Ram Chandra Poudyal, popularly known as RC Poudyal, the bearded man was known by all. Older Sikkimese may have firsthand knowledge of his style of politics, his issues and his ways but the younger lot like me do not know him well. We are unaware of the person RC was. A few interviews of him post the social media arrival, his eccentric ways is all that we have heard. His description here thus is what RC was to me, this is my version of the untypical RC.
My first memory of him was that of a man on foot. A bearded man walking. My dad sometimes used to offer him lift but he always smiled and declined. He regularly used to walk from Chota Singtam to Ranipool and back for his daily quota of newspapers. My dad had great reverence for the bearded man and Shri Poudyal treated him like a child, hands on my father's head whenever they met. I remember them meeting. My father left 6 years ago and the State is currently mourning the demise of RC Poudyal.
Who would walk 15 kms everyday for mere newspapers? Taxis in
plenty and he walked. So untypical.
For the last 5-6 years, I have seen him walking almost
everyday. His trademarks continued to be the white beard, glowing face, clean -
very clean shorts and tees during Summers and kurta pyjama coupled with a
sweater or a jacket during colder days, a walking stick or an umbrella. With
age catching up his daily distance would have shortened but he walked, walked
everyday.
By now I knew him better, not personally though. Having read
about him, having discussed him at places with people, my reverence and respect
for him had increased manifold, also memories of him treating my late father
like his kid always made me feel good.
A man who read Puranas, Vedas, holy scriptures and astrology. He knew them by heart. A man who
knew so much, a man who thought differently. A man who never compromised or
shied from his honest opinion. A Sikkimese leader who was clear, crystal clear-
so untypical.
Though I would cross him every day in the evenings while on
my drive back home, I never could gather the courage to stop and talk to him. A
namaste whenever our eyes met, and I would drive off. What would I talk to a
person who knew so much, who sees the world and life way differently than men
like me with narrow and selfish vision of everything? Would there even be
grounds for a decent conversation? I don't think so.
RC Poudyal founded the "Jhulkay Ghaam", opposed
Kazi over the design of democratic Sikkim. His party remained stuck to the
ideology and didn't compromise, his friends who helped him found the outfit
later migrated and made handsome careers but he remained stuck.
He unapologetically advocated the rights of the farmers, of
the poor. He advocated for rights of the Sikkimese Nepalese yet he wanted
Sikkim to have a Prime Minister and Chogyal to continue as the titular head. He
was clear in his demands. He never relented, never compromised.
The most loved and established Nepali leader of his time, he
would have made a fortune with a long political career had he compromised on the kind of Sikkim he
wanted. His vision of the political and social structure of Sikkim then did not
ally with that of the forces in power. He was left out but still clear and
unmoved. So untypical.
Recent articles by Shri Jigmee N Kazi have caught our
attention. His narration only strengthens the true character of RC Poudyal. A man who lived and died on his own terms. An
erratic, eccentric and a wise Sikkimese
who never budged. That was RC Poudyal.
Sikkim, where jingoism and being oblivious fanatic has been
the norm, souls like RC Poudyal are a rarity. Sikkim needs more men and women
like him.
In his passing away, we have lost a stalwart. Sikkim shall
miss him.
I shall miss the sight of the white bearded man walking.
May he find Moksha. Om Shanti.
(Deepak Tewari is a social commentator. Email:
tewarideepak@yahoo.co.in)