Mommy What Does Bhaiya Mean?

 I often get surprised with the colored shade of the utterance“ bhaiya ”.When I was in class five one of the schoolboy pronounced it in front of all my classmates when he could not secure the good marks which I got making him looser. He spit out the word very inhumanly .I couldn’t understand but when our madam gave a slap .I became aware that it was a way to negate my personality and so I needed to forget that.

Our family has shifted in Nepal before these decades .Our forefathers were called here to do certain ritual activities in temples like Pashupatinath, and certain business in mountainous regions. So, in the grand party at our ancestral house, our family members were discussing about our cultural heritage. Suddenly one of the ladies called my father saying “bhaiya” brings some sweet to me too. This pronunciation was inherent in mind since long time so I couldn’t distinguish why the sound when pronounced by a Nepali boy became so offensive.

During this deepawali some of my aunts and started discussing about the offering. They started arguing with my father and uncle why you “bhaiya” brought this much gifts. In that situation ,we children become aware that they were children of same parents that’s why arguing with each other like children even they are too old. So, “bhaiya” for these aunts was the way to demand more items in festival.

In a party organized by our neighbors my mother was showing some ornaments to her friends and saying my “bhaiyas” are so lovely and kind .They always fulfill my needs and never forget to provide the aid and wishes during the festivals to show their affection to my family. Meanwhile they were saying the song where a “bhaiya” even died to save his sister during Rakshabandahan.

One day when I was moving to the Bishalbazar with my aunt one of the watchman came and started to beat the guy with cycle carrying the basket saying “bhaiya”. Suddenly the owner of the shop with some guards came there started beating him severely blaming him as a thief. Later  other policeman brought  the real thief  and he was made released  without asking excuse .I was really shocked why a poor man was hit badly I asked one of the customer ,the lady with modernized outlook gave the answer what was the necessary work for such dirty, black “bhaiya” to enter in Bishalbazar.

After coming home from there I started to think about all the events and to find out the negative, positive .I also remembered the depiction of the rickshaw puller in Ghanchakkar by great writer Sanjib Uprety who portrayed the guy as Kalo Madhise, who tried to exploit the late woman sexually .This I discuss with my mom and became able to know that “bhaiya” the word posits different shades of meaning.