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Rookmangud Katawal: An Autobiography
रुकमाङ्गद कटवालको जीवन झट्ट पत्याइहाल्न नसकिने कथाहरूले भरिएको छ । उनको यो जीवनको रोचक तुल्याउने कथाक्रम चाखलाग्दा छन् । राजा महेन्द्र ओखलढुंगा सवारी हुदा ८ वर्षका रुकमाङ्गद सुरक्षाकर्मीलाई छल्दै सुत्त शाही क्याम्प भित्र छिरे। त्यहीँबाट उनकेा जिन्दगीले नयाँ मोड लियो। काठमाण्डैंमा पढ्ने मौका पाए । साथीको करकापले सेनामा भर्ती भए । हक्की स्वभाव, कडा मिजास र जोखिम मोल्ने तत्परता उनका पहिचान बने । माओवादी द्वन्द्व र शाही कदम हुँदै जनआन्दोलन २०६२/६३ छिचोलेपछि प्रधानसेनापति भएको यिनकै पालामा नारायणहिटी राजदरबारबाट बिदाइको हात हल्लाउदै राजा- राजा निस्किए ।
नेपाली सेनाको 'व्यावसायिक विश्वसनीयता’बढाएको जस यिनलाई जान्छ । यिनले राजसंस्था टिकाउने उपायमा राजा ज्ञानेन्द्रलाई संक्रमणकालका राष्ट्रध्यक्ष गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालासंग झुत्ती खेले, माओवादी अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहाललाई प्रधानमन्त्रीबाट हट्न बाध्य पार्न गरि लामो संघर्ष गरे । एकजना सेनापतिको जीवनकथा भए पनि यो माओवादी द्वन्द्व बिर्सजनसम्मको नेपाली सेनाको उथलपुथलको वृत्तान्त हो ।
'तपाई र मेरो कस्तो केमेस्ट्री मिल्छ है,’ प्रधानमन्त्री प्रचण्डले कुरा सुरू गर्नुभयो, 'जम्मा तीन महिना हो, दाइले आर्मीचाहिँ छाड्दिनुपर्यो ।
'म त कर्मठ सिपाही हुँ । मोर्चा छाडेर भाग्दिनँ । ’
'हत्तेरी ! ४०/४५ वर्षदेशको सेवा गरिसक्नुभयो, अब कति नै बाँकी छ र !’ उहाँले फेरि भन्नुभयो, 'महिनादिनमा न्युयोर्कको राजदूत खाली हुँदैन, आजैको क्याबिनेटबाट पास गराइदिन्छु । ’
'राजदूत त के, इन्द्रको आसन दिए पनि चाहिएन ।’
Two crucial translated sections from Rookmangud Katawal’s memoir :
April 2006
“Your king is a liar,” British ambassador Bloomfield told me one day.
I could not accept such things being said about our head of state and supreme commander. I shot back: “How could you ever say that about my king?”
Bloomfield repeated even more tersely: “He is not fit to be king.”
The exchange went on for a while, but I could not convince the ambassador. None of the Kathmandu-based envoys were for an active monarchy, so they were not welcome in the palace.
But the people surrounding King Gyanendra, and those who were using his power, did not warn the King that he was losing international support. At a time when he should have been showing some flexibility, the King had become more rigid.
I tried to convince the Chief several times to take the message to the King that he should meet the NC and UML, which still had popular support. He never replied.
3 May 2009
“We are not going to surrender. No way” I told President Ram Baran Yadav’s adviser. “I don’t want to do anything unpleasant myself. My legitimacy finishes by 12 midnight.”
At about 11PM, the President called.
“Do I have to put it in writing?” The President asked. “Can’t I not write it?”
I replied: “If it is not in writing, there will be a question of legitimacy. A letter would resolve the issue.”
By then, KP Oli had got to the palace despite his health problems, and called to say the President had decided to send the letter and to inform all the generals.
A few minutes later, the fax arrived, reinstating the Chief of Army Staff. It was a clear and direct letter, just as we wanted. Soon after, my mobile and all the landlines started ringing off the hook.
The needle on my watch approached midnight. But I wasn’t sleepy, I went out to meet my soldiers outside.
नेपाली सेनाको 'व्यावसायिक विश्वसनीयता’बढाएको जस यिनलाई जान्छ । यिनले राजसंस्था टिकाउने उपायमा राजा ज्ञानेन्द्रलाई संक्रमणकालका राष्ट्रध्यक्ष गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालासंग झुत्ती खेले, माओवादी अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहाललाई प्रधानमन्त्रीबाट हट्न बाध्य पार्न गरि लामो संघर्ष गरे । एकजना सेनापतिको जीवनकथा भए पनि यो माओवादी द्वन्द्व बिर्सजनसम्मको नेपाली सेनाको उथलपुथलको वृत्तान्त हो ।
'तपाई र मेरो कस्तो केमेस्ट्री मिल्छ है,’ प्रधानमन्त्री प्रचण्डले कुरा सुरू गर्नुभयो, 'जम्मा तीन महिना हो, दाइले आर्मीचाहिँ छाड्दिनुपर्यो ।
'म त कर्मठ सिपाही हुँ । मोर्चा छाडेर भाग्दिनँ । ’
'हत्तेरी ! ४०/४५ वर्षदेशको सेवा गरिसक्नुभयो, अब कति नै बाँकी छ र !’ उहाँले फेरि भन्नुभयो, 'महिनादिनमा न्युयोर्कको राजदूत खाली हुँदैन, आजैको क्याबिनेटबाट पास गराइदिन्छु । ’
'राजदूत त के, इन्द्रको आसन दिए पनि चाहिएन ।’
Two crucial translated sections from Rookmangud Katawal’s memoir :
April 2006
“Your king is a liar,” British ambassador Bloomfield told me one day.
I could not accept such things being said about our head of state and supreme commander. I shot back: “How could you ever say that about my king?”
Bloomfield repeated even more tersely: “He is not fit to be king.”
The exchange went on for a while, but I could not convince the ambassador. None of the Kathmandu-based envoys were for an active monarchy, so they were not welcome in the palace.
But the people surrounding King Gyanendra, and those who were using his power, did not warn the King that he was losing international support. At a time when he should have been showing some flexibility, the King had become more rigid.
I tried to convince the Chief several times to take the message to the King that he should meet the NC and UML, which still had popular support. He never replied.
3 May 2009
“We are not going to surrender. No way” I told President Ram Baran Yadav’s adviser. “I don’t want to do anything unpleasant myself. My legitimacy finishes by 12 midnight.”
At about 11PM, the President called.
“Do I have to put it in writing?” The President asked. “Can’t I not write it?”
I replied: “If it is not in writing, there will be a question of legitimacy. A letter would resolve the issue.”
By then, KP Oli had got to the palace despite his health problems, and called to say the President had decided to send the letter and to inform all the generals.
A few minutes later, the fax arrived, reinstating the Chief of Army Staff. It was a clear and direct letter, just as we wanted. Soon after, my mobile and all the landlines started ringing off the hook.
The needle on my watch approached midnight. But I wasn’t sleepy, I went out to meet my soldiers outside.
447 pages, Paperback
First published August 14, 2014
19 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 22, 2014
I would have given a 2/5 for this book but considering the person himself and what he achieved in such a system - becoming a chief of the Army despite born as a "general" people, he surely deserves respect. I reckon there have been several exaggerations on his side in this memoir, but thats somewhat expected out of autobiographies, isn't it?
February 1, 2015
रूक्माङ्गद कटवालको आत्मकथा मलाई
चिँ राम्रो लाग्यो । यो कथामा आधारित
सिनेमा बन्यो भने पक्कै सुपरहिट चल्छ तर
पुस्तकका अधिकांश महत्वपुर्ण कुराहरु कपोकल्पित
जस्ता लाग्ने छन् । आफैँलाई सर्बोपरि बनाएकाछन् कट्वालले
(किताबमा मात्र हैन त्यसबेलाका राजनितिक
घटनाक्रममा पनि... ) उनका अटल निर्णय र त्यसैले
डोर्याएको बाटोमा मुलुक हिडेको भन्ने कुरा पाच्य भएन ।
सेनापतीमा हुनुपर्ने धेरै गुण कटवालमा भएपनि मपाईँत्व धेरै
देखिन्छ । पढ्न रोचक छ। गलत हो भन्ने लाग्दालाग्दै
पनि रमाईलो सँग पुस्तक पढीसिध्याएँ ।
चिँ राम्रो लाग्यो । यो कथामा आधारित
सिनेमा बन्यो भने पक्कै सुपरहिट चल्छ तर
पुस्तकका अधिकांश महत्वपुर्ण कुराहरु कपोकल्पित
जस्ता लाग्ने छन् । आफैँलाई सर्बोपरि बनाएकाछन् कट्वालले
(किताबमा मात्र हैन त्यसबेलाका राजनितिक
घटनाक्रममा पनि... ) उनका अटल निर्णय र त्यसैले
डोर्याएको बाटोमा मुलुक हिडेको भन्ने कुरा पाच्य भएन ।
सेनापतीमा हुनुपर्ने धेरै गुण कटवालमा भएपनि मपाईँत्व धेरै
देखिन्छ । पढ्न रोचक छ। गलत हो भन्ने लाग्दालाग्दै
पनि रमाईलो सँग पुस्तक पढीसिध्याएँ ।
May 6, 2021
माओबादीको अस्लीयत जान्नु छ भने यो पढ्न पर्ने किताब हो |
November 28, 2018
The writer mentioned all his good things but there are no negative parts just like Bollywood movies.
June 1, 2021
Interesting read. Well written
June 30, 2020
I have a huge respect for what he has achieved in his lifetime. It was interesting to know about the history but feels like there has been some exaggeration.
September 16, 2014
Nice read. Liked the way it is written. Like or dislike will depend on how you trust the author. I like the book because I get to know about the history about Nepal, about the Royals and Nepal army from a different angle.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews