I come from a family who have been in Madhes for four generations.
The people like us are ethnically known as ‘Pahadiyas’ in Madhes, although my father doesn’t know which ‘Pahad’(hill) his forefathers came from.
He always called himself a Madhesi, and has a Madhesi ‘Mita’, whom we call Mitbuwa.
Dad, despite our continual requests & pressures never wanted to settle anywhere except on his 6 Kattha land in a Dham in Madhes.
I grew up in Madhes, where my Madhesi friends used to tease me with a rhyme:
” Pahadiya Bhut Khatta me Sut
Tohar Gand Marbau Chul-Chul Mut”
I didn’t know any equivalent of their rhyme my 1st language. So I used to feel really pissed off. Later, I started retorting to their ‘Dohori’ by replacing the word ‘Pahadiya’ by ‘Madhesiya’.
I was the smallest boy of my class, naturally, a good target for bullying.
One of my Madhesi friend was very protective of me. His name was Binod Paswan.
I used to go learn swimming with him in a nearby pond.
There too I needed Binod’s protection.
I wonder where Binod might be nowadays. Being a Paswan, a Madhesi untouchable caste, he might have left school, and joined the Maoists, or now the Jwala Singh.
Whenever I think of Nagendra Paswan, I’m reminded of my best friend Binod Paswan.
Back to my father. Thanks to the threats from the armed groups like Jwala Singhs, & seeing so many ‘Pahadis’ killed, my father fled finally from his cherished land some months ago.
While fleeing lamented to his friends & relatives that ‘Janaki Mata’ didn’t allow him to stay in her place.
The Kathmanduites call him a Madhesi because of his Madhesi ways of speaking & dress-ups.
The Madhesis, influenced by the post-colonial world view, define themselves through the discourse of ‘otherness’. They complain that they’re in perpetual identity crisis in their own homeland.
True. Very True.
But what about my father who still calls him a Madhesi, and wears both ‘Pahadi’ Topi & ‘Madhesi’ Dhoti ?
What about his land where a communal flag is proudly grounded?
Isn’t he in an ‘Identity Crisis’?
What about me?
I, too, never called myself a ‘Pahadi’ & always stood against Kathmanduites’ discrimination against the Madhesis.
This is not a story born out of fantasy. Anyone can verify it authenticity.
Hence, I never called myself a ‘Pahadi’, & now I disagree with my father.
I’m not a Madhesi as well.
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human rights
5 responses so far ↓
aAkaR // February 29, 2008 at 11:48 pm
Yes, I’m not madhesi but myhome land is Terai.Fact that I hate word called “Madhes” . Due to this I’ve to say, I’m “pahadiya” bcoz I’ve to survive here but surprisingly I’ve more madhesi frens than other.But now it’s difficult to go to my homeland.Why is it ??? And still we are saying thats a “Madhes”.So they are making a sense that “only madhesi can live and survive there & no space for others”….that’s all.
DIVAS
it’s really sad aakar. But let’s not hate anyone. Just expect that people would realize things soon.
Prameya Bhandari // March 1, 2008 at 2:14 am
Hey Divas,
Very nice to read this post. Really good article. I can relate to how you feel.
DIVAS:
Thanks Prameya, u r one of my early publishers.i still remember u.
ametya // March 6, 2008 at 1:46 pm
This is not a frustrated mind but i would like America or other country to take my country not by India raising the issue of Madhesh…I like to be an American rather by Indian. Why??? You know the answer,Dr Divas.They use to say that Pahadiya must be chased out from Madhesh bcoz this place is their. I have never seen hill and in Madhesh since i borned. Then, who am I ???? {May be i wrong but i think true word should be Terai rather Madhesh..I smell India in word Madhesh..so think this Madheshi(agitating group focously not all) as Indians.} By the way, sorry to say but why amnesty logo in the blog?? Is this blogger is in Amnesty ???
DIVAS
Thanx Ametya. I’s not proposing to be ruled by India. Just pointing out that if Nepalis can not be remain uninfluenced from India, why not positively?
And I’m not a doctor either.
The Amnesty stickers are available to anyone. I put them coz I liked the slogans.
Umes // March 6, 2008 at 7:09 pm
I do not want to see another Udit Narayan picture. That Dhoti freak!
Some of my friends are from Sunsari and their family have been living there for more than 5 generations - even before the so called current “madhesi” were brought down there from India to de-forest. Sadly, they are alien in their own land.
DIVAS
Umesh I’m myself victim of the same case.
But a ‘hatred’ strategy has never brought an amicable solution for the both party.
And, i’d like if u stopped name calling like ‘doti’ ‘bhaiya’ etc.
That’s the reason why the invisible players are able to fuel up the violence.
And what do think about Tenzing Sherpa?
ametya // March 7, 2008 at 11:16 am
I like humanism while hate feminism…why ? now i think you don’t know the answer. I was thinking you as a doctor but you were not. Ooooppppsss to me(to you too, as your domain name mislead me). I also in LAHLAHAI admitted myself in Amnesty but have not done even a small thing for it. So shame to me……I hope you are not like me. Pleased to see your inclination toward humanism.
DIVAS
hey Ametya, it doesn’t really matter what ism u like, as they say, all rivulets end in the same ocean, & all the trails lead to the same peak.
Personally, i’m not attached to any ‘ism’ as all ‘ism’s end up in a dogma or cult.
Still, i think all ‘ism’s r the same, provided they don’t prevent others to follow their own ‘ism’.
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