Small pox then, COVID today

 

Goddess Sita – an abducted wife, a single mother

 

“Don’t be afraid of the dark my child, light has a source. It can be snuffed out. But darkness has no source. It just exists. This darkness is a path to that, which has no source: God” Sita, Amish 

Darkness has so much power – it is a source for your inner light to shine. The story of Sita is enveloped in layers of a woman’s darkest miseries. Every woman who knows the story of Sita aches listening to her anguish. Yet her strength is the epitome of how much a woman can tolerate. Goddess Sita is the central figure of Ramayana, one of Hinduism’s most revered religious epics. She was the adopted daughter of King Janak of Mithila and wife of Lord Ram. It is believed she was found protected by vultures in the jungles of Southern Nepal. 

Sita was the princess of the Kingdom of Mithila in present day Terai and adjoining parts of India northward of River Ganga. The Janaki temple in Janakpur, which was the capital of Mithila, was built in honour of the Goddess. In 1657, a golden statue of Sita was found by the holy sage and founder of Janakpur, Sanyasi Shurkishordas. He built a temple on the very spot where the statue was found. The present-day Janaki temple was built in 1910 by Queen Vrishna Banu of Tikamgarh, India to mark Janakpur as the birthplace of Sita. It’s a wonder why an Indian Maharani would come all the way to Nepal to build the temple; she must have truly been a Sita devotee. 

Most of us in traditional texts and stories have read Sita being portrayed as the obedient and sweet wife of Lord Ram. For years, Sita has been in the mass consciousness of Hindu women as the ideal submissive sacrificing woman with unquestionable loyalty. Only in recent years with emerging feminist thoughts, Sita’s life has been analyzed deeper. Judging by her life story - a princess who was active in ruling Mithila, and a queen who lived in exile for most of her life; the real Sita must have been strong and resilient, not a woman needing identity through her husband alone. An evidential proof of this fact is an Upanishad (religious and spiritual teachings in Hinduism) dedicated solely to her ideals and philosophy. Out of the 108 Upanishads, one of them is the “Sita Upanishad.” 

The fate of Sita is paradoxically tragic. A queen and yet never having lived in queenly comfort. She married Lord Ram but soon had to leave for exile with him for 14 years. While in exile, she was abducted by Raavan, King of Lanka and was imprisoned in his palace. The great war between Lord Ram and Raavan to free Sita is the crux of Ramayan. Ram’s glorious victory is celebrated as Dasain and their triumphant return to Ayodhya as Tihar, the two biggest festivals for Hindus. Unfortunately, soon after returning to palatial life, she was exiled again, as her husband succumbed to accusations of her being unfaithful to him with Raavan while in abduction. She was pregnant then, and tragically had to give birth to her twin sons – Lava and Kush, in the jungle. 

Her end again is heartbreaking. Upon learning that he is the father of twin sons, Ram came to take his sons but did not accept his wife. Unable to bear the pain and the shame inflicted by her husband, she buried herself asking Mother Earth to envelope her. The true nature of her death is unknown as religious stories simply say she was taken back by “mother earth” for her biological mother was unknown. But we can perhaps assume it was suicide, or did she bury herself alive? 

Sita is an epitome of willpower, inner strength and embodies the greatest attributes of emotional perseverance. She died defiantly, challenging the judgment of Hinduism’s greatest God, Ram by imploring Mother Earth to embrace her as proof of her innocence. She is also a symbol of injustice that men inflict upon women throughout history and even today. The husband attained all the glory by being exiled, waging a war, winning against the evil forces and even being respected for banishing his pregnant wife, as it was perceived to be a moral decision. The wife on the other hand fought with the husband side by side in every obstacle and went through greater emotional and mental torture, yet she is just given a platform of worship along with the husband who misjudged her. 

They are rarely any women in history who have an individual identity if she is married. The fact that Sita had her own Upanishad is evidence that her character was so strong that even in those days she was entitled to an Upanishad. Yet in time, with more male historians in the offing, she lost her deserving place. History never judges the wrongdoings of a husband towards his wife. It is an accepted norm. Being Lord Ram, no religious text or history books have dared to question why he was so unfair to his wife and even if mentioned, it has been twisted in his favour. And Sita, the wife is mostly worshipped for being devoted and obliging to her husband’s wishes. Herein lies the bias of men writing “history,” a woman’s struggles, achievements and individuality - always overshadowed by that of men’s.

A forgotten hero, an infinite curse: The story behind Kazi Bhim Malla and his wife’s curse

 

“Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!” The famous proverb from 18 century English writer William Concreve, is a popular term used to describe women’s anger. However, in the case of Nepal it is more like “Hell hath no fury like a woman’s curse” - in reference to Sati’s curse which has been pervading the Nepali psyche and our political and social scenarios. The curse is so deeply ingrained in our belief that every time there is a political fallout or a national crisis, us Nepalese use the term “sati ley sarapey ko desh.” (a country cursed by Sati) 

From the curses of the tombs of the Great Pharoahs of Egypt, to the curses of the ancient Mayan, Aztec and Incan civilisations, “the curse” is a segment of psychological and mental aspect of a nation’s historical belief which cannot be quantified. It does not have proper evidence but it exists and it impacts!! So, who is this woman whose curse is so powerful and why did she curse Nepal so badly? 

Before the advent of freedom of speech, history was a one-sided affair. The ruling kings directed what should be written. Many deserving persons did not get their due recognition. Kazi Bhim Malla, the husband of the woman who cursed the country is one such personality in the history of Nepal and his wife is paradoxically the “most famous yet anonymous” woman of this nation. She is just known as Sati because she committed “sati’ and cursed while doing so. What was her name? How old was she? Did she have children? There is no record of her at all and yet her curse has been permeating this nation ever since her death. 

Kazi Bhim Malla was a minister during the reign of King Laxmi Narsimha Malla (1620-1641) and his son King Pratap Malla (1641-1674). A man of considerable accomplishment, his contribution to the nation by a minister is so far considered to be the best ever in Nepal. However, some jealous officials persuaded King Pratap Malla that Bhim Malla was aiming to take his throne, and hence, the King put him to death. Distraught and utterly devastated, his wife on the pyre, cursed the country with such vehemence saying, “May there never be ‘bibeka’ (sound judgment) in this durbar.” It is believed that any wish or curse of a woman committing sati comes true. Her curse seems to have struck the country till today. The rulers upon knowing the truth later were so ashamed and guilty of what they did, that they brushed it aside as much as possible. But a contribution as magnanimous as Kazi Bhim Malla’s cannot be forgotten nor the ill fate of judging him wrongly. 

Bhim Malla established the best trade treaty ever. Nepali historians today say, no treaty in our history has been so favorable. Bhim Malla led the war with Tibet and brought Kuti and Kurseoung under Nepal’s control and was able to attain very good conditions for the growth of our economy. Only Nepali currency “Mahendramalli” could be used for trade and the exchange rate in gold, silver and salt was set by Nepal. All traders from the south and the north had to pass through Kathmandu valley and the city was an economic hub comparable to present day Dubai. Nepal reached a golden era of economic and cultural prosperity during Pratap Malla’s reign and 150 years further thanks to the treaty of Bhim Malla. 

After the takeover of the Shah dynasty, relations with Tibet took a downturn with the Sino Nepal war (1788-1792) over the case of minting low-quality coins for Tibet and later after Nepal lost the war with Imperial Britain losing two thirds of its land with the signing of the Sugauli Treaty (1814-1816), Kathmandu as a trade hub collapsed. 

It’s such a strange phenomenon that a curse of a woman can be so overpowering that it actually affects the “psycho-history” of this country. A term not much given historical validity but very much affecting human behavior, and an individual’s action is what affects a chain of historical events anyways. The story of Sati and Bhim Malla has a deep sentiment about the greatest injustice done to a man whose good intentions were all misconstrued and of a wife who was so overstruck with grief that in her helpless last moments she just cursed with all her might and force. A chain of unsound karmic occurrence thus followed henceforth and belief on karma is what us Nepalese rely on always. 

Most of history revolves around men’s might, their warfare and bravado. Waging war, conquering nations, killing for glory and success is what we mostly read, learn and elaborate upon. Do we ever read about women’s pain, grief and the outcome of such emotional suffering? It’s really not considered worth analyzing. It has no tangible outcome worth describing, it is just an emotion which cannot be given historical significance. Yet, there is a sub-conscious impact!! 

Just wonder, if history was written by women, how much of emotional intelligence or outcomes of emotional power would be given importance. Would emotional strength weigh as much as physical strength? Or would a woman’s “curse” be given as much importance as a man’s “conquest”? How do you weigh the helpless but ferocious cries of women to that of sheer visible ferocity of men? Here again what is written in “history” often escapes the intangible nuances of “herstory.” 

There is no picture or sculpture of Kazi Bhim Malla. The Bhulukha Dega temple in Yetkha Bahal is believed to have been built by Bhim Malla in memory of his father. There has been nothing built in later years to honor this great son of Nepal. The Bhulukha Dega temple was recently renovated by the Kathmandu municipality but no trader family of Kathmandu who benefited for generations from his trade treaty contributed to it. Sadly, Bhim Malla, has been forgotten through the ages by a nation who thrives on history and heritage but has limited knowledge about it. 

Reference: 

Dilli Raman Regmi, Madieval Nepal, Volume 1 

Munshi Shew Shunker Singh & Pandit Shri Gunanand, Nepal: History of the Country and the People (New Delhi: Cosmo Publications, 1983) 

Anil Chitrakar, Temple Trade, ECS Nepal, August 2010, Issue 21

Devala Devi – the woman behind the rise of one of Nepal’s greatest king, Jayasthiti Malla

 

Every impactful event has several contributing factors. The stars have to align, fate has to knock at the right moment and most importantly, human efforts have to be consistent to make things click. Yet, we are so prone to only knowing about the lead upfront – contributors behind the scenes slowly get forgotten as historians seldom give attention to elaborating their efforts. Women especially fall in this category. The inner dynamics that one hardly gets to learn about is where most women’s roles lie, be it in a palace or in a commoner’s house. Devala Devi - how many Nepalese have even heard of her? Some of us who have managed to study history beyond school books may have. But most of us are victims to the faulty education system of the Panchayat era that literally erased history before Prithvi Narayan Shah. Thanks to this state-sanctioned history, the 2000-year-old evidential history of this country has been fading and the knowledge of women in Nepali history, especially, is disappearing. 

Devala Devi was the wife of King Harshinga Deva of Simraongadh who died while escaping Muslim attacks from India. Devala Devi and her son Jagat Singh managed to escape to Bhaktapur and took refuge at the Bhaktapur palace under the protection of King Rudra Malla. Rudra Malla too died soon without a male heir. After his death, his infant daughter Nayak Devi was declared heir to the throne. The young queen was married to a prince from Banaras but he too died soon, after which Devala Devi seized the opportunity to marry her son Jagat Singh to the widowed queen, and thus became a part of the Bhaktapur royal family. Nayak Devi later gave birth to a daughter, Rajala Devi, who became full claimant to the throne. Having a son who was prince consort and an infant granddaughter who was heir apparent, the future of the kingdom was fragile with no strong leadership. Nepal with its many small warring kingdoms was in constant strife. 

Moreover in 1349, the first Muslim invasion by Shamsuddin Ilyas, the Sultan of Bengal, took place. Kathmandu Valley was brutally attacked, looted and destroyed. The city was ransacked, people were displaced from their homes and temples and monuments were plundered including Swayambhunath and Pashupatinath. It is believed that the Sultan’s invasion which lasted 7 days has been the only foreign invasion in Kathmandu. Amidst all this chaos, Devala Devi sought to find a leader who had the right traits to bring stability to the nation. Jayasthiti Malla, a man of noble but obscure birth from Tirhut (present day Terai), was brought to Bhaktapur by Devala Devi. Observing his insightful and dynamic personality, and given the urgent need to help the kingdom stabilize, Devala Devi betrothed her infant granddaughter at the age of 8 to Jayasthiti Malla in 1354. This union eventually led to the formation of a strong dynasty and unification of Kathmandu Valley. 

The reign of King Jayasthiti Malla saw stability in Nepal after nearly 300 years since the downfall of the Licchavi dynasty. The Malla dynasty, which had begun with King Ari Malla in the 1200s, saw unification and strength under the reign of Jayasthiti Malla. The King was initially Regent of Bhaktapur upon the death of Devala Devi in 1366, and then King of Kathmandu Valley and its environs from 1382-1395. One woman’s calculative efforts led to the 400-year-old Malla dynasty that bestowed upon us much of our culture, art, architecture, traditions, customs, and catapulted Nepal to becoming an economic powerhouse as a trading hub between Tibet in the North and India in the South. The customs and rituals established then are still prevalent among citizens of the valley, as is the economy. 

Sitting behind a veil, she was like a queen without a throne; cautiously and prudently ruling from behind. She is believed to have dominated court politics alongside chief minister Anaekarama for nearly 25 years. She ruled in the worst of times when Kathmandu went through numerous internal wars among different tribes, major palace intrigues and a Muslim invasion. With all the years of understanding court psychology, she made a judicious choice of navigating the complications of giving the throne to a non-royal. Devala Devi placed her bets on Jayashiti Malla and it paid off well as he not only unified the Valley and its environs but also established a strong administration, rebuilt the destruction after the invasion and brought peace to the land. 

Would we have seen the birth of a glorious dynasty had it not been for the efforts of Devala Devi? What she did required tremendous calculation and assessment. This is intangible history in which women usually play a big role – lesser known actions and orchestrations that are mostly forgotten. Taking calculated risks that shape a nation’s future is seldom thought to be the domain of women. The far-sightedness, prudent scheming and craft required are often overlooked. All of these tactful maneuverings by women is also what creates history or more aptly, “herstory” 

(There is no record of a picture or statue of Devala Devi. Writings about her are limited. Historical reference for this article has been drawn from “Medieval Nepal,” vol 1 – Dilli Raman Regmi)

Yashodhara – “Herstory” Saluting a woman who silently stayed strong

 

When men achieve something, it is more often celebrated with much fanfare. Several stories attest to the common phenomenon that when women achieve something similar, their efforts are not as celebrated. Well, that’s patriarchy. Nowadays with the feminist discourse coming out so strong, women don’t hold back from grabbing their share of attention. They even go overboard in promoting themselves, especially with social media to amplify their presence and voice. 

But let’s go back to a time when feminism and women’s rights weren’t mainstream. Most women making silent contributions behind the scenes have been lost in the pages of history which are mostly filled with men’s glory. The contributions of women have mostly been overshadowed by their husband’s achievements and their struggles and sacrifices have just been taken for granted as womanly duty. Such is the story of Yashodhara, Prince Siddhartha’s wife. Prince Siddhartha was born in Nepal and so was Yashodhara. Siddhartha in Lumbini and Yashodhara in Devdaha as her father was a Koliyan Prince. The two married when both were 16 years of age and at 29, Siddhartha decided to leave his wife and newborn son to renounce the world. He did not even wish them goodbye and quietly left at night. 

To be left by your husband without any explanation must have been unimaginably painful. Yet Yashodhara took it in her stride. Yashodhara is the invincible wife who gained monkhood without having to abandon anyone. The one who walked the spiritual path as well as that of professional and personal duties. She was among the 13 great disciples of Buddha who attained spiritual wisdom and became an “Arhat” (monks who reached an advanced level of enlightenment but not full Buddhahood). She achieved it without letting go of her responsibilities as a mother, a wife, a daughter-in-law, and a Princess! She proved to the world that spiritual fulfillment can be achieved within your premise without having to let go of your duties. It is believed that Yashodhara received many marriage proposals but she rejected them all. 

She let go of all her pain of being abandoned and decided to follow her husband’s path even inside the palace. She denounced all luxuries and lived in a hut inside the palace gardens. She had just one meal a day like her husband and kept track of all his monkhood activities so that she could follow suit. Had Yashodhara acted differently; behaved vengefully, remorsefully, or tried to gain Siddhartha’s attention back to their family life, especially with a newborn son, would the world have been blessed with the enlightened Buddha? She set him free and hence he could pursue his mission in peace. 

Legend says that when Buddha came back home after 6 years, he thanked her for her undying support. All she asked was why he had to escape like a thief at night without telling her, she would have wholeheartedly supported his wish anyways. To this, the Buddha is believed to have had no reply and apologized profusely. In Lumbini, there is no place dedicated to this powerful and sincere woman. Yes, nothing can surpass the achievements of the great Buddha but does love, sacrifice, and support of a wife not matter at all? When will history highlight the silent sacrifices of those less known souls? When will “his-story” be also written as “her-story?”