Time to Sow Paddy on the Crushed Dreams

Everyone has a dream to have a family, a small house and a cheerful life. An individual spends all his life working day and night and always dream to build a house. A shelter, where s/he along with his/her family members can live safely and in satisfied manner.

But, what if the government smashes it down in the name of widening the street? How does it feel when your home is destroyed with bulldozers? I don't think any of you would be happy seeing your dreams shattered and broken into pieces. Nor do me.

With possibilities of more rains in comparison to past years monsoon is approaching closer and closer. As it approaching near, I am feeling restless and worried thinking about those well-to-do families whose dreams were shattered in no time and were left nowhere and of course those real "squatters" who are forced to live under the open sky and also the situation of the capital city.

It’s haunting me thinking the condition of homeless people and their children, in upcoming monsoon, where would they hide themselves and their tadpoles?

In the past few months dreams of thousands of people were broken into pieces. But, at the meantime the state and more importantly Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai led government got a wide media coverage with lots of appreciation.

It might be against the spirit of the government or some people who have appreciated government such initiative, but a question always remain unsolved, is this solution? The state which is believed to be the guardian of the citizens is busy in making their future uncertain. What an Irony?

There are many places in Kathmandu where we see houses being destroyed down to make the roads wide enough.

In a way it's good that road should be widened but the state has always neglected in finding reasons behind the situation of current state. I personally feel, it’s the government bodies and political leaders to blame for current situation, as they were busy in fulfilling their vested interest.

The government bodies like Metropolitan City and Municipalities, which had no problem in giving approval to build house according to proposed design, now is busy in destruction.

The government officials often extort money from the people to pass the house design is now busy in breaking down their homes and making them paralyzed. Hasn't this part overlooked?

I am not saying what government did is completely wrong, but there should have taken some important measures prior such campaign.

(Few weeks back the squatters from Bagmati river banks were removed, a good task by government, but as soon as the government removed them, they are so much concerned about placing them in different place but I never heard any news until this day that government will place those people whose homes were gutted to some other place.)

Kathmandu is already polluted with some great people who and everyone’s contribution in mixing the rivers with sewage.

Similarly, I guess our government has made small effort too to make the city even more polluted with dust. It’s been weeks but the roads are left just like before not even a tiniest maintenance is done yet.

Is the government going to let the vehicles run over the destructed houses?

And, what about those pedestrians? Most of them are confused where they should walk actually. It feels like walking inside the world of dust and as rainy season is here it will feel like walking in the muddy land.

I suspect people might get excited and start cultivating paddy on those destroyed houses as season of sowing paddy is almost knocking the door.

And, thankfully the drainage system is so good in Kathmandu that we get to see ponds on the roads.

The destroyed houses, speedy vehicles and water filled roads, God bless pedestrians. Kathmanduities have always faced problems of traffic jams and now we can assume jam during rain. Ah..!!! I can't even think of upcoming consequences.

Along with this some questions are still unsolved--has the government destroyed these houses to add woes in current bad traffic, footpaths, create ponds in the street? or, Increase the number of squatters?

Needles & Skin; the Tattoo Craze

Who doesn’t want to look good? Who would like to be looking dumb? People spend thousands of rupees to look stylish and get noticed differently in the group. It might be either putting make up, wearing shorts and different cloths or anything that makes them feel something different and distinct in the crowd.

So, is with the Tattoos; getting popular among the people. These days, tattoos are hitting bodies of girls and boys of every age. Tattoos are not just being knitted in hands or shoulders, but are seen in sensible parts of the body as well.

Tattoos are getting very popular as a style statement. Especially on the summer, we get to see a different type of people have their parts of body inked.

They often name it a fashion and it's getting normal these days.

Talking about the traditional practices--people believed, tattoo was the only thing they could take with themselves after the death--and it has long been a part of rituals or identity of certain community as well. Different societies have their own beliefs regarding tattoo, some believe to cure diseases while some other supposed to love and respect to their husband.

Guys’ especially young boys with tattoos were not regarded as gentleman few years back. If they had a tattoo, they were taken as drunkard or some type of addict. But, slowly and gradually the concept is changing. The crazes of carving tattoos are getting popularity among the general people and also the celebrities simultaneously. Sometime ago tattoos had hit the sensible part of Hollywood and Bollywood actresses, but now it is getting normal in Nepali film industry as well.

There was a wide media coverage regarding tattoos inked on the chest of a popular Nepali actress Karishma Manandhar. There were mixed comments regarding her step. But, it's getting normal and acceptable now.

Along with the fashion, today, it’s taken as guts. Some people try to show their love while some just for the fashion. No matter big or small most of the boys and girls have an inner desire to get inked today.

"For me, tattoo is part of my identity. I have a AUM on my back and Nepali flag on my right arm. Aum represents my cultural identity, while flag represents my priority in life- country over everything else," shared Dr. Sameer Mani Dixit, a Biotechnologist by profession, "I am very happy about the latest tattoo (flag) and plan to do more in future.”

A guy seeking anonymity burst-out his feelings 'reasons' behind knitting tattoos in his arms, “I made a tattoo in my arms with me and my girlfriend’s name. we had some misunderstanding and to put off my anger and frustration I made the tattoo to show how much I love her." He added, "It indeed gave me a lot of pain but body pain is nothing in front of broken heart. Though, it was done in anger but I don't have any regret. It was to show my love towards her."

No matter whether it works always or is the right/wrong way, but it's there, and being liked by every walks of people.

What so ever the reasons are behind but tattoos has always been a form of expression.

Strike Me & a Long Walk

Strike, Banda, Chakka Jams, who doesn’t know about these terms today. As a kid, I thought, someone must be locking the big gate of Nepal with a big lock and it was “Nepal Banda”, which was, was once upon a time story then. I used to love the bandhas and protest then; no school, no homework’s, no project works, was fun isn’t it? As I grew up and start being responsible in the sense I started to work, my  feelings changed; I realized bandha is not locking the doors of the country but protest, burning tyres, vandalizing vechiles and disturbing the normal life of people.  Well if it’s for a day who doesn’t love it. I personally would have loved it, but continuous strikes, nothing can be stopped. One has to live the life.

Currently I would rather say the SEASON of Banda is going on and I hate this season like anything, you wake up in the morning with a news that its strike; a proper strike not just the name ones but the strict one where vehicles aren’t allowed. Currently the strike is seen when it’s called off by some strong group else who cares.  Suddenly start to dream with your open eyes planning for what u will be doing all the daylong having delicious food as you wish, staying home and just relaxing, listening to your favorite music, movie and books..Wow. And then you have the text or call from your colleague saying “OFFICE IS OPEN”; poor you the dream scatter like glass. OH NO! Sad? I understand! Then slowly you get ready to work in anger, may be cursing your boss, a little earlier than a normal day and get mentally prepared to start the exercise of jogging from your home to work and vice-versa. IF your work station is far…god bless you, get ready with a pair of chappal or converse, an umbrella and a bottle of water. Even though you know the office will be open just to reconfirm you call your colleague or work and conform that “OFFICE IS OPEN AND HAVE TO BE ON TIME.” You get down to the road, well it is a pleasant environment, no vehicles, no jams, no pollutions, well u feel it’s good to walk sometime. Wait wait wait, the feeling is just for few minutes until you feel hot and start sweating, after 15, 20 minutes you start looking at your watch each minute. When u slow down a little, u remember pills of work in your work desk, face of your boss who is going to yell at you for not have done the task. Then you speed up again.

Sweating like u never had sweat before, you reach your chair, drink few sips of water and when you try to find a little piece of your mind, the landline phone rings so high that makes u realize, well u are at work. The boss isn’t their only collogues and working like a machine. Going mad with everyone and cursing your boss and then u get a invitation from a friend about gather up, you get even more angry. Before your boss arrives you are hurried to complete you work. May be a group of meeting for a while too and everyone has a question “why were we called actually”. Everything is done no new work to come, you are hungry just a few hours to go for your lunch time and your phone bell rings “YOU CAN ENJOY THE REST OF DAY OUT OF OFFICE”. The hunger is lost, u get happy, just want to rush out of office, once u get down to road, you realize, well I have to walk back again. You start walking, and then you feel hungry, start cursing your boss, the scorching sun, and the question again and again with no answer “Why were we told to come to office?” You finally reach home with a long walk tired in no mood to do anything than sleep, GREAT ISN’T IT?

Todays Youth and Festival :)

Today’s generation is accused to be ignoring the culture and tradition emphasizing more in gadgets and technology. Laptops, Camera and other gadgets are all what today’s youth are found mostly interested in. The duties of dharma karma and worshipping god are taken by old people only habitually.  Rushing to college and then to job has become the latest fashion of the youth in today’s generation. Nepal being so rich in the terms of art, culture, traditions, norms and values, only the specific age group are found being participated.

But, here today on the day of “Bloggers Day” I am posting few pics that I have clicked on the occasion of “Rato Machindranath -the rain god”‘s chariot pulling festival in Patan, where u can see “Sea Of Youths” on the street participating in the cultural activity. Playing Bajas, dancing and most importantly pulling the 10 meters long chariot with 4 wheels.