Pink Panther Party

It's Vicky and Janet who colored us in pink by throwing a party in their apartment at Lazimpat having a theme 'Pink Panther Party'. Invitation came to me as a surprise and theme of the party made me go and yeah I had tons of fun putting pink paper hat to chime the theme and danced in full energy.

As we draped ourselves in pink Sal and paper pink cap, we grooved into beautifully decorated small apartment which was packed of people from different countries and different profession. We even blew pink balloons to put extra pink before we joined the party.

In general 'Pink' represent feminine and also color of gala vibe but the party proved 'Pink' much more than that. It was a nice evening and I including Smriti, Raman, Rabi and Sunil from Nodan Club had a great time. Many thanks to Vicky and Janet for such a wonderful evening.

Milestone II Workshop @ CUG

I love to READ and each new day is like flipping pages of an intriguing novel. Good day or bad day, there's always new experiences to cash in. And this is what triggered me most in accepting myself as an Instructor at Chaudhary Udyog Gram (CUG) Milestone II workshop for Chaudhary Group (C.G) at Nawalparashi, Chitwan. I had absolutely no clue how I would be reacting being one of the instructor of the workshop organized by Nodan club. Surprisingly my inner instinct took over and am quite happy about this newly discovered self.

Words like 'Communication', 'Leadership' and 'Team building' sound pretty big fish but they are just small ones. And this kind of workshop allow people to jog back to basic of human civilization and evolution which I think is very important for you to know our potential and limits. Today's craze of chasing advance technologies has transformed us into a techno-savvy and we miss this real joy of being close to nature.

Milestone II workshop was clearly focused and hold these vital purposes to equip the participation with knowledge, realization and skill which enable to empower participant and infuse themselves with positive power. It was also targeted on helping senior executives become better leaders and build the kind of leadership teams to position and sustain group at the top. Interacting among teams within can ultimately acquire the insights concept and strategies required to take charge as inspiring leaders who create a culture of leadership through out the group. And workshop fostered every single participants to be a leader.

On 25 January 2007, we 'Instructor Team' of Nondan including 80 participants had gathered at the Chaudhary Group Headquarters at Sanepa, Lalitpur. By 2 pm all the equipments and personal belongings had been loaded on two buses we all headed toward CUG Nawalparashi. One can easily feel the enthusiasm among the participants from the very beginning as everyone was very curious for the next day. Soon after the buses set off for the destination participant started to make fun singing songs. The journey toward CUG was one full dose of fun and excitement.

After such a fun fill ride of 5 hours we reached CUG and it was already late in the evening then all participants were immediately assigned to the different blocks for the two-night stay. After a short rest, all participants gathered and there was a brief formal program of introductions and purpose of the workshop Milestone II. Mr. Ashesh from HRD welcomed all participants to the workshop and requested them to make most out of this opportunity. He also committed himself as a participant of the workshop. Then Raman Bhattrai, director of the workshop introduced the instructor team, which consists professional from different profession, from outdoor adventure expert to media person. Raman also outlined programs of next day.

Later all participants were divided into seven groups as Team 'Ka', Team 'Kha', Team 'Ga' Team 'Gha' likewise. After the formal program, everyone was swing back to weekend mode and everyone had great time enjoying wholesome dinner and dancing. Dancing itself is a good stress buster therapy and participant also enjoyed dancing till late night. They were aware of the three basic key elements of the workshop, Leadership, Communication and Team building and ever since their arrival at CUG, they were conscious to perform their best to achieve high team score. And everyone was mindful of the fact that the next day was going to be most exciting one and we said good-night while still in the party mode.

On the 26th Jan 2007, Finally the big day started at 6:30 am and the instructor team sprang up to set grounds ready for all the activities and drills. For the participant, the day started by modern meditation and yoga at the Learning Center of CUG. Interaction that took over after the yoga session was also very interesting part of this session which shows that participants were very aware of the fact that mental health is equally important. Many participants were asking various questions to know more about the yoga and its benefit. Yoga session ended at around 8 am and day followed by breakfast.

After short breakfast break, the self chosen leaders from all seven teams displayed banner of the workshop as formal inauguration at the CUG tower and each team were given a creative task of giving unique name and slogan for their team. Then participants were led through warm-up games like “Team Spiral and Undo” and “Blob Tag”, which helped all participants to get in the proper frame of mind for the day ahead. Then Mr. Ashish was pulling all the participants in HR way and team CG was running towards his pace. It was quite encouraging sight to see everyone participated in this session with full zeal, despite varied ages.

Station : A
Nightline was played in the Station A. In this game, all the participants are blindfolded and led through a specially designed trail. The game aims to improve the communication in a team and builds trust among the participants who learn to depend on the instructions of the person in front of him about what lays ahead.

Station : B Subash and Smriti, were in charge of Station B. The games played were Toxic Waste and Raising Team Attitude.

Toxic Waste: Here the team has to transfer the contents of a bucket to another and dispose of it in a safe place. The catch is that all this has to be done with the help of ropes and elastic band provided and the members cannot go into the area where the buckets “Toxic Waste” are kept. This game teaches the members to think as a team and come up with strategies while providing plenty of opportunities for the members to develop leadership.

Raising Team Attitude: This is a very simple game and consists of a bowl which is filled with water and the challenge here is to lift the bowl without spilling the water and hands are not to be used. If the whole team didn't cooperate aim of this game can't be achieved.

Station : C

In Station C, you would have the chance of seeing Yogendra and Ramesh in charge of the game “Don’t Lose Your Team Member”. In this game, the team is given some half cut pipes. The instructor rolls some marbles on the first pipe and the task is to carry those marbles across the length of the Station without dropping any. Aim of this game is to improve team work and leadership as well as to them feel every single team member is equally important.

Team Crossing
In this game, the task is to cross a river with the help of some mats provided and the only rule is that a mat cannot be left unattended in a river. Team should cross together.

Station : D

Spider Web and Monkey Crawling were the games in Station D. Manish and Krishna were the instructors assigned to this Station.

In Spider Web, there are ropes tied to create something like a spider web and the task is to move the team members from one side to the other without touching the ropes. This game increases planning idea as well as distribution channels.

Monkey Crawling is exactly what it says it is. The team member has to crawl a rope like a monkey, others can help pretty similar as in real situation.

Station : E

Launching the Product was the game played in Station E. The instructors were Sunil and Kiran. In this game, the team has the chance to get very creative, as they have to invent a new language, use it and complete the task. Once the language is invented, team leader goes to other side of the tarp hung like a curtain and the rest of the team stays one side. The challenge is to lift a special product with the help of a pipe, ropes and a hook – the rule is that the team leader can only instruct his friends in the newly invented language.

The other game played at this station was called Hot Potatoes. The team members pass a ball around as if it was a very hot potato. The only rule is that the team member who holds the ball when the whistle blows it out. Theme of this game is when member is in a trouble he/she ask for help or want to share the problem with others.

Station : F

Rajan and Rina were the instructors for the Station. Team Walk was the game played here. The group has to walk with their feet tied to a wooden plank together. The aim here is to create a clear sense of leadership and synchronize the team's movement to the orders of the leader. At the same time instructor give command team members to be in order from disorder - name of the game was stay-by-order.

Station : G

Zip Success Wire – This was the name of the task in Station G. Endra and Maya were in charge there. Each team has to send its members to and from on a zip wire. All the members have to work together to ensure that every one of them have an easy ride across the wire bringing strength ball from one pick up point to another landing site. This game boasts inner strength of the participant pushing them toward wider horizon.

All drills was halted from 13:00 - 14:00 hr for lunch break and during the lunch break, participants got busy degning their team's banner and finding appropriate slogan. All teams were highly engrossed to give creative team name and unique slogan. After lunch the day progressed and all station resume its drills.

Finally, the seven teams came up with their own names and slogans. Teams are as follows:
1. GenEx, the Generation Next
2. Caravan
3. We the Unity
4. Synergie
5. We
6. Gaida
7. Eureka

All seven teams successfully passed out all seven stations. Participation from all teams was amazingly wonderful. In spite of hot sun, each individual showed good spirit and played to be the best. And then banner display program followed and each team leader shared their experiences and views about the drills and knowledge they learnt.

After a brief interval all seven teams were set for the next round of activities, namely group Tug-of-wars. In the first round, all the seven teams competed with each other and it was good example of perfect balance of teamwork and it also showed that if they fight among the team nobody will win.

In the second round, two-team tug-of-war followed to make more as one best team. Even instructor's team joined in this tug-of-war game giving extra excitement to the participants. Finally there were eight teams, including the instructors, who competed against each other and finally the Team Caravan won by defeating the instructors’ Team Everest in the Finals.

This was followed by a group meet where all the Team Leaders gave brief presentation on the day’s activities. The team leaders were invited to share their learning and achievements. One of the speeches given by Mr. AK Sharma was so moving as he mentioned the days experience made him and his team nostalgic and instructor team took his words as prize of honor. After this, all the seven team realized as one team with the help of all the instructors and participants Milestone II declared Team CG 1.

Then the participants had a chance to give feedback displaying their banner presentation. The whole program and the Workshop finally came to an end after each team realized they were part of team CG in the bigger picture Team CG is only one team that is EVEREST CG NUMBER ONE.

The reason for this was that Team Everest should be the best team and CG can only be the best team if they are united. That was the whole point of declaring CG No. 1 team. It was a message that all the different divisions of CG should stand united. This should be main formula to form the best (No. 1) team in Nepal. Then it was time for a break.

During the whole day participants made lots of leadership demonstration and slogan cheer ups.

The instructors conducted a formal program with talent shows and distribution of Tokens of Love to various participants. Among the participants Matina Maharjan was given a token of love for being inspiring participation and like wise Mr. AK Sharma was given toke of love as best learner. The talent show consisted of two mini-skits: “The Contagious Doctor’s clinic” and “Maha Bharat: Draupadi Vastraharan Part II”. Since the final program participants announced to support a days' salary for a noble cause 'Clean Bagmati Campaign' doing by team Nodan which was really one perfect example of outcome of the workshop Milestone II.

One among the participant, Puskal Khatiwada immediately contributed Rs. one thousand for the campaign.

Day's program concluded with good vibe of music and dance synchronized beautifully by creative DJ Ashesh.

On the 14th Magh 2063, The next day, 14th of Magh, was the day when the team returned back to Kathmandu. The Nodan Team was pleasantly surprised to get a departing gift from the CUG. Finally after breakfast, the team was allowed a brief visit to the factory buildings and most of us were very glad to see how our favorite snack “Wai Wai” was made.

We arrived at the CG Headquarters, Sanepa at around 5 o’ clock and by ending our journey there we had come a full circle.

Portraits of An Angel

“Beauty is an attribute of children” wrote poet philosopher ‘Friedrich Holderlin. And indeed Children inspire a great many artist, poet, painter and this Jitu'cha is no exception. I always have fun being with children and be children.

Here I would like to celebrate this loveliest portraits of three and half years old Palisha Lama who visited my office as if an Angel (of course, Angel without wings) from Heaven above and chased away my lonesome feeling. It was one such beautiful moment that I knew by heart: why does God put the best of our life right at the beginnings.






Story behind these pictures:
I always consider that if you have a willing heart to believe good things in life they sure will come to you. And these portraits are one of such good thing in my life. It was a normal day and there came this sweet little angelic face Palisha to my office bringing so much joy and smiles.

Palisha is niece of my office collogue and is in nursery class. She is very witty and she revealed me her secret recipe, how she keeps her two fufus (Auntie) happy and enjoy receiving lots of toffees from them. I asked her how and she said, "Very easy, just tell sano fufu that she doesn’t like thulo fufu and go to thulo fufu and tell her, she doesn’t like sano fufu. She even boasted me that she has a live Zebra at her home. Ice-cream is her favorite food and she loves to dance when on one is seeing her. She loves pictures of sheep and was asking me to show pictures of sheep in my PC.

Children are cute, naughty, irritable, joyous, envious, sneaky, flighty, and timid, quick to laugh and cry, extreme in expressing joy and sorrow, especially about trifles. They'll do anything that pleases them. And Palisha delighted me by making all these wide range of funny expression within fifteen minutes. Yes within 15 minutes. I had a wonderful time with her. I know that every child has this power to delight you anytime. And sometime they can make you want to start life all over again. It's true.

Truely A Nepali Heart

Wanna be a truly Nepali? Meet Puskar dai (Puskar Shah) for some inspiration. You must have heard many said, 'Nepalese are happy people with beautiful smiles'. And guess what ! Puskar dai is even a step further to make you believe that Nepalese are simple too. On my very first encounter, his simplicity impressed me immensely. It is hard to imagine, someone having that magnitude can hold such a simple outlook on life. Pushkar dai, who have toured more than 100 counties on his bicycle spreading the message of peace and love, and has such a titanic experience of life, yet so simple Nepali at heart who misses "makaiko dhindo" in the land of pizzas, king burger.

I have read series of his dairy which he have written during his journey and were published by Wave magazine. Ever since I was curious to meet him one day and luck favored. Surprisingly it was a rare luck for me to meet him in 'Nepal Youth Social Forum - 2006' organized by various youth forums last Saturday in the capital 'Kathmandu' and I was there as participant from Nodan Club. When I first saw, he was busy setting his "Himalayan Leopard" (That's what he named his bicycle) for display at the stall of Nodan Club. He was wearing a beautiful smile in his face and very gentle meeting people. He has so many experiences to share and people were swarmed around him asking tons of questions.
Being a shutterbug, I took some pictures first and eagerly approached him for an introduction. "Namaste! Puskar dai" and welcoming he spread out his hand and gave me a wonderful handshake. His has a very warm handshake indeed. I like the way he gripped my hand firmly till I gave my complete introduction. (see photos below). I think this showed, how caring he is to know people. I even shared some of his recollections from his book 'Pushkar Journey on', he brimmed with delight. We talked for long regarding his tour. He is very easygoing person and anyone can be his buddy in a minute. His simple views can teach us to be proud of being a Nepali. One must read his book 'Pushkar Journey On" published by Wave magazine to know him in depth and how simple he is in a Nepali way. I amused myself to great extend reading his diary and placed a high respect for his unmatched sense of humor. I bet some stories in the book can make you cry literally and that's what I did. It's my great pleasure to share you the link of his web-page here.
http://www.pushkarshah.com

Blogs in Year 2006

Youth Hand for Change
Picnic at Lkharui Bhanjayang
That Fleeting Moment and I
Birthday Note to Myself
Great Escape with 'Kutumba'
Butterfly in My Bedroom
Feeling So Lonely
Debate on Marriage
Walking an Extra Mile
Third Thuraya Mountain Bike Championship
Captureing Beautiful Pictures
That Beautiful Day
Ironic not always
Deepa weds Sital
FRIENDS
Impression of Expression
Geepa Got Engaged with Shital
Another Busy Day
Incident That Moved Me
'Sex, Lies & Stereotypes'
Days Slip By
Photographing Children

Youths Hands for Change

Text by : Smriti Lama.
It's 16th of December 2006, a special day for a group of young people. It was the day YOUTH Hands For Change was formed.

It was already eleven in the morning by the time the group had assembled and started from Boudha. The destination was Sundari Jal where we were supposed to camp for a day. The event, Leadership Training Camp, was organized by the Nodan Club and no one was sure how many people would actually be participating.

We were initially a team of thirteen - Raman Dai, Sunil Tamang, Sahadev, Manohar, Rajan, Jitu Dai, Krishna ji, Narayan Sir, Bhoj Raj ji, Rajan Dulal, Surendra, Yogendra and I, Smriti Lama. But Prabin had joined us by nightfall thus making us an even numbered team of fourteen. For most of us since it was the first time we were camping everything was interesting and a novel experience.

Immediately after introductions it was clear that the team assembled was a unique one for no sooner had we started on our journey than the members started cracking jokes, sharing anecdotes and engaging in discussions on grave topics like Child Psychology.The climb up to reach our campsite was a very difficult one and the pressing heat did not make it any easier. I do not take well to physical effort and the sun well and was very red and huffing and puffing the whole way up. Evidently, it pleased Sahadev so much to see me that way that he mentioned it later in the circle of trust as his most memorable incident.

We reached our destination at around one in the afternoon which was pretty good considering the very steep climb had taken us only about an hour. Raman Dai led us through a couple of games which were like ice-breakers to make us feel comfortable with each other as a team and help us memorize each other's names. It was then that we named our group YOUTH - Hands For Change. Since we were surrounded by picnic-goers we did not in the least feel unappreciated for people kept gawking at us and for a minute there we got to feel like celebrities.

After an hour or more, the crowd had dispersed and we prepared ourselves a light snack of bread, peanut butter, jam, etc. When I was younger, I would read about such snacks in Enid Blyton novels and grudge them that meal but I found that I like reading about them more than actually eating them. Not that there was anything wrong with it but once you have reached the campsite you get so excited that it doesn't matter what you eat.

The whole process of pitching our tents was so much fun and Krishna got awarded for having the best tent and all of us who helped him pitch it were so proud. We were especially glad about our camp site because we had a beautiful lake for our front yard and were surrounded by lovely green hills from everywhere. I swear I have not seen a night sky like the one I saw there in a very long time. Many of us even got lucky and saw shooting stars.
Most of the games we played that day aimed at building trust and teaching us to communicate among each other as a team. We did the one where the whole team catches a member who lets go from a height. My personal favourite was the one where everyone was the blindfolded and taken through an especially difficult trail. Puspa Dai helped us with the task by leading the group. By the end of the evening more than one of us had wet and muddy shoes but we had never had never felt better.
After our fun and games it was time for some sight-seeing. We went to a hotel and from the balcony we could see Kathmandu in all its glory at night. Kathmandu looked like an extension of the starry night sky and we kept looking at it. It is true that many things can be hidden under the cover of darkness and from where we were we could not see the pollution in the city. Surendra and Yogendra were the group favorites as they weren't very keen talkers and so everyone kept asking them to say something - anything. Yogendra sang a song by Narayan Gopal and everybody joined in. We took our meals there and returned to our camp site.We built a camp-fire and sang songs till late in the night. Manohar turned out to be quite the singer of the group and was the life of our little party there. We also had a game of antakshari and the other team put on their creativity cap and sang some instant songs and Sunil, who was in our team, couldn't sing very much because he would start coughing as soon as he started singing. In the middle of our games we were interrupted by cries of wild cats but we discovered the next day that the jungle was full of monkeys so they were probably the ones responsible for those noises. I am scared of wild cats but even more scared of monkeys so it was probably for the best that we didn't know the source of those cries.Narayan Sir who was comparatively quite that day shared some of his stories with us and made us laugh but it was Krishna Ji who stole the show. He regaled us with some very interesting tales of his childhood and while we felt very sorry for the little boy who was hurt and lame and who lost one of his slippers, none of us could help laughing at the boy who said, "I didn't do anything, I just waited for them". None of us will ever look at Katar the same way again.We finally said Goodnight at around one in the morning but not before we had all participated in Solo (meditation). All of us went to a solitary place and each stood at a distance from the other and we were asked to think about our lives since the time we were little kids. Since I had never done it before, I must admit that I spent most of the ten minutes star gazing and getting scared in the dark. To top it all, some of our friends including Surendra and Yogendra got lost on their way back and Krishna Ji could not control his laughter.

We started the next day off with some Yoga and meditation. Narayan Sir, Jitu Dai and Krishna Ji shared their experiences with the group. Like Narayan Sir said during the time we were practicing our breathing exercises we felt like the birds had all come near us and were singing near us. It was such a lovely start to an already exquisite day. After that we went to a hotel and had some breakfast. But even that time was mentally stimulating as we all discussed on topics like, "How much frank is frank enough?" Jitu Dai told us about his love for pigeons and everyone was surprised when he told us that some pigeons could stay in air for more than eight hours.We returned to our campsite and played games like the ones we had played the day before. Raman Dai with Sunil's help led us through all the games. Though one wouldn't think it, those games turned out to be very dangerous and if you don't believe me you should ask Sahadev who was blindfolded and whom I saw hanging on to a friend in a "Banmara Ko Jhyang". Since the campsite was littered with paper-plates and plastics we cleaned it up a little before leaving. So we not only learned how to have fun as a team but also to clean up as a team.But we weren't done yet. Raman Dai asked us to give our feedback on a sheet of paper. Then we formed a circle of trust and each person gave a pen (thanks to Raman Dai) to another person. Raman Dai thanked Sunil and Rajan D. for providing us with the tents and sleeping bags respectively for the whole team. Rajan surprised us all by his kindness and generosity when he gave his jacket to Sambhu, our help.

Needless to say, Jitu Dai entertained us with his jokes the whole time we were together and there is no denying that his jokes are great and that he takes fabulous pictures but his mathematics is the thing that is truly outstanding. So the next time you meet him, ask him how much is 5 + 5.
Overall, those two days were the best two days spent of our lives and we learnt many things from each other and Raman Dai. Everyday in our lives we come across little kindnesses, respect, team spirit and wonderful people but there, far from our routine lives, I think, we appreciated it and appreciated each other and the camaraderie between us. Though it sounds very cliché I think I changed a little bit from inside in Sundari Jal and I will never be the same again. Being among such kind and positive people helped me look at life differently and in a good way. I hope others felt that too. And I feel hopeful that it is just the beginning for Hands for Change.

Picnic at Lkharui Bhanjayang

Word 'Picnic' always cheers me and in my school days friends used to label me as an expert in organizing picnics. I can't tell exactly why I was so fond of organizing such events in those days but I believe I do have a knack for making merry time. Needless to tell, I have treasured so many beautiful memories of those countless picnics I have organized in the past. Still I do remember vividly how I have bugged my litle head supervising everything and walked extra miles to make those events success. Though it's funny that, how friends used to be anxious about what dress to wear for picnic tomorrow and put lot effort to groom themselves but to contrary I used to worry not to forget stove pin or ghee for pulau and so on. Recalling those days, now I feel, I really was different character on the landscape. Anyway, good days are gone for good.

Last Saturday it was another picnic to Lkharui Bhanjyang. And this time it's not me but my hometown buddies who have arranged this picnic as a reunion party of old buddies. I assume it's been more than ten years gap in between the last time we went for picnic, so this picnic itself was quite an opportunity for all of us to meet old times buddies.

Lkharui Bhanjayang is a perfect spot for picnicking. It lies perched atop the pristine hill of Pokhari Thumko (18km from Kathmandu). Located at an altitude of 2000 m, approximately, this is another vantage point commanding panoramic views of the snowy mountain peaks. View of wide spectrum of the Himalayan range and the broad expanse of the Kathmandu valley from Lakhuri Bhanjayang is breathtaking. The northern horizon is an ideal location to watch spectacular views of sunset and sunrise. And we all enjoyed to full picnicking at this beautiful place.

Let me share some pictures.
Group picture for ever lasting FRIENDSHIP.
Making fun time with local children, who were so curious to see their instant pictures in my digital camera. I had wonderful time being with them and taking lots of their pictures. You can surf my photo blog to see more pictures of them. Click here Lkharui Dance: Music and dance I think are very part of Nepali way of picnicking and how could we miss enjoying such joyful activities. And do I need to equip more words to explain euphoric we have had.
Subash, Shyam and their beer laugh.Cooking time: Guys peeling onions and cleaning tomatoes. Don’t ignore beer bottle near them.Nice shot Jitu cha: Guess what these three ladies in the picture were not supposed to be in the frame, but they just walked in while I was composing and I didn’t want to miss clicking such a decisive moment.With Sujan, Ajay and Mahesh. Bidding farewell to Lkharui Bhanjayang.

That Fleeting Moment and I

Roar of an airplane woke me up and I found myself in a strange room but it didn't take long time for me to realize I was in Kathmandu Medical College’s cabin number 467, near Tribhuvan International Airport. I was there for one night as a company for my friend Prabin, who became a proud papa of a cute baby girl just a day before.

It was neither cold nor humid morning but I longed for the warmth of sunshine to greet me through that blue curtained window. I waited long cuddling blanket and fixing my lonesome gaze at the window. My mind was stirred with all sort of curious thoughts of, how one would feel being a papa. It must be euphoric and I have seen Prabin's face shined with delight holding his daughter for the first time. There was a wonderful expression in his face.
I jogged back to those beautiful moments of a day before and I was happy but the reality I survive seemed so surreal. All of a sudden I felt strangely empty. Few moments later I was distracted by the radio frequencies blaring morning news at the top of their megawatt as if they could eradicate country's fever of peace talk. Though the whole nation is engulfed in political turmoil but for me it looks pretty ungainly maze of contrast realm.

Some amiable voices erupted outside the cabin and my stray mind shifted its gear toward that eruption. It was girl gossip that some health assistants and sisters of the medical college were enjoying. I secretly tuned my ear to hear their hot agendas. One of them was telling a story about her neighbors, a newly wedded couple and how they are planning to go abroad. She sounded so chatty and the titbit which she was enclosing about her neighbors astonished me. And I thought wow! what a remarkable piece of intelligence she got. Another sister interrupted her and said that one of her patient was so erratic and she was having difficulty to attend. She added, patient like those can make her nerve go boil. A pang of rage triggered in me and I murmured, how come a person holding such a care taking profession could say so? And before I did find a satisfying answer another girl snapped to new topic and started to tease this sister about her long phone calls and asked were those call from her someone special. In low voice she revealed about her secret admirer and told them how crazy he is for her. And swiftly they all went wild giggling. Ripple of those giggle caressed me and I grinned knowing their little secret.

I reached for my bag and pulled out a book but my mind escorted my eyes around the cabin to scrutinize its features. Windows were draped with blue curtain symbolizing color of hospital otherwise blue color cools me. Two typical metal hospital beds and one with wheels on its legs for more portability. At left corner there was one wooden drawer with mirror, which I think was something unusual, otherwise medical cabin won’t get equipped with mirror. There were lots of electric light sockets, but only one fluorescent light was functioning properly and I think that was enough clues to speculate efficiency of management of the Medical College. A door at the left side leads a small balcony to the north and got a nice view of mountain. Another window has a glimpse of Tribhuvan International Airport and some nearby houses. On the roof of one particular house, a pair pigeon grooming each other and it was beautiful and gave sense of a canvas hung in the cabin.

It was about 7am, Prabin woke up and threw me a weary glance indicating he still need more sleep. Obviously being a papa of a 'one day old' daughter definitely has drained him both mentally and physically. I stared at his face and fantasized what if I could catch some of his euphoria of holding this pride of a 'Papa'. I guess no matter how hard I tried I would never be able to give shapes to those joys into words to portray his exact feelings. Being one of his long-time friend and a keen photojournalist, for me it's been a heck of opportunities for me to get involved various parades of his life.

I got up from the small flat bench where I slept that night and went for bathroom. Within 10 minutes I came back to wrap myself into blanket. Warmth was still there proving its trust and care for me. Slowly morning began to get mature and I waved that fleeting moment happily.

Birthday Note to Myself

My Love may die before morning.
But I have been with her for eight years.
There is no way I could be cheated if I didn't
have her for another day.
I didn't deserve her for one minute, God Knows.

And I may die before morning.

What I must do is die TODAY.
I must accept the justice of death and
the injustice of more "life."
I have had a good life -
joyous and longer than many, better than most.
Junthip* died when she was twenty six.
I have had thirty years.
I couldn't justify another day.
I did not create myself, it is a gift.
I am me, that is the miracle.
I had no right to remain a single hour.
Some remain a single minute.
And yet I have had thirty years.

Few consciously choose when they will die.
I choose to accept death now.
As of this moment I give up my "right" to live.
And I give up my "right" to her life.

But it's morning.
Within my hands is another day to listen and to love
and walk and glory.
I am here for another day.

I think of those who aren't.

What does it mean to be here?
What does it mean to have FRIENDS?
What does it mean to get dressed, to have a meal, to work?
What does it mean to come home?
What is difference between the living and the dead?

I sometimes wonder if the "dead" are not more present,
more comfort, more here than most of the living.

Today I want to do things to be doing them,
not to be doing something else.
I don't want to paddle to get there,
be there to make themjoy,
or study to "keep abreast".

I don't want to do things to sell myself on myself.
I don’t want to do nice things for people
so that I will be "nice".
I don't want to work to make money,
I want to work to work.

Today I don’t' want to live for,
I want to live.

Anyway, Happy Birthday Jitu cha.


Note excerpted from Book,"Note to Myself" by Hugh Prather and rearranged

Great Escape with 'Kutumba'

It was so good to get catapulted from the vicinity where people care not to spare me single SMS in reply which cost them rupee 1 or may be less and to the place where I can pluck oranges as many as I can in just rupees 10. Moreover those genuine smile they wear on their faces to greet a stranger like me is simply beyond mere money could buy. This paradox of people's intimacy I felt was more than my words can express and I just can't help wondering why are we so restless to join the rat race to dampen our compassion. There are so many things we take for granted in our daily life and it's so easy to say I'll do that later but the chance may never come. And this is why I jump to grab any chance I get to go outside from all hustle and bustle of Kathmandu metropolitan, and enjoy such beauty of love, care and compassion that rural people possess.

And I am glad that I got this chance to explore and enjoy time with "Kutumba" (A Classical musical Band) recently. Our main destinations were Bandipur and Riverside Spring Resort where Kutumba preformed traditional folk tunes from their new album "Naulo Bihani" (New Dawn). Trip was for promotion of their third album and also to promote eco-cultural tourism in Bandipur. Bandipur is very picturesque which is situated in Tanahu district 143 km to the west of Kathmandu. It is a Newar town that still retains much of its centuries-old appeal. It was a wonderful experience being there with such a mix of passionate people and "Kutumba" whose music captivated all of us and enthralled dweller of Bandipur.

The trip was no doubt came as a great excuse for me to cheer myself up, since my life has been so topsy-turvy. For the first time in my life I felt such awful hallowness of missing someone so close to my heart and soul. It is very painful experience. And even time seems slipping by at a snail's pace as if it is mocking me with its slowness and gaining a vicarious thrill out of my prolong anguish.

During the trip: my lonesome moment sitting along the bank river Trishuli listening to its roar and watching the twilight skies.. not just watching but indeed loosing myself in its incredible vastness was one of pleasure I could afford myself in this difficult time of my life when I need to take mind off things.

Somewhere I read, 'it takes both rain and sunshine to create a rainbow'. Let me hope "this RAINBOW" which took away all my hopes and dreams would one day sure bring happiness and things will return to normal. For now I am pretty sure to keep exploring my memories good and bad, even though they hurt me, turn me tears. I'll always put effort to relive them as much as I can.

Know more about KUTUMBA.

Butterfly In My Bedroom

My sleepless eyes,
this odd hour of midnight.
Beautiful black butterfly in my bedroom
Came to me as if an Angel,
that descended from heaven above
Fluttering its vibgyor wings
to vanish solitude of my broken heart.
It felt strangely beautiful.
My heart tried to regain its lost beats
My eyes started get watery
for this touch of care it has
I thought how helpless it could be.
Not finding true flower brimming with nectar
and for the love it has for nature
Instead stayed tremendously peaceful,
on an empty page lies before me,
waiting patiently for an eruption
Of my lonesome words
It gently fluttered its beautiful wings
Evoking poem in me
I followed and heard its flutter
as if it's telling me
time to bed and not to worry.
With teary eyes I kept watching,
it went resting on my pillow
Weird realization made me wonder,
how this so called God sneak up on you sometime
With a heavy heart,
I watched it resting on my pillow for long.
Not wanting it to leave me
but I couldn't deny its love
So I got on to my feet from study table,
And again it fluttered away
Clung on the empty white wall.
Voice jingled to me from deep inside,
as if it is an empty canvas of my life
and I nodded with sob.
And accept this harsh reality which maimed my heart
Silent scream inside me jolted
I must paint my life all again
Yeah I must
Sense of ease loosen the lump,
troubling me breathe.
Suddenly an urge to stay awake animated
and I wish to see my other dreams
Yet to make vivid reality.
Triumphing over my negative thoughts
I sprang back to blog this empty pages,
giving form to this beautiful thought,
which I feel at this melancholy midnight.
Broken, lost, grief-stricken
I try to wade through this dark alley
and foster ahead in life for much more beautiful tasks,
that await me to unveil,
and spread the joy I just discovered.
Thank You Dear Black Butterfly in my Bedroom.

Feeling So Lonely

When joy takes leave, friend misinterpret
Sunshine frowns and springs depart
Even picture which greets every morning
Suddenly start to haunt you
And you are let to your dismay
You allow it face with shattered heart
that rely on an artificial respiratory
It feels heavy and pain you never imagine
The tempest on the shore comes to rip you off
You feel lost, so lost as never before
When things are no more the same
Smile fade but memories linger
Life has to go on ....
Try once more and play the game
Wipe the tear and stop the cry
Sky is the limit if you try".

Debate on Marriage

As Heineken (beer) slowly chilled down the throats; debate on marriage began to get hot. There were three participants: one and half years old married guy and soon going to be a young papa, next was single committed to relationship having liberal thoughts on marriage, and third one is a morally decent guy who has a different outlook on marriage. Marriage itself is not a provocative issue but scrutiny; these participants have made it debatable. Since all of them are in their early 30s, marriage frequently becomes their "HOT" agenda.

Human are social creature and they have obvious inclination toward rituals that exist in the society they dwell. Every society has its own traditional belief about marriage. And not opposing its norms and values here I have one carefully picked view that surfaced during that that informal debate which I think would be interesting to share with you all. Before you go graze my words, let me make it clear that you have every right to disagree these views.

How truly we believe this fact that, 'Getting ready mentally to tie nuptial knot is more important then age and social attributes. Individual's choice should be the most significant factor in making decision'. But guess what the custom we practice is pretty opposite and you can't rebel. Even if you do, it still is a long way to bring change. Marriage simply is beyond how you plan and what you do. Not to forget, lots of other circumstances have to meet at certain wavelength before a wedding bell chime.

"Eligible bachelor" is a tough tag to maintain, especially when your mum wishes to have some toddler around. And yes don't bother yourself to convince her. Still the intensity of family pressure is very high when it comes to make decision about marriage. And because of this many not succeed to fulfill their fondest wish. Most people enter marriage with achieving happiness in mind. Even families think the marriage will make them happy and make them prosperous. And many couple ties the nuptial knot every year with rosy dreams of living happily ever after. But I wonder how many actually manage to catch the rainbow? I guess it's very important to answer and regard marriage in new way.

About participants: (name withheld)
Mr. X: Before getting his nuptial knot this married guy used to carry a different philosophy on marriage and he had no slightest clue that some fine day, he would meet his Princess charming in a Birthday party. Those sequences were so dramatic for us to see getting unfolded in his life. Now he proudly flaunts his married status and leaves no room to tell all the legendary status of married life. It sure is a happy ending story.

Mr. Y: You won't regret labeling him exceptionally different in the horde. You can sense it the minute you start to be with him. His ways of thinking is highly contradict in present scenario and he seem so daunting not to get staggered in his vows he practices in his day-to-day life. Of course, he has many ways of being romantic but problem with him is that he never thinks this romantic. If I would make a list of 50 things to do before I die, number one in the list would be, to witness his marriage. I secretly believe that there is always someone for somebody.

Mr. Z: Marriage is a big box full of surprises yet to unwrap. Sometime he feels it's a sweet price to pay and maintain a happy marriage but these choices will unquestionably enhance relationship. Actually getting married is just formally recognizing something that have happened which will induce to take new responsibilities into his live, old activities will gets different meaning, self-concepts and priorities will be recast. Real consequences of becoming a husband and father.

Walking an Extra Mile

I wonder how many of you believe in 'Walking an Extra Mile'. I do all the time. My personal experiences in 'walking an extra mile' have convinced me that it could be a best tool one can use to build distinctive stroke in the society like a Dutch Artist Vincent Van Gogh has in his work of art. (See the painting above). An extra mile he walked in each painting he creates enabled him to build this distinctive brush stroke. Like Vincent Van Gogh, there are many people who have achieved great heights walking an extra mile.

What exactly I mean by 'Walking an Extra Mile"?
It's all about putting little extra effort in things you do for better. Just take a look at the picture left, which I think is one good example of 'walking an extra mile'. The sole purpose of food on the plate is to fill our appetite, then why the chef took all those pains in the neck decorating it? Simply because we love it and it makes us feels good when people put little extra effort to make things special for us. Even above food on plate is just a digital picture in screen, yet you can't help but praise the effort the chef has done to make it appealingly delicious.

Walking an extra mile always counts. Most of the time it takes your 'will' then 'wealth' to walk an extra mile. Just give little more attention and put little more effort to make things special. It could be anything. Whether it's in wrapping a gift, doing your job, arranging flower bouquet or just anything. Give it your personal touch and make it speical. And response you get gonna be overwhelming. I still remember how my hand made cards and painting find ways to my friend's heart in those school days. The joys still ripple inside me. I have many recollections of such joy of walking an extra mile in doing things. It's good to walk an extra mile and be different. Not always those efforts you do to walk an extra mile pays you right away but in the long run it helps you establish a unique impression of yourself, which I assume is the real ornament you can wear to beautify your personality.

We walk for life, we have to walk for life and we can walk for life then why not go "Walking an Extra Mile" to create a distinctive stroke in the society and make people happy, genuinely HAPPY.

Third Thuraya Mountain Bike Championship

Cascade of claps and cheers from the crowd crowned me not less than Lance Armstrong in winning Tour de France when I wheeled the finish line there in Kashi Bhanjyang of Kavrepalanchowk district. That was very exciting moment for me in the 3rd Thuraya Mountain Bike Championship organized by Trekking Agents Association of Nepal (TAAN) in association with other Tourism related organizations (THURAYA, Mountain Bike Club and other). Fresh smell of nature, scenic beauty of green paddy fields, off-road terrain, steep hill, sprinkled mud allover my bike and jersey were other ingredients that made the championship even more exciting experience. Daunting up hill climbs in the course raced my heartbeat up to 140 pulses per minute and it was a real test of my paddling endurance. It was my first participation ever in such mountain bike championship and I am more than just happy to see my name on 29th position out of 107 participants including bikers from abroad.

Championship was organized on the occasion of World Environment Day '5th June 2006', that was enough reason for me to take part since I am working in an office that works for Environment besides my mountain bike craze. My will to participate was purely to support the event and I had no aim to compete amid those tough mountain bikers. Nevertheless I was confident that I have ample stamina to endure this course of 22-kilometers distance elevation of 1781 meters between Thimi of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality in Bhaktapur district and Kashibhanjyang in Kavrepalanchowk district.

When the race got commenced I thought that other participants would overtake me like a bullet and unbelievingly that was not the case. Yet I didn't expect to grab any position, instead I focused more on enjoying scenic area while I paddled uphill. Moreover I made fun greeting schoolchildren who were standing at the roadside cheering us. "Malai tali khoi ta" (Where is clap for me) and they went burst laughing and clapping. Because of our colorful eye catchy outfits schoolchildren consider us as foreigners and whenever we passed them they shout, Hello.. Hello.. and I responded Namaste .. Namaste. It was so good to make those local people part of the race and my memory.

Entire race route was beautifully planned. Those jeep track after crossing Nala was heavily rutted and it may as well be single-track consisting uphill and downhill for truly adventurous mountain biking. There was one technically advanced uphill 6-kilometers ahead of the finish line and most mountain bikers failed to flex their calf at that point. But participants were so daring that day to conquer it. I think that's the joys of two-wheeled action. If huffing and puffing you've stumbled here by chance, paddle on, a new experience awaits ahead to thrill you more. Mountain biking is independence realm and a free ticket to cruse wherever you want day or night. A total of 145 participants took part in the championship. Of them, 22 were foreigners.

I have learnt a lot from this championship. Importantly I should not underestimate myself among those tough mountain bikers in the billboard. Now I know what tricks I need to follow in winning the race and do better preparation technically to tackle the most rugged conditions. Overall this championship was wonderful experience and I had a great time. And suggest anyone to try Mountain Biking if you want to bring some adventure in your life. I assume what better way and what better machine is there to explore the diverse beauty of Nepal other than by MOUNTAIN BIKE. Mountain biking can be your chances to partake in one of the simplest joys of life and there are a zillion trails awaiting, for all levels of experience. Whatever your level is.

Capturing Beautiful Pictures

You have probably looked at beautiful photographs in magazines, books, in websites ... or elsewhere so many times and if you were like most people, you thought: "I wish I could take a picture like that!" Well that's not just photographer's instinct, I know. But looking at these pictures didn't really help you to take better pictures.

Why not? Because you didn't know what to look for. You saw a beautiful picture. You felt that it was beautiful picture. But, you couldn't tell why it was beautiful. You couldn't tell what the photographer had done to produce a beautiful image. Perhaps, the magazine, book.. told you the name of the camera, its type and the lens the photographer used, perhaps the aperture and the film that photographer used. Well these are the technical details - but they didn't help you produce better pictures. And it's like knowing the names of the paints and brushes used by Leonardo da Vinchi but it won't help you to produce a painting as beautiful as the Mona Lisa.

The missing ingredient in the process is KNOWING, what to look for. And, perhaps that's the most important thing in capturing beautiful pictures. There are three simple guidelines of what to look for. The skill of seeing the beautiful pictures in the world around you, is what I say "the photographer's eye."

Let's me tell you these three simple guidelines:

1. A good photograph has a clear subject. (We sometime call this a theme.) It's about someone or something. It may even tell a story about that subject. But the subject is clear and unambiguous. Whoever looks at the picture immediately sees the subject.
   
2. A good photograph focuses attention on the subject. In other words, the viewer's eye is immediately drawn to the subject.
   
3. A good photograph simplifies. It includes only those elements that draw the eye to the subject, and it excludes or diminishes those elements that might draw the eye away from the subject.

By starting right now to think in terms of these three simple guidelines, you will find yourself looking at published photographs in a new way. More important, you will find yourself seeing the world around you in a new way. Most important, you will find yourself taking pictures in a new way. You will start to see the world through viewfinder with the eye of a photographer!

Now here is one very beautiful picture for you to check above three simple guidelines. ;)

That Beautiful Day

Fancifully, I woke up in a strange bedroom and it didn't take long for me to realize that I was in a luxurious accommodation of Himalayan Chalet at Nagarkot. I grabbed my rested wristwatch at the bedside table and it showed exact 5 o' clock early dawn. Memorable images of a day before start to flashback inside my mind and I wonder how life sometime makes living so interesting. It was that beautiful day, why I stayed there for a night. Wearing a childish smile on my face I sprung up leaving warm bed and peeked outside. It was still dark and foggy. Prior dusk I've planned to be on time at some good height to take pictures of Sunrise but it was too early to venture out. So, with sluggish heart I took shower. Water was soothingly warm enough to animate my taut muscles. For a moment I felt pity on my muscles because I never let them have enough rest and get fatty.

At 6 a.m. it was still foggy outside and there was no sign of Sun on the horizon any sooner. Anyway, I stuffed my camera and went out hoping to capture some beautiful shots of nature. Place was eccentrically deserted despite its good fame as a tourist destination and this is all because of one freakish shoot-out incident that took place at the Chundevi Temple of Chihan Danda, Nagarkot where an off-duty army men massacred 11 local lives in a wildest drunken spree, 6 months ago. It was a hideous story and its impact was disastrous to all tourism enterprises of Nagarkot. I hope time will heal that terror and things will get back to normal. Several roadside snack stalls are getting sprouted which I think is positive indicating that in coming days tourists will flock again.

As I walked further up hill wide varieties of melodious chirping of forest birds greeted me. I felt so fresh and instantly I became a part of nature. Grabbing that rare opportunity I sat at nearby dune and got involved in sighting those birds of beauty. Needless to tell, birds form an important part of Nepal's natural beauty and bird watching can be a very rewarding experience. Well I am not a keen bird watcher but that morning I've spent quite a lot of time watching birds and it fascinated me to become one. Being myself a vivid pigeon fancier, I can identify many species of bird like humming bird, black drongo, magpie, robin, spotted dove, scops owl, common myna, sparrow, parrot, barn swallow, rose-ringed parakeet, crow, Himalayan cuckoo etc including almost all sort of birds of prey yet that morning I've sighted many species which were very new to me. Some were exotically blue with a short tail and very frolic in character; some were brownish yellow with a white patch below their beak and long tail; some were in bright yellow and very secretive; some small birds have puffy headed and quite shy, some birds were even in a pair grooming each other, making me miss my Sunshine ;) Wow! I was delighted by this beauty that nature offers for those who takes times to enjoy Mother nature's incarnation. Mother nature has all the joys and miracles for us to watch and learn. I guess this is one big reason why National Geographic Channel and Animal Planet became my favorite channels. I also have heard lots of amusing stories from my wildlife photographer friends who often venture out to shoot wild birds. I wish I could tiptoe to this world of pure nature once in a while but sometime it becomes a far cry.

Now forget about Sunrise, which was nowhere to be seen so I gave up my wish to mark one more tick at my year's resolution list of watching sunrise once a month. Then I started to walk back to the Chalet. By then local villagers were already getting busy doing their usual morning chore. Women were digging fields preparing bed for maize crop and others were going out carrying dokos (big bamboo basket) in search of fodder for their cows and cattle. In each house's yard a colourful prayer flags tied to a tall bamboo boldly represent community of Tamang tribe and it makes the landscape very distinct. Far away cuckoo birds still singing in pleasure taking advantages of such a calm landscape.

Suddenly a loud noise from behind pulls my attention and as I turned back I saw large troops of army men jogging holding a rifle in their hands and a heavy pack on their backs. Anyone could easily guess how tough these drills might be by seeing drench cloths and sweaty faces of those lads. They were about a hundred in number and most of them seem fatigue. One among them carrying a red flag screamed, "Ek minate baki" (one minutes left). And I guess they were on routine drill that has to be done in a certain time frame. As for a photojournalist it was a good opportunity to take pictures but they already saw me holding camera. Generally people especially media are not allowed to take pictures of any security personal their activities due to security reason. Moreover they have this strict policy to stay out of media so even I approached them for consent they wouldn't allow me to do so. And once of my fellow photojournalist Prakash Mathema was manhandled by these security personal when he has published a picture of army men crossing Budi Rapti River at Chitwan carrying their wounded comrade. There have been many such cases where security personal treated media notoriously. That's why it's always thoughtful to study mood of the moment before taking pictures, than just follow the ethics of Photo Journalism. So, I just let the opportunity go by. Even after the troops passed me they kept continue making that commanding howl. Definitely the echo from those howl were pretty paradox to such a calm environment of Nagarkot.

As I got near the Himalayan Chalet, I met three school children waiting at the roadside and one of them was holding a beautiful 'Passion flower' (Ghadi phul in Nepali). Out of a curiosity I asked him why was he carrying a flower? And showing me saplings in a small blue plastic bucket which he brought from home, he answered he is going to plant these flower sapling at his school garden (Nyatapol English Boarding School) so he brought this flower to show his friends and teachers, as a flower someday those sapling bears. My O' my what a beautiful plan, I exclaimed silently in my excitement and his wisdom touched me and my heart smiled. We talked for long and I came to know a lot about him and his family. He was from near-by Tamang village and his name is Hira Bahadur Tamang studying in sixth grade. It takes an hour ride down to Bhaktapur to get his school and it became his routine every Sunday. To avoid this long route he stays in a rented room near his school with other local boys and visit home each weekend. This way he can have more time for his study rather than spending couple of hours each day. After few minutes later a local minibus rolled in and he hurriedly hopped in flashing a big smile on his face and bade me goodbye.

As the bus rolled down the hill, my mind filled with good vibes of Hira Bahadur's beautiful plan and deep down inside my heart I wished him good luck. I kept my eyes fixed on the bus until it became distant. As I turned back to walk, that small blue bucket was still there at the roadside. Oh Lord! Hira Bahadur's forgot to take that bucket with him. A cold cramp gripped me from inside and I didn't know what should I do. No vehicle was available so that I could follow the bus. I felt so bad and tried to imagine the sadness Hira Bahadur would feel by loosing those saplings. But thank God coincidently I have asked for his phone number, while talking to him. I planned to deliver those saplings myself to his school and make a call. I bet he would be so happy to have them back. Feeling of relief came as I have this way out to make Hira Bahadur's wish come true.

And it's like when you wish to achieve something genuinely good for all, the whole universe conspire you to achieve it. Few minutes later a school bus moved in with big banner "Nyatapol English Boarding School, Bhaktapur" on it. Cheerfully ran toward the bus and waved my hand to stop it. I explained the driver that one of his students forgot this bucket and told him that he planned to plant these flower saplings at his school garden. One of the teacher in the bus took it and I let him note down the boy's name and his grade. Then the bus cruised down the hill to Bhaktapur. I felt good.

After sipping a cup of warm tea back at the Hamalayan Chalet, I went out gain for a short hike with my FRIENDS who just took a bold step in their life and became the prominent figures of THAT BEAUTIFUL DAY. We took a short break at Sherpa Alpine Lodge enjoying a scenic landscape wrapped by the soft fog. It was almost 11:30 a.m. when I had lunch back at the Chalet. After taking thirty minutes rest we zoomed back to usual hustle bustle of Kathmandu.