Category: Travel Diary

Let us make this festival even bigger and better this time…. Are you in?


Dashain (in Nepali) or Dushera (in Hindi) is a 15-days-long national festival of Nepal and is mostly celebrated by Hindus all over the globe during the month of September – October, every year. It is one of the most auspicious festivals of Hindu and is being celebrated with great enthusiasm and vigor. During the festival all educational institutes as well as commercial sectors remain closed to mark the festival. And, this is the only festival when people from all over Nepal (who have stretched in the process of job) travel back to their home to reunite with their family members to celebrate it. But, there are still over hundreds and thousands of Nepalese who live in an abject poverty who don’t have this privilege to get reunited with their family members – those are the people whose 24-hours of time often falls short to earn enough to make their festival happier too.   

This festival is mostly infamous because of the average expenditure people make during this festival. If you take an example of a small town “Malangwa, District: Sarlahi, Zone: Janakpur”, bordering India with Sonbarsa, you will find that just this Dashain the total sales raised to more than 50 million Rupees, while its population is just over 25,102 as shown by the Nepal census 2011. When the average salary of Nepalese is below NRS 8000, spending over NRS 2000 is bit more.

We earn to save whole year but when it comes to Dashain we spend lavishly. But, unfortunately, this is not common in our country as the average monthly salary and the monthly wage of most of the people is way too lower than handful of people. This video is about those people who are struggling and for them this grand festival doesn’t bring any form of joy in their life.

A better way of making this festival even more festive and bigger. I am in; are you in with us in this Nobel cause?

The festival “Dashain” is celebrated in an extravagantly lavish way which costs millions of dollars. However big it is, but most of the Nepal’s younger generation think that this is not going anywhere and it is not helping Nepal’s economy and most of all, it is not helping the millions of people who lives in an abject poverty. Have you ever thought of making this festival even bigger and better? If so, this might be an eloquent way of doing so….

This is our initiative and who knows this might be a legacy to the Nepal’s younger generation. We all can make a change and it begins from us – YOU BE THE CHANGE ! WILL YOU?

From TIA Immigration


If we look back into our (Nepal’s) history, most of us will agree with the fact that non of us are that smug with the development of Nepal and what we have seen in last ten to 15 years or even more. I think, so far, we are not been able to hold on to our responsibility as a good Spartan citizen, and I think we are in delusion to be called one. Yes, of course, we have somehow been able to hold on to our duty and still rise in the adversaries, but that is so hidebound and the development has been limited to our own family. We have not been able to contribute to the extent we are supposed to have by this time.

Fifteen years is not a small period of time — it is a long duration. The reason why I am repeatedly mentioning this time is because as a Nepalese we have seen our country developing by leaps and bounds till that time. Booming of industrial sector, government sector, quality assurance and control, the grip of Transparency International Nepal on the offices and government as well as private officials had been so much commendable, and it had shown the productivity along with the extent of productivity and quality general public had experienced in the service and products. But, as the time passes we have seen it slipping out of our hand and so far nothing has been done to assure that it is not going out of our control.

It really hurts when you see thousands of Nepalese leaving for greener pasture, and no other place can be best which can reflect the real-time scenario other than Tribhuban International Airport (TIA). As I was checking-in in TIA for Bangkok, I was shunned to see the overwhelming number of people in the queue waiting patiently which was exclusively for the Nepalese who are destined for the gulf countries for work purpose, and those who are under working visa category. The milieu of the boarding-room appears as if there are 75% of Nepalese under that category and rest contains foreigners and Nepalese for some other purpose. I am not being judgmental here, but the fact is anybody can spot it correctly without hesitation — just from the countenance and the dressing sense of the people in the room.

We can now say with a dignified tone that we are one of those countries of the world which is contributing to a significant degree to the developed world for their further progressivity, and fortunately, this has also impacted immensely on our economic graph simultaneously, which shows it is rising just because of the foreign currencies entering into our country through remittance.

This is not just the case with the working class, it has been infectious to the intellectual class as well. I guess, there are more than 100,000 students pursuing foreign degrees all over the world ranging from A-level and Prophecy Certificate Level (PCL) level to PhD and post-doctorate. And, we don’t have to go farther to look for the example. Because, if I start to trace back my friends only from my high school to my college, I can find them dispersed in more than 20 different countries with the range of subjects from arts, humanity, commerce, science and medicine which I guess is quite jaw dropping in a sense. But, hang on, because this is not painting some rosy picture towards the Nepal’s future.

The reasons are innumerable, but I would still reiterate the fact which I have been sticking to for more than last 10 years and that is “political instability”. For me, it’s a backbone towards the progressivity. Until and unless this is sorted out in a conclusive manner, I think, doesn’t matter how hard we try, we are not going any further. But, then, this doesn’t mean that we are stagnant. Of course, we are going to make some advancement but that will be just iota of something we can achieve in just months and few years.

We all know that development of any country doesn’t just depend on the individual initiation and it is not under a particular person’s frame of control, but rather it is a group venture. We all have to cooperate with each other as we all have a common target to reach to. But, it seems as if it is taking too long to just even understand that we have a common agenda and we need to cooperate to each other for that common purpose. But, sadly enough, we are being hidebound in our attitude and we have stopped listening to each other and at the same time we have become myopic in our future vision.

The lack of cooperatively in our self is another factor that is dragging us out from our country. We have virtually lost our faith, trust and sense of respect for others in the run to reach a destination overnight — which is nothing more than a seer stupidity we are following.

There is difference between in doing something by your heart and something by force. Today, we are being materialistic and we are engaged in something by force rather than by our wit and our desire for it. Today, we feel like as if we are being pushed for something we don’t want to do and there where we fail to escalate to our limit. It’s always an urge to do something tangible. If we have an urge for something it will gives us with result that we long — because these days we have become result oriented rather than work oriented. Doesn’t matter how hard we try, if we can’t produce result, rest all is just futile.

For us to produce results, we need our togetherness which provides us with cooperative — something that we desperately need in this situation. What we have earned from Thailand is not just my degree but a value of togetherness and cooperative. Thai people believe in the slogan, “Together We Can Do It!”. I think, we need the same. Because, until and unless we don’t understand this, we are not moving forward and immigration will continue for ever. ■

Author can be reached at btrajesh@gmail.com

Believe in yourself


You know what?, this world is too weird and hard to comprehend what they try to convey. Their meanings are always hazy, incomprehensible and senseless bizarre — but, this is not generalization!

The thing is, when you take up something on your own, when you start something what people think is bizarre, they will poke you, make fun of you, think that you are one those stupid person who don’t have anything else to do than to take something up which is undoable, unreachable, or simply which is not for your-kind-of-thing. But, if you stick to it, believe in yourself and believe in the fact that no labor goes unnoticed and no tries go unrewarded, believe me, one day the same person will come to praise you.

So, always stick to what you really believe in, stick to what your gut says it will be paid off one day, stick to your sense of positivity. Don’t let either your own or somebody’s else word of negativity govern you and their word of negativity guide you. You are your own king, you don’t need somebody’s else permission to choose and follow what you truly believe in, and you have the right to make decisions for your life whatsoever it is.

The day will come and you will be RECOGNIZED and your work, your dedication, your perseverance will be ACKNOWLEDGED!

Good luck to you all — all those who truly believe in themselves and never changed their decision just because somebody else think that they are prima donna!!

A Student Who Became a Teacher


The first and most important thing about this article is that the contents appearing here has been fictionalized to give it a story impression, and thus it is not necessarily directed or implied to anyone particularly – including myself. Secondly, since this is an unedited version, I guess, there might be some mistakes which might have crept in. But, since, this is not my primary job, I would not consider giving it a second look.

There were approximately 150 students, but still crammed in a big class room – some murmuring, some whispering, some giggling in some crude and sometimes even cruel jokes on their friends. As I entered the class the entire milieu took a shape as if the world had stopped moving at least for that moment – there was a pin-drop-silence and all stood up from their warm benches in the cold morning to which they were glued to – like for more than hour I guess. And, I was like “What?!” – “Common man!, this is just a class not an international military parade that was engaged in some joint annual military exercise – who had to follow order in succession.”

This is a daily routine for these students who are all destined to become a good doctor one day, and I could guess that everybody was working hard and pushing themselves to their limit to be one. They might had that enthusiasm that might be pushing them hard to rote, memorize and understand whatever comes their way, which I guessed might be for that D-day – day when they would have those wonderful letters before their name – “Dr.”

The unseasoned faces and their countenance reflected somewhat confused, somewhat little bit apprehensive and thoughtful, while some looked curious, which I guess might be because for the first time since their entry into medical college they got to see a new face in the faculty members. The entire environment looked somewhat overwhelming taking all these things into account– all of a sudden changing environment – which is quite obvious.

I took the microphone and checked if everything was working fine. In fact, it was a big room and I surmised they would not had been able to listen what I had to say even if I would have tried to speak at the top of my lungs. But, fortunately, the system was all working fine. And, how it could not be? – After all, it was a big medical college. The room was designed in a way that lectern on the lowest position while the benches and desks were arranged in rows and columns in ascending order gaining height which made the lowest bench and desk on the topmost level. It was designed so that even the backbenchers could be able to see the speaker clearly on the lectern. 

As I began to speak on that little hanging microphone round my head, it became even more apparent that those hundreds of faces started paying more attention and the heads those were turned sidewise were then still and fixed straight as if somebody had nailed it to their neck and they can’t move it anyway – doesn’t matter how hard they try.

I introduced myself, “Hi everyone, this is Rajesh Chaudhary, your new faculty member in Department of Biochemistry, and from now on I will basically be teaching you medical biochemistry.” It sounded like a nerd professor introducing themselves in some cheesy Bollywood movie. There was no response at all – all still in the same fixed, stoic and stolid in their appearances and action. In fact, this happens when you got to meet somebody whom you are completely not that conversant to.

It even happened to us when we were students, and mostly because these moments are usually filled with mixed feeling – a feeling which says, “Apart from being a teacher, what kind of person he/she is?, “Will s/he might have some bad perceptions and image towards me if I start to speak and chat in the first introductory class instead of listening to?, Will s/he be friendly to us down the line or is s/he someone with really really bad temper who will kick me out of the class as I opened my mouth without any valid reason?.”

And, the feeling keeps on reeling in mind which is often vacillating – until you hark back to the two people (one optimistic and another pessimistic) fighting inside you. So, having experienced that, I noticed what might be going in their mind at that moment. Therefore, to release them from those shackles of so called “reverence”, I said, “Guys, I am just like you beside the fact that I have finished what you are engaged to right now.” So, stop giving me that weird look and that so called touch of reverence to seniority, and relax! Just relax!

The class broke into a sudden boisterous laughter. I guess, the phrase “weird look and touch of reverence” clicked them somehow or might be they were quick to realize their body language. They looked more relaxed afterwards and they managed to ease their body and tried to get posture in whichever they were comfortable sitting as I moved with my introductory class.

Today (Friday, April 12, 2013) I was assigned as an invigilator in the examination class room for “Chapter completion test”. Tea and breakfast were offered in a while and some of us (those in invigilation team) start grabbing our shares and start munching on it. Even today when I am offered with some food in the middle of work, I feel uncomfortable to start munching it on in front of those hundreds of students whose mind might have been wondering “God dam! Why do I have to suffer this, thinking every bit of things what I had memorized including all those drawings that I have to illustrate while they are enjoying foods and drinks sitting there comfortably?, “Why I am not there instead of him enjoying and relishing on those savoring foods?” And the mind keeps saying, “Whatever, don’t worry, one day I will also have that day or may be even days better than that when I will be in that place.”

It’s a different feeling when you become a teacher. You got to recall all your days of sufferings and tribulations which somehow fortunately passed – those examination days which use to appear to be like years during that exam duration. It’s a feeling that says, “You should be kind to students at least to those who are serious and well behaved, and its basically because you visualize yourself in their position and your state of mind during that time (few years back). 

I think, it’s time to conclude it though the story doesn’t ends here. This is just short account of what I have experienced with lick of fictionalization. I wish one day it turn out to be my book – what a wonderful day it might be when there would be hundreds invitees convened to celebrate a big book launch……………       Winking smile. Just joking! Winking smile

The Irony of Study-life


After a big break, finally, I got to write something on my blog today. Now, finally, it’s time to give this blogging a continuation that it deserves. The reason for this break was my final exam (masters thesis defense). So, basically, it is finally over after a long arduous journey of ups-and-downs.

I don’t know whether I enjoyed my study or not – I guess, not that much, at least during the whole study period. But, finally, when its over, I feel like I somehow enjoyed it. But, this vibe is coming just now – I had never experienced this kind of positive vibe since I started my lab, which was really pestering.

I don’t know how long people take to finish their masters degree, but I feel like I took longer than anyone; however, it is still average duration in Mahidol University, Thailand.

You know what? The biggest irony of study-life it feels as if it has been dumped on us as a curse, and thus the journey becomes even harder because it is always tainted with the negativity.

While I was student, I use to feel that rest of those who do not have study, they are more blessed than me, because at least they don’t have to worry for exam and for their grades. They just have work that they have to finish which can be negotiable in terms of deadline to finish every time they are assigned some task or even for their regular work. And, for that they are getting paid nicely. But, now, I have started to feel that it is other way round.

Life is not always a bed of roses neither does it is challenge. Its just some regular pattern which is filled with certain maze. We have to figure out the pattern and match it. The one who can understand the maze, they will pass the test or else they will lead to some weird path. However, there is always a route to come back to the normal way – after all, it’s a maze.

Every time we start something or given a task, we feel that it is the biggest and nothing can be bigger than this, but once we cross that stage, there comes a even tougher situation where you again have to get engaged in performing and solving the problem.

So, it is better to start thinking that what we have now to finish is easier than the one that is coming next!

 

Chasing happiness


When I started to write I had Paul Coelho in my mind and his novel; “The Alchemist”. If you have read that book, you might have already guessed by now, what I am exactly going to write in this post. And, in case, if you have not read it, don’t worry; you will get a good picture by the time you finish this post. 

Chasing happiness – it always starts in home and it ends in home! Since we are born, we all are vying for something extraordinary than the normal person – even our parents coax us for doing better in class, exams, competition. It even matters in the tuition classes – about how well we have performed in a week. That really matters when we are young, because that is what going to determine our future in the long run. And the intensity of this toughness could be felt through the current statistics of competition. These days, students in class 6 starts eying for the competitive examination which they have to sit may be something like after 6 years – after they graduate from their intermediate level.

This radical change of changing our entire childhood and our normal way of working has definitely put one thing in danger – our state of mind, its functionality which invites even more dire things like depression, anxiety and mental related problems. Because, mind has a capacity to handle things according to the age. Some of us might achieve something out of this marathon of competition, but majority of us will lose – as a whole our society and our country will lose in the mega front.

This marathon of vying with your friend, then with your neighbors, then with the people for a competition in your country, and then finally with the world in some cases. This is nothing more than a momentary bliss. A state of happiness of mind. We put our everything for whole year or even years and finally what we get is a stint of happiness which fades away within the blink of an eye – Why? Because, our mind is still jagged with those competitive nature of vying with others. It’s just like gambling, when you win a bet, we use to get allured to more of it and we bet even more. And, if we loose, we loose everything – our friends, our family and everything we care about. Because a winning person never wants to lose and when he/she loses it is extremely devastating like anything.

In fact, in this run, we are chasing happiness; for us and for our family and those who are closely linked to us. We work hard and then we leave our family for the greener pasture somewhere else far from home – in search of happiness. When we find it, we feel like we have achieved something magnificent, something so precious that we should not be losing at any cost, because we are almost there in search of happiness, which vows to give us all those happiness we ever dreamt of. We dedicate ourself for the service of others, for others full benefit while we are looking at our own iota of benefit. We try to think positive and we find another little happiness after years and we feel happy again.

This gambling continues and we keep going; we keep searching. We tell ourself, once more, just a bit more – we are almost there and now all those affliction are coming into being; it is going to pay us now. But, then, suddenly it fades away in the misty and foggy weather. But, still we do not lose our hope. We keep our hopes high and our guts strong. We keep clinging into that one single thin thread between that impending new dawn and the complete darkness. We fought all this way to ward off those darkness, but the shadow still persists.

But, finally, a day comes when we realize that our happiness lies with where we belong. We realize that our happiness lies in our family (our mom, dad, sisters, brothers, and relatives) – those who have always been with us – in our ups and downs of life – suffered together and fought together. Our happiness lies in the dinner table of our family (when we can have dinner together), happiness lies with our friends (when four of us sit in the same bike pushing each other), laughing and giggling and hurling the bike in air without caring for the rules, happiness lies in those long night stay with friends and talking and chatting with lights turned off till it becomes dawn, happiness lies in our village when we sit in the field and hear the crippling sound of bird far away in the garden, happiness lies in those cold evening when we sit huddled together around the fire with our loved ones.

The time we passed was filled with more happiness than what we have now when we are alone. We realize that happiness can’t be chased. The more you chase it, the farther it runs away from you.

Happiness doesn’t lie in your big achievements, for which you have lost so much that it is never going to pay you back at any cost. Happiness doesn’t lie in leaving your home when you are young and return to see everything changed.

Find your happiness in your home and with what you have, because those are the things that will give you the true happiness. Money can’t buy happiness, big-achievements can’t buy happiness.

Think of it!

My Life is an Open Book


Since our childhood we all have mustered some sorts of memories of our past in our brains – some are good, some are pleasant, some are bitter while some are just incognito. There are memories that help to live our life once again by recalling those wonderful moments of our past; we can go back and relieve virtually what we can’t in our real life. Everybody wants those kind of wonderful memories to fill their life. So, do I! And, I have one such story!

You know, there is a difference on how a child is brought up in a society or culture! Every place, country and society have their own set of rules which are imposed on the kids since they are born so that they would just follow the right course – which is in fact good in most cases. This is so intense in some cases that kids are forced to choose the streams which they are not really interested. But, this has, fortunately, changed over time.

This idea of imposing the family decision on kids were so intense and blunt that those families never use to see even feel the impending problem later in their kids life which were bigger and more intense than choosing the stream of their choice. The idea use to be taken so seriously and so cozily that it use to be something like normal; but students had failed in most cases. Because there is a sky-high difference on choosing something by will and something superficially.

The most difficult part of which is entering a grad school. This is not a cake-walk. This is something so serious that we have to think about it beforehand and have to prepare accordingly so that we might not get stumbled on our way. We all know that choosing a grad school and entering some school in lower secondary and secondary is not just the same.

I still remember the day; it was my first day in school. I was little bit scared and little bit excited – I was scared because, I didn’t know who will going to be my friends; how they will be behaving with me; whether or not I will be whipped by my class teacher or will I be put under strict punishments. But, at the same time, I was excited because of my newly sewed dress which was neat, tidy, revived – and there was a sense of pride in my brain: “Today I am also big; I am going to school; this is where I ever wanted to be (when I use to see kids going to school in their nicely trimmed hair, nails and polished shoe) – I had a sense of pride that today I am also looking the same as it appeared to me till few days ago; to those poor kids who still have to wait and watch till they will come up age to enter their first step in school! I was really proud of myself; though, vainglorious.

It never mattered how scared I was during my first few days is school, but I am still praised for being my mom’s only kid who never cried or complained going to school – I was the only one who never made the scene and never made them feel disgraced for being the only son and even that a spoiled-child.

Every single turns of my life had been a kind of exciting new event for me; though, they might have scared me a little bit, but my excitement to try something new never changed – I took turns, my life took turn, even my graduate school was not flawless – there has been certainly bumps, but my excitement to try something new, changing new place, new people, friends and new environment surpassed everything and it never veered – I feel, it had always been the way I wanted it to be – not perfect, but still something to feel good about when I want to relive those moments of my life. 

No matter what you choose to be, what you choose to pursue as your profession , where you go, whom you meet, how you lead your life and how bumpy your life had been before – always live your life as if it is never coming back again, live as if today is the day – who knows there will be no tomorrow! Don’t stop and settle because somebody is pulling your feet. Keep moving. This is your life and those moments of childhood and prank-adolescent is never coming back again; you childhood of those sweat drained clothes and collar, and drinking water with your dirty sleeves clinging, and dirt-ladened shoes – there are never coming back again.

Enjoy your life to your fullest.

Something personal: Some moments of my childhood


There are things that we call our personal. If somebody is habituated of writing or maintaining their journal, those things will be confined to their personal journal or diary, or if not then, it still remains confined in their dungeon of heart somewhere hidden that would take ages for even sun to reach there – and finally, it dies with them. This is what our general conception of “secret-of-our-life” is, which is in fact true.

For centuries, we have been believing that personal things are something which is not have to be shared  because we fear that one day that fear will turn into reality and our life will be doomed as it might prove to be our Achilles hill. But, what we fend to understand or dare not to understand is that life doesn’t have a meaning in itself if it goes as it comes, and the milieu keeps on cogitating and surmising about our so called “secret-of-our-life” – more specifically; our personal life.

As a matter of fact, no body is interested in our life or whatever we are doing or engaged in (with few exceptions who are horribly and badly interested in our life) – though, thanks to them – at least our life is worth something for those folks to get into. The reason is we all have got something more substantial to think, to cogitate, to plan and engaged into to prepare ourself for the future; as it is not in our arena of control or area of influence.

Today, I have got something memorable and some of the most cherishing moments of my life to share with you all.

July 03, 1992 (Approximate)

I guess, I was six by the time I first started going to school. July 03 seemed to be one of the most sunny day that year as the sun was early up and it was all scourging hot already by 8 in the morning. I was so small that I had to hold my mom’s head while she use to sit and lace my shoes. I was bit terrified to be the first in school and it was all evident through my faces, though not as horrible as other use to have and still have at that age – thank god, I was at least not crying for which I am still getting praised from my parents for being a nice early kid.

Since my mom guessed that I might make a scene or something or make some excuse for not going to school as other kids do, she handed lacing my shoe duty to my dad that day. Forget about making the scene, I am still so scared of my dad that I can’t utter a word in front of him and I even have hard time making a second plea for something once he ignores or rebuffs.

I was standing holding his head to finish my shoe getting laced as my younger sister who was still young enough to join nursery was standing behind my mom popping her head from one side in sulking manner and evidently more scared than me. The day might have had appeared to her as if I am going to some kind of war and I have to win the battle of my life for my life. Her twinkling marbled-eyes appeared to me as if she is wishing me good luck to win that battle and come home safely………… (….life continued after that…..).  

October 1994 (Precise time and date unknown)

I was sitting in one room as my mom was preparing for worshipping (puja) the goddess-of-wealth; it was sometime in the late autumn and the festival called Tihar. The whole environment was dazzling with the bright lights all over. Those were the days when Nepal was prospering with leaps and bound with seemingly with the double digit of growth rate – unlike any other neighboring countries and unlike itself if we view in today’s context. We didn’t even know the meaning of load shedding and what’s it called when there is complete blackout because of shortage of electricity.

All the kids of my age and younger and older were appearing in colorful dresses of approaching winter season with multiple types of light illuminating fire-crackers in their hands – some getting assisted by their brother, sisters or parents to light it. It was so wonderful that I don’t find words to explain it how it really looked like.

I was sitting in my room as I was observing what my mom and my elders sisters were preparing for the puja in my newly gifted suit from my dad for the festival. Then, when dad appeared with few more clothes for my younger sister – in fact, she was and still is more loved kid in our home for being the youngest one. The environment started becoming hot as I envied her for getting something extra than me, then when dad decided to buy something extra for me as well. I didn’t know what time it was when he left home at night to my magnificent demand of that time which he might thought of utmost important to perform. He never thought twice where he had to go to find it, whether or not he would find it.

July 1995 (Time: 4:15 PM approximate)

I was already feeling monotonous and bored waiting for my dad to finish his work before he left the office before 5 PM. I was too small and uneducated to understand the sophisticated meaning of the words in one of the English paper resting on the tea-table in front of the couch I was sitting nibbling something from my hand. As a result, I had no other choice than to flip through the pages of the newspaper and pass time. First time when I saw the paper, I was so inane to think that the pictures in the paper are animated through machine to put it in the movies where the actors are singing and dancing all over the silver-screen. But, never understood the fact that from where the music was coming when they were dancing in the woods and garden. However, I was not even that curious to researching myself to find the exact answer, but contended myself thinking that, “Okay, I know! They might be hiding somewhere behind the wood with their musical instruments”.

It was raining outside when he appeared all of a sudden in front of me and without mentioning about the newspaper, he asked me to leave. Since it was raining hard we could not go out in motorbike, so even his friends suggested that we can leave after sometime. The waiting turns into hours and finally we had to leave the office in rain at around 7 PM, but fortunately, he was able to manage one raincoat somehow.

Even though it was raining that hard, he never cared for himself, but he made sure that I should not get wet. He hid me inside his baggy motorbike-raincoat and I could barely see anything outside as he drove. On the way he mentioned to me about the English newspaper and he said, “You remember that English newspaper you were turning pages through?”

“Yes!”, I answered abruptly and briskly.

“One day, he continued, when you will be able to read and understand those English newspaper, I will buy you loads of it”. And, now, I feel like I am looking at his face just like I use to when I was as tiny as I was then.

(…continued…..)!! 

 

 

………………Thanks dad for everything!

Glad of getting old things back


Its almost like twenty days since I left blogging, and I had already started missing it. But, now, I am back from one of the most momentous and cherishing moment of my life. It was great! I think its better to leave something personal, so I prefer not to reveal it. Those last 17 days passed so swimmingly that I didn’t even realize that it is time to return to my work place, and I was not mentally prepared to come back so early – soon after finishing the function. Finally, reluctantly, I had to and I could not help myself then to leave.

My Nepal visit this time was more memorable than in 2010. I guess it was more memorable and lively which might be because I had things to get engaged with which kept me occupied both mentally and physically. And secondly because I find more positive changes in Nepal which I wanted to see at least a bit. Nepal was in wrong track since the downfall of Nepal as a kingdom to a democratic republican state. For me it was something like unfettering a mad cow. People were turning violent – in the last 10-years of history, Nepal was becoming more and more chaotic.

Engulfed with darkness because of unprecedented long load-shedding, shortage of cooking gas, petroleum, shortage of proper drinking water has marred the entire beautiful society. But surprisingly we Nepalese have unprecedentedly and incomparably high level of tolerance – everything is okay for us. Even till now there is still some exceptions – Whatever goes around, nobody cares unless it falls to them. “Khai k garne?” (“So, what to do?”) has become a dictum for them. People had started becoming more and more personal and insular in attitude and egotistical. They had seeing themselves first – which can even be at the cost of somebody’s stake.

When I visited in 2010, I use to fear to go out – scared of being looted or kidnapped in my own hometown. It was really hell scary, but this time after two years things seems changing – thanks to the security system of Nepal that has somehow brought situation under control. And, just because  of few things this time I felt as if we have started getting our old Nepal back – not in terms of development but in terms of security, and the honesty people have started showing now – it has irradiation of positivity towards the development of Nepal.

The ramshackle roads links highways turned out to be a smooth full-throttle roads (though still not comparable to a developed country) – but still far more commendable than what I had seen few years back. Where it use to take an hour to reach has been connected with beautiful roads where we can reach in just 20 minutes or so, roads have been separated with diversions in the middle to minimize traffic accidents, we can now walk and drive our vehicle late night without fearing of being ransacked, jaywalkers have started crossing the roads only from the zebra-crossings, started using over-head-bridge or underground pass to cross, traffic have been eased, street vendors disappeared, army check points every now and then on the highways and the garrisons and barrage have simply disappeared, civil police who use to wear a nice clean dress that had disappeared during the insurgency period have come back again lashed with a beautiful rhododendron on their caps  – simply awesome!

The old roads are under construction with driving forces like China, India and Japan on the back. Almost from East to West of Nepal has been connected to broadband internets, ADSL, 3G internet and cable internet and wireless broadband internets and even that with a very descent speed of at least 1 MBPS or above. In totality I am so impressed with the ongoing infrastructure changes inside Kathmandu and outside which make it appear as if Nepal has got a new life. And the most stark thing I saw was that even in the passport control section of Nepal Immigration Center in Tribhuvan International Airport, foreigners queue was longer than Nepali. Wow! Somehow Nepal Tourism Year 2011 seems has been successful.

It was even more impressive to see that the new generation is coming up with more vehement ideas and enthusiasm to set up their own research labs in collaboration with foreign university and research centers – particularly with the one from where they have graduated or graduating. I think the beginning of new Nepal has just started and its meaning is taking its true color which seemed to be fading with every passing day and hurdles in the way of only hope of all Nepalese – promulgation of new constitution of Nepal.

I am happy that I am getting my old Nepal back with new shades of colors !