Truth or gossip

“Have you heard about the brothers, who was adopted by a foreign couple and then was used as a means to smuggle drugs” Kunjrii* asked.

“Never’ I answered promptly and then asked her “who told you ?”

“Everybody knows about it, and its strange, you don't know about this big story from Bal Mandir, she snapped.

“Where was I, when all this happened ?” I asked. “In the Bal Mandir, where do you think you were ?” she replied fast. “Then what is the name of those brothers ?” I asked with more concern, because I am curious now.

“I don’t know”, came the answer, but then she continued with, “one of them was killed and then with he help of plastic surgery and other technics, it was designed to create a look of a smiling child, all the time. Who looked unusually content, the child never cried and threw usual tantrum of a baby. The couple traveled back and forth to Nepal and unknown western country for many more years to come.

“After some time one air hostess got suspicious about it, why this child never cried and wore a smiling face and very easy going look on his face and when stroked blinked like animated one.” at this point, she gave me the mimicked version of the child’s blinking eyes and the smile, which did bring involuntary smile on my face. “She reported it to her higher authority and the couple got caught. The case was on the court later on.” she continue.

“why don’t I get a chance to read it in any papers ?” I am doubtful about its authenticity.

“I don’t know”, she lost her patience, as I doubted her and she hates being doubted. “Okay tell me, who told you this story ?” I asked straight forward question. She gave me a name of a peon who was working in the Bal Mandir, at that time when the incident happened. But besides that other people also knew about it.

Let me add here one thing, almost all the junior staff at the Bal Mandir, loves to gossip and spread mostly negative rumours and at times baseless stories, of course occasionally; it turns out to be true.

“It was Mohan Kumari Shrestha, who had given these child for adoption with the handsome money in return. You support her and may be that's the reason, you close your eyes from this kind of truth” She did not even blink her eyes to accuse me now.

This supporting Mrs. Shrestha, really amused me. Mrs. Shrestha, should hear these lines, so I asked her “what makes you to think, I support her ?”

“Everybody knows this” came the prompt reply, now this was tickling my funny bones.

Let me add one thing here, when I left Bal Mandir, one Swiss couple came forward, looking for a person who wanted to pursuit college degree. Mr. Shrestha, recommended my name to Bernhard and we are still in touch. Then it was something new trend and I was that lucky person who got Bernhard, as my sponsor. I am thankful to Bernhard, more than I am to Mrs. Shrestha. This is the reason many of my inmates of the Bal Mandir, thinks I was indebted to her than to him.


“What happened to the case ? who won and who lost ?” I wanted to know more.

“That I don’t know ”, she replied, but then she warned me, saying “you be very careful, if you think Mohan Kumari, is not the corrupt one on the lot. She is very dangerous and its only that, she does it very discreetly, unlike many in the senior management of the NCO - Bal Mandir. When she was head of Nutritious Food ( a branch of NCO at the Bal Mandir premises just the entrance gate is different ) she used to sell so many packets of milk and flour which came from America.”

I listened her silently, I have nothing to say, but she is not the only one who thinks Mrs. Shrestha’s house and land was accumulated purely from the bribe she collected while she was in the key position in Nepal Children’s Organization - Bal Mandir. When she used to go to Children's Vocational Center at Shiphal, on her regular visits, boys there used to pass comments at her making sure; she hears all those remarks, that the gold bangles she used to wear was also from the bribe money.

Interestingly, Mrs. shrestha, is aware of this kind of accusation towards her and perhaps for this vary reason, she thinks we ‘the children from Bal Mandir’, are so ingrate and lack the gratitude for their [officers at the orphanage] work.

“Do you know, she was expelled from Nepal Children’s organization; because of this case ?” she asked me. This is not the case, she was out. She was out from the Nepal Children's Organization due to power play with Mr. Thakur, who was on top management, he was an artist. More precisely, he was a famous sculpture artist; rather than the social worker and was appointed by government. During the year 91-92, Bal Mandir, was such a mess place due to major political stir in the country.

Kunjrii, does not remember this, but I do. This was all over the newspaper then. Though i did not read it but i am aware of all this.

“Let me tell you one thing here, she hates taking bribe and refuses very rudely, whenever she is offered bribe, I have seen her", I told her.

“Tell me she refused for what ?” she asked. “Mainly vegetables and herbs from their kitchen gardens.” I replied. “you said it, that does not give the scent of dollar right ?” She again counter questioned me.

That left me speechless. I could only stare at her in total silence.

* name changed due to privacy reasons.