Worst Nightmare of Our Time
SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2001. That was a beautiful sunny afternoon as the summer of that year was already in the climax. First terminal examination of Class Three was supposed to be held from the next day. I had just taken a break from preparation and was playing with my little brother in a narrow yard just in front of my house. One of my neighbors, who was in upper grade in the same school, appeared. Knowing we were preparing for the next day exam, he said that we didn’t need to worry about the exam. “I heard, His Majesty has been shot to dead along with his family yesterday night and most likely, there is no chance of school opening for next few days”, he added.
I was nine then and knew almost nothing about contemporary politics. Only two things I knew that time from my seniors were- first, King Birendra was a noble man and he had a beautiful, well educated family. The queen Aishwarya, both the princes Dipendra and Nirajan and the princess Shruti were equally kind to their people as the king was. And second, there was the Maoist insurrection going on in the country since a couple of years after my birth. There were two royal family photos stitched up on the wall in my bedroom- Crown Prince, King, Queen and Princess standing in a row and Prince Nirajan standing just in front of them in the central position in one while in other, King and Queen sitting in the chairs and remaining three standing just behind them. Both of these photos looked so lively whenever I had a glance at them and so do today too. I ran to my bedroom as soon as my neighbor told us about the royal massacre, made few quick glances at both the photos simultaneously and couldn’t believe even they could be hurt.
By the evening of the day, talks of every nook and cranny started to center on the last night massacre. Next morning, I woke up with so many rumours already spread whole over the world. What seemed more ironic to me is that people saying the Crown Prince Dipendra wiped out his entire family while sparing himself severely wounded. They said, he was angry over a marriage dispute. Did Dipendra have anything to do with that? Why does a man with the best education in the world do this? He seemed to be very considerate and caring future king. He had all that he needed to make a good king and there was no reason on earth why we’d believe in that the Crown Prince could do something so ruthless to his own blood. I just didn’t believe whoever blamed our beloved Prince for killing his parents and other royals. I hoped, that was just the biggest rumor among the piles of others. ‘He can do anything but not this. Just how could he?’ I thought. I was waiting to find out the real truth. It was really disheartening to see that even after days since the tragic incident took place, the public still had not been fed with the truth of what had actually caused the death of our beloved king and queen. All the people wished for was the truth to unfold and the culprit to be punished severely.
The most gruesome assassination in the recent history had not only left Nepali people barefooted but in chaos where the future of Nepal lied. The symbol of unity and hope for the millions of Nepalese had faded. I had heard – the late king was a kind and gentle man who always thought it wise to bow down before his people, who always submitted to the whims and the wishes of the people of his country. Once he had said, ” Even if I die I would like to see my people happy and free.” He had moved the country from an absolute monarchy to a democracy with both courage and wisdom never questioning his future role. He rejected all overtures to resume the reign of power but offered his countrymen compassion and guidance. He would reside next to every patriotic Nepali heart forever. Dipendra was also much popular among the Nepali youths. People said, most of the children would look upon him as a role model not only as a future king but as human being whose selfless act could lead Nepal to the prosperity. Now he too was gone just three days later of his father’s assassination. Prince Dhirendra appeared to be one of the few potential survivors but that glimmer of hope too didn’t last long . Nepal would never be same again. Monarchy and the respect for the monarch were not going to be same now onwards. Those positions died for many people with the assassination of the much beloved King Birendra and the much prepared and resolved Prince Dipendra. People had lost those with whom they had great faith. They had little faith in new king Gyanendra those days. But if the king went in a constitutional way, things might change.
As the Greek saying goes, what a dreadful time and what a dreadful deed! What had happened should never have had happened. As we look forward to the new era, we had to begin with so bad memories. When things take place accidentally and more precisely, suspiciously there are many things to speculate. Nepal started to face a very delicate and volatile situation. Nepal became, up to some extent, a breeding ground for the political opportunists to take advantage of that tense environment and create a political havoc that might come as a blow to Nepal’s tender democracy. It’s already been 20 years and lots of water has flown in Bagamati since then. I was at class three that time and now it’s already three years I’ve completed my Master’s Degree. Nepal witnessed absolute monarchy, mass movement, many fringe movements, Comprehensive Peace Accord, elections of constituent assembly twice, promulgation of two statutes, declaration of secular state and Federal Democratic Republic in these twenty years. But the country is still trying to come out of the political turmoil and people are desperately hoping for the days their lives may enjoy the prosperity.
Although it was an insane man who did that, it also proves that how much damage a gun in wrong hand can do. Wherever they’ve gone, they can’t go away from every patriotic Nepalese’s heart and soul forever.
Long Live Their Memory!!!
Email: adhikariprem93@gmail.com