The past few days have been quite hectic considering the impact that the death of the navigator of politics in the physical self of Girija Prasad Koirala is considered. The virtues of him having been the prime minister of the country a record number of times and also as the head of the country post-Constituent Assembly election all point that there was that quality in him to steer the country. It may be fine for some of us to be critical, but the finer aspects of the now departed leader must be seen in the light of impartial observation. That has to do with proving the ancient adage that nothing as a whole is good or bad. It needs a sieve of the right caliberation to judge a man for what he was and what his 87 years on earth fared for the concerned, that is not only us living on this land but many more spread around the world as the individuals abroad have made their feeling known on the departure of the grand man of Nepali politics.

More than anything, the stubborn streak of GPK must have spawned his greatest critics. But, the philosophical crutches tell us that purpose is what leads a person forward, for good or bad in the overall context. Of course, the broader interest may receive the boost along the way with the narrow liners frustrated. Yet, he was a human and the weaknesses stuck to him as a birthright. We can’t blame him for that.

Sages and saints from our religious history and mythology too cannot be studied without feeling the tint of what we refer to as human nature. But, in the overall picture, it becomes worthwhile to be aware of how much good materialised in the long innings. Think of Koirala and you will see the different hues of what a human can radiate. The shades of ‘never say die’ is quite evident in his firm-footed step forward since the Biratnagar jute mill days. How would the Jana Andolan I or for that matter II have been sans this man whom we have recently lost for posterity? The riddles might be there, but the facts are there with him having been present on the scene.

The last three years of his life have implications for the nation. If there was one success notched, another just missed the boat. With all that came in his life, the one thing that remained with him was the centre stage that he was in even during his last days. Now, it is the time-dictated evaluation time.