Critiquing the Disabled Ideology by Ghimire

in her book Jiban Kanda Ki Fool:

A Disability Studies

[Published in Sarokar. Kathamndu: Nepal Association of Blind, January, December, 2011]

Atindra Dahal
Onset:
Human life has a complex ontology; but it is the most precious achievement as well, in the
world. All other components and segments of divine creations and other surprises too are
irresistibly outvoted in front of the human beings in terms of their unparallel creativity and
unstoppable rational sense. So, humans are super and supreme.
Despite being the most powerful and an uncompromisingly supreme creature, humans too have a
lot of difficulties and problems in their lives. Views and ratiocinations on life are not same.
Various opinions are rife; and incontrovertible facts to define life are equally booming. For many
and for different reasons, life is the most futile and staple subject to talk on. Out of many debated
and discussed issues, perhaps the life is in the top list. From an average or beginner poet to
entrenched and renowned authors, the life is talked, and over talked too as a good subject. From
normal interpretation and deep down philosophical dealings, the issue of life has been equally
contentious and hot topic to debate and explore the new facts.
In spite of the fact that life itself is supreme and unparallel or precious, sometimes we try to
make negative meanings and seek incompleteness in life. More eagerly some such facts will be
noticed when any disability is noted in an individual. Till the day life is mostly defined as the
state of only to have complete physical ontology; and not having it or missing any part or power
in any part of body is defined as otherwise. Life and value of life is sought only with and in
people who are physically able. In the same grand-narrative, created by prejudiced people, so
called foundational notion of life, people are compartmentalized in two groups able and disabled.
Having complete and un-ruined physique are called able; and not having so are called disabled or
sometimes regarded as damaged and virtually unaccepted as well.
Towards disabled people, our attitude has not grown up as positive as that has to grow up.
Except in rare cases and periodically constructed formalities, we often regard disabled people as
damaged goods and unworthy citizen. People crack jokes, plot mockery and exhibit mass
defamation on them. Sometimes they are even accused of having serious folly in their past lives.
Sympathies are forwarded to them than encouragement.
Real question is: will people be disabled because of merely not having a part? Will people be
disabled because of un-functioning body part or of un-functioning mind? The people whom we
call disabled have lost a part of their body, but we have got our mind dysfunctional and disabled
to think in correct manner. They are equally or more able in all social spheres than we normal
and able humans are. Many of disabled people have been working very impressively whereas we
able have been indulging unsolicited chit chat and tea time talk about them.
Helen Keller, despite being blind, deaf and mute, worked for the changes of society and all
humans; and she had considerable success. Despite being disabled, Stephen Hawking, together
with earning PhD, has contributed lots of intensive books and research findings into domain of
pure science. Albert Bird was an admiring baseball player. Arnold Hills has been directing the
films.
So then, here, disabled people are found more able to sense the joy and creativity of the life and
explore it in deeper level of satisfaction and glory in self and for others too. They have exhibited
the better understanding of meaning and have been orienting people to understand the life.
The entire scene elucidates that those whom we call disabled are physically disabled; but we
other people are mentally disabled as well. They do have only a disabled body; but our mind is
spoilt and marred then it has gone disabled. We need to have serious improvements in our
thought; and we need to have vast revisiting and profuse reconfiguration of our ideology. But
more than able, disable people themselves have been in forefront to guide and orient us in that
mode of understanding. And the emerging literary figure of Nepal, Jhamak Ghimire is an
example to critique such disabled mental status of people through her book, Jiban Kanda Ki
Fool.
One of the definitions on disability studies, found on web, reads Disability studies is a relatively
new interdisciplinary academic field focusing on the roles of people with disabilities in history,
literature, social policy, law, architecture, and other disciplines. So reading Jhamak Ghimires
proactive role to critique the disabled mindset of people and society, through her publications,
can be assumed as a part of disability studies.
Jhamak Ghimie
Jhamak Ghimie, having got her birth in 1980 in eastern suburb of Nepal, Dhankuta, has been
actively serving to enrich the literary store of nation, despite having profuse uneasiness and
physical multi-disabilities. However she has been always very successful to make her stand
against disabled attitude and ideology of society and mass people. She even has been able to
critique on such understanding with projection of sound alternative thought instead. Her
powerful and pure critiquing on disabled judgment of society can be clearly noted in her latest
creation Jiban Kanda Ki Fool. The recently published book by Jhamak Ghimre, to notice once
more, who is a person with disabilities, not singly but multiply disabled, has embodied a sound
and appreciative notion of life. Her book explores the meaning of life into new horizon and
relocates the values of life. Critiquing the established but prejudicial thoughts, she extends the
vista of ideologue, used to perceiving life and disability, at a farther distance.
Sketching the Critique on Disabled Ideologue
The first and foremost fact is that disability is not an outcome of any curse; and it is not solely
represented by or with absence of physical part or parts. People may have to reel with physical
disability because of various unwanted reasons. They may have bi-birth or post-birth disability.
But simply the disability should not be the marker of peoples identity. Rather the true identity of
people lies on their performance and skills. People today will be evaluated in terms of his/her
jobs and beahviours. We have gone vastly far better ahead than the world where people would be
defined with completeness in physique or in terms of variation of color. =+-+ ===
+=+ =-=: =-+ =- - +== +- =c [trans: in modern world everyone is
defined on the basis of his/her works or modes of behavior (Upreti:257)] hints that simply
because of having complete or incomplete body signifies no great difference and values to
represent someone as human. =+ = += =- =+- -=- - =-=+ +==+
=r= =+-: - += [trans: in other way explanation, the working ability of people
happened to be the decisively chief marker of humans (Upreti; 257)] makes more crystal clear
understanding that the true and significantly chief part of human values and preciousness is not
the having complete or incomplete body; but it is on having appreciative and citable works
performance or negligence of creativity of human lives. Ghimire in her book Jiwan Kanda Ki
Fool realizes the facts and denies accepting the disability simply because of having incomplete
physique. She even makes powerful note of dissent towards entire social misunderstanding. She
boldly makes the references of some notable people, who were persons with disabilities, then
strongly postulates that those people made equal or more equal contribution to the world in
comparison of other people. + + ===- =| ==-=+ =+=-+ + - -
== | -==: +- =+- r- -+=: =-+--+, -=- +==: +- +--= =+-
s-- ==-= = =+a-+- - = =-- ++= =- =a | :--= =--=+-
= =|, ++ =+- : =|, =c --+ = =| [is disability only to have birth
with physical incompleteness? If so, why doesnt this universe sense Homer as incomplete? Why
did not this universe assume Nikko, Atrsowski and Helen Keller as an incomplete? Those
individuals too were with physically disability like I am. They too made the history, left
differently alternative and distinct understanding, and passed away by establishing the meaning
of being human (35)] projects her feelings that even persons with disabilities can make citable
performances and build a history. She strongly urges to enunciate the fact that they are no less
capable than history maker in the world. She poses irrefutable argumentation against the mass
sentiment of society at disabled people and clarifies that even disabled people can unleash their
efforts as in form of decisive powerhouse to cause changes and dismantle the annals.

She often comes with a different meaning of life, which generates optimism in people and
projects life with its strength and opportunities. Her statement =- =- ++- ==
==-= =-=, =- -=s |+- == = == = c- = t= t= =+ ---,
=== +- -- =+c- [even in this vacuum, the life kept on creeping, I faced it why not or
despite it was uneasy. It is said all rocks are not rocks, some may be diamonds too (48)] speaks
the fact that she uses the lenses of extreme positive feeling and positive attitude to examine the
vast possibilities in lives. Despite having lots of difficulties and frequent complexities, she
assumes life to have many of rejoicing moments and with lots of achievements worth
celebrating. So, together with painful aspects of life, she reveals the facets of pleasure as well. Or
she acknowledges the fact of having lots of rejoicing bends and brands in life. In short, she
revisits the earlier other understandings of lives and reconstructs the feelings in newer point.
Similarly her feelings, about of at the time that she recalls the public reaction to her with wish of
her death in reference of having disability, she writes: - + = ==: == - s+ =
+-- ==--- =- ===+ = s-+ === = + +- =-- =+-[ but,
was that right to say so in front of me? What a behavior of nil sympathy? Why the mind of so-
called actively talent people of society couldnt muse this fact? (55)] fires a spark to ignite an
inextinguishable flame to char the defective mindset of mass people. She surprises upon people,
who wish in against of right to life to somebody, and anticipate for her death. Those people who
called self as good and rational too desired the same. And today the author notes an acute crevice
in their so-called intellectuality and understanding. How could they exhibit their knowledge by
expecting so; so then, today author laughs at them? She regards them no more talented. In
reality, she notices them with acute shortage of humanitarian feeling and notion of life to others.
Rather the author poignantly puts her sympathy upon their defective feelings what failed to
honour the right to life which is even assumed as unalienable rights to every human. Focusing in
the inviolability on right to life, Jefferson says: we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all
men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain Unalienable Rights
that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness (13). How senseless people
were those, who called themselves as lead people in society, who even didnt understand the
unalienable rights to people and kept on wishing the death to the author. But with her book and
lines in it, she attacks on their thought with such a powerful blow, perhaps they dare to think in
rounds, before they present their wishes to any other disabled people by now.
Despite having some debates and discussions in line of generating new school of thought to
define and describe persons with disabilities, mass attitude and public psyche has not embodied
remarkable improvements yet. In majority of cases, till this time, person with disabilities are
regarded as substandard, inferior beings and damaged goods. Highlighting the mass hatred and
abomination paid to disabled people, even in America, who regards herself as most democratic
nation and most sensible or sensitive to all types of people, Traugot writes, Handicapped
children were more or less regarded as damaged goods (91). If so was the case of America,
how pathetic could be the condition of a far lagging nation like us? Perhaps it can be easily
endorsable to people. They are virtually unaccepted by many people. Public often
underestimates them, tries to project incompleteness and envisages life on mercy of others.
Mostly they, being empathetically, extend their sympathy. But refuting such ideas, being proud
on her sterling worth and appreciative accomplishments upon efforts carried till, Ghimire says:
== == = -- =-=---+ =-=, ----+ - -- +c ===
--- = + =c-+ == |+- -- +c =- ==-= +- ==+ =+ =-c
[trans: now I should have to live my life being voice of those voiceless and words for those
wordless people. I have been living life with this excitement (82)]. Her conviction highlights her
vision and degree of confidence. With these lines, she coldly responds to longtime socially
constructed partial and prejudiced philosophy on persons with disabilities. Posing a null on
understanding, which is developed as that: disabled people live on mercy and charity of others,
live on well-wishes of other, they are totally and incontrovertibly dependent, she determines to
live for others, to be hope for others instead. In spite of the fact that many people think that her
condition is to solicit others assistance, she assumes to be helpline for others instead. Here, she
not only critiques the lopsided feelings of society rather proposes a new school of thought, as
well, which justifies that even disabled people can represent others. They are also independent;
and can lead life to enable others to come in life of independence with correct representation to
them. Her courage duly expropriates the mass feeling on disabled and excommunicates the idea
that disabled should or shall live only on mercy of others.
Describing about his mothers positive attitude towards him, despite his being of disabled, the
famous author, Christy brown in his story, The Letter A writes, She refused to accept this truth,
the inevitable truth as it then seemed that I was beyond cure, beyond saving, even beyond hope.
She could not and would not believe that I was an imbecile, as the doctors told her. She had
nothing in the world to go by, not a scrap of evidence to support her conviction that, though my
body was crippled, my mind was not In spite of all the doctors and specialists told her, she would
not agree. I don't believe she knew why she just knew, without feeling the smallest shade of
doubt (37) shows that disability is not so acute and perishing if not that is mental. Having sound
mental or undestroyed metal condition denotes having ability. If mind is not shattered, simply
physical disability wont cause a great hamper. But people need to have positive output and a bit
extra level of sacrifice for it. Even, the author, Ghimire seeks similar environment and ambiance
among people.
Revisiting mass concept, she says: =c =c= +- , +- :, := -:| = ==
+- = -= - =" [how wonderful would this world be if there was no any discrimination,
rivalry and jealousy? (109)]. Rests of other people are seeking the good society and nation by
adhering their discriminatory thought and defective attitude, where Ghimire comes to be
mainstreaming all people for better world and good society. They would often react that the
death of author would cause a great solace to family. But author always adjudicated that as
wrong and inebriated feeling then abjured their notion, internally. In fact their idea was an
outcome of jealousy, or discrimination. That was indicating sheer stupidity of those people.
Hereby, the author contradicts the rests of the people who assumed of having goodness of society
by materializing their discriminatory ideologue and didactically advances to make them regret
for their follies they made by proposing an idea of uprooting such jealously and discrimination
for better society.
Ghimire then endorses that disability is in attitude of society. She regards society as disabled.
"-=-= =| +- =c = = =+=: +- rc- =+- = + -=- =- ===+
= =+= + = [ being based on ground reality, I question them- who regard self as able-
are you incomplete or me? Disabled- social lenses and attitude or me? (165)] makes clear outline
that disability lies not in physique rather in mind.
Similarly, complying with the feeling that physical disability is not an invincible and
unreachable bar to mean the life at fullest provided attempts are made, Dahal writes; -=+
= = -=- =-- -- -= == + += -=+=-+ + |+-
=-+ ==- +- == == + ==-- -=+ --=--+ c- [ trans: Jhamak
Ghimire is the most burning and matching example for us. Despite being victimized with
multiple physical disabilities, entire nation and all people pay profuse honour and salute to her
creativity and contribution]. His statements infer that even persons with disabilities too can make
considerable and citable contribution to the nation. And surpassing the socially constructed
notion on disabled people, Ghimire is making a good example to all.
=--= ==, =, = , === =+s= =-, =:, =-=, =-c:- = -c- -
=-- +- += =-- = c " [there are all modes: hurt, pain, sorrows, difficulties,
unexpected gorges and gulfs, so then the life is beautiful like blossoming flowers(248)] unmakes
authors sound and alternative reading on life. She traces joys and sublimity in life, despite of
modes of difficulties and curvatures.
Conclusion:
Thus, through her book, Ghimire is able to deconstruct the disabled mind and ideologue of
people upon persons with disability. She is able to prove, persons with disability are not really
worthless like society feels, rather they are super creative. They are equal or more equal to other
people. The real disabled is the public mindset.

References
Browns, Christy. The Letter A: Mosaic. Edt. Shreedhhar P Lohoni, Rameshwar P Adhikari,.
Nepal: Ekata Pustak Bhandar; 1997. P+35-42.
Davies, Lenard. The Disability Studies Reader. USA: Rutledge; 1996.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disability_studies
Jefferson, Thomas. The Declaration of Independence. Essays on the Creation of Knowledge.
Edt. Shreedhhar P Lohoni, Rameshwar P Adhikari, Abhi N Subedi. Nepal: Ranta Pustak
Bhandar; 1996. P+12-19.
Traugot, Marsha. The Children Who Wait. The Heritage of Words. Ed. Shreedhar Lohoni, Ramshwor
Adhkari, Abhi Subedi. Nepal: Ekata Books; 2010. P+90-96.
=, =+ =-- +: + += -+= =|== +=+-, -- (Ghimire, Jhamak. Life:
Throne or Flower. Nepal: Oriental; 2067).
-= =- "=+=- + ++ -=- =+-" -= +++ -+ == --= +s
(Dahal, Atindra. Disability or Distinct Ability. Views: Naya Patrika Daily. 19
th
Mangsir 2068,
Page 5).
=+- == =:-+ + -+= ===, --= (Upreti, Sanjeev. Talks on Theories.
Nepal: Sangrila; 2068).