LIFE WRENCHING EARTHQUAKE...The Black day

Words: Smriti

Pics: Anup Shakya

A day like every other day, cool breeze chill surrounding 

and a weird feeling of cold weather even in april-may. An off day and a day to spend with all that I wanted to do, spend time with family or indulge myself with the things I adore. Neither had I thought like anyone of us that the day would be such a black day, a day which none of us would like to remember but it will be alive within us in our every breathe. A fright that has dug in deep inside and the feeling of death that cannot be explained in words.

Never had I thought the same place where had I been just an hour before will be only in my memory now.  Laid relaxed listening to the music suddenly my mind got blank; all I could see was the tearing walls of my room. The music that was in my ear had no sense and all that was in my mind was death and the prayer.

That few seconds will which was longer than life time, that feeling which even the enemies would have never required feeling, and that struggle for life which made a huge human causalities, collapsed the heritages and made people homeless would be a tale for coming days.

Who had we expected to spend nights under a tent along with thousands of other people and seeing the destruction in front of our eyes?  Who had we predicted to be homeless in less than a minute and loss of family member?

Fighting for our existence, surviving under the fund of other people, helpless and dishearten the life which we have now surely has taught the significance of life, own and others. Our lives stopped, we were thrilled and moreover helpless in the hand of nature. The rich and the poor, the old and the young, the fit and sick all came into the same sky.

Yes, I survived but the circumstance of my nation brings tears on my eyes the pain in my heart. The places and things which were treasured by our ancestors will be under pictures and stories.  We broke down, we will have to crawl again but our heads are held up high. We will stand up again, like a baby we will grow again, we will rise and shine. We prayed, we will work, we will be back again…

MaPaSe : Is it a Real Solution?

Alcohol consumption is not today's phenomenon. It's been in practice since the evolution of earth or the existence of human kind. No matter happiness or sadness, people worldwide get into drinking.

In Nepal, drinking is a very old religious, cultural and traditional dimension along with social, economic and political implication. Nepal, being a multicultural and multi-ethnic country, alcohol or drinking culture is largely practiced. But, with the change in time, tradition sanction and caste-bound restraints have moved out. The use of alcohol other similar things have exaggerated the stratum of society widely. Alcohol industry has been taken as a powerful and strong hold economy generating business in Nepal. 

 In the past few months, when it comes to drinking everyone repeats the same line, "Be aware of drinking. You might be caught in MaPaSe (Madak Padartha Sewan) check". This has been a very common term being used by Nepalese people when they think to enjoy drinking. For the last 8 months, Traffic Police have launched a drive to curb drivers those driving consuming alcoholic products. 

These checks have made people aware of drinking in the parties, get together or other functions. This has brought fear in the drinking habit of people. In a way, it is helping make people aware that drinking and driving isn’t safe. Many people have lost their life partially or fully because of the drinking habit. Well, if talking about the safety / less accidents, the traffic checks are very nicely brought in use.

  

But what if they drink during the day time to escape the MaPaSe in the evening? Shouldn’t that be stopped as well?

Well, what if the campaign would be made scientific that the Breathalyzer, an equipment use to measure the level of alcohol consumption, gives facility in the level of drinking? It will teach the people their limit (in amount of drinking) during they go for drive. If the facility is provided, then people will at least stop drink during the day time. We even hear people saying that they got in problems of traffic check consuming energy drinks like Red Bull. So, are the energy drinks should also be ignored to get rid of the custom checks?

Being a girl of a newar community, I have seen alcohol in a high importance. It’s not just used as a form or liquor for satisfying oneself but also taken as one of the holiest liquor used as “sagun” in every activities. From birth until death, every ritual is incomplete without alcohol in a newar culture.  

 “Drinking and driving is illegal yet I think limit should be made, because none of the parties, gatherings are complete without drinks,” shares Sports program Producer of Nepal television, Prajol Shakya.  

Recently, I took part in the discussion regarding the credibility of Ma. Pa. Se., most of the people stressed that people have started looking for various ways to escape Ma. Pa. Se. checking, which shows despite it is brought for good cause but has not been accepted effectively.

This shows, once the enforcement of Ma. Pa. Se. checking, will stop the same saga will start. I personally don't think traffic police will be imposing this checking for years and years. This however shows the credibility of policies and their ownership by the users.

I think the traffic police could have launched various discussions and surveys before launching this campaign, which might be sms poll regarding the nature of this campaign. It could have been much better if it was done in the concurrence of users.

I am not saying, the current campaign is wrong but my only concern is whether it will be sustainable or not?