Mama's Boy

It was July 12th, 1977. Paluwari, a small hilly village outside on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal was drenched by the daily downpour of the Monsoon shower. Between the months of July and August, the earth quenches its thirst for the year and brings renewed life. It’s not the most convenient time of the year; the air is damp, the narrow hilly paths are slippery, and visibility is at minimal but life goes on.

The showers showed no sign of slowing down to Lila Subedi and the cows and goat needed feeding. She packed her sickle and doko (bamboo basket strapped to the forehead) and ventured out to the green luscious fields with her prominent nine month pregnant belly. Couple hours later she came back to the shed completely drenched with the exception of her head with the help of a hand-woven rain blocker 'Ghum'. She laid everything down but felt something happening to her. She sat down on the hay and took a deep breath grabbing the walls. It was time, time for her to become a mother, time to bring her son to the world, time for one of the most amazing miracles in this world–birth!

Lila was all alone,she pulled herself up and went inside next to Chulho, Nepali Kitchen with the built in clayoven. She had no one to call, no one hold, no mid-wife, no medication, no doctor. She gave birth on her own to a boy. She put the same sickle she used to cut grass inside the clayoven untill it was red hot and let it cool down. Slowly and cautiously she cut the umbilical cord. Hearing her scream, her mother-in-law later came running from the neighbor’s house to find her newly born grandchild. The boy was named Niranjan Subedi. The boy was I.

This is why I think my mother is the strongest women on planet earth and I have always greatly admired her for her courage. This is why I celebrate my birth to honor mother and her bravery.

I am a proud mama’s boy!

I love you mama! Happy Birth-Giving Day.