The news on the front page of Kantipur on the 8th were related to religion and people's welfare. Firstly, Mathingal was disturbed by the sad and regrettable news that a Dalit family's house was demolished with dozers in the name of Maha Yagya in Aurhi Rural Municipality of Siraha, and the other was that an 84-year-old retired teacher, Jagat Prasad Aryal, built an old-age home by asking 5/5 rupees, which made the heart happy and provided coolness.

The question 'What is religion?' always tugs at my heart. Is it religion to do Maha Yajna by using a dozer and removing the soil from Dalit's house saying that even the soil touched by untouchables is impure, or is it religion to provide grass and shelter for the helpless elderly as an old and retired teacher shakes hands with the world for 5 rupees and collects fodder as an ant? 

According to Hindu tradition, after entering the 84th year of life, there is a religious tradition of ``Chaurasi Pooja'' by performing various pujas, yajnas, homa, and charity after death.

It is commonly called 'Chaurasi Puja'. After coming of age, those who can do it themselves and those who can't, even after begging their children, get self-satisfaction by doing Chaurasi Pooja, as if it is their 'last dhoko'. Often in the Brahmin society, parents are worried that they will not reach heaven if they do not perform Chaurasi Puja.

When it comes to Chaurasi Pooja, most of them donate money to the Pandit with a lot of heart. But with that donation, their 'heaven' will be protected or not, there is no proof that anyone has seen it till date. But the financial situation of the pundit who says 'donate this thing' is certainly somewhat secure. 

Not only that, 'religion' is now becoming a business and business rather than human welfare. Mahayagyas performed under the guise of religion have become 'earnings'. Many kinds of 'Maharajas' and 'Babas' appear and conduct great yajnas at various places and collect crores of rupees by sitting on vyasasan and expounding on the 'immense glory of charity'. But it is rarely heard that the money collected is used for any social work.

According to the order of one of these Babas, a Dalit's house is located in the Maha Yajna place to be performed in Siraha and the soil on which Dalits stand is also impure. Not only demolishing the houses of Dalits but also digging up the foundation soil in the name of caste discrimination and untouchability is not only a challenge to the constitution and laws but also a crime against humanity.

It is even more unfortunate that a local representative is involved in such a crime. At present, the chairman of the rural municipality and the former president of the ward, who were involved in this work, have come under the law, but Bajrangi Baba, who is said to be the organizer, is absconding.

On the one hand, there is injustice in the society in the name of religion, on the other hand, Jagat Prasad, who has to spend his retired life gathering his children, relatives, friends and neighbors to worship at eighty-four, has built an old age home with facilities to provide shelter, food and food for the disabled, abandoned and destitute elderly people of this society. What could be a greater Mahayagya, a greater 'Chaurasi Pooja' than this? This 'Punya Karma' of 84-year-old Jagat Prasad will keep him alive in the society for years and the society will remember his contribution.

Our society is so ostentatious that people donate freely in the name of religion (?) and want to show themselves great. But if they ask for help for a social work or expect help for an old age home or an orphanage, they make excuses. 

In this context, I thought it appropriate to mention the story of Saru Subedi, the owner of an orphanage. Saruji has been running an orphanage named 'Tulsalaya Harihar Foundation' in memory of her parents. In his ashram, there are around 100 orphaned, helpless and orphaned children from East Mechi to West Mahakali in Nepal. Most of the children who were born orphans of Karnali, she herself reached there and rescued them. Not only that, some destitute elderly people will be taken to them if they find them. 

Until now, she has been running an ashram in her own house and a nearby rented house, but due to lack of space, a building is being constructed a little far away in Lalitpur that will be convenient for children and the elderly, but due to lack of funds, the structures are incomplete.

'The state does not support a penny. I talked to the people's representatives, they just said, 'Let's do it,'" she said, "There is no help from anywhere. It is not possible even by shaking hands with people. Is this campaign of Saru less than a great sacrifice? Why doesn't anyone step forward to help these helpless elderly and orphans? Why can't the government support 10/20 lakhs for this pious work? Even if the government wants this amount, it is nothing for him.