Dharma Ratna Yami and social inclusion
Among the visitors in our house Pandit Rahul Sanskrityayan. (Rahul Sanskrityanyan ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGwZpCzmwcQ ) He had stayed in our house during couple of visits to Nepal. He had also written biography about my father. The Facebook page of Dharma Ratna Yami provides the copy of the book which gives details of what Rahuljee wrote about my father. Rahuljeee had traveled from India to Lhasa with my father and used to live there together. My father was popularly known as a very poweful speaker in India and Nepal. He used to be invited as Chief Guest in many programs of Dr. Ambedkar ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv6aU-_9xQ0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFaAzrayGSI ) in India. During his visit to Nepal in 1956 A. D. Dr. Ambedkar too had stayed in our house. Our house is populary known as " YAMI CHHEN" YAMI CHHEN . The Facebook page of Dharma Ratna Yami provides the copy of the book which gives details of what Dr. Ambedkar wrote about my father.
Stay at ‘ Yami House’ Kathmandu - our house
Even the world Buddhist Conference was a war zone for Dr. Ambedkar, who had earned fame by popularizing the term ‘Dalit’ as an identity of self-respect for the “untouchables”. He had agreed to participate in the Kathmandu conference at the request of his colleagues, as he was physically unwell. Even amid his illness, he had set off to travel to Nepal along with his doctor, Dr.Malvankar, who was taking care of him. He and his team flew from Patna for Kathmandu on 14 November 1956. Also in his group were his wife, Dr.Savita Ambedkar; M.B.Chitnis, Principal of Milind Mahavidyalaya in Aurangabad; and B.H. Varel. He needed company and assistance of others when descending from the airport by holding to other’s arms. His health did not improve at all during his stay in Kathmandu.
Accommodation for Dr. Ambedkar in Kathmandu was managed by M.Jyoti of Kolkata. M.Jyoti might be ManiharshaJyoti (Kansakar), the renowned merchant from Nepal, who used to trade from Kolkata at that time and was also a Buddhist activist. Dr. Ambedkar was lodged at “Yami house” where a practical battle was fought against caste hierarchy and untouchability. His stay in Bhurankhel at the house of Dharma RatnaYami( Tuladhar ) ( https://www.facebook.com/PoliticianDharmaRatnaYami/ ) and Hira Devi Yami (Tuladhar) https://www.facebook.com/HeeraDeviYami/ , who themselves were strong opponents of caste system and untouchability was historic. During Nepal visits, Rahul Sakrityayan used to stay in the house of Dharma Ratna Yami, who also was a fighter for democratic movement, a former deputy minister and a writer. Probably the two scholars stayed together. Dr. Ambedkar had brought some manuscripts for his editing work during his stay in Kathmandu. The manuscripts were related to his yet incomplete book and his articles. After writing the great book The Buddha and His Dhamma, he was working on Buddha and Marx and Revolution and Counterrevolution in Ancient India. His writing and editing continued amid the travel, stress, and illness. The ideas expressed at the Conference were a reflection of and postscript to these works.
http://www.dharmaheera.com/blogs/view/18.html
http://www.dharmaheera.com/blogs/view/19.html
Mr. Manik Lal Shrestha, Professor of Tribhuvan University and a writer wrote in Smriti Grantha of Dharma Ratna Yami ( B. S. 2046) - " In the year A. D. 1951 Dharma Ratna Yami ( For more Please visit : https://www.facebook.com/PoliticianDharmaRatnaYami/ ) became Deputy Minister of Forest Ministry. He had advertised for a cook for his kitchen. He announced that the person should be from untouchable class and will be preferred. He had told the neighborhood communities and people in the valley. He selected a woman from Pode community . That woman for long time cooked in that house. One day he invited his relatives, friends including political leaders for a feast. He made this woman serve in the the feast. He felt that this was a very radical method of transforming these rigid traditional minded people and he felt it was important to create havoc among such people. People who did not know the cast of the lady serving ate, those who knew ran away. It was transition time of end of Rana government and formation of new government Some people including political leaders could not run away from the offer of the feast by such high ranking post of a Minister. The next day these people specially political leaders were found taking bath at Pashupati Nath and going through ritual of purifying the body involving Pandits called SUDDHI KARAN process..
Dharma Ratna was always against the unscientific practices of Brahmins and objected to case system, disparity between people and unfair equity share He has expressed this feelings beautifully through his book Sandeya Lisa (Reply from Tibet). He has also elaborated these issues very well through his popular books to the world community. One of his books called " Brikuti " a historical novel, also covers similar message for the world community. Most his remaining books also covers highlights of the same.
Some of our relatives had challenged my mother before her death abusing her that her six daughters would not get married because my parents were openly found promoting the cause of untouchables in the society.
The Brahmins were the foremost in introducing the Caste system. Brahmins openly hated both of my parents.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBJ6oBENENo&feature=share
It sometimes takes so much, so much courage to talk the truth. I salute my father, for an attempt for objective review of Nepalese history and no wonder his books were banned.
There new invaders made Hinduism popular at the expense of Buddhism and thousands of Monks were massacred and ran away to other countries. It is no irony that Nepal has been never successful because Hinduism means caste and caste means nonsense , No society can progress which is unequal.
He used to be a popular personality of his time for his powerful and powerful speeches both in India and Nepal on religious practices, politics and literature. My father used to be invited as chief guest in Dr. Ambedkar's programs in India. The famous Indian writer Mr. Dharmbir Bharati ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharamvir_Bharati
My father used to be invited by renowned freedom fighters of India from cities of India for delivering lectures in Buddhism , culture, politics and issues on religion. He wrote a book called "Buddha Darshan Ko Roop Rekha" in the year 1934 A. D. This is a book popular among research scholars who specialize in Buddhist philosophy. He also authored "Maha Manushe Buddha" in both Hindi and Nepali language. Ten local people were expelled from Nepal ( http://www.academia.edu/648144/The_Newars_the_Indigenous_Population_of_the_Kathmandu_Valley_in_the_Modern_State_of_Nepal ) during Dhamma Lok Bhante's period for spreading Buddhism in Nepal. Ranas called Buddhism as "foreign religion" and people didn't have guts to protest against such barbaric act in the land where Gautam Buddha was born. In 1951 when my father was deputy Minister for nine months an ash of Gautam Budha was brought from Srilanka to be burried at Anandakuti Bihar, Swayembhu, people rediculed this ritual saying " woen yagu dese koyen yagu jatra" . This is how peope used to be brainwashed to think against Buddhism in Nepal those days. The first Buddhist magazine produced by Nepalese people was printed secretly from Harshan road , Bada Bajar, Calcutta and used to be distributed secretly in Nepal.
This country is remembered as a nation cursed by Satis. People tell us horror stories of "Sati Dhunga". The descendants of designers of such cruel system still continue to have grip over weaker section of the people. Nothing will come out of honest people's sacrifices. I have observed in the past the peer groups of my father fading away without the historical facts of their brave sacrifices being included in the history of Nepal. People who tried to reform traditional unscientific practices of social system and improve the governing system of the nation, sadly, remained in the minority and perished. Those class of people who suppressed innocent citizens lived and enjoyed corruption. Their ancestors appear to have perfected this art and handed it down to their future generations. Insane and incompetent people have mostly ruled people of Nepal. So corruption flourished. Corrupt people have become more powerful. Corruption will be further institutionalized in the land of Gautam Buddha. Citizens are speechless, powerless and have continued to keep quiet.
https://books.google.com.np/books…
My mother throughout her life advocated on the need of fighting for the law of property right for daughters because of the pathetic plights of daughters of the Nepalese society. People failed to understand her views during her life span tenure. Along with her passion to educate girls of the Nepalese conservative families including children of the marginalized groups, she had been spreading awareness campaign on importance of property right of daughters also. To make people understand the concept of "WALK THE TALK " she started the process of preparing legal document to hand over one Ropani land for each her all six daughters, however, her sister in law (first cousin sister of her husband) Moti Laxmi Upasika who knew the government process blocked her effort from finalizing the registration process in the property registration department of Nepal government. Heera Devi' s first cousin sister Ratna Shova Shakya ( daughter of her uncle Ratna Man Singh Kansakar ) was keen to see that Heera Devi's this wish materializes. In 1970 A D before Heera devi passed away ,during the time while she was battling for her last breadth, she was crying asking her daughters to bring Moti Laxmi so that she could instruct her to finish off this legal steps of property transfer for daughters. She particularly relied on Moti Laxmi because she was the only person who knew more details of government processed more than her close relative circles. Heera Devi had also told most of her relatives and friends circles regarding her wish on this issue. The document remained in the hands of Heera Devi's daughter in law who had all Heera Devi's property transfered refused to hand over the property allocated for daughters to fulfill the wishes of Heera Devi.
Ratna Shova Shakya always felt very sad about the last unfulfilled wish of Heera Devi on property transfer to her six daughters. Ratna Shova Shakya who died in year 2015 A D at the age of seventy nine, had made a request to record her talk on this issue and publish it in magazine to inform the sad unfulfilled wish of Heera Devi who remained always the first women to raise the issue of need of the policy of property right of daughters in the history of Nepal.
When my brother in law a fresh graduate from ( https://website.aub.edu.lb/
When my brother in law a fresh graduate from ( https://website.aub.edu.lb/
When my brother in law a fresh graduate from ( https://website.aub.edu.lb/
The ex-priminster Mr, Tanka Prasad Acharya ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanka_Prasad_Acharya ) wrote in Smriti Grantha of my father saying that the book "Nepal Ko Kura" by written my father is a useless book and was banned because it talked about the rights of suppressed ethnic groups and minorities in Nepal. The ex-primister Tanka Prasad wrote saying that if people raise issues on rights for suppressed ethnic groups and minorities of Nepal, the country will suffer from "disintegration". He always claimed to be a great leader in establishing a democratic government in Nepal. His comment on the issues of suppressed ethnic groups and minorities really shocked me. My father's friends suggested us to publish that banned book. This book later on became one of the popular books of Nepal. Similary my father's book Anghlhamo was also banned and has been printed again. We had to work against the wishes of so called incompetent leaders who are supposed to have fought for the democratic rights of the people who seems to have specialized in erasing such valuable materials for empowering new generations of the nation. People should analyse how these leaders systematically side tracked honest and competent leaders of this nation who lost properties and had to vanish without getting opportunities to fulfill their vision and mission. Now I clearly understood how honest, dedicated freedom fighters who sacrificed lives in this nation for democracy perished in this nation and government didn't even try to dig out and maintain the record of such people for future generations to understand the valuable learning lessons from such great people.
The books of my father provides powerful messages for the youth of the world. He was born with a message. His commitment was to serve the mankind. This is just the beginning. He is an unique example of a selfless service. His vision was to reform society and politics of Nepal and he has expressed it through series of lectures abroad, in Nepal and his books ( http://www.timilayamithapa.com/gallery - more books will be loaded soon ) will help new generation in laying the foundations of enriched socialism. Such empowered youth will be a transformative progressive force that will embrace and build upon human being's latest achievements in areas of knowledge and science.
His book "Reply from Tibet" expressed the issue of social transformation was one of such example. This book provides several powerful messages for the international audience. Because of globalization the global mass now have access to this book through online procurement of this book. Various valuable online comments make this book even more attractive.
Sandeya Lisa used to be text book for Bachelor's degree program as a literature course under Tribhuvan University. Now policy makers are using this book as a text book for class eleven as an optional course of computer course. These students of such tender age have no capacity to internalize such heavy subject and obviously the students will prefer to choose computer course. In today's world who will not select computer. It is an open secret. This shows how much wise our policy makers of Tribhuva University are who tie up literature with engineering and technical subjects. This is an indication of the attitude of the government who seem to be trying to erase valuable materials of minorities. The Ministry of education should request the curriculum departments of universities of Nepal to include this "Reply From Tibet" as a text book in the Master's degree course in English departments. The text book of school curriculum should also include details about Late Dharma Ratna Yami so that each and every children of this nation knows about his contributions in this nation and regional countries.
The tyrannical Rana dynasty disapproved of Buddhism and the Newar language, it saw the activities of the monks and their growing following as a threat. All of whom were Newars, they were deported. Among the charges made against them were preaching a new faith, converting Hindus, encouraging women to renounce and thereby undermining family life and writing books in Newari. My father wrote five books in Buddhism including in Iindian language. He had a track record of delivering large numbers of lectures in Buddhisma chairing many sessions organized by DR. Ambedkar in India.
Political un-touchability
He had a great dream of reforming all traditional unscientific ritual systems of the society. He had a dream of having a caste-less society so that people could united and fight against autocratic rulers and bring democracy in the country. He changed his surname into "Yami" to symbolize the end of caste system. He fought for bringing out rule of law to eradicate un touch ability people. His books were burnt in big scale and banned officially. His wife Heera Devi was equally dedicated in fighting for good cause for empowering society. Had this couple not been born to struggle for bringing out such rule of law we would not have seen the current leaders from untouchable community. We won't not have seen such improvements also. So many years were wasted because the leaders then were against eradication of caste system and un touch-ability. He was born not only for the untouchable community, however, he was born for the whole of world community to fight against sufferers, exploitation and for the right of excluded people. He was a ray of hope for such world community.
Unfortunately the so called leaders of Nepal limited him into small boundary so that his name fades away from the minds of people. He was such a great personality, however, he was abused by political leaders then so that his popularity decreases in Nepalese society. During his time and after death he and his wife were treated as political and social untouchability. His message was to be literate, be united and fight for democracy. He wanted better constitution.
People have to come forward and have to fight it out to fulfill his dream. He was never given respectable position. History will evaluate one day.
He always gave big importance for social justice.
During his time he always fought for converting political system to make more inclusive governing system however even today the current political leaders of Nepal are not ready for this.
Even developed and forward looking societies of the world did not get voting rights for women. They had to fight for decades. He fought to up lift the social status of women and for their voting right. He was a very far sighted person.
People should read his books and understand his feelings. Political leaders were not ready to embrace lower cast people even now and he had a cook from untouchable caste in his kitchen even during his early days.
He also fought for labour reform in the country.
He played a strong role for integrating the society not dividing the society as other leaders of Nepal did and some of them are still continuing doing it.
Even today such bad practices are exercised by political leaders.
Political leaders talk about examples of leaders of other country but they do not want to talk about Dharma Ratna Yami. They have forgotten him and want to see that his name fades away from the minds of the people. These political leaders do not want to elaborate his work and vision and present in front of the society specially in front of youth of the nation in order to inspire future generations.
We will work for this foundation so that the world communities get inspired through the works of Yami too.
He had dreamt of enriched and sustainable society. Let us position him in the minds of all the youth so that his unfulfilled dream gets fulfilled.
Most of the leaders from his time succeeded in positioning him as a political untouchable personality. Let us also free him from free him from political untouchability so hat future generations get inspired. Let us wok hard to fulfill his dream.
Some of the popular published books of late Dharma Ratna Yami were burnt and banned in Nepal in the past.
https://www.facebook.com/PoliticianDharmaRatnaYami/
https://www.facebook.com/DharmaRYami/
Citizens should try to find out about his popular published books, read them and share the knowledge. They should take interest on getting clarification from political leaders on his powerful messages for the global communities. He had left behind a legacy as a powerful writer, political philosopher, philosopher of religion, social transformer and cultural philosopher. Our past political leaders rarely highlighted such important issues raised by "Yami" in public forums and expressed through his books. Current leaders also will most probably not have full answer on those issues which are even more relevant in today's world. This is the truth about the leaders of this nation on how valuable resources were abused and destroyed in the past.
The original book was written in Newah language called "Sahdeh Ya Lisa"
and later was translated in Nepali called " Lhasa Bolchhe" . People in the past had tried showing stage show of this book "Sandeya LIsa" , however, after receiving threatening calls the effort was diffused.
Interview : https://lahana90.blogspot.com/…/lahana-with-timila-yami.htm…
Book release ceremony on Reply from Tibet.
Supriya manandhar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1wJUCihQ78&t=34s
Keshab Man Shakya: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWkccpGOqWY&t=70s
Dr Satyamohan Joshi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHLiD0q6uzg&t=37s
Dr Kayo Devi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QkWdDQ3us4
Dr Baburam Bhattarai: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofjfTu08fGI
DR. Dharma Devi Yami: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inL0aA22ZyU
Prof. Timila Yami Thapa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECDWLOrnLD4
Full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nFyLGVt2GM&t=426s