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Emma lives with her husband Leo and their daughter Ruby. She loves them and she’s happy. But everything her family knows about her is a lie. Even her name is fake. She can never tell them about her past. She knows she will lose them if she does as Leo won’t be able to deal with the betrayal, not after being betrayed by his parents. He’s never forgiven them for it.

But Leo is an obituary writer and Emma is a well-known marine biologist. When she is diagnosed with cancer, Leo tries to cope with it by reading and writing about her life. His editor also asks him to write a stock for Emma: Most papers write obituaries for famous people well in advance, and especially so if they are suffering from any illness. Leo agrees because he’s already started working on one and also because he thinks no one knows her like he does.

However, he stumbles upon some papers that don’t match with what she’s told him and it opens a can of worms. Leo starts questioning what he’s been told and Emma’s past and starts asking around as well. Soon, he finds out things that he doesn’t know about her, realizing that the woman he loves doesn’t really exist. Emma will need to prove to Leo that she is the woman he always thought she was but for that she has to come clean about her past.

‘The Love of My Life’ was unlike anything I had ever read. It’s not a typical thriller but it keeps you on the edge. It’s gripping and heartbreaking at the same time. Rosie Walsh’s first book, ‘The Man Who Didn’t Call’ was a romance, suspense novel that was an instant bestseller when it came out. The novel’s theme was grief and it explored it in a subtle way that made you think. In The Love of My Life the theme is relationships and its complexities and again Walsh has done a brilliant job in exploring its nuances.

The story, like in The Man Who Didn’t Call, is told from two different perspectives. It keeps the narrative interesting by building the suspense gradually. Also, seeing things from two different viewpoints keeps your brain ticking. The only issue I had with the book was that while the story is full of twists and turns, it reads like a slow-burn family drama at times and less like a thriller. But all in all, I absolutely loved the story. The plot, I thought, was ingenious. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for something different to read.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58492104-the-love-of-my-life  

The Love of My Life

Rosie Walsh

Published: 2022

Publisher: Pan Books

Pages: 358, Paperback

Winter is already in the air and it should send a chill up the government’s spine. Worryingly, it has not. As in previous winters, governments at the center, provinces and local levels are in deep slumber by monopolizing all the warmth that state powers give them even as the laity, particularly disadvantaged sections of the society in Nepal’s southern plains, remains ill-prepared as ever to deal with cold weather, cold wave in particular, that leaves behind a trail of deaths every year. 

Facing the most serious risk to their lives are the senior citizens, children and women from these sections. 

By the way, what do government authorities do to avert casualties resulting from harsh weather? 

Not much, if we are to forget about some isolated incidents of distribution of fuelwood and warm clothing, apart from the issuance of regular weather bulletins. 

This near-total indifference on the part of the government authorities is only bolstering a negative public perception about the polity. A growing perception is that there is no dearth of governments these days, that Singhadurbars have sprung up at every nook and cranny of the country but governance is sorely lacking. Indeed, these power centers located quite close to the doorsteps of the people seem least bothered about the plight of the people facing a cruel and grim winter with no food, warm clothing and shelter. As for the Singhadurbar located at the center, it is well beyond the reach of the commoner like an island of prosperity located in the middle of a sea of poverty.  

The right to life, right to food, right to shelter, right to education and the right to employment are some of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of Nepal 2015. But the state has not been able to protect these rights. When temperatures dip, daywagers cannot go to work and that means the absence of food on the table. A dipping mercury means cold nights and it can prove to be a killer for families without warm clothes and bedding materials. Cold weather also means a surge in instances of respiratory diseases like pneumonia and aggravated health conditions that can put the lives of senior citizens, women and children at most serious risk.    

Whenever temperatures dip, schools in the Tarai shut, robbing children of the right to education. Can our authorities not make arrangements for warmer classrooms to keep the classes going?     

Rather than isolated acts of ‘kindness’, government authorities should get their act together, identify citizens/families at risk and come to their rescue in a coordinated manner. After all, it is the duty of a state officially ‘geared toward socialism’ to save lives, isn’t it?  

The ancient city of Janakpur celebrated the bow-breaking ceremony as part of Vivah Panchami celebrations marking the marriage of Lord Ram with Goddess Sita (Janaki) on Dec 6 in the presence of a large number of devotees and pilgrims. 

On the day of Vivah Panchami, a special marriage procession from Ayodhya, the birthplace of Ram, also arrives in Janakpur, the birthplace of Janaki. 

On this occasion, let’s revisit the glorious past of this ancient city.

In ancient times (Treta Yug), an arena was prepared for the contest of the bow at Rangbhoomi, located close to the famous Janaki temple. The great poet Tulsi Das mentions about the grand preparations in his Ramayan thus: “The two brothers reached the eastern quarters of the city where the ground had been prepared for the contest. In the midst of a fair and spacious paved area, a spotless altar had been richly adorned.”

He goes further: “On all four sides of this altar were erected broad platforms of gold to be occupied by the princes. Not far behind and surrounding them on all sides shone another circular tiers of platforms of somewhat greater height and beautiful in every way, and where the citizens might come and sit. Close to these were constructed spacious and beautiful pavilions, glistening white and painted in different colours.”

Sita, a paragon of beauty, was wandering with her girl companions hither and thither in the royal garden. She used to pluck fresh flowers to worship Girija, her favourite goddess. After bathing in the lovely pond, she went with her friends to worship at Girija’s temple. She offered worship with deep devotion and asked the goddess for a handsome husband worthy of her. By chance, Ram and Lakshman were also visiting the royal garden as it was so famous and worth visiting. Ram saw beautiful Sita with his own eyes. He was overwhelmed to see her unparalleled beauty. Tulasi Das has described this marvelous meeting of the two in the following lines: “Hearing the tinkling of her bangles, the small bells on her girdle and the anklets, Ram thought within himself and then said to Lakshman, ‘sounds as though Cupid has sounded his kettle drum, ambitious to conquer the universe’.”

After getting a glimpse of Sita’s beauty, Ram drew the conclusion that she is no other than Janaki, the daughter of Janak for whom the contest of the bow was going to be held. The most famous Rajarshi was Shirdhwaj Janak, the father of Sita, also known by her family name (Janaki).

Tulasi Das has aptly and rightly described this fact in the following lovely lines: “Dear brother, this is no other than Janaki, to win whom the contest of the bow is being held. She has been escorted by her girl companions to worship Gauri and is moving about in the garden diffusing light all about her.”

There’s an interesting story about the birth of Sita. It goes something like this:   

A dreadful drought had occurred in the Kingdom of Mithila. King Janak himself tilled and sanctified the land in the capital of Mithila, Janakpur. He discovered a beautiful baby girl lying in a furrow. He brought the baby to his palace where she grew up into a beautiful princess. When she reached marriageable age, Janak held a great bow-breaking ceremony where one wishing to get married to his daughter had to bend the divine bow of Lord Shiv, gifted to him by the Lord himself. Princes and kings came to face the challenge from far and wide, but nobody could bend the tremendous and powerful bow. 

It so happened that Ram and his brother were in the vicinity of Janakpur with his Guru (teacher) Vishwamitra. They were also invited to that historical and celestial contest. With his Guru’s permission, Ram broke the bow into three pieces, with its breaking sounding like an earthquake. After breaking the bow, the lovely Sita put the wedding garland on Ram’s neck causing a universal applause with gods and goddesses showering flowers on them from high heavens. All men and women thronged to see this sacred and celestial meeting of eternal lovers.

A grand marriage ceremony was held where Ram’s three brothers Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrughan were also married to Urmila, Mandavi and Shrutikriti, respectively. 

Since then, this festival of celestial marriage has been performed throughout Nepal and India but the focal point of attraction is Janakpur, the birthplace of Janaki. Janakpur is considered a sacred place and thousands of devotees from different parts of Nepal and India visit the city every year to offer worship at the famous temples of Ram and Sita. Enthusiastically, they watch the ceremonial marriage procession, which starts from Ram Mandir, passes through Janaki Mandir and ends at the Rangbhoomi where a celestial bow-breaking ceremony is held. 

The idols of Ram and Sita are taken in procession to the site of revelry. To commemorate their marriage ceremony, the garlands of Ram and Sita are exchanged in the midst of thousands of people, who flock to watch the grand ceremony. 

Devotees perform Maithili marriage rituals in the Janaki temple at night with enthusiastic participation of sages, Brahmins and priests amid marriage folk songs and Mantra recitals in an ambience filled with music.

A big fair is also held at the Janaki temple with the participation of hundreds of hermits, sages and devotees. Local artists perform Ramlila at night and, at times, theater companies also come to entertain the crowd. Different stalls put in place for the occasion provide a wide range of goods, including essentials. As the Janaki temple is the center of attraction with all roads leading toward it, the temple is decorated to attract the visitors, including dignitaries, with the involvement of local authorities. The registered saints and sages get free food and lodging facilities during the fair. On the occasion, Janakpur becomes a meeting place for families and friends also, with every family catering to a good number of guests. 

The next day, the idol of Sita is carried to the Ram Mandir (temple) amidst great fanfare in a farewell ceremony marked by offering of precious things as dowry. The idols of Ram and Sita, dressed as the bridegroom and the bride, are placed in a beautifully-decorated palanquin on the back of a caparisoned elephant.

In the Mithila region, four men carry this palanquin amid a musical marriage procession marked by the presence of a significant number of men and women, and this procession is called Barat in Maithili. These days, apart from men and women, the procession also features elephants, horses and bullock carts. 

After several days of celebration, the festival of faith ends. 

Every year, this festival offers us glimpses of the Ramayan period. We remember Ram, an incarnation of the almighty and Sita, an incarnation of the goddess whom we worship with reverence. 

Beautiful, pious, honest, courteous and loyal to her husband Ram, Sita symbolizes ideal womanhood.  According to Devi Upanishad “Sita, the consort of Ram, is nature. She is the primordial power, the embodiment of divine splendor. She is the heaven attained through penance, the nature of the universe conscious and unconscious, that which knows and that which does not  know.”

Maithil women still have an undying faith in her chastity and follow her footsteps in every walk of life to make their lives ideal and happy. She is also the embodiment of duty. The Maithil women regard her as a dutiful daughter of Mithila because she sacrificed her whole life in the service of her husband, honestly and respectfully.  

Every year, Janakpur celebrates this festival with great fanfare. Time has come to develop this ancient city while retaining its past glory. 

Dec 5, 8 am

Tinkune

When I entered the tea shop at 7:15 am, a man in his fifties was sharing his thoughts on the recent local body by-elections. He said the candidate of the Nepali Congress (NC), Devendra Pathak, lost in Kathmandu-16, despite campaigning by top party leaders like Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma. Candidate of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Rojina Shrestha, was elected from Kathmandu-16. The man, however, was delighted about NC’s victory in Kirtipur Municipality.

In one corner of the tea shop, a man, who happened to be a former government undersecretary, seemed impatient at the conversation that painted NC in a favorable light. Turning to me, he said, “Election results don’t reflect a party’s national popularity. Local factions and dynamics play a significant role in shaping outcomes.”

The first gentleman was continuing this time about the Maoist Center’s historical dominance in Kirtipur since the insurgency era. “Many Maoist leaders sought refuge there,” he explained, emphasizing how caste and community ties continue to shape voting patterns.

The focus then shifted to RSP, with one participant arguing that its urban popularity endures. “Urban voters are less ideological,” he said. “They’re disillusioned with NC and UML. This dissatisfaction dates back to the Panchayat era and has lingered.”

The NC sympathizer acknowledged internal challenges, especially in candidate selection. “If the party selects the right candidates, it could become the largest political force in the next election,” he asserted. After some thought, he backed away from his statement, and suggested that UML’s robust grassroots organization could secure it the top spot instead.

Someone asked about voter turnout, estimated at around 60 percent. The group attributed the decline to three factors: frustration with political stagnation, the exodus of youth abroad, and apathy among younger voters, many of whom haven’t registered. I shared a related insight from my college class earlier in the week: out of 25 students, only four were registered voters, and just one had cast a ballot in the last election. A participant grimly predicted even lower turnout in 2027 as more youth leave the country.

The discussion broadened to Nepal’s leadership crisis. “Our leaders don’t read,” one participant lamented. “They lack vision and fail to devise meaningful reforms.” Another added, “Politicians surround themselves with opportunistic cadres, not experts who can offer genuine solutions.”

Corruption was another hot topic. “Chaos and corruption are rampant,” someone said. “Accountability is non-existent. Those involved must face penalties.”

As the debate on NC and UML continued, a man who worked for a government ministry weighed in with his argument. He said business people and contractors were taking over the NC, sidelining honest and intellectual individuals. “Look at the lawmakers from districts around the Kathmandu Valley—Kavre, Sindhupalchok, Dhading, most of them are contractors consolidating their influence,” he said. “We can’t expect anything positive from such leaders.”

The first gentleman who had been steering much of the earlier discussion tried to shift gears. “Politics aside, I focus on my health,” he said, his voice tinged with pride. While he didn’t disclose his age, he hinted at his good health compared to his peers. “Take care of your body. Avoid diabetes, hypertension, and aim for 80 years. Every Nepali should strive for a healthy life,” he advised.

His effort went in vain, as the conversation led to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s recent China visit and the murky agreements on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). A participant raised concerns over the term “aid financing,” questioning whether it referred to a loan or a grant. A man reading a newspaper cited former Finance Secretary Rameshwar Khanal, who described it as a concessional loan. Another voice interjected, claiming it was merely political jargon meant to confuse the public.

As I left the tea shop, I was pondering the complexity of our socio-political landscape.