosopher Socrates said that we shouldn't cry at the death of someone. Instead, we should be happy. We should accept the death happily. Socrates drank poison with his smiling face saying that he was going to change the old clothes. It's hard to understand by the common mind. But is is the reality. Krishna also told to Arjuna that soul never dies; only the evil. Our soul is eternal. Greek philosopher Plato said that the physical world, physical or material body is an illusion. The ideal world is the real world. So, Jagdish Ghimiri is still alive in another form.

I extend my heartfelt condolence at the demise of Jagdish Ghimiri; one of the literary Dharahara of Nepal. His soul may rest in peace in heaven. May the Almighty give enough power to endure this tragic moment to all Nepalese; lovers of literature.