Because we are FAMILY

I am apprehensive writing on this topic but i couldn’t look away. I think I am the right person to talk about this topic. Or I may be the wrong person too. I visited a site yesterday! There stood a stupa (Chorten as we term in our language). The clear sky above, the river rushing just below the standing stupa dragged me to capture the beauty of that scene. I did capture a beautiful scene from a single angle. Then I visited another angle only to sway away my captured scene. I think you get what I will be talking about. Yes I am talking about exactly what you were thinking: Chorten Vandalism.

This word “VANDALISM” didn’t have effect on me until few years back. I was casual when people discussed on such issues. Four years back and whenever someone started talking about it my inner voice started crying and pleading “please please… let this topic end soon. Let this topic not mention my father’s name. At least not in front of me and my siblings”. A lump would form in my heart and my body would start getting Goosebumps. There were times when people unaware of the family that I came from would talk so harsh about my family. Just as anyone has family they were my family too though they convicted a crime. Words did sometime cut me so deep and maybe same was the case with my siblings. Every time I pass by a chorten I pray for my father to be forgiven for whatever sins he accrued. I believe that god answers to sincere prayers. Yes, my father is imprisoned to 13 years for buying and selling of “zee: cats eye” of a vandalized chorten knowingly. The family background I am associated with either makes me the right person to talk about or the wrong one too. For now I am taking the earlier one: that I am one of the right people who can talk about this.

The case of chorten vandalism remains a prominent issue despite many after-measures taken by concerned agencies. Imprisoning the convicted are few of the after measures taken for this issue. What are the prevention measures? There are care takers recruited to take care of important lhakhangs and few chortens. But what is done to our chortens that lie in nook and corner of the country? Do we make our public aware of the importance and significance of chortens? Do we educate our youths, parents and the public enough? Or are our measures not centered to after-effects? What are the prevention measures taken for this VANDALISM issue?

Can we not make our “people aiming to vandalize” educate on the after-effects of vandalism as a prevention measure? Can we not tell them that a family member of theirs suffers depression, shame, and isolation in the community? Can we not tell them that a child pleads, begs and bleed mentally? Can we not tell them that a child seeks forgiveness for their parents’ deeds? Can we not educate our public which consist of old, young, parents, children and those willing to be criminals? This is a humble submission from a woman of background of criminal family. But I pledge to pray and continue seeking forgiveness for my father. Because he is my FATHER. Because we are FAMILY! Because I wasn’t there to educate him.

P.S: I hope that anyone reading this post will educate your family on this issue too. Because you are a FAMILY!