I had kept up with regular visit to Kishunji kaka, as we fondly called K.P Bhattarai, with my father. As I had nowhere else to go, each morning I went to Kishunji kaka’s residence in Bakhundole and badgered him to find me a job. Kaka malai jagir lagai dinu na was my regular request. He would listen to me and say, Pakh! Pakh! Ahile samaye bhayeko chaina and I would be left waiting for another day. Then, one fateful morning, he said to me, “Today, I will send you to meet someone. He will definitely give you a job”. I was overjoyed when Kishunji Kaka instructed a helper to take me to Patan Campus.
On the way to Patan Campus, I started talking to my guide. He was a nice person and informed me that as the acting campus chief was a democrat too, there was a big chance I would get a job. I asked my guide who the person was. “Daibagya Raj Neupane,” he replied. I listened to the name and imagined a lean, thin person. The guide further informed me that Neupane taught Nepali and was a very kind person. My hopes of landing a job were soaring. My guide must have felt it. “Do not raise your hopes too high,” he cautioned. “We are after all democrats and it might not be easy for him to appoint you. Let’s just hope it works.” Engaged in conversation, I did not realize we were in front of the campus chief’s door.
When I entered the room, I did not see anyone remotely close to my expectations. Then I looked again there in the corner was a rather fat person with a bright face. He welcomed us and talked to my guide as if he was an old friend. He then looked at me and asked, “Are you here to get admitted? Which level are you seeking admission to? IA or BA?” My guide was amused.
I did not get the opportunity to respond right away because someone had come in and Daibagya ji got busy talking to him. I was a little shocked at being considered a student, but this was not new to me. I remembered being asked what grade I studied in, while I was completing my Masters in Banares. Yes I was short, and very thin but I thought I looked matured enough wearing a sari, and with red tika and sindur on my forehead.
After a few moments the third person left and I continued with my conversation with Daibagya ji. That was when I told him that I was seeking a teaching position. He laughed softly and said that I had completely fooled him. Wasting no time, he started talking about the procedure of my appointment as Assistant Lecturer, teaching English to Intermediate and Bachelors level students. That was my first encounter with him. Our association continued even after the new campus chief took charge. Life became a bit difficult but we (all the democrats in the campus) stuck together.
Kishunji kaka brought me in contact with Daibagya Raj Neupane. A committed democrat, he would be a guardian-like figure for me for the rest of his life.
Daibagya ji was a very understanding person, and still the assistant campus chief. Every day he came to campus on a motorbike. I would greet him, ‘Namaskaar, Daibagya sir!’ and he would return the complement with a big smile. He was such a simple person that I often felt that he would let go of both handles of his bike to return my namaskaar. Every time he kept his hands on the bike, I was relieved.
He was a guardian figure and did his best to solve any problems we had at Patan Campus during those days. He always cautioned me to be careful because I was a labeled democrat. He supported me in times when the communist-leaning students, who wanted a democrat out of Patan Campus, bothered me. I considered myself fortunate for having a friend and colleague like him during the time I was a novice teacher and was struggling to find my feet in the teaching world.
I lost contact with him when I left for the US but met him again after my return ten years later. He had become much thinner and often complained of poor health whenever I met him.
Sadly, he is no more with us. But I will never forget his warm memories.
usha@pokharel.net
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