The Birth of the Muhigum
Ongsimang Lingden Phalgunanda
Chapter 2
The Age Of Adolescence
The Age Of Adolescence
Gradually, Phalamsing stepped in his adolescence, working as
a shepherd boy. Two of his elder brothers and already left Chukchinamba to
settle down elsewhere (outside Nepal). Meanwhile, his father, Ansuwanta, also
decided to abandon the village because of scarcity of food in spite of toiling
hard round the year. Nevertheless, Phalamsing, perhaps because of nostalgia or
with expectation of meeting the same "Divine Person", decided to
continue staying in his native village, Chukchinamba. His parents went to
Charkhola, Jeetpur where they had their relatives, but again, they migrated to
Rajurukh (Bhutan), finally.
Now, Phalamsing was alone and he lived under the care of his
uncle and aunt. The days were passing happily and everything was normal. But,
since Phalamsing was a vegetarian, he could not adjust with non-vegetarian
uncle and aunt; consequent upon this, he would often fall sick. One day, he
understood his problems and advised him, Saila, now you have become matured and
responsible, since it is difficult to adjust our meals (vegetarian and
non-vegetarian), it will be better if you start dwelling separately.
"Phalamsing did not feel otherwise; he too, had been experiencing
inconveniences for a long time. Then, he was given a portion of land in
Lechhebhung across a small rivulet and an earthen pot, two handful of flour, a
sickle knife, a spade, an aluminum plate, a bowl and some chickens. Thus, he
started his world there.
During those days, very few people used money as the medium
of exchange. In the most cases, the system of ‘barter' was very popular.
People would use money for buying articles like salt and clothes only and they
would get money to buy these articles by selling fowls and goats. In course of
time, Phalamsing could manage to multiply a good number of chickens. But, since
he was a vegetarian, he had neither the scope of exchanging them nor he could
consume them. The number of chickens kept on increasing. One day, one of his
friends, suggested to go to Gundri Bazar (Darjeeling) to sell the fowls at a
good price. Carrying a basket full of fowls, he set off for Darjeeling through
the terrain's and foot-trails of Khalanga (Ilam), Namshaling, Sukabare, Gorkhe
and Simana. The Namshalling, he slipped and fell down because of heavy
downpour. Somehow he managed to reach Darjeeling. After selling the fowls, he
reached Ghoom on return journey. Ghoom , he found a number of people being
recruited as labourers for Nathung War.
It was 1960 B.S. and Tibet was the kingdom of Dalai Lama and
to south of Nepal, the Imperialist, British, East Indian Company was the ruler
of India. The then Governor General of India Lord Carson was busy making
strategy of invading Tibet because he was offended with the decision of Dalai
Lama who had allowed the Russian Ambassador to be in Lhasa. The Prime Minister
of Nepal had also presented a number of Yaks as a souvenir to British
Imperialist.
Phalamsing and his friend also got instigated to get themselves
recruited as labourers as they watched the soldiers moving around in their
clean outfit around Ghoom Depot. Both of them decided to visit other countries
to earn money. Then, they on board, the vehicles and got off at the British
recruitment camp in Tibet. They started working as wage-labourers and their
duty was to construct roads by cutting snowy sloped of mountains. It was not an
easy job; there was heavy risk in every step. Sometimes, the workers would be
swept away by the avalanches and killed. Many of them were either killed or
injured but, luckily, Phalamsing was one of the survivors. The workers,
however, had to continue their work even in the terrible avalanches, it was
their fate.
The workers would assemble together every evening and entertain
by singing, dancing, drinking and merry-making but, Phalamsing would keep
himself aloof from the group. One day, after 4 days of an avalanche, while he
was alone, strolling around, the same event of his childhood days got repeated.
He visualized the same "Divine Person" in his dream like state of
mind and he got spell blind. Person stood in front and suggested, "I had
expected that expected that you'd continue your devotion and convert others
also to be my devotees but why did you forget me? If you ignore me, you won't
be able to reform the existing ignorant people and society, Speed up...
continues your devotion and let others also follow the same path of
salvation." This was the divine message conveyed by the Divine Person. He
was reminded of those golden God's commandments and ordered to implement them
as soon as possible. As he came out of his dream like state, the Divine Person
had already vanished, suddenly he started chanting Golden sentences of Almighty
God internally and he felt a reawakening of his soul. He looked at the bright
moon in the sky, it was full moon night. Lord Buddha had also attained
enlightenment on the same date some 2500 years ago. It was a tip-toe night,
deepening silence had engulfed the environment and slowly and seriously, he
started remembering and chanting the verses. Thus he initiated his first
meditation on the very night staging in the jungle for the whole night.
The next morning, he repeated the sermons of Gods to his
fellow workers thinking that would affect them positively, but, they mocked him
by calling him mad. The negative response of his fellow workers depressed him
very much. He started brooding about such irresponsible behaviour of his
friends. Then, he realized that it is very different to deliver the mind of them
who have been the slaves of worldly pleasure and luxuries and who are destined
to live according to the actions of the previous birth. After that, he made up
his mind collected his salary and took leave from the supervisor. Here, a
question may arise-why he (a hermit like person) needed money? Actually, he
needed money to go back to his village and also to buy gifts for the sisters of
the village as it was the system of the village and they (the sisters) would
also expect gifts from their brothers who returned to the village.
