Definitions: Where the Heart is

Take off the blazer, loosen up the tie, step inside the booth, Superman is alive.

Inspired by Varun Lal Shrestha’s album of the same name, Definitions is a series of things that, as indicated by the title, help define me. Pretty self-explanatory I think. And also a good introspection exercise.

And what else would I begin with other than my country.

Now in the last 10-15 years or so, Nepal has undergone drastic changes both politically and socially. And in that time, the country’s meaning to its citizens has also transformed significantly. For some Nepal has become uninhabitable. For others, the new found attention on Nepal represents a chance to make unprecedented professional strides. In some other cases, patriotism has become a ruse, a semi-fashion statement of sorts for Nepalis of my generation; young adults pouncing at any opportunity to don the country’s colors while keeping the country itself at arm’s length. Still, that’s a different story for a different day.

Although no amount of words can do the topic justice, I find it useful to briefly explore the reason my country has come to mean so much to me. This was a realization I stumbled upon in my time at Georgetown. Being on the other side of the world, I naturally missed various different things about home: family, friends, food, culture, religion, the comfort of my city, the serenity of easy going Nepali life in general. But there was no way to articulate this longing without having to list every single thing that I missed. At that point I realized that Nepal itself embodied all those things I had to learn to live without. My country was the physical manifestation of everything I had ever known. And thus, Nepal for me came to encompass more than just a small rectangle on a map. Nepal became the main marker of my identity. The flag evolved into a second skin. Everyone knows I love my country, but not many know how much I rely on it. Hopefully this sheds some much needed light.

Side note: in my field of study/work, there is a lot of literature dedicated to nationalism and how it has become a new religion of sorts. The idea is borne out of human desire to attach oneself to something that will stand the test of time. As Jay-Z says, “My physical’s a shell so when I say farewell, my soul will find a higher plane to dwell” People want something that transcends the span of their natural lives; a legacy that will endure and keep a part of them alive. It used to be God and religion that fulfilled this need but with atheism and agnosticism on the rise, nationalism is quickly gaining momentum. Not saying it’s right or wrong either way but I do think it’s an understandable part of man’s psyche. More on this later.