Lakshmi who has spread light and set

After the conclusion of the interaction in that meeting, Vivek reached the stage. And he opened the wrapping paper in his hand and handed a small bag with a red dosalla to mother Lakshmi's hand and extended his hand with amber. Lakshmi's eyes filled with tears while watching this scene.

Even Vivek couldn't hold back his tears seeing the tears in his mother's eyes. Sighing, he drew the vertical line of red hinges on his mother's forehead. For many, a bold red spot on the forehead may be commonplace, but it was a new journey in Lakshmi's life and a line of determination and confidence . It was a symbol of "victory" over the apartheid tradition on countless "single women" who lost confidence due to the behavior of the society after the death of their husbands. It was a symbol of the struggle against the injustice done by the powerful to the 'single woman' and the discriminatory structure that was raised - the red vertical hinges.

2061 February 15 was the afternoon time . It was an "emotional moment" of a campaign that reached its peak. A group of single women from Gandakot, led by Lakshmi Bhattarai, was looking for answers to various questions from about a month ago. "Single women should use red color" or not? If not, from where, in what context and why did this apartheid practice start in Nepali society? Has our society not given any religious policy to adopt this bad practice? Is this written in our Vedas, Puranas or any religious scriptures? Or is it prohibited by our civil law to do this? Is there any incident in our history, due to which Nepali widows should not touch red tika, clothes, makeup or color at all? Should our daughter, sister, didi, fupu, sanima, daughter-in-law, nanda, amaju be separated from our family-social relations as soon as they become widows? Where is such a thing written ?

After two weeks of discussion on these and many similar questions, the meeting was held that day. On that day, hundreds of single women came ready to suffer whatever it takes to advocate against the oppressive traditional practices of apartheid on single women.

On that day, thousands of men and women who had gathered at the fire of the then Gandakot village were asking many questions about the discriminatory behavior and behavior of single women. But the answer was not coming from the teachers, lawyers, lama, professors, writers, employees, pundits, journalists, parents or experts participating in the meeting . Neither could anyone say that the discriminatory treatment of a single woman is correct in any law, history, evidence or context. Millions of single women like Lakshmi were being cursed to suffer discrimination for no reason for centuries.

In the life of all single women, such an event did not happen by thinking, wanting or choosing. On July 16, 2050, an unexpected incident happened in Lakshmi's life. She was only 19 years old at that time. And in his arms, son Vivek . Hariprasad Sigdel, husband of Lakshmi, died when the airplane flying from Kathmandu to Bharatpur crashed at Solighopte Hill in Tanahun. Then her journey of 'single woman' started.

Lakshmi and Vivek's journey to the confusing future begins . The society's discrimination against single women also started in Lakshmi's life. Now Lakshmi had no choice but to face all the challenges and move forward.

After the death of her husband, common people's view of Lakshmi started to change . He She was looking for sympathy. In return, she was getting trouble . Till yesterday she was Lakshmi as her name . But after one incident, she became a 'Kulchchini'. He needed encouragement. But in return, she was getting a strange look from her relatives . She was getting fear in return for love.

is about 6 months after the accident - a teacher is needed in a lower secondary school in the village . Lakshmi had come to apply for the job. The color of the sari of the uniform of the teachers of that school was pure red. But being a single woman, Lakshmi was forbidden to wear such a red saree. After seeing this, it seemed that Lakshmi would not be afraid. And she returned without saying anything to anyone .

This incident caused Lakshmi to explode inside. She asked herself, can people tolerate such atrocious customs? Who keeps quiet even when it is rushed in such a hurry?

When she was young, her mother remembered saying, "Deliberately tolerating atrocities is more than committing atrocities."

At that time Lakshmi was in Maitai.

Next month, in the facilitation of an organization called 'Kanchan Women's Group', A women's group was formed. This organization gave Lakshmi the responsibility of secretary in her ward .

Every week Kanchan women's group met. In the meeting of the group, there was a discussion about some social issue and what steps should be taken to resolve or improve it and what is possible. And the women of the group were involved in its implementation. After the solution of the first question, another question came out. Again, the women of the group looked like 'bees'. One day, the topic came up in the

weekly discussion, "Is red color banned for single women in the society?" If so why ? Is it possible to solve it ? If yes, how?'

After this group exercise, a special citizen gathering was organized under the leadership of Lakshmi in the courtyard of Gaindakot VDC.

The last thing that 'a single woman should not use red color' is not seen written in any page of religion, law, history, culture or scriptures . This matter has not been proved anywhere . Therefore, that question was considered to be a lie, a fraud and a slander. On behalf of all those present, there was a voice that this kuruti should be abolished from today. Indeed, from the same incident of the same day, this evil was abolished . Now the bad practice that no single woman should wear red tika, dress and color in this state has become only 'history'.

It was unanimously decided that the interested single women attending will be given and allowed to wear red tikas and dresses by their family members or parents. Lakshmi, the strong leader of the

campaign, accepted the tika and red dress from her son. It was estimated that after her step, eight/ten other single women would also be ready to walk on this path. But surprisingly it happened . 208 single women immediately got ready to bring 'red'.

Lakshmi's companion Madhavi Kattel still vividly remembers the history-making moment of that event. She also started wearing red on the same day with her mother-in-law. Remembering that day, she said, "After that campaign, the single women here, Lakshmi Bhattarai, gave us all a second birth."

As a contribution to the successful leadership of this campaign, Lakshmi was awarded with 'Jansevashree' by the then President Bidyadevi Bhandari on the occasion of Constitution Day 2078. She was honored and appreciated by more than two dozen other social organizations.

On 6th Chaitra 2079, he passed away at the age of 49 while undergoing medical treatment in a hospital in Gorakhpur, India. Even after his death, time and society are remembering his contribution and rebellious steps.