Bliss in the attic
Posted on Very recently, I went to the Shah Dynasty museum in Basantapur. I have lived in this city for twenty three years now (all my life, in other words), and this was the first time I had been there. There are people who find museums fun and edifying; and there are people who find them boring. As far as Basantapur’s museum is concerned, I have one word that describes it: pompous. As I walked through the museum, I heard voices echoing in my head. This is what the voices said:
Look, mere commoner, and be amazed. This is why you and your loved ones work hard all day and pay your taxes – so that we can live like THIS.
It did not take long for me to realize that this was the collective voice of royalty. One picture drew my attention: that of one of the Shah kings (I did not bother to remember which one, because they are all the same to me – not just Shah kings, but royalty in general) with his hunting rifle atop a dead tiger. As I drew closer, the picture spoke to me:
There you are again, puny commoner. Look how I have so courageously managed to trap and kill this beautiful, defenseless animal with the help of so many of my servants. What have you ever done with your life? I spit on your existence. My ancestors have ruled yours, and my descendants will rule yours. There is no escape. There is no escape!!
Through all the idiocy and hypocrisy spewing out of the walls of the museum, I managed to get to Prithvi Narayan Shah’s nau-tale durbar (nine-storied palace). I climbed up the nine flights of stairs to reach the attic. This was where I found relief that was long overdue. A mild breeze hit my face as I looked out of one of the windows. I looked down to see the Basantapur courtyard way below. I looked up again and looked around at the amazing view of the city I grew up in. The breeze got a little more intense and I enjoyed the moment even more. How could I have been an aspiring writer, I thought, and never been to this place? A day spent in this attic would act as the ultimate muse.
I salute whoever arranged the museum route: first, irritate us with your pompous artifacts and pictures; and then end it all with moments of bliss in that heavenly attic. Way to go.
(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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June 4th, 2006 at 11:47 am
Wow! Beutiful writing. Good job explaining your romance with the royals in the attic. I guess you were not alone. Why would you be? Either you were with someone you cared or loved or with the memory of someone you longed to be closer. You kept yourself busy writing about the attic and stuffs and we hiked and missed you there.
Next time, please come to hiking - we will share our attic story with you.
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June 4th, 2006 at 10:53 pm
The museum sheds light on the lifestyles of the “Royalty”..not a lay person like us..so ofcourse..you would’t expect anything ordinary. Looking on the brighter side of why such pompus display…lets say they have now been made public so that commoners like us will think twice..or thrice before we allow our taxes to be used for any other royalty’s persoal pleasures again.
Cheers..
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June 5th, 2006 at 2:37 am
I rarely visit museum, but, I too like the dark stairs/alleys of such Museums, and wonder why somebody still has not fallen down and broken a bit of some bone.
Regarding Taxation System I saw somewhere mentioned in the Museum article:
1.The so called Democratic Government must reform tax policy so each of us can buy any luxury item easily without >100% tax (copied from developed countries and I am not an Economist to ponder how it affects future of Nepal). “Heavy Loading Business” might be a term useful here.
2.The regular tax affecting daily livelihood of people must not be same like India/China or any other Developed Countries, due to which common people are suffering.Still, I do not rule out VAT if conditions are proper.Have we been getting any benefits from TAX? All Outputs of Our tax are not helping us in anyway. One can start from GOVT. sponsored/controlled Road, Pavement,Sewage,Garbage,TrafficSymbols, Hospitals, Schools, Colleges…..
3. Nepal Govt. taxation policy states that if my company is in Profit this Year, I should be expecting same the next year and should be in better position to pay more tax.
4. I am a laydown guy in Taxation System, PLZ put comments on these, so that I get the broader knowledge prevailing among people concerned about Nepalese economy. Economy makes us survive and not politics.Even Museums should be more liberal(if not possible change some policy) to gather more $$ and tourists.
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August 2nd, 2008 at 10:33 pm
thanks great Nepalis need top gather money in every form
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