He (Babu Ram Bhattarai) was born on a Wednesday, 4 Asad, 2010 (mid-June, 1953). He was born at 9am. It is but natural for a father to remember the birthday of his eldest son, and perhaps be a little nostalgic and so, on 4 Asad, Bhoj Prasad Bhattarai remembered his 48-year-old son.

"We used to lovingly call him Babu when he was small and this is how he came to be named Babu Ram although the priest after studying his astrological signs had named him Mukti Prasad," (Mukti translates as liberation) Bhoj Prasad told this reporter. It has been six years since his parents last saw him, after Mukti left to fight for the "liberation" of the people and his country. Today we know Mukti as Dr Babu Ram Bhattarai.

His parents are longing to meet their eldest son. "We really want to meet him, but we do not know his whereabouts, we have no clue where he is," Dharma Kumari, Babu Ram's mother says. But they are satisfied for now that they can see their son's picture almost everyday in the newspapers. Dharma Kumari further says, "It might be dangerous for him to visit us and so we satisfy ourselves by just hearing his name."

"Our first child died very young and so when Mukti was born, we were very happy and we feel that any moment now, he may come in saying Ba-Ama , since it is his birthday today," Bhoj Prasad and Dharma Kumari said in one voice.

The couple, both over 70, hope and pray that whatever work Mukti is doing is successful because he is dedicated and making every effort. They are sad and hurt when they hear of people being killed in encounters between the police and the Maoists. "Human beings should not kill one other. It would be very good, if the party led by our son and the police did not kill one another."

Babu Ram's parents could not control themselves when they heard about the 1 June incident in Narayanhiti Darbar. "The king is considered an incarnation of Lord Visnu, his dynasty came from Gorkha (their home), now his family has been wiped out. In order to remember, we have collected photos of all the dead members of the royal family," Bhoj Prasad said.