Article written by Mr. Dhan Kaji ( brother of Heera Devi) in Dharma Ratna Smriti Grantha
I was 13 years old and Heera Devi was only seven years old when my mother Heera Maya passed away.
Sister suffered from GANDHAMAL (T. B glads).
Even after several operations in the seven gland around her neck and chest, arm pits she suffered for 9 years. In her body the gland could not be cured. Even though she suffered from disease, however she continued studying under Jagat Lal master of Masan Galli, Keltole Kathmandu. She became thin also. Her body used to be stinking and she didn’t recover. I couldn’t bear to see her sufferings and went around seeking help from people. I went to work with Bhaju Ratna Kansakar, a business merchant and begged him to help her. The merchant took her for treatment at Calacutta. The doctor didn’t see hope of survival because her skin around glands had many holes and damaged. Still I didn’t loose hope. After treatment at Calcutta she was sent to Kalingpong. She had to be massaged in sun light also and within one and half years she recovered.
I brought her back to Nepal. She would give her life to people who are suffering through critical painful problems. She fiercely fought against Rana regime. She was a daughter of famous business merchant, uneducated family, with lot of wealth, who believed Ruler as GOD. She was a true revolutionary to go against under such environment. She would go around convincing even affluent people educating them the need of understanding to revolt against Rana regime.
When I went to Lhasa (Tibet) I met Dharma Ratna and his father at the business centre of Dhaman Sahu, a business merchant. Pandit Rahul Sanskrityanan from India was also in that same business centre. Dharma Ratna and Rahuljee were great friends then. I don’t know the reason when I found his father dead by shooting himself at his chest. Newars around that locality suggested Dharma Ratna to sue Dhaman merchant to recover back the money which was due to his father, however, he refused to take the advice saying “ I am not going to run after money”. He returned to Nepal during the regime of Juddha Samasher J B Rana. He started a shop at Bhota Hiti, Asan Tol of Kathmandu for selling soap. The Rana regime discovered that that shop was infact being used as a secret meeting center for underground political activists like Sukra Raj Sastree , Gangalal etc and he was arrested. He went to jail to serve 18 years term. However, he was released after six years after signing legal doocument. After the jail sentence and release from jail his family sent proposal for Heera Devi's family for marriage. The proposal was outrightly rejected by her family members saying “ his family has no house, he is staying at his mother’s step mother’s house, he is called NASTIK (those who don't beleive in GOD) without wealth". Father, elder uncle and younger uncle from our joint family offered her to spend more than ten thousand if she agreed to get married to another person they had arranged for her. She shouted back at them telling them that she will not decide based on money and will go ahead marrying Dharma Ratna. In the year B.S. 2002 she got married to Dharma Ratna without informing her family. She was banned from entering her house. In B. S. 2004 I was legally separated after property separation and then I allowed her to enter my house. Only after Dharma Ratna became minister all the relatives including her family member allowed her to be integrated. After getting married to Dharma Ratna she underwent very bad life testing days. Being the daughter of a rich business man she didn’t give up in front of adversaries in life while revolting agaist the Ranaa resgm.
She had to lead a life eating only “NHAYEKAN KWATI” a wild grass (himalayan nettle) she would collect from her neighboring field. She used to teach children of butchers and farmers, used to get buffalo bones from them drink soup and live on that soup. She didn’t have sufficient food to eat while she was pregnant and delivered daughter Dharma Devi and son Vidhan. She even couldn't go through massaging her body after delivery. She suffered a lot instead. Dharma Ratna had to go underground because his objectionable political activities. During odd hours he used to come and meet at my residence He used to come in disguise dressed as farmer carrying big earthen pots on his back to visit Heera Devi secretly facing all the risk. She worked as chairperson of Mahila Sangh then and was arrested while she delivered speech at Indra Chowk. I went to deliver her both children at police custody. She was locked for four days and was tortured in order to extract information about secret activities of underground political activists. She was also taken to the official place (PATANGINI) of Juddha Samsher where large numbers of arrested people were handcuffed with thick metal chain. She was tortured in front of them asking her to cooperate in disclosing all the detailed activities and places of operations of all those hand cuffed prisoners. Nara Samasher snatched her two babies threatening her to beat children to death. They told her” speak out the truth, we will offer you high level post”. She was also offered large some of money, however, even after the offer of money and threats, She revolted instead. She continued her duty of helping all the activists who were fighting to over throw Rana regime. She also was helping Ganesh Man Singh in underground activities. It is very difficult to write in detail all the amount of efforts she had contributed in over throwing Rana regime.
The credit goes to Heera devi for the political career growth of Dharma Ratna . He became minister after eighth day of birth of Timila. The army general Keshar Samsher came to meet the old degraded house of her grand step mother. Whenever King Tribhuvan traveled to villages he took Dharma Ratna with him.
Because of starvation and working on very risky vulnerable conditions she suffered from heart disease and Asthama and left this world at early age of 48. After her health went bad, she convinced Dharma Ratna to handed over the property to his brother Sangha Ratna, which was given to her by step grandmother of Dharma Ratna. Now that house has been converted into a lodge called “ Himalayan lodge”.