Dance

Long time back, I used to dance. Dance in folk songs, pop songs, item numbers and many other dancing numbers. Back in school days, I loved dancing but the irony is I never shared it with any one nor even danced much in front of others. I only used to dance in annual functions of my school, which too stopped when I reached grade seven. Due to some technical issues, our school stopped celebrating the function. Then, I confined my danced within my room.

Slowly, the time moved on and I slowly started to explore myself. I started to open up and then again I started to dance, but these days my dance are carefree. I dance the way I like and don't care even about the music or the beat. When it comes to choreographed dancing, It seemed I left that a long ago, there at my school. 

But today it was something different. I did that again. Upon the request of my grade seven and six students I decided to do that once again. Though it was hard, I decided to do it. With the help of my students we completed the choreography and I am willing to see them performing in the annual function. 

Long story short, I enjoyed the day. :)

P.S. Song is intentionally not revealed here. 

Strive but never pride (Story of Transformation 15)

I had read somewhere that, "It is the adventure and uncertainties of the journey that makes life so beautiful and interesting."  

May be, but is that all the time? 

What if the uncertainties begot something more unfortunate ?  

Or, 

what if we don't have the required amount of energy to go through that adventure ? 

Answer, may be simple, we would feel depressed about our lives and may leave it somewhere in between before we reach our destination. Though no any survey is done to find out how many of us are so powerful to face the odds and misfortunes of our life with vitality, we have the answer that most of us don't have that zeal to pass out all the odds and struggle tirelessly. 

But recently I happened to meet a man who doesn't fall in most of us. Yeah! he is ordinary, but at the same time he is unique. I met him on our trek to Kalinchowk". He was driving the jeep that we had hired to Kuri from Charikot, but more than a motorist, he was our guide. Talking with him, really motivated me. I hope it will motivate you too. 

Devi Prasad Sapkota aka Mukunada Sapkota, 31, is the resident of Charikot. Professionally a driver, he becomes busy with so many other part time jobs. He knows the art of making dokos (handmade basket) to Flex prints and even furniture. Blessed with a seven year old daughter and a four year old son, Mukunda has a small and happy family now. But when asked about his childhood, his smiling face suddenly turns firms. 

 "I remember walking bare foot most of times when I was a child as I was from a poor family," responded Mukunda. His poverty stricken family had to go through even worst situations after the death of his father when he was only four. Sapkota had to struggle a lot to make his dream of going to school a reality. "We had a buffalo, I along with my elder brother used to wake up at 3 in the morning and do our household chores and then used to go to sell milk and straw from place to place. I used to take my uniform with me and change it on the places where its feasible and then go to school", recalled Mukunda. 

He completed his secondary and higher secondary level from Charikot with the same daily schedule then headed on to Kathmandu with a new aspiration of continuing his Bachelors level since 2059 BS and joined Ratna Rajya Campus. Then he started working as a taxi driver. He used to work whole night and then go to college in the morning. Satisfied in his profession, Mukunda continued, "Though I couldn't continue my study due to problems, I have never regretted any decision that I have taken in my life. I was ready to do whatever it took during that time." 

As a driver, he has so many experiences and incidents. Being demanded by his profession, he has to meet different kinds of people and has to deal with them and in these years he too has some sad journey and some happy ones. He recollected, "Once a European traveled a whole night with me. We shared a lot of things. Being impressed with my hard work and dedication, he gave me an extra hundred euro for my study." Similarly there was another incident in his life that made him leave his four years of taxi driving at Kathmandu and return to his village. Some boys asked helped with him on a drizzling night and looted him in a busy street of Baneshwor. Though so many people noticed it, no one dared to help him or either call a police. He thought as if they weren't interested in his affairs. After that he sold his taxi and returned his home in despair. 

Once again, he started his life and struggle in his own village. He shared that though village life lacks some facilities, here no one has to return empty hands when asked for help. Now, he is living a fulfilling life and is now giving a good education to his children. He dreams of educating his children and also his wife, who is just a high school graduate. I couldn't complete my study, now I will make sure, my family complete it. 

Finally Mukunda shared, "Though life is difficult without money, we should  never make money our priority rather we should concentrate on living a happy life and always remember our struggle so that we would never boast when we overcome it. Strive but never pride."

His words touched me, hope you are also moved. :) 

सजिव निर्जिवता

शब्दभित्रको निशब्दता,

आवाजभित्रको मौनता

हासोभित्रको रोदन

अनि,

मुस्कानभित्रको पिडा

सायदै, तिमीले बुझेका छौ

आशाभित्र लुकेका मेरा नैराश्यता

विश्वासभित्र लुकेका मेरा आशंका

फगत, मेरा कमजोरी मात्र हैनन् ।

अनि यी मात्र हैनन्

केवल मेरा भावहरु

जुन सायदै तिमीले बुझेकाछौ ।

तिम्रा नजर केवल म प्रति छन्

अनि केवल मेरा अट्हास हासो र निश्चल मुस्कानप्रति छन्

कुनै दिन तिमी यीभन्दा भित्र गएर हेर

अनि पढ मभित्रका हरेक पानाहरु

र ढुबुल्की मार मभित्रका हरेक ज्वारभाटाहरुमा

त्यस बखत,

हो, मात्र त्यस बखत

तिमीले बुझ्ने छौ

मेरो अस्तित्व के हो

र के हुन् मेरा तरंगहरु

अनि बुझ्ने छौ तिमीले

सजिव भएर पनि निरर्जीव

हुदा कस्तो महसुस हुन्छ ?

Over the canopy of clouds; A numinous travel to Kalinchowk

"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open."- Jawaharlal Nehru

Umm, our hiking to White Gumba, most had had a wonderful effect in Mr. Barun that he came up with the idea of trekking to some place far from Kathmandu. He shared his idea and this time, it was my turn to get convinced as I had planned to enjoy my unexpected holiday at home, (Yes , though shorter later I was at home for two days ((; ). I wouldn't have agreed, if he hadn't mentioned the name of the place. 

The place was Kalinchowk, which I was desperately waiting to go. Actually I had started my journey to go there four years back but had to return half way due to my health conditions. So, it was kind of unfulfilled desire for me, which I really wanted to accomplish some day and here he was convincing me to go. Yeah, we again started the friend hunt, and our dearest Puskar was the only one who was so happy to accompany us despite his upcoming exam. The same reason; it was the place Kalinchowk, somewhere he had seen the photographs of the place and was lured by it. Though others were interested, they couldn't manage their time, well known reason, it was a sudden idea. 

We, three started to search for ways to go there and found that we could get tickets to Charikot if we reached Old Buspark early in the morning, then we had to head to Kuri and then to Kalinchowk. Luckily Puskar managed to find a person whom we could ask for help with our accommodation at Charikot and our transportation up-to Kuri. 

Morning Tea at Teen Kune

With that information, we decided to head towards our destination next morning. Barun and I walked from Sinamangal to Teenkune at 5:30 am where Puskar was waiting for us. As he felt that his shoes weren't comfortable even on the streets, he decided to return to his home and change his shoes while Barun and me opted to have tea in a nearby tea vendor. Puskar returned after sometime and we headed towards Old Buspark. When we reached there it had already  been 6.30 am and we had missed the first bus to Charikot. Then we took the tickets for the second bus. Unfortunately it was the last seat and I guess you know why it's unfortunate to get the last seat on a public bus on a long drive.

Exactly at 7 am, our bus headed on its journey and I must say it was not an express bus. It stopped at so many places sometimes for fuel and sometimes to board passengers midway who wouldn't mind standing up the whole journey and the bus must be lucky as it was packed. The bumpy ride halted in the middle of the jungle around 8:40 am and surprisingly all the passengers started to get off the bus, we later realized that it had halted for loo. I got off the bus and again unfortunately touched 'sisnu' (Stinging nettle). I didn't realize what it was until a middle aged woman told me that those were the sisnu plant and when I looked around the jungle, it was full of them. So I thought it was best to get inside the bus rather than to roam and get stunk by those plants.
The bus again started its journey and we crossed places like Tinpiple, Paanchkhaal, Laami Dandha, Zero Kilo and Dolalghat. Let me share, one interesting moment at Dolalghat. I don't know it may be normal, but I saw a tomato vendor for the first time coming inside the bus and asking if anyone would buy tomatoes, otherwise I had only seen chatpat or fruit vendors coming inside the bus and asking if anyone is willing to have them. Our bus broke down somewhere around Dolalghat, we utilized our time for a photo session. 

(Some of the glimpses of photo session that we did at Dolalghat)

Sunglasses borrowed from Puskar :-p

After that, we crossed Balefi and reached Khadichaur, where our bus halted for lunch. We tasted momos and chowmin there. We found chowmin better than momo. After that crossing Thulapakkhar and Mudey, we reached Charikot exactly at 1:00 pm.
Then Puskar called Balram dai, he was the one who was going to manage our lodging and fooding there. He welcomed us at Kalinchowk bazar and took us to Kalinchowk Hotel where we decided to have our lunch and rested for a while. We had a plan to reach Kuri that day but all those people whom we talked to suggested us to stay at Charikot as it would be too cold there at Kuri and even we couldn't manage a vehicle to reach there that would wait for us a whole day to bring us back. So at 2 pm we wanted to utilize our time and headed to trek for Dolakha Bhimsen Temple.

(On the way to Dolakha Bhimsen, we didn't miss capturing our moments)

It took us nearly two hours to walk there. It was surprising for us that the houses around the temple were badly damaged during the earthquake but the temple even didn't have a small scratch.





After praying to lord Bhimsen, while we were returning we heard that the last bus to Charikot was yet to come, so we decided to wait for the bus and returned to our hotel approximately at 7:30 pm. We already were so tired that bed was our ultimate destination, at least for me. I don't know when two of them slept.

Next morning we were already ready to go at 5:00 am, our 'Mahindra Pickup'  that we had hired for the day was already ready to take us. Mukunda dai, a very jolly human being was there as our companion for the day. He guided us throughout the way and also shared his life journey with us (will write more about him on my next post) We headed towards our destination around 6:30 am after having our breakfast.


I swear the view was so mesmerizing. When the sun suddenly slightly started to pry us, we were even more thrilled to see ourselves just above the ocean of clouds. I don't have any words to describe what our eyes got to see there. Crossing those beautiful lanes and woods, we reached Kuri exactly at 11 am.

(On the way fun and the  beauty that we saw during our ride to Kuri)

I was awestruck  with the view

We rested there for a while, and then we three were set to climb up the hill upto Kalinchowk Temple. The hill was very steep. We had to take rest even after a short walk. It took us nearly one and half hour to reach the top but yes, finally we did that and when we reached there we felt as if all our effort had been paid off well. White and bright Gaurishankar Himal range was smiling so bright somewhere nearby us and it seemed as if we could walk through the clouds and reach the mountain.

( During our walk up the temple)

We enjoyed the view for about half an hour and descended down the hill in 30 minutes and had a wonderful wonderful wonderful lunch there :).

(Moments when we were on the top)

Then we set our journey back to Charikot, where we reached at around 2:30 pm, when all the public bus had already headed to Kathmandu, so we had to find tickets for a TATA Sumo. Unfortunately, again, we had to confine us in a very uncomfortable back seat and the fuel stank all the way. Importantly, I vomited for the first time in my life while travelling in a vehicle. This became, my most uncomfortable one. Finally we arrived Kathmandu exactly at 7pm.
However the final ride was, the journey will be the most memorable one in my life. Yes, Saint Augustine has rightly said, "The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page." I aspire to read some more pages in the coming days as well. Last but not the least don't forget to taste the 'Chhurpis' of Kalinchowk, they taste awesome. :)

P.S. The myth about the temple is that once a person exits the temple premises one shouldn't return.