My Appeal

Dailekh in the Threshold of Problems and Prospects: Let a Hand to

 -Krishna Kumar Yogi

yogi_krishna06@yahoo.co.uk

Comparatively, Dailekh has a broader horizon of prospects than problems it faces; regarding its sources and resources, heritages and history, culture and customs, religiosity and archeology. This is to say, in the map of Nepal, Dailekh district has a distinct history. It is large enough in its dimension: historically huge, archeologically ancient, culturally specific, naturally magnificent, spiritually significant; and religiously divine. And, in terms of natural flame of fire continuously burning; it is very weird and wonderful and mesmerizing and hypnotizing, ultimately surreal and mystical. Dailekh is tremendously double or triple rich in its sources and resources blessed by the nature that could easily uplift the economic standard of its people. Nevertheless, it is unfortunate to say that Dailekh could not utilize its resources in a way how Dailekhi people could have a better living, better earning and eventually to have a better and brighter morning to their life. It is lagging behind in terms of developmental structures and infrastructures that are enormously thought to be essential to uplift the living standard of people of that area. It is found to be marginalized in the light of infrastructures to be built up, tourism development, life standard upliftment and people’s economic power enhancement, emancipation and empowerment of people. Anyway, Dailekh persists to survive in its own way disregarding whatever comes on its way as Aabiral Bagdachha Indrawati.

It is a maxim that Dailekh exists in the threshold of problems and prospects. Time has changed, multiple minds have altered, leaders have changed, but no sign of greenness can be revealed in the trees in connection to the advancement, progress, peace and prosperity in people’s life to be found. No attitude of big heads and big bellies have changed pertaining to development, it is a national disease that has disturbed almost everyone. It seems no problems be ever painful, no prospects ever be hopeful for Dailekhi people. Either democracy day or doomsday it is: it hasn’t touched any sector of human interest and prosperity in the cycle of progression that could lessen the grief and pain of them. It seems to be futile analyzing form the view point of those poor people, the advent of democracy in Nepal or Dailekh hasn’t given any sense in the direction to give them enough facilities and services. Neither leaders nor political system has done something positive, something optimistic and something beneficial for the commons. Is democracy for people or to whom? Many scholars are compelled to interrogate in this way. What can be done in this regard? It is a matter of common concern to everyone to explore the right answers to these questions.

The bitter breeze of spring has circulated everywhere the nation, Nepal; no Dailekh remains as an exception. Once I brainstorm on questions: Why are we all inspired by a false and fanatic, propagandistic and opportunistic leaders’ like attitude? Who has the weaknesses where to be assessed? The only need is to display and disclose the factual aspects associated to the pride and prestige of Dailekh district of Mid West Nepal with a special identity. In this noble aim, every individual has to work sincerely, sensitively and seriously in a collective manner prioritizing it something like their own very personal work. Our honesty, loyalty and attentiveness can do a great deal in the attainment of this goal. If we work collectively promoting team spirit, we would be guided by: ‘united we stand in order to create, divided we fall apart.’

Dailekh has been immensely blessed by nature, and it is full of natural beauty, historical heritages, living heritages as such songs, feasts and festivals and so forth. Dailekh has the people of various backgrounds hence it embodies a rich culture and customs of diverse nature. The cultural, linguistic, religious, spiritual, historical and archeological richness is difficult to explain. A special culture of baking corn breads in an unobvious manner has been another special feature of the district which needs to be introduced to a big population of Nepal and outside Nepal. Culturally, the glory and grandeur of Dailekh based Bhailo and Bhosi is not insignificant. Bhailo is played on the occasion of Dashain with special wordings uttered with an accompaniment of tune of Damaha, carries a special culture. Unlike Bhailo, Bhosi is played carrying a bundle of fire burning especially of pine tree in everyone’s hand called ‘Ranko’ at night. An assumption highly associated to Bhosi dominant on is:  everyone who present in a night assembly Bhosi has to have a bath on the day, otherwise, he is believed to be burnt by Ranko. These festivals are considered to be very special in their cultural and historical cores and their significations. Such distinct cultures are in the verge of extinction and extermination. Let us hold hands and hands, let us join shoulders and shoulders, and let us work together for a better cause: conservation of the culture being extinct. Forget the bitterness: who is responsible for whom? And begin to think and have a trail for a better path. Let’s awake from our Kumbhakarna incarnated prolonged sleep; let us believe upon our own strength and show we can do something constructive and creative, productive, and useful through activity not from passivity.

A long list of problems reveals how much terrible life Dailekhi people struggling with. Troublesome and trauma, ignorance and ineducation, disease and depression, storms and stress are the lifeblood plus sources for survival to them. A significant population of the district is compelled to live the life in the threshold of problems and pain. Lack of infrastructures is one of the problems of development; therefore people are not able to enjoy the fruit of development in an easy way. With the lapse of time, leaders’ Gidde Dristi hasn’t been modified into Arjun Dristi, what to do, it is the Diktad for Dailekh. Let’s enlighten ourselves and then, let us attempt to make our leaders enlightened.

Planning and polices can’t make Dailekhi people please, it is not the reason neither they expect big; out of imagination nor they are highly ambitious. The so called bottom up approach in the identification of problems of people and policy making is found to be failed practically because it is futile in terms of implementation. Even local bodies such as municipalities, DDCs work out; formulate plans ignoring the problems and pains of concerned to be addressed.

Nepotism and favoritism are gigantic mountains before us to combat; we favour as we have relational lineage and linkage, and block the way of healthy competition. No healthy competition, no healthy development. Because of what almost in every field, we create conflicts, clashes and confrontations. Let’s discharge the culture of conflicts, clashes and confrontation promoting the culture of peace, mutual co-ordination and harmony. What will we achieve out of confrontation? Only tension. Let us avoid tension and let us lead the life of freedom and fraternity.

Lack of broadmindedness i.e. narrowmindedness has narrowed down the horizons of prospects and prosperity because narrowmindedness benefits no Dailekhi. It is a kind of road pondium nature; today’s generation is infected greatly by, which is really hazardous in the positive path finding. Let us see being foresighted to broaden our social horizon, let us be in a complete harmony for good deeds to oppose and deject the superstitious beliefs and religious orthodoxies. Let’s change our mentality because it is the mind makes a man: mind is the man. Let us interrogate twice or thrice about the consequences before you step for an action. Let  us rationalize before doing anything destroying the narrow domestic walls of restrictions, limitations and demarcations.

Regression versus path of progression is another problem common people of Dailekh are facing, knowingly or unknowingly that has dragged them behind the stage. This is not a good symbol towards the path of positive progression. Let us oppose regression in any sense, let  us support progression in every path clearing the hurdles and hazards.

Pseudo democratization accompanying the vicious circle of poverty cycles continuously to knock every door of Dailekhi people. No democracy has empowered them; no democracy has become useful to them. No democracy has dignified them, and rather it has destructed the sense of mutual respect and regard. What’s the value of it? Democracy has been misused highly as Benjamin Franklin, the statesman and American philosopher, once said, “Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.” We must fight against this kind of tendency so that we can open the doors of development. I’m very much irritated with an attitude of opposing even for the good work, which worsens and obstructs obviously the tracks of development.

Decentralization is no more in effects in observance in the favour of poor people. What decentralization is it, then? Let’s redefine decentralization focusing on people oriented activities, which could help them to inhale the breath of ease. Let’s activate ourselves in the regard. It may be wrong if we are in the expectation of wanting everyone to be helpful in every sector. But, lack of co-ordination, co-operation and collaboration in developmental infrastructures in Dailekh is not a noble disease, though it is the outcome of what we were guided and directed by the rotten mentality that is very much desirable to root out on time. So, let us forward the hands and heads of co-operation for our better cause.

Local bodies haven’t been found to be actively mobilized as per their strength, power and budget allocated to. How much will we deceive others? We have deceived a lot to us. Local involvement, better and optimum mobilization of local resources hasn’t been done indeed. Local involvement is for local and national advancement. Let us be more sincere, honest and energetic emphasizing on local involvement and local investment to cause positive change in and around us. Let us give the solution to a crisis in conviction.

There is a big prospect of tourism development in Dailekh as it has innumerable spots of historical, natural, religious, archeological and such of distinct nature that could easily allure tourists. These are all ignored, shadowed and hidden. It’s my humble request to the concerned authorities and stakeholders to multiply the dimension of Dailekh in its history, natural beauty, archeology, and culture just marketizing its value to a heterogeneous mass of people through audio, visual, audio-visual, print or electronic means. Most noticeably to be stated is: Dailekh has the presence of ever-blazing natural flame of fires in four places that can draw the attention of pluralistic passionate heads. This may be comprehended as a surrealistic manifestation of blazing of fire flame called ‘Jwala’ inside the temples. Scientifically, it is projected that Dailekh district is rich in the presence of petroleum products, so we can see the oily substance floating in the streams of Dailekh especially, Navikhola, Padukakhola and Chhamghatkhola. Let us utilize it how we can. Let us call the experts to mobilize it for our own development. Our development means the entire development of a country.

Ever flowing rivers like, Karnali can be promoted for adventures and exploration, navigation and transportation. Systematic rafting can be started to earn the foreign currency keeping aside the potentiality of hydroelectricity generation. Let us turn Karnali into currency, let us create the opportunities and give the options of employment to unemployed.  

A few portion of agricultural land of Dailekh is found to be irrigated, but mostly cultivated areas depend upon the monsoon rainfall. The amount of uncultivated land is about 8624 hectors. It can be turned into cultivable land if it could have facility of irrigation. Keeping in mind, irrigation excels the production; the water resources of Dailekh can be utilized for irrigation and hydroelectricity generation purposes. Hectors of land can be irrigated and agriculture can be diversely be commercialized, no one’s attention has ever been drawn towards it. There is a greater possibility of electricity generation through the water resources availed in the land. It could bring the brightness in the face of quite a lot of people.

Dailekh can be considered as a mine of archeology and history, ancient to more ancient objects, monuments, inscriptions and so on that reflects a great deal about the past events and to clarify the origin of human societies. So, it is a highly important district from these angles. On the respect of religiousness and religiosity, Dailekh has its own original identity. Religiousness or religiosity is not an attachment to a particular religion; it is an attempt to promote the foundational cores of universal religion through whatever it is. In this sense, Dailekh has a commendable name and fame. The land is thought to be divine with the presence of Gods and Goddesses as there are the signs left behind where naturally burning flames of fires are available in different parts of the district.

While exploring the points of prospect, fruit cultivation is greatly recommended in Dailekh. Many VDCs of Dailekh have favorable climate for the excellent production of fruits of various types like orange, mango, plum, pear, apple, guava, papaya and many others. It can be said that everything is possible, if there is a strong will: will power obviously there is a way out. Dailekh can be developed as a hub of herbs cultivation, let us do something in this regard.

It should be everyone’s common goal what can I give to Dailekh. For this, let  us cultivate the attitude of co-ordination for common benefit. Let us synergize our working capacity, let us energize ourselves, let us marketize our cultural, historical and archeological assets, let us commercialize our commodities, obviously we will be the victors in our destination. Go ahead, arise; awake, stop not till the goal is reached, mind it: miles to go before we sleep.

  

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