By Narayan Prasad Mishra
When I sit alone and let my thoughts wander to my country, Nepal, and its people, countless reflections arise. I see the towering green hills and mountains, the endless chains of the Himalayas rising in silent majesty. I see the bright and cheerful sky that greets us almost every morning with the rising sun. I feel the gentle climate—neither unbearably hot nor bitterly cold. I think of the fertile lands that yield life even without irrigation, and of the ancient monasteries, temples, and palaces—magnificent works of wood and stone—that fill the heart with wonder. In these, I find beauty, pride, and quiet joy.
Yet this joy does not remain undisturbed.
Alongside this beauty lives a painful reality. I see the unbearable poverty of the majority of our people. I see their daily struggles for food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and proper education. I see disorder everywhere—corruption, injustice, exploitation, and oppression. I see a society where comfort, opportunity, and privilege belong not to the deserving, but to those with influence and access. These sights do not fill me with pride, but with sorrow, frustration, and deep anguish.
Looking back over the past several decades, recalling what I have lived through and what I have read, I realize that this condition has persisted. The country has moved little forward, yet remained unchanged. People like me have lived their lives here, carrying both hope and disappointment in our hearts. As I reflect, I remember my beloved wife, Shanti Mishra; my parents; my brothers, sisters, relatives, and dear friends. Many of them have already departed from this world. Our lives, too, will one day come to an end in this same land, leaving behind memories of both love and unanswered questions.
In many ways, both our country and its people appear mysterious to me.
Compared to many nations in Asia and Europe, our progress has been painfully slow. Disorder and injustice remain widespread. Governments seem preoccupied not with the nation’s welfare but with the interests of their own parties and groups. And yet, the people remain remarkably patient. They endure injustice and hardship with a tolerance that is both admirable and troubling. This endurance itself feels like a mystery—why do people suffer so much, yet resist so little?
There is another mystery.
It is widely believed that donor nations do not support governments that misuse aid meant for public welfare, diverting it instead toward personal gain, family enrichment, or party interests. Yet in Nepal, countless corruption scandals have been exposed by international organizations and by our own press. These include shocking cases that have deeply wounded public trust. And still, every government, no matter how tainted by corruption, continues to receive international support and assistance. No meaningful pressure for reform appears to be applied. Why does this happen? What explains this contradiction? The answer remains unclear.
Recent events have only deepened this sense of uncertainty.
Until September 8, 2025 (Bhadra 15, 2082, Nepali calendar), our country had a government formed by the Nepal Communist Party (UML) and the Nepali Congress, with nearly a two-thirds majority. On September 8 and 9, 2025 (Bhadra 15 and 16, 2082) of this year, a sudden, unexpected, and extraordinary uprising took place—far beyond what most people had ever imagined. Many believed it was not only a revolt against disorder, injustice, oppression, corruption, and party dictatorship in the name of democracy, but also against a constitution and system imposed upon the country against the will of the people through conspiratorial means.
Although more than 75 people were martyred, and government buildings—including Singha Durbar, the Parliament building, land revenue offices, and other public and private structures—were burned and destroyed, many hoped that this would bring great change and establish a system truly beneficial to the country and its people.
But looking at the present situation, many questions remain unclear: Who instigated this uprising? Who carried it out? Who was behind it? What were its true intentions and objectives? Was it for the welfare of the nation and its people—or against it? I feel it has become even more mysterious than the Kot Massacre, the Bhandarkhal Massacre, and even the royal massacre of King Birendra and the royal family.
When I reflect on these events, along with the tragedies and upheavals of our past, I cannot escape the feeling that Nepal itself is an enigma—a nation of immense beauty and immense suffering, of resilience and resignation, of hope and disappointment.
And perhaps the greatest mystery of all is this: despite everything—despite corruption, injustice, and repeated betrayals—the people may once again place their trust in the very forces that have failed them.
If that happens, it will not be surprising. It will simply be another chapter in the enduring mystery of Nepal.
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