From Earth to the Sky

TRIPTA THAPA MAGAR

Tripta Thapa Magar, 41, teaches at Rastriya Madhamik Vidyalaya in Sunsari. Her legs no longer work because she had polio at an early age. She struggled, crawling on four limbs, even over hot roads in the terai, to get her education. Today, she is a teacher as well as a leader of the disabled community in Sunsari.

From Earth to the Sky

I am a human being just like any other, with two hands and two feet. The only difference is they can stand, I cannot.

But I believe in struggle, standing on the same ground as other people. The struggle helps me to move forward whereas a platform like the floor is only a prop. When it comes to capability, I am definitely different from others, but not unable. I also have dreams like any other person.

When they realized that I could only crawl and not walk, my father, mother, and others used to say I was cursed. The school was near my house. I used to crawl to school, but my friends walked. The alphabet that my friends and I studied was the same. With the help of the same letters I learned I was not cursed but that I had polio. I then stopped complaining to God. I had a new awakening of life: “Even I can do something if I study.” Friends carried books in their hands, but I carried them in a bag. My hands propelled me to crawl forward. Massive sweat drenched me as I crawled on four limbs in the scorching heat of the terai. At times I felt I would faint by the heat. But my resolve to do something worthwhile, studying hard, never faltered.

After completing my primary education, I attended Janata High School. It was three kilometers from my home and vehicles were rare. When I did get into a bus, my hands were often stepped upon by fellow passengers. I even bled dud to excessive heat while crawling to school on the grueling tarred road which was like hot metal. But I continued my journey.

After completing my high school education, I came to Kathmandu and enrolled in Padma Kanya Women’s College. It was compulsory to wear a sari to attend the college; but it was completely impractical to me. So I had to design my own dress. Staggering up and down the unfriendly college staircase, I studied for higher secondary education and passed the exam! My heart knew no bounds. It felt like making a giant leap. I got the feeling that willpower had helped my dream come true.

I returned to Appgachhi. I established the Disabled Women’s Society and started raising awareness to the disabled and others. Gradually, there has been a change in people’s perspective towards the disabled. I started giving training to the other people with disabilities. The training helped them to live a meaningful life. As I continued my work, I got stronger and felt there was much to do. But financial resources were a big problem. People started giving contributions to me after several community meetings and some institutions joined in, too. I bought a small piece of land for the organization. With the donations and my small income, a building was constructed. The building has boosted my morale and that of many others like me.

             I may not be happy with my disability, but I always try to remain happy in all other aspects of life. I always try to do something that gives me satisfaction and brings convenience to others. This is what I call my life, my belief.