Gandhi Raj Kafle

Naturally, there are many memories in life, but most of them hold only a little or no importance. But, there are a few memories, which leave a deep impact and are hard to forget. What will be the conclusion if we relate this context to painful incidences like death? The book entitled Smritika Ti Dinharu (Recalling Memories from the Past) by Lekha Nath Gautam talks a lot about it.
Author Gautam, who is a teacher by profession, attaches high importance to family values. However, such values do not build or strengthen without a base. This base is not other, but family legacies, where father and mother play a crucial role to grow family and it is they who make their children aware of their family values. In this context, it is praiseworthy to find this book because it assesses the family legacies of the author, especially the love of his mother.

The major theme of this book is death itself, which is a less-discussed subject compared to the beauty of life. Author Gautam is shocked prominently by the sad demise of his mother and Phupu (his father's sister). There is no way to escape from death. We hear or feel bad, hearing the news of deaths in society, but life moves on. People have to bear the loss of life with deaths in society. But, if we think personally; is it enough to describe death this way if it happens to be the death of own mother or father? No, the depth of the tragedy is huge in this condition.

The book under review is proof of this kind because it is written in the loving memory of the mother. The author has only seven pieces of writings in this 222-page memoir. The titles of these writings are like this – 'On The Travel of Death of Father's Sister', 'Tributes To Saniama', 'Unforgettable Moments During the Treatment', 'Departure of Phupudidi for Heavenly Abode From Ventilator', 'Mother's Travel For Heavenly Abode' and 'In Memory of Father'.

All the essay titles in this book indicate grave themes, where the persons happen to be either mother or father or very dear one and it is bitterly serious moments for the author to share last times with them at hospitals or during the rituals of death. The author describes it is the immeasurably deep love, respect and feelings of unfathomable support that made him write this memoir with themes of the shocking deaths of his mother and father, which he happened to bear silently and helplessly.

One more thing, which is very important in this description, is Gautam has prominently presented the mother and father as figures of family unity. There are many examples of it. He said his mother had the power of love to unite the family, but her departure immediately developed ruptures that left his family to disperse.

Furthermore, this book seeks to talk about soul-searching experiences about deaths, which the author faced with the departures of his preciously important family members. Is death such a theme? Can death provide knowledge to an individual in his future life? There has been a long tradition to write the obituary and pay tributes to departed souls, and it is a lovingly practised value to human society. All three scholars, Dr Anjana Basti Bhattarai, Dr Jibendra Dev Giri and Hari Gautam, have talked about how death should be perceived and what deep impact death leaves by passing away of dear ones while writing their prefaces to this book.

In addition to these descriptions, the author's attempt to fill literary flavour in this book also needs to be mentioned. Gautam hails from the Taplejung District, which is one of the hill districts of Province One of Nepal.The province has diverse linguistic values and the impact of non-Nepali languages on Nepali, too, is beautifully distinct. The author has commendably described the geographical beauty, social values and regional flavour of the Nepali language while dwelling upon his chief theme in the book.

A human being, undeniably, is a mortal being. But, before dying, he or she also leaves behind some legacies for future generations. In this regard, we can define family as a tree, where such values grow spontaneously. And, mothers and fathers are like teachers working with love to nurture moral values in favour of their children. Author Gautam has attached immense importance to the love of mother and father by writing this memorial book.