AFTER TWENTY YEARS............

AFTER TWENTY YEARS…..

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o the north of my home, there stands a tall chain of mountains. They are seen away to the west of the river, swelling up to a noble height, and lording over the surrounding country. Every change of season, every change of weather, indeed, every hour of the day produces some change in the magical hues and shapes of these mountains, and they are regarded by all the good wives, far and near, as perfect barometers. When the weather is fair and settled, they are clothed in blue and purple, and print their bold outlines on the clean evening sky, but, at times, when the rest of the landscape is cloudless, they will gather a hood of gray vapours about their summits, which, in the last rays of the setting sun, will glow and light up like a crown of glory.

 At the foot of these breathtaking mountains, you can see the light smoke curling up from a village, whose shingle-roofs gleam among the trees, just where the blue tints of the upland melt away into the fresh green of the nearer landscape. It is a little village and there were some of the houses of the original settlers standing within a few years, built of small yellow bricks, having latticed windows and gable front, surmounted with weather-cocks.

                In the same village, and in one of these very houses, I lived many years ever since love marriage. I was a kind neighbour, and an obedient hen-pecked husband (villagers used to say). Many of the villagers knew me by name "Writer Baje". The children of the village, too, would shout with joy whenever I approached. I assisted at their sports, told them long stories of ghost and witches. I was not lazy; for I would sit on a wet rock basking in the sun with a pen and a diary all day meditating on my wife's behaviour and attitudes towards me. I was fond of writing, so there was a wealth of writings but none of them were published. I would never abnegate assisting a neighbour even in the roughest toil and was the first man to help in husking corn or building stone-fences. I also ran errands for the women. I tried to find a job outside of farm. I declared that I was of no use to work on my farm, everything went wrong. Fences were continually falling to pieces; our cattle would go astray, weeds were growing quicker in our field than anywhere else. Our financial condition was worsening. Our only daughter was ragged. We couldn't provide her with a fine dress and send to a good school.

         I, however, was one of those elated mortals, of foolish, well-oiled dispositions, who take the world easy, eat loaves of bread or dhindo (a food item found in the hilly region of Nepal), whichever can be got with least thought or trouble, and would rather starve or a penny than work for a pound. If left to myself, I would have whistled life away in perfect contentment; but my spouse kept continually dining in my ears about my idleness, carelessness and the ruin I was bringing on my family. Morning, noon, and night, her tongue was incessantly going, and everything I said or did was sure to produce a torrent of household eloquence. My sole domestic supporter was my dog Bhote. I remember Bhote got more respect than me. Time grew worse and worse as years rolled on. I was at least reduced almost to despair; and my alternative, to escape from the labour of the farm and clamor of the wife, was to take a diary in hand and stroll away into the woods. Here I would at times sit at the foot of a tree and put my feelings into words and share the contents of my wallet with Bhote with whom I sympathized as a fellow-sufferer." Poor Bhote", I would call.

            In a long ramble of the kind on a fine autumn day, I had scramble without thinking to one of the highest parts the mountains. I loved writing fictions. Late in the afternoon, exhausted, I threw myself on a knoll covered with grass that stood at the brow of a steep cliff. From an opening between the trees I could see many a mile of rich woodland. I was enjoying this scene; evening was gradually advancing, the mountains began cast their long blue shadows over the valleys. I saw that it would be dark long before I could reach the village, and I heard a heavy sigh of when I thought of encountering the terrors of my wife, Srijana.

              As I was about to descend, I heard a voice from a distance, "Writer Baje, Writer Baje!" I looked anxiously around and saw a strange figure slowly toiling up the rocks. I approached him; he was a short-square built old fellow with thickly bushy hair, and a grizzled beard. He bore on his shoulder a stout keg that seemed full of liquor. I assisted the old fellow with the load.

          On reaching the clearing, new objects of wonder presented themselves. At the centre were more odd-looking people dressed in combatant uniform. Maybe they were Maoists. They untied the keg and started drinking wines in silence, I was trembling with fear and my heart was palpitating. I even risked, when no one was looking, to taste the beverage, which I found to be excellent. I was naturally a thirsty soul, and was soon tempted to repeat. At length, my senses were overwhelmed, my eyes swam in my head, and fell into a deep sleep. On waking, I found myself on the green knoll where I had first seen the strange old man. I rubbed my eyes--it was a bright sunny morning. The birds were hopping and twittering among the bushes, and the eagle was flying aloft. I thought, "I haven't slept here all night!'' I recalled the occurrences before I fell asleep. "Oh! I thought, "What excuse shall I make to my wife!" She would nag for not returning home last night.

             I looked around but didn't find my diary and Bhote. Rather I saw an old diary. I suspected that one of the Maoists combatants might have replaced. And I thought Bhote might have strayed away after a squirrel in the dense forest. I whistled after him; the echoes repeated my whistle, but no dog was to be seen. I rose to walk and found myself stiff in the joints. I shook my head, dusted the diary, and with a heart full of trouble and anxiety, turned my steps homeward.

            No sooner had I neared a village at the foot of the mountains than I me t many people, but knew none. Their clothes, too, were of a different fashion. They cast their eyes upon me, they stroked their chins. A strange faces appeared at the windows. Different names on the door. The narrow trails were widened and pitched. Skyscrapers were standing with pride. To my astonishment, if found my beard and hair had grown a foot long.  Even dogs, too, barked at me as I passed. The whole face of the little village was altered; it was more populous. I was sorely perplexed. I was still in a sea of wonders. With some difficulties I found the way to my home. I found the house gone to decay--the thatched roof fallen in and the doors off the hinges. I entered the house hoping to hear shrill voice of my nagging wife but found empty and apparently abandoned.

       My appearance soon attracted the attention of the people. They surrounded eyeing me from head to foot with great curiosity. They wanted to know who I was what I came there for, who I was looking for or what my name was. I cried out in despair, "Does nobody here know Writer Baje? At the very moment, a young woman pressed through the crowd to get a peep at me. She had a chubby child in her arms, which, frightened by my looks, began to cry. "Hush, the old man won't hurt you" she consoled the child. The air of the mother and the tone of her voice all awakened a train of recollections in my mind. "What's your name, my good woman?"--"Ayesha." "And your father's name?" "Ah, poor man, Writer Baje, who left home with his dog. The dog returned, and never has been heard of since. His dog returned home without him. I had but one question more to ask, but I put it with a faltering voice: 'Where is your mother?' "Oh, she committed suicide." I caught her and her child and cried, "I'm your father!'' --Writer Baje. All stood amazed until an old woman peered in my face for a while, exclaimed, "Surely enough! Welcome home again, old neighbor--"Why, where have you been these twenty long years?"

By Amar Limbu

PAPERBACK WRITERS

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ike me, most of the students who are pursuing their higher studies in the Kathmandu valley are job holders. They have a hectic life. Amidst them some are doing job to pursue their higher studies whereas some are doing job to stand on their own feet. Whatever the reason they are working for, at present students have been found to heap solution paper, guess papers, guides, short notes instead of purchasing textbooks and reading it thoroughly. They completely rely on such books which prove that students are prone to earn degrees not to attain knowledge. Many a student wants to score high marks by spending a short time of duration inasmuch as they don't have enough time to prepare for their exams. On account of their job, students have been getting into the habit of cramming all night.

        No differences can be drawn between those who attend the colleges regularly and those who just go to colleges twice or thrice a year for admission, submission of exam forms, mark-sheet and exam card. Nowadays the culture of earning degrees without attending classes has been developed. This is due to availability of solution books, guess papers, guides and easy access to internet in urban areas. In the past such materials were not easily available in the market. Students had to visit different libraries in pursuit of needy materials. They were hard working. But such books have created problems in student's life as the books are poorly proofread and edited.

          The students who sit their final exams without attending lectures pass exams leniently have been found to be boasting of results. Such trend disheartens those who study and prepare throughout the year for securing good marks, and make them agonize over whether to pursue higher degree in country or abroad. Mainly job holder students have been victim of such erroneous, unduly edited books. Some lecturers and professors who have not updated their notes for long time have been authoring various non-standard books. How can a lecturer impart quality education who himself has earned a degree by reading less qualitative, non-standard books which cover only one-fourth of the course coverage? This is what makes us feel how careless and insensible our lecturers/professors are.

       As an English teacher, I always correct errors myself when I go through a piece of writing, but such errors confuse those who are not conversant with English grammar.

The books that are published in our country are in sharp contrast to the books that are published or produced abroad. It has put negative impact on readers' mind, so books authored by foreigners have won the heart of Nepali readers, for it is error-free, precise, standardization, well-edited. If our writers, publications are imbued with a feeling of correctness and standardization of a book, their works shall be able to envisage minimizing the potential errors of readers. Magazines, corpuses of prominent authors, newspapers are the main sources through which a reader can learn a lot as to grammar, use of typical words, language etc.

The Chief Editor

This article was published on 20th of December, 2011.

SHAMBHAVI SINGH

It was during those warm days of summers in August, I was with my friends, shouting and complaining among ourselves for getting a single piece of "samosa".And then,suddenly..all my anger vanished away. I caught his sight for the first time. That pale white skin, those mysterious eyes and that crooked smile knocked me off feet..

THE RELATION ( By Sharmila Magar)

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hy is the relation so complicated? Why we can't sometimes be able to fulfill it? Why we sometimes have to leave some relationships from our heart?
              So many questions are around us but no answers.
    One day a lady was travelling from Chhauni to Kaalimati with some friends. She got on a tempo to travel. And it was a public tempo, might be a safa tempo. Other people were also travelling in the tempo, suddenly a woman entered with a baby into it. She sat right beside the lady. The lady was working in the field of child education, so she was in a rush hour. The tempo was driven by a woman, it might be a coincidence.

                    The baby was crying, and the mother was puzzled whether to place that child on her lap or let him cry.So,the lady picked up the child and put him on her lap and started playing.
              Unknowingly, the mother got out of the tempo without taking the baby. We couldn't realize that baby had to be handed over to his mother before she got off the tempo. It was too late to return the baby to its mother since she had already left the tempo. People doubted that she must have abandoned the child deliberately to get rid of it. Otherwise how could a mother forget her own child whom she carried for nine months in her womb? We were shocked. How could she do like that with her baby. How could she forget to take her baby home? How she could do it with her own part of life.
           It was shocking incident for that lady who was taking care of that child. She couldn't do anything, so she thought to take the baby with her. But she was unmarried. She was surrounded by the rules and barriers of the society. She faced dilemma as to whether to take the baby or leave there. Later, she changed her mind not to take the baby home. Then she asked the woman driver what she could do with that child as she was unmarried. Her problem was solved as the woman driver expressed eagerness to accept that child. All the passengers got off and set out for their own destinations.
             It is a real incident that happened in her life.
           What could be the relation of a mother who separates knowingly from her child?

DOES THE WORD ' INTERNATIONAL' COMPLEMENT STANDARD?

                                    WHAT IS IN NAME?

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hat is the most significant case that has to be entailed and raised in a teacher-parent meeting is the trend of naming educational institutes. When we glance at the hoarding board of such institutes in Kathmandu valley, you will spot an adjective “International.” Does this word complement international quality? Are these institutes which have added so-called word in their names imparting international standard? Do these institutes meet international requirements? In Kathmandu a multitude of institutes are mushrooming in the name of imparting quality education. No government body has yet found to inspect such naming trends. Some schools and colleges are hiring foreign teachers who are not conversant with our course, syllabus and pedagogy. What is the most shocking thing is that these foreign teachers are not enough qualified to teach in our country as they do not attain more than an intermediate degree.

          As a true teacher, I avow that literacy rate is improving day in, day out. Nevertheless, quality of education has been poor. This is due to over emphasis of the private academic institutes laid on quantity rather than quality. It is true that District Education Office is not taking any action against these institutes that have directly breached the rules and regulation put forward by the DEO. The reason behind is that inspection team are influenced by underhand dealings. After having offered monetary gift from such wrongdoing institutes, they make the best report on behalf of the institutes. This malpractice will be a hindrance to educational development.

It is really a hard time for both parents and students to choose a right institute for quality education. Parents are really spellbound as profit oriented institutes disseminate fake ideas, visions via advertisement. There is unhealthy practice among academic institutes for showing lofty aims to allure guardians. Students are cajoled into getting admission in nominal institutions. A handful of well-established schools like Rato Bangla, GEMS, Budhanilkantha, and St. Xavier hardly make an announcement for new admission inasmuch as these have already attained popularity. Some newly-established schools and colleges have well-constructed infrastructure, well-advanced library, laboratory, yet miserable in terms of quality. Therefore, guardians must consult different counselors to get an insight into right institutes.

 I exhort the government should emphasize quality education by instituting invitational education. Underhand dealings should be discouraged by the government and must impose strict law on educational institutes which breach regulations to undermine the quality of education. The tradition of renting houses which doesn’t look like a school or college at all must be closed down immediately. In case the government launches various awareness programs in regard to educational institutes, guardians will abnegate running after names. In lieu of concentrating on so-called word, the board of school management should provide a rich mixture of approaches to teaching, learning and assessment. Also, they must aim at giving their students a competitive edge when pursuing their studies either at school or college and to enable them to make an immediate and lasting contribution to the success of the nation.

 THE CHIEF EDITOR

LEARN A LESSON FROM LOVE

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s she came into the classroom in a well-ironed whitish shirt, brownish pants and a pair of converse shoes, a negative attitude was growing in my mind despite the first day of college. Why I noticed her was that none of girls of class XI had put on pants except her. We studied and stayed together on the same bench in Damak Model College at Damak. Despite her shortness, she was an eyeful girl. I can still recall the picture of college days so explicitly; she was far much more laborious, bookish and dedicated to her studies than I was. Gradually, I started accumulating her profiles via her mates.
I used to stick to her all time on account of her amicable behaviour. I aimed at befriending with mongoloid ones and so did she. She was a student of mathematics whereas I was of English literature. The next contrast of us was our residency, I was living with my family, but she was sheltering at one of her close relatives’ home. She had got to do everything there. In spite of her overloaded amount of work, she had possessed the capacity of tolerance. She used to repress her distasteful experience. In advance of the first term exam, peradventure; I remember, only a couple of weeks were left to go to the first terminal exam, I overindulged a thing of her—she was the S.L.C. topper of the school.

It was a great news, however; it really, first dejected me since I started to love her. I thought she would love only  talented, honest, simple and obedient boys. To impart these qualities, I could do one thing--I wished if I came first in the first term exam. Afterwards, I was obsessed with the exam. I had to expedite my plan to compete with her. She was a brilliant student. After this, I slightly changed my daily study schedule. The schedule often consisted of scholastic programme. As per a Nepali proverb ‘Bhagwanle bhanchan ta chita ma puryauchu.’—as you wish, God will fulfill it. I proved it. The announcement of the second term results made me elated, for I came first. What else could be felicity than it to impress her? The way she was treating me then drove my mind to the new world of merriness.
Really desire of having her led me to a part of success. In pursuit of higher education, she first headed to Kathmandu from my life forever. Nevertheless, I am walking on the right way to success. She is beyond my contact. I tried, trying and will be trying to find her to thank for changing the mode of my life. I think success is not far but the way of attaining success is multiple. If you opt for right steps, you obviously won’t have to worry of your future. This is what I learnt by loving someone.

amar limbu- please send your feedbacks to amarsherma@gmail.com

PROBLEM WITH SLUGGISHNESS? MELT IT AWAY WITH TEACHING

 

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very person wishes to work in a well-known organization so do I. But working is far contrast to expecting. As I started working in a well-known school of Kathmandu valley, Chelsea International Academy; which has been enlisted at top ten of the most expensive schools of Kathmandu valley. I myself felt a little bit proud to be a staff. I did not have to wait for long to be adjusted with new colleagues and in the new environment. I was confined to well-furnished library, well-decorated classroom, splendid building, flowery garden etc. Amongst, what captivated me most was the cleanliness of surrounding.
It was my eighth working place. Nevertheless, I felt little nervous. It provided me with much more facilities in comparison to other schools. An idea was growing in my mind that all the staff would be genuine, talented, dedicated, and efficient and so on. And I found the same I was thinking beforehand. No sooner had I relayed the message to my pals and some seniors about the appointment than all of my friends appeared to be surprised. I started cogitating about my performance; I realized that I should be as competent as others were. I had very clear cut idea in regard to competency, it is true that less competent staff in private sectors are either lapsed or deactivated from the work. I used to relish and get more convenience but while working under pressure my condition turned forlorn to some extent. Maybe parents were billing off a great deal of money and school was giving out more facilities to the staff.
Frankly, I was likely to be the youngest teaching staff in the secondary block. I had to work to gain experience of new strategy and advanced technologies rather than to accumulate sum of money. Obviously in expensive schools, pupils come from opulent family and parents seem to a little bit more conscious than in small schools. Parents expect a good result from teachesr and schools at any cost which is supposed to be pressuring teachers. Furthermore, some parents suggest that they fully rely on school for the improvement of their offspring. I have got rid of sluggishness and my confidence has been enhanced on account of Chelsea school. I have got into the habit of working in a tight schedule. Working experience of a well-known school might lead us to well-established schools too. As far as I notice, nepotism, favouritism, affectation is not prevalent over there. There is a maximum chance to be grumbled and assailed from parents’ side, to escape of which a teacher has to be much active which will lead him/her to way to success. The amount of work here is more that’s why teachers are expected to be labourious and work-loving over here. Extracurricular activities are also focused as academic classes are focused which can be a beneficial aspect for enhancing various skills and nurturing talents of students. Honestly, CIA is a right place for students if parents are willing to afford for their offspring.

The Chief Editor

This article was published in Republica in 2010

PROMOTE INVITATIONAL EDUCATION

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he overall development of the country completely depends on the qualitative education. Education is not only to be the acquisition of knowledge, passing examinations and receiving degree, but is to be job oriented education so as to adjust in the society and enable the citizen to get name and fame and spend life hilariously. For this purpose, invitational education is indispensable.
The invitational education helps to prevail favourable conditions in the formal or informal schools where people go and learn. In accordance with Purkey and Novak (1988) the implementation of invitational education is the root for all sort of development of each and every citizen across the country. Thus, the school environment should be favourable and unspoilt by any means. To create such school environment the basic infrastructure should be well-maintained. The basic requirement so as to provide conducive work environment education is the most essential, valid and relevant curriculum, manageable competent and capable skill of deliberation, favourable healthy environment and continuous monitoring and evaluation, supportive and capable of management committee, and basically the leadership of the scholastic institutions indeed.

The significance, validity, usefulness of relevant curriculum proves in creating healthy environment in the school settings. The current curriculum prescribed by government is one which is based and privileged on the basis of the learner-centred and interest of multicultural, multirational, multiregional ground. In addition to these learners’ interest, it also considered to be based on national and international up to date context.
Teachers, the architects or painters of nation destiny are the persons who implement or carry out the curricula. In this sense teachers are important agent in invitational education. For these reasons, the teachers are to be trained well, and teachers should possess feeling of fraternity and fruition not only to teach or perform their regular duties but also to comprehend and tackle the academic challenges. They also equally need to assess the students objectively and develop tools/tactics and lead the students to the right stairs of success. To fulfill this task either the teachers should be secured and satisfied with their duties or sometimes heads of schools should hobnob with staffers so as to bring their concealing feelings to the light. It is obvious that satisfaction leads to the positive attitudes and dedication. Marsh, Cacioppe and MIllef (1994) started “An effective business and low turnover.” If the teachers are less satisfied with their work owing to any reasons other than education will become less committed to practise their duties and impinge on quality education.
To go beyond these corrupted and polluted conditions, the head of institutions is to play the role be alert and endeavour to create digestive condition by conducting regular staff meetings, facilitating, monitoring regualry, encouraging and supporting the teachers and respecting, responding, rewarding, directing/counseling appropriately at the time of their work. As a result the teachers will feel triumph and good about themselves and enable them to empower the students. Teachers should not be made to dun rather to drudge otherwise it results in sluggishness. Frenetic activities may result in woeful status so, it should be discouraged. School should always readily acclimatize each time at this 21st century. Research studies launched by Stout and Oukley (1989) Hinaiden (1991) emphasized on the role of principals in achieving school effectiveness and investigated the arena in which school leadership affects performance of school.
Besides above addressed issues, the physical facilities and well-decorated classroom and the building are the one that in reality affects the students. Obviously, those human beings are mostly attracted and interested to enroll the students in such institutions consisting of breathtaking surrounding. Good management of schooling is another important factor that counts a lot in imparting quality education. To manage good leadership will, it is significant to manage well and facilitate school education but also to breed educational environment for invitational education by launching regular staff meeting, admiring and guiding school teachers, conducting workshops, establishing good relationship amongst the students, parents, community and rest of educational institutions. In advance of appointment of any staff, school committee should vet. Some schools like—Rato Bangla, St. Xavier, Budhanilkantha, Chelsea International Academy are the examples that are acclimatizing for invitational education.
Apart from internal factors, external factors are also equally important for conducive environment. The favourable external cooperation helps much in prevailing healthy school environment. Less interference from the outside on the ground of gender, racial, racial, religious, groupism, and politicization creates and thrives invitational education. In creating the healthy and favourable environment the students’ involvement and participation are also vital. The capabilities, attitudes, qualities of students help in sustaining the healthy environment in schools. Congenital students are to be cared under proper supervision. As per C. Maskey—it is joyful to teach the students who possess the essential qualities like—respect for others, citizenship, fairness, perseverance, compassion, honesty, responsibility. They must have positive attitudes towards the institution and personnel who go hand in hand. The active role and responsibility of parents, community members cannot be abnegated and should considered also equally important in institutional development.
In a nutshell, the overall system should be favourable and followed on the agreed upon criteria. This is the most significant factor to strengthen hygienic advancement or achievement of any institutions. For the very task all the people should develop the democratic norms and values without which, even if all the factors are positive, no one develops and sustains the favourable condition and leads the institutional climate for invitational education. Wishing all the founders of scholastic institutions to have hope and be positive and enthusiastic in this direction for better environment and future. After discouraging the sloppy practices, new tactic is to be employed to lead the institution to the leading path.

This article was published in The Rising Nepal, on the 9th December, 2011

The Chief Editor

EXPECTATIONS FROM TEENAGERS (Isha Mandal)

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nce a child is born, everyone has expectations from it. Once a child is a teenager, it carries out lots of responsibilities. In this period they are fascinated to the sense of fashion such as branded clothes, Armani shoes instead of reading books Cinderella and Pinocchio. They are fascinated by play station, video games instead of playing with toys. Nowadays, breaking rules have become usual when it once used to be considered a crime. If a teenager does it, they blame them for it, but they are under a shadow. It is due to his surroundings.

Parents have much more expectations that the teenager can’t hold. Their expectations are given no value. Let’s take an example of a teenager who has the desire to take journalism and learn to play tennis. He isn’t allowed to do as he wishes because of the selfish desires of his parents. As his parents forbid him to do so, he leaves his desires. To fit in a society and to be counted as an extra-ordinary person in a friend’s circle of his parent’s, he finds himself going to eight different tuitions till grade 10. His parents want him to be a doctor for which he needs to sacrifice his desire of  journalism and tennis .He feels hectic and wants freedom .In case of getting his desires unfulfilled, he ends his life up. This is a story of not only one teenager but of thousands of teenagers who give up their desires, aims under parental pressure.

At last, I conclude saying that let us be ourselves, don’t let our desires go in vain. Let us stand on our feet. You have right to expect from us but do let our desires survive. Do let us survive.

GRACE

           

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hole day went hectic. It was the first day after six day long holiday. I breathed a sigh of relief while exiting office gate. But a huge sledge hammer was still beating my head.

            I soon rushed to SHREE GHA:  a shrine. Every now and then I visit there to cool my blazing mind. I bought an ice cream and went to a corner. I finished it. But the temperature still remained the same.

            I sat with my hand supporting my head as if they were the stand of globe. I partially rotated the globe and discovered a bevy of boys’ b-boying on the left and a couple of old Mongolians scattering grains to pigeons on the other side. As I saw them, I plunged into my flash back…… I, with my friends Subhash and Roshan bought 3 buckets of grains and hurled them to pigeons. The cool breeze became the pure gratitude from flapping wings and we were in the middle. We had forgotten our angst, grief, problems and rejoiced together with those pigeons. That moment we really were blessed with absolute bliss and candid ecstasy…..

            But then, hot air was flowing from flaps or due to my burning mind, everything turned hot. I felt, I was in the small non-ventilated space and AC being positively on.

            A ragged mass of clouds was still hanging around my head. I closed my eyes. After a while, my murmuring with my emptiness was interfered by a sound “OM MANE PADME HOON” coming from the people chanting and revolving around the stupa.

            My head was still aching, so I opened my facebook account on my cell phone to ease pain but nothing went good. Again, I closed my eyes in search of fire brigade for my blazing mind.

            As I opened my eyes, they encountered a pair of eyes. She went smiling. I was swimming in the pond of pain. But then something new was experienced. She came again and went smiling as before…….and a gentle zephyr was trying to head for me penetrating the hot air. Half of my pain had vanished then. Her arrival sugarcoated the bitter pill, indeed. I felt those pigeons were also cooing, “OM MANE PADME HOON” for tranquility to make me happy.

            In fact, she was circling round SHRE GHA. After a while she appeared again with her same smiling charming countenance. She came in front of me and said, “Bye, bye Dada”. With her left hand flapping on the air as if we had already known each other for long. She was holding a hand of her mother. Her sweet and innocent words made me off my pain. I found divine peace on it. I admired her innocence. Heart turned into a kite and took flight in twilight. I kept looking at her until she was out of my sight.

            I remembered the cheery innocent face of that kid who was in her early 5. Glanced at the steeple of the stupa and a pair of  Buddha’s eyes……………those were already looking at me……………..smiling…………………..