ANKIT ADHIKARI
KATHMANDU, OCT 19
Pandavas, a group of five brothers in Mahabharata, one of the Hindu epics, lost all their property as well as their common law wife Draupadi while gambling with the Kauravas. Moreover, the epic has it that the Pandavas had to go for exile after they lost everything in the game of dice they played with the Kauravas.
Though gambling has been declared illegal by the government, the game of dice popularly known as Langur Burja, in local language prevails in almost all parts of the city in the festive months of July and October. Due to fear of the police, people conduct these kinds of gambling mostly in alleys and at local chowks hiding from security personnel deployed to minimize criminal activities during Dashain and Tihar.
According to Abhinash Lama of Shankhamul, who conducts a game of dice at his locality, gambling is a part of festival. “It is more fun gambling along streets rather than in homes,” he said. “Since a large crowd is involved in the dice played along streets, there are chances of bagging more money.”
“The one who conducts the game is never at a loss,” said Lama adding that this sort of gambling should be “legalized” as this is a culture “inherited from religion”.
However, according to Suresh Gautam of Satdobato, who opposes gambling, such acts are never a part of culture. “Incidents of gambling, in religious epics, were always used to portray negative things. Religion has never spoken in favour of gambling. Instead, it has tried to portray negative aspects of gambling,” he said. “People, who gamble in the name of religion and culture, have misinterpreted the meaning of epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana.”
Gautam added that the intentions of the ones who conduct this game are purely “profit oriented”. Meanwhile, the police personnel deployed to maintain security and peace during the festive season seem unable to stop this illegal gambling. “We are trying our best to stop gambling and all sorts of criminal activities likely to take place during these festivals,” said Ramesh Kharel, Superintendent of Police (SP). “However, people conduct these games hiding from police along various gullies and chowks. We arrested some 10 to 12 people on the charge of conducting gambling games in public places so far. We filed a case under the public offense act against the people found responsible for conducting such games publicly.”
Nevertheless, in terms of tricking the police, the gamblers seem one step ahead. According to Lama, one of the conductors’ agents always stays a few metres ahead of the place where the game is taking place.
As soon as the agent sees a police van nearing the location, he signals the ones conducting the game. The game is paused for a while. Everything gets packed up till the police go away. Once the police van disappears, the game resumes again and the gambling restarts.
Pandavas, a group of five brothers in Mahabharata, one of the Hindu epics, lost all their property as well as their common law wife Draupadi while gambling with the Kauravas. Moreover, the epic has it that the Pandavas had to go for exile after they lost everything in the game of dice they played with the Kauravas.Despite the message that the epic delivers, people have not stopped gambling. Apart from games of cards played with families and friends inside homes during festivals like Dashain and Tihar, people also gamble publicly around nooks and crannies.
Though gambling has been declared illegal by the government, the game of dice popularly known as Langur Burja, in local language prevails in almost all parts of the city in the festive months of July and October. Due to fear of the police, people conduct these kinds of gambling mostly in alleys and at local chowks hiding from security personnel deployed to minimize criminal activities during Dashain and Tihar.
According to Abhinash Lama of Shankhamul, who conducts a game of dice at his locality, gambling is a part of festival. “It is more fun gambling along streets rather than in homes,” he said. “Since a large crowd is involved in the dice played along streets, there are chances of bagging more money.”
“The one who conducts the game is never at a loss,” said Lama adding that this sort of gambling should be “legalized” as this is a culture “inherited from religion”.
However, according to Suresh Gautam of Satdobato, who opposes gambling, such acts are never a part of culture. “Incidents of gambling, in religious epics, were always used to portray negative things. Religion has never spoken in favour of gambling. Instead, it has tried to portray negative aspects of gambling,” he said. “People, who gamble in the name of religion and culture, have misinterpreted the meaning of epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana.”
Gautam added that the intentions of the ones who conduct this game are purely “profit oriented”. Meanwhile, the police personnel deployed to maintain security and peace during the festive season seem unable to stop this illegal gambling. “We are trying our best to stop gambling and all sorts of criminal activities likely to take place during these festivals,” said Ramesh Kharel, Superintendent of Police (SP). “However, people conduct these games hiding from police along various gullies and chowks. We arrested some 10 to 12 people on the charge of conducting gambling games in public places so far. We filed a case under the public offense act against the people found responsible for conducting such games publicly.”
Nevertheless, in terms of tricking the police, the gamblers seem one step ahead. According to Lama, one of the conductors’ agents always stays a few metres ahead of the place where the game is taking place.
As soon as the agent sees a police van nearing the location, he signals the ones conducting the game. The game is paused for a while. Everything gets packed up till the police go away. Once the police van disappears, the game resumes again and the gambling restarts.
Published in The Kathmandu Post -- October 20
No comments:
Post a Comment