Ten Things I Miss About Nepal
In my farewell post from Nepal, I had said I will someday surely re-visit my Nepal memories. These few days, I have been regularly visiting those memories, viewing at the snaps taken there and remembering small details which normally I thought I had forgotten. It is difficult to write down all the things, so I will just mention the top ten things that I miss in Nepal.
1. Mountains – When one is in the Himalayan land, the mountains are aplenty to view. Admittedly, I have a strong affinity towards these sturdy natural beauties that can be both awesome and awe-inspiring. Kathmandu is surrounded by a lush and dark green ring of mountains that seemed to be a benign guardian for the valley. Click here to read the first post on this topic alongwith my favorite hill-stations. Other than the mountains, another eye-pleasing sight is that of clouds, which seem to acquire a magnificently creative instinct. I haven’t seen any more beautiful formations anyplace else. In fact, my love to watch the shapes and size of clouds began when I started to click their snaps.
2. Kathmandu – Well, as a whole there is a quaint attraction in the city; its ruggedy criss-cross mesh of streets and old-fashioned houses, peppered with some forward-looking architecture, is a unique blend of old-worldly charm and modern utility. The city – if it stops growing now – is neither too big nor too small, the right size! Of course, being there one has to be perennialy in holiday-and-relaxed mode.
3. Banchha Ghar – A delightful old restaurant serving some lip-smackingly delicious (and exotic) snacks. Their cultural show, performed every evening by nubile Nepali girls, showcases the various dance forms prevalant in the country. They serve ‘Raakshi’, the homemade rice wine, in miniature ‘kulhads‘ as a welcome drink. I would have loved to make ‘raakshi‘ as a separate entry, but due to lack of space will include it here.
4. Thamel – If I add up the hours I stayed in Kathmandu, the ones spent roaming in Thamel will by far exceed anything else. This was a favorite haunt, especially on weekends, when I used to visit a couple of quaint and charming pubs and lounge-bar. The effect in them is imprinted deeply in my mind. And I sorely miss having beer there – it just isnt same in the antiseptic modern bars of Delhi or Agra! Thamel carries a perennial festive look, always brightly lit and attractively colored.
5. Nagarkot – If you want to see the best sunrise, you have to head for this tiny hill-station, just 45 minutes drive from Kathmandu. The sun’s first appearance – a tiny blob of molten gold – is a jaw dropping sight!
6. Festivals – The Nepalis definitely know how to celebrate and revel in festivals, something that we seem to have forgotten (Festivals in Delhi are just formalities, rather excuses to show who is richer than whom, than any genuine urge to celebrate community togetherness, religious significance or simply to let your hair down to have fun. At corporate level, they are merely pieces meant to further the manipulation game of gaining brownie points or downsizing unwanted elements). Here, I saw a genuine desire to break free from the routine and indulge in the pure unadulterated joy of celebration. Bada Dashain (or Dushhera) is their biggest one, and the entire valley erupted in an unanimous call of joy and visually into a riot of colors!
7. Monuments – It’s not for nothing that Kathmandu is called a living museum; it is a World Heritage Site, and the proof lies in the sheer number of tourist sites to visit – Pashupati Nath Mandir, Buddhaneelkantha, three Darbar Squares, Syambhu Stupa, Boudhanath Stupa, Indra Chowk and many more!
8. Devghat /Chitwan – Both the places have their own beauties. Since I travelled to both in the same trip, their memories are tightly intertwined. I still recall fondly the ride on the River in that rickety narrow canoe! In Chitwan, sighting a rhinoceros was a huge accomplishment.
9. Jai Nepal Cinema Hall – Yes, I remember this also because there was a small slice of time when I must have watched a film there every Sunday.
10. Finally, the last thing I will mention is the amount of free time I had to write all those stories. I have now re-read most of them, and as I did so, I tried to recall the days and the ways I wrote at that time; also, I marvel as to how I managed to pen them. Reading those comments at that time is a wonderful experience.
I recall, on a particularly dull day, I had wondered whether those days will ever form ‘memories’. Pri had assured that sure they would. Pri, you were so correct!
Dont miss to read – “Favorite Songs of 2006″ on 31.12.06 at 1700 Hrs, only on this blog!
Saturday, 9. December 2006 23:47
Gold Mera!!!
Monday, 11. December 2006 9:50
Yes, its difficult to erase memories of such a beautiful place. More so, when you are left to live with rugged terrain of Uttar Pradesh.
We all also remeber those posts of yours. Thats why you suggested you become travelogue writer
Monday, 11. December 2006 13:43
You mentioned everything but I think you have forgot to mention about her
.
I mean Varsha. Wondering who she is? Read my today’s post
YaadeiN hee mit jaye to Insan jiye kaise…..
Here I want to mention my lines….
Yaadein hi rahe gai
baaki sab bhool
Zindagi yoN basar kar li
hoke hum masaroof…
Which fits for you.
Post ke baare mein kuch nahin kahene ka. You know what I would comment
.
Monday, 11. December 2006 14:26
this post reminds me of the title track of yaadein…
waise, read the little blurp at the end of the post… does this mean there will be no updates till the 31st?
Monday, 11. December 2006 18:10
Mehak – Gold aapka
Manish –
Those were the days, indeed! Now, there hasnt been any travelogue or story!
Juneli – Yep, the incessant rains! But then there were so many things, so had to restrict somewhere. Will read your post soon.
Anks – Ok, title track toh theek hai, but memories of the movie itself are pretty disturbing – what a bullshit movie it was!
Dont worry, there will be more updates inbetween. Since that date was decided, so thought of publicising it
Ar
Tuesday, 12. December 2006 11:23
oh yeah…. the movie was crap with a capital C!!!!
but i like some of the songs of the film. annu malik oscillated between awesome and aweful in this one! absolutely adore the title track though… it is what i call ‘my type of music’
ab publicity shuru kar di hai toh ye bhi bataiye ki aapki agli kahani kab aa rahi hai????
Tuesday, 12. December 2006 11:39
Anks – Yep the songs were good – I had also liked ‘Ae dil dil ki duniya mein’!
Story ka abhi pata nahi – sirrf posts pe hi concentrate kar loon toh behtar hai abhi toh
Tuesday, 12. December 2006 14:32
Finally, you return in full form. Well, I can’t resist an I-told-you-so.
Wednesday, 13. December 2006 9:42
Wow…………. so many beautiful memories……………..
Well, i’ve been reading ur posts regularly, but havent commented of late……
The “Eight” post was really funny and witty!!! Liked it……
Wednesday, 13. December 2006 16:21
Yes, you are right.
Anyway, I had posted a poem on “Rain”. Read it
.
Wednesday, 13. December 2006 20:29
niice nice.. i never knew u used to live in Nepal.. guess i havnt been reading long enuff! i love nature myself.. sounds like a great fun place
Thursday, 14. December 2006 10:11
Priyangini – He he he … but let’s hope this lasts!
Sum – Thanks for liking that post. And yeah comment karte raha karo, achcha lagta hai
Juneli – Will be there soon!
Reema – I was in Nepal close to two years. But was back home in Delhi when u started reading my blog! A lot of Nepal is available on my older blog http://randomexpressions.rediffblogs.com Of course, Nepal is beautiful and a great place! It’s paradise for nature lover!
Friday, 15. December 2006 5:27
I miss the free time you had in Nepal too
We had so much to read from and you wrote stories too and we could chat so much too 
Friday, 15. December 2006 7:59
Certain things are best valued when you are far away from them.
Baaki tou I don’t know …but you sure don’t have as much free time as you had in Nepal. Plus, maybe it was Nepal that used to inspire you to write…yahaan aakar tou you seem to have quit writing.
Friday, 15. December 2006 9:41
Kaush – True true !
Mannat – It’s such a wonderfully exhilirating feeling to see old readers getting back to Random Expressions. Gives me goosebumps as well as heady feeling. Thanks a bunch
About free time, seriously, that is a big hinderance; another is the obvious one – no internet at home, so i hv to steal time whenever i can from office. And Nepal had its own laidback charm that inspired – here, (or even in Delhi), after struggling with traffic, there is just no inclination to write!
Saturday, 16. December 2006 18:52
ohhk, yep.. did go thru ur older page a bit.. read some stories n browsed randomly too! :p
Monday, 23. April 2007 10:31
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