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Amid frantic search and rescue efforts that are coming to a close, earthquake survivors are awaiting food, shelter and medical treatment from the government that is trying hard to get its acts together, in a grim reminder of the 2015 Gorkha earthquake that killed about 9,000 people and caused loss of infrastructure worth billions of rupees. Hundreds of survivors are spending the night under the open sky after their houses collapsed as a mag-6.4 earthquake hit Jajarkot and east Rukum late Friday.

The emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers held at Singha Durbar on Sunday decided to set up the main liaison office at Surkhet and the auxiliary liaison office at Nepalgunj to make the search, rescue and relief distribution effective.

“The government will provide Rs 200,000 to each bereaved family and government hospitals will provide free treatment to the injured. Makeshift shelters will be managed for the affected,” said government spokesperson and Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma.

“Since the reconstruction work cannot be effective through the traditional construction method and the existing procurement act, there is a demand to do the reconstruction work through a robust and effective mechanism. An action plan will be formulated accordingly,” the government spokesperson said. 

The modality for providing subsidies for the quake victims to construct houses also figured in the meeting. “Genuine victims should get subsidies, and the houses built should be properly utilized,” said Sharma. The meeting also decided to provide lunch expenses to those deployed in the search, rescue and relief distribution and asked one and all to be patient in this time of disaster.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has issued directives for making the relief and rehabilitation for the Jajarkot earthquake victims effective. Addressing the meeting of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management National Council at Singha Durbar on Sunday, he instructed relevant authorities to conduct relief and rehabilitation operations effectively.

PM Dahal expressed sorrow over the loss of life and properties resulting from the quake and stressed the need to utilize the disaster as an important opportunity for reconstruction.

The 13th meeting of the council was convened to discuss the damage resulting from the earthquake, and the steps the government needs to take in the aftermath of the disaster. On the occasion, PM directed all to be serious in making the post-quake rescue, relief and reconstruction effective, describing the steps taken by the three tiers of the government and other bodies right after the disaster as “positive”.

He said preparations have been made to undertake post-disaster works in a prompt manner by making suitable changes in the existing Acts, regulations and structures based on the best practices in the aftermath of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake.

“I thank all the parties, the federal government and various agencies, the provincial government and the local governments for their post-earthquake initiatives. We have carried out search and rescue operations. Now we need to concentrate on relief and rehabilitation,” the PM reiterated. 

He directed all concerned to manage warm clothes for the earthquake victims and make medical treatment for the injured more effective. Reminding that Nepal is a country vulnerable to natural disasters, the PM acknowledged that the government’s disaster preparedness has not been adequate.

“For the next three days, let us make maximum efforts for relief. The existing Acts, procedures and structures may have to be amended to make reconstruction works more effective. We need to make a sound review of our past experiences as well,” PM Dahal reiterated. 

While 157 people have lost their lives in the quake, six more survivors have been brought to Nepalgunj-based Bheri Hospital for treatment from Jajarkot and Rukum, said Banke’s Chief District Officer, Shrawan Kumar Pokharel. They are among 38 quake survivors brought from the quake-hit districts to Nepalgunj for treatment.

Open air medical facility

A 10-bed health facility at Barekot, the epicenter of the quake, is attending to those injured in the quake in the open as the jolt has also damaged its building. Senior ANM Kalpana Rokaya said temporary arrangements are in place for providing healthcare services majorly targeting the quake survivors. Meanwhile, Jajarkot continues to experience the aftershocks of Friday’s quake.  

Seismological team in Jajarkot

A team from the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Center at Lainchaur has reached Jajarkot to conduct a study on the mag-6.4 temblor. The team under senior seismologist Lokvijaya Adhikari will carry out a comprehensive study and research on the quake, said director-general of the Department of Mines and Geology, Ram Prasad Ghimire. Meanwhile, senior seismologist Adhikari said that the Jajarkot earthquake was not an aftershock of the Bajhang earthquake, but a new one. Four aftershocks have occurred following the earthquake that hit Ramidanda of Jajarkot. An aftershock of mag-4.5 was recorded the same night at 12:08 pm, followed by mag-4.2 jolt at 12:29 pm, mag-4.3 jolt at 12:35 pm and mag-4.2 quake at 3:40 on Saturday afternoon.

My Dashain read was ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ by Richard Osman. The book had been sitting on my shelf for over two years now. I wanted something light and fun to read during the festive season to get my mind off things and I had heard great things about it, with many people calling it a ‘cozy murder mystery’. Osman’s debut book, the film rights of which was snapped by Steven Spielberg, reminded me of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five and made me very happy.

Coopers Chase is a luxury retirement village with 300 residents in the Kent countryside in England. Every week, four senior citizens meet to investigate unsolved murder cases. The cases come from the files of a former police officer, Penny Gray, who is also the club’s founding member. But she is now lying comatose at a nursing home. So, it’s Elizabeth, probably a former spy for the MI5, Ibrahim Arif, a psychiatrist, Ron Ritchie, a former trade union hero, and former nurse Joyce Meadowcroft who meet to discuss and solve cold cases.

In The Thursday Murder Club, Ian Ventham, the owner of Coopers Chase, plans to expand the village. But that means having to dig up and relocate the bodies of nuns buried in the cemetery. The residents, especially the religious ones, aren’t happy about this. Then Ventham’s right-hand man Tony Curran is found bludgeoned to death and that soon opens a box of secrets that somebody would like to bury at any cost. Enter the police—DCI Chris Hudson and PC Donna De Freitas—who, along with the murder club members, try to figure out just what is going on.

The book isn’t your regular, pacy thriller. In fact, it’s slow and the scenes don’t flow. There are a lot of personal stories of the characters interspersed within the main narrative. But humor, and prickly British humor at that, is everywhere. The dialogue and scenes are funny. They will make you laugh out loud, even when they deal with serious situations. Osman has created relatable characters who feel like people you know. They make the story come to life. The characters are the driving force of what could otherwise have been a run-of-the-mill story.

The Thursday Murder Club is, at its core, a mystery. But it’s also a novel about friendship, love, loss, and coming to terms with who we are and what we value. Osman also challenges the notion of old age. The four unlikely but immensely lovable amateur detectives or ‘harmless pensioners’ are testimony to the fact that age doesn’t and shouldn’t stop you from doing what you love.

Fiction

The Thursday Murder Club

Richard Osman

Published:

Publisher:

Pages: Paperback

With more than three and half decades of experience in nursing, Archana Ranjit has played the roles of a mother, sister, and daughter to many patients. She is a nursing officer at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital where she has been specializing in surgical nursing, primarily focusing on the burn surgical ward and the operation theater. Recently, she transitioned to the role of sister-in-charge at the hospital’s outpatient department (OPD), following her dedicated service as the head of the burn ward for eight years.

During her teenage years in Bhairahawa, her hometown, she fearlessly practiced the ear-piercing culture and rushed to the first aid treatment of those in need. Her career choice was perhaps only an extension of that. A visit to the hospital introduced her to one of her relative’s sisters who inspired her to pursue nursing as a profession. Since then, Ranjit, now 56, has maintained a steadfast dedication to nursing, progressing from a staff nurse to eventually taking on her current prestigious role at one of the most reputed hospitals in Nepal.

She has expertise in the field of surgical nursing, particularly in burn care. Additionally, she serves as a trainer in the Training of Trainers (ToT) program. In Nepal, she proudly mentions, “Our trainer group was the pioneering team to receive and provide ToT for burn ward training.” In Nepal, she is among the ten people who have received advanced training in burn care.

As a nurse, Ranjit has always had a strong connection with burn patients. At the burn ward, her focus is on comforting patients both physically and emotionally including managing their fluids, nutrition, and diet, offering counseling, and closely observing them for the need for potential surgeries. Despite her varied responsibilities, her primary focus remains on ensuring her patients are as comfortable as possible. “Managing burn injuries requires a lot of vigilance. Patients come with minor to severe, life-threatening burns and each case is different,” she says. 

Throughout her nursing career, she has actively volunteered for numerous initiatives. As a trainer under Burn Violence Survivors Nepal, she has participated in various training camps. In the past, she was associated with Impact Nepal, an organization that conducted ENT (Ear Nose Throat) camps, where she provided her services in various remote areas as well as several other medical and surgical camps organized by the hospital she works at. She is also associated with Astitwa, a non-profit working for the rehabilitation of acid and burn survivors, to bring about awareness on burn violence and its treatment.

The most important aspect of patient care is building trust and creating a familial atmosphere, she says. She views the act of caring for her patients as a form of worship, equating hospitals to temples; embracing a belief in a religion centered around service.

Emphasizing the importance of politeness, Ranjit says, “Nurses need to view patient care as their responsibility rather than just a job.” She is proud of relationships akin to motherhood and sisterhood with her patients. Her enduring patience and meticulous attention to patients are the qualities that she believes make her a true healer.

Five years ago, she came across a burn victim who had recently given birth. Given their challenging financial situation, they couldn’t even afford the basic necessities for the baby. Ranjit took it upon herself to care for the child while the mother was in a critical condition. Even now, when the mother has recovered, she continues to provide assistance within her means. “They refer to me as their mother,” she says with a smile that lights up her eyes. 

 She believes that an autocratic approach to leadership is detrimental, especially in healthcare. As an in-charge, she values and respects every team member. Despite her round-the-clock responsibilities, she persistently strives to create a comfortable space while remaining professional. “The hospital feels like a second home and I want people I work with to feel the same,” she says. 

Despite irregular shifts, she doesn’t have any complaints about her work. On the contrary, she loves that no two days are the same. The only challenging thing is seeing patients in pain. Their suffering and tears still break her heart even after all these years. 

“Advancement in treatment has made things bearable. Now, we don’t feel as helpless as we used to when a burn patient is admitted,” she says. Years ago, burn care basically meant dressing the wound. But now many effective procedures ensure rapid recovery and that makes her heart swell with joy. Nonetheless, what disappoints her is the lack of burn wards across hospitals in Nepal. 

Through her dedicated work, Ranjit has emerged as a patient advocate, ensuring that patients’ needs and concerns are acknowledged and respected. She also strongly believes in raising social awareness about the need for immediate burn care. 

Ranjit highlights the importance of educating every household about the immediate first aid treatment for burns, specifically emphasizing on the use of running water for 30 minutes instead of outdated methods like applying aloe vera or ice. She says there is a lack of awareness among people and says the government must incorporate these essential skills into the school curriculum.

At conferences and meetings that she participates in, Ranjit advocates for the provision of free treatment for every burn victim in Nepal, similar to what acid victims stand to receive under the new policy. 

Ranjit values the love she receives from her patients and the satisfaction she feels when someone gets better is immense. These are, she says, the real awards. At work too, she has received prestigious honors like the ‘Dirgha Sewa Padak’ and the ‘Best Nurse Award’. The Nepal Burn Society has also recognized her for her steadfast dedication and contributions to burn care. Retirement is looming and Ranjit has plans to volunteer at a nursing home and provide free medical care. 

With the growing opportunities in the nursing field worldwide, there is a rise in the number of students pursuing this profession. She urges aspiring nurses to enter the field with a spirit of service, alongside professional growth instead of just being enthralled by the international opportunities it offers.

For centuries, indigenous edible oils have been an integral part of our culture, deeply intertwined with our culinary heritage. Among these oils, mustard oil, extracted by traditional cold-pressed methods, has played a pivotal role in our kitchens. This time-tested technique not only sustained small-scale processing but also provided employment for generations, fostering local procurement and distribution networks with minimal carbon footprint. It was a sustainable system, creating a virtuous cycle for our communities.

However, in the name of health benefits and the pursuit of ‘heart-healthy’ options, two unnatural fats—Vanaspati ghee and refined oil—were introduced to South Asia. These newcomers had a profound impact on our socio-cultural cooking and consumption patterns.

Vanaspati ghee, once marketed as a healthier alternative under the name ‘Dalda,’ underwent a transformation. Edible oil was hydrogenated, a process that involved adding hydrogen to convert liquid unsaturated fats into solid saturated fats, resulting in vanaspati ghee. It resembled ghee in appearance and boasted a higher melting point, making it ideal for deep frying. On the other hand, refined oils, touted as purer and capable of ‘producing good cholesterol,’ were virtually odorless, colorless, and tasteless. They were primarily solvent-extracted.

This introduction was a deliberate attempt to undermine indigenous and unprocessed oils while promoting the importation of less healthy options, including Palm oil, one of the unhealthiest oils globally, and other refined oils. This shift nearly led to the extinction of our ‘Kol’ or cold pressing mills and eroded the traditional knowledge of mustard oil production.

Fortunately, a new awareness is emerging among Nepali, prompting them to return to their roots and embrace the use of mustard oil. Mustard oil possesses a distinct and robust flavor with pungent and slightly bitter notes. This unique flavor complements the spices and herbs commonly used in pickles, resulting in a well-rounded taste profile that is challenging to replicate with other oils.

In traditional Newari cuisine, quick-marinated delicacies like choyela, kachila, and aloo cha rely on mustard oil to balance the flavors of cumin, garlic, and ginger. These dishes require no additional seasoning when the perfect combination of sourness and heat is achieved with salt and mustard oil.

In pickle recipes with only a few ingredients, the quality of each component becomes paramount. Using pure, high-quality mustard oil ensures that it enhances the overall flavor and aroma of the pickle. Adulterated mustard oil mixed with other oils can negatively impact the taste and aroma. Back in the day, most mustard oil was locally produced, guaranteeing its purity.

Mustard oil offers numerous health benefits. For centuries, it has been used to alleviate colds, coughs, and respiratory issues. Inhaling steam with mustard oil can clear respiratory congestion, and massaging a mixture of mustard oil, garlic, and ajwain on the feet and chest may provide relief from cold and cough.

Mustard oil contains glucosinolates, which contribute to its antibiotic, fungicidal, and cancer-prevention properties. It may protect against colorectal and gastrointestinal cancers. Allyl isothiocyanate, found in mustard oil, acts as an antifungal agent and can protect food from fungal growth.

The nutritional profile of mustard oil may support the health and strength of red blood cells. When applied topically, mustard oil can cause a warming sensation and increase blood flow, potentially alleviating pain. It has traditionally been used as a rubefacient and irritant. Some individuals use mustard oil topically to relieve joint pain and arthritis symptoms, thanks to its warming and soothing effects.

Mustard oil is believed to boost immunity, possibly due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It’s also considered suitable for diabetes recipes due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, it’s said to stimulate the appetite and may slow the growth of cancer cells.

One of the remarkable qualities of mustard oil is its ability to act as a natural preservative for pickles. It helps bind the spices and dried fruits together, allowing them to absorb the seasoning, which contributes to the authentic flavor of the pickle. Mustard oil also contains compounds such as allyl isothiocyanate, which possess powerful antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. The oil forms a protective coating, sealing off access to oxygen and preventing spoilage, thereby extending the shelf life of the pickle.

Pure mustard oil has low water activity, which means it contains minimal dissolved water. This property inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungi, preserving the quality and flavor of the pickle.

Roasted mustard oil, known as ‘bhuteko tori ko tel’, is another indigenous variety produced in different mustard oil pressing mills in Kathmandu Valley. Unlike the cold-pressed variety, roasted oil undergoes a dry-roasting process that softens its raw mustard flavor, resulting in a dark amber-colored oil. This variation is particularly used in dishes like choyela.

Mustard oil production in Nepal is not just an industry; it’s a way of life. It celebrates agriculture, culture, and culinary traditions. The significance of mustard oil in Nepali households and its enduring presence in the heart of Nepali cuisine cannot be understated.

Mustard oil is not merely an ingredient but a culinary and cultural treasure of Nepal. It enhances flavor, preserves pickles, provides health benefits, and carries cultural significance in many culinary traditions, particularly in Nepal. Its unique qualities make it an essential component in the pickling process, and its role goes beyond the kitchen.

Mustard oil is a symbol of our heritage, connecting us to our roots and reminding us of the rich traditions that continue to shape our culinary experiences. As we celebrate the resurgence of mustard oil in our kitchens, we also celebrate our cultural heritage and the flavors that make Nepali cuisine truly special.

The author is a UK-based R&D chef

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