Remembering the old school days …

It seems only like yesterday, that we twelve girls sat beside those water taps and talked about almost everything under the sun. We wanted to grow up, go places, learn about so many things, do so much, and become so much. Sometimes, I can still hear those laughters which has not disappeared in the echoes of memory. So much has changed now. It has been nine years now that I have been out of school, out of AVM (Higher Secondary School). I spent 10 my years there and somehow I have always felt proud about getting my schooling from that institution. It is the place that has given me values as well as friends - for life.

I remember my first day at AVM at class one. I remember how the principal then, Mr. Satya Narayan Bahadur Shrestha (SNB sir*) came to our class and told us about the school and its values. It was right then that I had fallen in love with that great person.

I also remember my last day at AVM, when we had gone crazy, made so much noise and disturbed all the other on going classes. We had to be literally thrown out of the school compound. Everyone was busy taking pictures (we had the good old cameras back then, no digital ones), filling auto books, signing shirts and diaries. It was a very emotional time, we were not sure that if we will ever meet many of the faces present at that time. And I actually haven't met many of them in all these years.

The world out of school, was a new and a cruel place. But it also was an exciting place. I remember Jamuna Madam ( Who taught us Nepali) telling the class, "Till now we have kept you safe in our warm embrace like a mother hen keeps her chicks, the outside world is going to be different". I couldn't agree more with her. World now was beyond the home to school and school to home route, it was beyond the school compound. I was excited as well as scared. It felt like I was on my own, there were many big and important decisions to be made. And those decisions would now dictate how my future life would turn out.

I got lost a few times, made some small and a few big mistakes, learnt to deal with different kinds of people, learnt to make friends with people(who did not grow up with me), accepted that those good old school days when you were taken care of is never going to come back. Now, life was a real deal, with all its challenges, opportunities, beauty and cruelty. But the things that I had learned at AVM have stayed with me throughout, which has made me able to face life as it came. The math formulas, the grammar rules, the geography lessons, science chapters may have been long forgotten, but the lessons that we learn about life stays forever.

Back at school, I did not know what I wanted to be in future. I was not sure about what I wanted to do with my life. It took me a few hard lessons to realise that it is important to follow your heart and do what is good for yourself. I don't know if a passage at AVM still has that frame with a quote from SNB sir or not, but I still remember the gist from that quote. It was something what SNB sir always used to tell us, 'the most important thing in life is to find happiness, and true happiness can only be found when we give happiness to others'.

As I look back there is a lot of difference between the girl that I was at AVM and the person I am today. But yet, there is so much that has never changed. There were twelve of us in our 'group', we are all dispersed now at different places of the world. Even those who live in the same cities find it hard to find time to catch up with each other. We don't get to see and talk to each other that often, yet, no one knows me better than my friends from school. The bond that was created in those school days is too strong to be withered by time. I now look at my friends and classmates from school, and I stand proud. Some have become doctors, many engineers, bankers, entrepreneurs, artists, media persons, social workers, even yoga gurus : everyone is successful in their own right and more importantly, most of them are also good human beings.

In my regards, I am happy with what I have been able to do till now. Life has not been perfect but it certainly has been worthwhile. I am happy to do what I am doing right now and not unsatisfied about the person I am becoming. My teachers back from school are still the greatest source of inspiration for me and the moral values that I have learned stays with me till date.

Being good and doing good is a very simple yet the most difficult as well as significant thing that you can do. I have tried to follow the "Be good, Do good" (AVM) motto and realised that when you try to do so, life does give back 'good' to you. Yes, life has changed a lot in all these years, but I still feel like I want to grow more, go places, learn about so many things, do so much, and become much more.

(*SNB sir, Late Satya Narayan Bahadur Shrestha was one of the pioneer in establishing English medium schools in Nepal. His contribution in the upliftment of education system in Nepal is very significant. He is remembered for establishing three major schools that helped in changing the school education scenario in Nepal, Tribhuvan Adarsha Higher Secondary School, Pharping, Kathmandu; Mahendra Adarsha Vidhyashram, Sadobato, Lalitpur; and Adarsha Vidhya Mandir(AVM) higher secondary school, Manbhavan, Lalitpur.)

First Snow

It’s a place like I had never seen before. I had never been so excited to reach a place. I do travel a lot as its a part of my work. But this place was completely different from anything that I had seen before. Humla, a remote district located at a remote Karnali region of Nepal, certainly is one of the most beautiful places that I have ever been to.

Getting there is not easy. The place is not connected to any road way by which you can travel. To get there either you will have to walk all the way(from the nearest road link, which is days away) or get a flight to the place. And flights there, again are a different story. You don’t get a fix official price for the tickets, nor will you get a date or time of the flight. You just buy the tickets, in whatever price you get and wait for the flight from early morning and just keep your fingers crossed and pray that the flight will take-off. Chances are high that you wont be able to fly in the first attempt. I was flying to Humla for conducting activities to promote Adoloscent Friendly Health Services in the region, along with three friends(co-workers). We had been lucky that we flew the very morning that we were supposed to, in a small plane that contained more goods(form food supply, clothes to furniture) than people. The entire 30 minute flight from Surkhet to Humla was amazing (in a scary way). We were able to see mountains all the way through the flight, sometimes they’re so close that it looked extremely terrifying. The landing was the most scary part, when the plane’s about to land, you will feel like its about to hit a huge hill, runway appears no where and it feels like the aircraft is heading straight to crash on a hill.

But we landed safely, and as soon as I put my steps out of that aircraft, what lay before my eyes was –Paradise !!! I was awestruck ! We got so excited by what we were seeing that we danced on the runway (literally, other people looking curiously at us). The place was so beautiful, snow-capped mountains all around. I felt like I was looking at a beautiful scene from a romantic movie. The place was making me feel like a bollywood actress, I felt like dancing in some typical romantic song(would not have mind wearing a sarees as well ). I may sound like I am exaggrating, but Humla was so beautiful that it brough tears to my eyes.  Everywhere I turned I could see snow capped mountains, words would be to little to describe nature, but to use just one word; it was 'breathetaking'. Well, I could go on writing about the beauty of the place, but here actaully I am intending to write about the little adventure that we had on the very first day of our Humla stay.

View from airport at Simikot, Humla

After sometime of landing in that heaven, we could see that the mountains were so close, it felt like we would strech our hands and we will be able to touch the snow. After having a nice meal, we did not have any particular plan for that day. So we decided to explore around, planned to visit a Gumba, suggested by some locals. Went along asking the way, but after some half an hour walk we saw that a mountain was so close, it would be rather interesting to climb up a little and play snow. I absolutely loved the idea as I had not touched snow till date (sad but true). So the four of us, started climbing up a hill, which then would lead to a mountain on its side. It was absolute fun and adventurous !

So we started climbing up the hill, it was quite steep and most troublesome thing was that, it was filled with some plants with very pricky thrones. After climbling for a while, we didn't find anyway up. We were literally crawling from in between the thrones, making our way out of no where. As much as we climbed up, we were realising that the snow that we saw from below seemed as far, the more we climb the father it seemed. It had been two hours that we started climbling and we were not getting anywhere ! We were exausted and scared but had no strenght to walk back the same way we climbed up. And at some point we literally came to a dead end, big rocks standing right before up…no way to go further ! It was getting late and was about to rain. We had no option but to try to climb the rocks…So we challenged the limits of our own bodies and climbed across the rocks. Then…there…we found snow !! Pure white snow…about a bowl of it ;) I mean it was only handful of it, but we still celebrated and got over joyed to atleast take snow in our hands.

But then, our adventure took no name to ending !! The weather was getting worse and we were not being able to find the way back (by now we had given up hope that we will reach the snow filled place, it seemed wise to climb down the hill as soon as possible). We were completely lost, one was suggesting to go this way, other that way…it was total confusion. Then we found a waterfall's way, there was very little water flowing at that moment. So, as we had heard, follow the water when you get lost, we decided to follow the waterfall way. Then the weather started to get really weird, it stared to rain and wind started blowing.

We tried to walk back as soon as we could, but it certainly was not easy. Everyone was falling down and slipping, every now and then. It was as if we were competing, who falls the maximum number of times ? Our greatest fear was that, what if the waterfall way actaully turns into a FALL ? What will we do then…but we had no other option but to follow the way. It did turn into a fall at few places, we had to jump…and creep and crawl at a few places. But the way down seemed never to come !

All kinds of scary thoughts had started coming in our minds. Nobody knew where we were. Nobody will come looking for us even if we don't go back to the hotel. There is no phone network here. We were starting to think of all the scary things. I had already started calculating the risks inside my head, I have a packet of noodles, a bottle of water, few chocolates, that will keep us going till the morning, IF we have to spent the night in this place. I thought I was thinking of the worst, but then I realised that others were thinking worse. One friend, was saying that only today she realised how much she loved her own life. It was getting real dark and raining heavely, at this point we were actually, scared for our lives !

Add caption

The way seemed never to end. Our eyes were constantly looking for the way that would lead us to the village. By now, we were all had stopped talking, joking, pulling each other legs, everyone was quiet, tired, wet from the rain, cold and scared.

After uncountable slips and many scratches, wounds from thrones…we finally saw a way…a man made way that is. Can't express how overjoyed we were.

After walking for hours on the places probably where no human foot had taken step, it felt like luxury to walk in the muddy road. There we actually knew which way to go. After some 4-5 hours of wandering into the hills we were back where other human beings were around. I am going to call home and tell my family that I love them, thats what I thought. It was still raining, it was cold but we were happy just to be back and safe.

And happy that we played snow…a bowl of snow !

Yet another day ...

      Yet another day,
       with a broken heart.
       a vast desert,
       an absent oasis.
       Yet another night,
       without a trace of sleep.
       Is this my life
       or a sinking ship?
       Yet another season,
       passed without joy.
       a dry river,
       a colourless rainbow.
       Yet another unfulfilled dream....
       a thirsty ocean,
       a dark sun,
       ....this is all my life has become
       since you have been gone.
       A lifeless life.
       and each day is just,
       yet another day!

The Feel Good Place

 I have a picture of this some 2 years old girl, wearing an over sized jacket, standing on a chair, in middle of a bridge, with the magnificent Macchapuchrre mountain in the background. My mother finds that picture to be very cute. I can’t really say about the girl but I find that place to be extremely beautiful. And even after so many years and many uncountable visits, and numerous pictures taken with the same darling Machhapuchre on the backdrop, the place still feels anew and refreshing to me.

Pokhara, is a kind of a place which can never bore you.  And it is the combination that I love, bestowed with so much beauty from the nature and the cool, fun atmosphere; where else in Nepal can you find that ??  Even when you are not in your brightest moods, a walk round the Fewa lake can refresh, worst of the moods swings.

This is a place, where I have various memories, of people I love, and respect, of friends and family. From celebrating friend’s birthday, dancing the night out, singing out loud in the wee hours of the night in the open streets, cutting one’s birthday cake, meditating inside the cave, getting totally wet in the rain, cycling, boating, hiking, and things more special than all of this, Pokhara has given me memories to cherish for life.  And no matter how many times I come here, it  feels as much beautiful as well as different. Walking on the streets of the Lakeside, on the late hours of evening, is a fun thing to do, no matter how many times you’ve done it…even if there is nothing new left to see, or no shop left where you haven’t window shopped. The feel, the ambiance of the place, is just so amazing. I always wonder how can this place be so happening and full of life, but  yet peaceful. 

Yes, it has got a little crowded over all these years, and at times you wish there were not as many people around, in the beautiful natural surrounding that you are at. And I might be just over- saying the good things about this place that I love. But, there is something about this place, something amazing probably indescribable, it just makes you feel good. I wonder if people who actually live here also experience the “feel good” thing. But I certainly do. Even when am occupied with work throughout the time that am here and can’t really go around visiting places, just sipping the morning tea with Fewa taal in the view feels to be a great privilege. Fewa with its vastness can never bore you, its kind of a thing of which you can never have enough of.

  There are so many things that have been done here and yet there is so much more to do, so many more places to visit and experience. Whenever, I come here, I feel like I have gained something new. This is a place which has given me love, and also a place which has helped me heal. I have felt the beauty of it, smiled with it, experienced it closely, but yet there so much more to do, more to feel.  And though I have been there uncountable times, I would go back to this place again, and again and again and again, (and again………..) and experience Pokhara again and just feel good.

Lumbini Year 2012 :)

I have had wanted to go to Lumbini from ever since I remember. Well, certainly for the obvious reason, it is Gautam Buddha’s birth place. A place which since has become associated with peace.

People in Nepal has always been so proud of the fact that Buddha was born in Nepal. We react very angrily when we find anywhere suggested otherwise. Though we may know very little about the actual teachings of Buddha, and implement even lesser of that teaching into our lives, we sure are proud. Proud that we are born in the same soil that once gave birth to the great Buddha.

I had made a mental note to myself that, I would visit Lumbini within 2012, that was my new year resolution. And I was encouraged more as 2012 was also, “Visit Lumbini Year”. Even after visiting so many places of Nepal, Lumbini was still on my “wish list” place. I had not been able to go there, up until recently. Finally, my long time dream of visiting his birthplace came true.

I had heard but never actually that Lumbini Chettra would be that big. It was a hot humid day, and me and my friend Kala, had been walking and walking. Only after a few minutes, I was already regretting rejecting the offer of a cab driver to tour us for few hours for 500 rupees. I had wanted to walk the place myself and not roam around in a car like some tourist. But walking all the way, to all the amazing monasteries, temples, stupas seemed somehow impossible. And we had only few hours on hand. So I wanted straight to go to THE place, Mayadevi’s temple.

I felt delighted after reaching the “Santi Deep”, a fire that never goes down. I appreciate the construction work that has been going on there to beautify the place.

After walking further more, we reached the Mayadevi temple premises. I don’t know if it’s the place or the feeling that you get after reaching the place, but you just so feel peaceful right after you reach there. Big peepal tree, and monks chanting mantras, the cool breeze blowing the prayer flags, it felt like I was in some different world. We sat with the monks, took their blessing and were smiling our biggest smiles.

Inside the Mayadevi Temple, it was a different age. I was looking at the ruins of a great palace, where a great soul was born. The staff there was very friendly and very keen on giving as much information as he could. He said that, “it was the very place where mother Mayadevi had given birth to Siddhartha Gautam. It must have been a beautiful room back then. King Ashok later marked the place by putting up the stone.” He showed us the stone craving of Mayadevi, which showed her in the moment when she was giving birth.

We sat there. And I did not want to go out of there. That was it, the ruins of a palace, how the place must have looked like some 2500 years ago. Those glory walls still standing must have looked different. How the room must have been, where the great event took place ? I was wondering, then I let my mind rest. I did not want to think anything, I just wanted to sit there, just be. And that’s what I did, and in that silent moment, where I was sitting in the wooden floor, inside the Mayadevi temple, became one of the most amazing moments of my life.

I certainly did not want to leave, but had to. My heart was delighted, I was leaving the Mayadevi temple premises with a peaceful mind. But that peace actually did not last long !! The peace of my mind was disturbed literally by some Hindi item number song being played nearby. Just outside the Mayadevi temple area but still inside the Lumbini area, what I saw before me was chaos. There was some kind of picnic being held there. People were cooking, eating, playing, cleaning dishes, selling things, buying things and making noise…a lot of noise. Just before a few minutes, only some steps away was the place where Buddha was born, where I had found peace and just few steps away was this chaos like I had never seen before. And since, I not being the enlightened one, I felt angry and I felt sad for what is being done right by the side of one of the most important places in the world. I strongly think that this was no way of celebrating the “Visit Lumbini Year 2012”, and the authorities must do something to stop such things from taking place again. Lumibini area is not a picnic spot, and it should not be turned into one.

Lumbini is a world heritage site and we can attract tourists from all over the world to that place (only if we put some efforts into it). It certainly is one of the most beautiful places that I have visited. But any kind of activity which disturbs the peace and tranquility of the place should be certainly and immediately stopped. I pray that peace prevails in the world and more so in Lumbini.

A New Beginning...

The first day of the year 2012 began as a good day. In this new year, there are many things that I wanted to do, to start and also to give up. There is a list with many resolutions, starting a blog being one. It feels good to be starting ! Let's only hope that, the year turns as good as the beginning. Welcome 2012 !