Shunya ko Mulya is a collection of essays and reflections on Nepali society, culture, women, life in the Karnali region, and human values written by Nawaraj KC and published by Sangri~La Books, Nepal. The book offers a unique perspective on Nepali society and culture. It emphasises the importance of cultivating human values such as compassion, kindness, and empathy. The author also highlights the importance of safe and quality motherhood, which is essential to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). The book is a significant contribution to the discourse on Nepali society, and human values with reference to Karnali province. The author takes a unique perspective and emphasises the importance of diverse perspectives and lived experiences of mothers of Karnali. Moreover, the book is essential for scholars, policymakers, and anyone interested in understanding Nepali society and culture. The author’s focus on Karnali province makes the book even more significant as it sheds light on the challenges faced by people living in this province.

A unique perspective

The unique perspective of the author is one of the most striking features of the book. KC recognises the importance of social learning through society, culture, human nature, attitude, and lifestyle for personal growth and development. This perspective is different from traditional academic perspectives that rely on theoretical frameworks and ignore the importance of lived experiences. The author’s focus on diverse perspectives and lived experiences make the book more relatable and accessible to a broader audience.

The author also highlights the importance of safe and quality motherhood, which is essential to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The book reviews life in Karnali and discusses economic, educational, health, sanitation, societal, and attitudinal and emotional perspectives. It is necessary to reflect the multiple stories of mothers in Karnali province. KC clarifies that there is a need to care for mothers from conception of the child to the birth.

The author’s focus on quality motherhood is significant as it opens the discourse to reflect on the gaps in current development agendas and the need for more attention to issues related to maternal health and well-being. It is commendable that the author has highlighted the importance of quality motherhood for societal development. While the SDGs do not explicitly mention safe or quality motherhood as a standalone goal, it is integrated into various goals such as goal 3: good health and well-being, goal 5: gender equality, goal 10: reduced inequalities and goal 16: peace, justice and strong institutions. Quality motherhood is essential for achieving these goals as healthy mothers can contribute to healthier families and communities, which in turn can lead to sustainable development.

The author’s emphasis on the importance of healthy mothers and sustainable development aligns with the overall goal of the sustainable development goals, which is to promote economic growth, social development, and environmental sustainability. Therefore, the book can be seen as an example of how local initiatives and ideas can contribute to achieving the SDGs.

Cultivating human values

KC emphasises the importance of cultivating human values such as compassion, kindness, and empathy. He argues that these values are essential for personal growth and development and for building a better society. The author provides practical advice on how to develop these values, emphasising the need for self-reflection, mindfulness, and empathy. He also discusses the role of education in cultivating these values, highlighting the importance of incorporating human values into the curriculum. The author’s emphasis on the subject is significant as it sheds light on the importance of emotional intelligence, which is often overlooked in traditional education systems. The emphasis on diverse perspectives and lived experiences can inspire readers to explore their own values and reflect on their own experiences in a deeper way. Some characters he focuses on are: Putali Ama, Bhedini Kanchhi, a mother of twins (even if she does not know her name), Bhun Bhuneki Ama, Budheki Phupu. The stories of struggle, pain, scarcity, sadness, stress are mingled with the hopes of future and dreams. The mothers who are struggling want positive changes. They want to face and improve the challenging situation of their children.

The book can serve as an illustration of how efforts on a smaller scale might help achieve the SDGs. The SDGs’ overarching objective is to ensure that all people enjoy sustainable development; the author’s focus on quality parenting contributes to this end. By highlighting the difficulties experienced by those in the Karnali region and the importance of upholding human values, this book can also aid in the achievement of the SDGs.

From another perspective, it is necessary to reflect the situation with the national and international indicators. The educational level of the characters can be the determinants in rectifying issues in society and home. If there is respect given to the life providers along with their appreciation in social functions, we can achieve Shunya because the author defines Shunya as the beginning of human life, safe motherhood, diversified culture, responsible thoughts, social well-being, positive psychology and development of the society with the pure value of sustainable goal for humanity and well-being.

The overall writing of the author reflects that we are responsible for beginning a new dimension of life and exploring the quality within it rather than determined indicators of a certain area, as the indicators are relative and context-sensitive. Our common expectation should be related to goodness and smartness, social being, civilised personality, dedication, determination, and discipline to life and livelihood. From another perspective, the whole book reviews the life of Karnali, and it is necessary to reflect on the situation with national and international indicators.

Shunya ko Mulya is a book that provides a unique view of Nepal’s society, culture and human values with respect to Karnali province. Instead of depending on preconceived markers of success, the book invites us to embark on a new dimension of life and investigate its inherent value. Overall, the book gives significant insights into the difficulties pertaining to maternal health and well-being, and opens the discussion to consider the gaps in the present development agenda and the need to pay greater attention to these concerns in national and international forums by the policymakers and practitioners to ensure quality motherhood for quality life and quality future.

Shunya ko Mulya

Author: Nawaraj KC

Publisher: Sangri~La Books