Happiness

I have a gun
A sleek,black Chinese thing
All I need is one shot
One shot at happiness

Distraught

What could distress me more?This cold night I can’t understand what people expect from me? What really happened to freedom, independence and feminism?

I can’t deny the urge to rip off that stupid hoarding board showcasing the back line of an uneasily crouching female in Koteshwor intersection. I don’t see how it can bring out the lion in anyone or why Pryiyanka is now reduced to a fruit to be eaten? why? what’s enticing about that?

Frequency initiatives

OCT 24 – ‘Yo Krantikari Radio ho. Hami mukti morcha ko sangram bata boli rahe ka chau.” The booming voice of freedom fighter Narad Muni Thulung marked the beginning of Nepali radio broadcast history. The year was 2003 B.S and the location was Dingla, Bhojpur.

Although the date of the beginning of the operations of Krantikari Radio remains unknown, it has been documented that the show, though run in an irregular manner, aimed to overthrow the then-existing Rana rule. It was an initiative that was supported by both the Nepali Congress and the then-Communist Party of Nepal, with technical assistance from the Japanese. After a year’s operation, the equipment was transported to the Biratnagar Jute Mill, where Prajatantra Radio was set up. The station aired progressive songs and speeches by leaders such as B.P Koirala and Manmohan Adhikari. In 2006 B.S., sensing the defeat of the Ranas, the equipment was brought to Lalitpur, where Nepal Radio was established. With the ushering in of democracy in 2007 B.S., the equipment was taken to Singhadurbar, and, on Chaitra 20, 2007 B.S., Radio Nepal was formally established with official assistance from the Japanese government.

Fifty eight years down the line, Radio Nepal remains the most powerful media in Nepal. “Radio Nepal reaches 83 percent of the Nepali population,” claims Dhanendra Bimal, head of Programme Department at the station. According to him, the state-owned station broadcasts programmes in 20 languages through short wave, medium wave and FM frequencies. And while the last 20 years have seen a boom in private FM stations, Radio Nepal doesn’t see them as any competition. “They are no threat to us as we have a much larger and more intense geographical reach,” Bimal says.

vermilion red

If I stopped asking why?
I couldn’t live if I stopped asked why?
I just couldn’t live..

Why did they wail?
Why do they cry?
Why does she weep now?
Why does he fume?
Why does she bow?
Why wouldn’t she leave?
Why should he care?
She wears a veil
Her forehead vermilion red, eyes kohli spread,bangles jingle ahead
He walks as he does
He owns her and her world
She is her and so is her world
What would happen if she fought?
Butchered him in cold blood and left him to the dogs
The ratings would go down
End of the idiot box

Missing you

I found a card stacked among many others. It was a cheesy one with no names. But it had something written on it that I have wanted to say to you all along.

Missing You
The quiet moments, the busy hours,
The happy times, the not so happy ones…
The sunny days and the cloudy ones.
All kinds of times have one thing in common,
now-a-days- You’re missed in all of them!

Basecamp to Copenhagen: Day 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13(Nov 17th to 23rd)

Memories of Khumbu

The soft snow crunches underneath my feet as I walk on in my running shoes. We are now heading to Gorakshep from Lobuche. It’s been snowing all morning, but we’ve decided to climb up anyway. Our stay at Lobuche has been very disappointing. The lodge rooms were inhabitable, and all night quite a few of us couldn’t sleep with the feel of carbon dioxide seeping into our lungs.

Khasing walks ahead

As I press on, the snow is slowly creeping through the plastic I’ve wrapped around my feet. At first, it’s a little disturbing, but slowly I get used to it. Slush! Slush! We move on. Strong winds often disturb the calmness of the falling snow, and the bells tied around the necks of the zopkyos (cow-and-yak breed) and yaks being herded down from Gorakshep add tune to it. We keep going up.

At around noon, we reach our destination. Luckily, the snowfall stops, and our scheduled visit to the Everest Base Camp (EBC) is undisturbed. This journey has been quite an adventure for me. I’ve never been to the mountains, or seen snow fall. And with plain stupidity, I’ve also left my trekking boots at Namche, and now I wear a Chinese Vista pair. Fighting blizzards, we do make it to the Base Camp the same day. Roaming around the yellow tents and standing tall at 6,000 meters, I realize it’s not the shoes: it’s something in me itself that made it up here.

on the way to EBC

Mt. Everest

They shine as the sun sets and we run to Gorak Sheep

This is the eighth day of our trek. We, seven young people, have been walking along the trail from Lukla to EBC in a bid to observe the effects of climate change in the Khumbu region. Our interaction with the locals along the way has shown us some unlikely pictures. People do enjoy the increasing temperatures. Green vegetables, carrots and cauliflowers now grow in abundance. And if not for the change in rainfall patterns, Khumbu is now more habitable.

Imja Lake

The alarm raised over the Imja Lake also amuses the residents. Regarded as a deity, several myths surround the recent death of a Japanese researcher who inspected the lake without offering prayers prior to his survey. But very few local people are aware of the alleged fact that Imja Lake is retreating at the rate of 30 meters per year and they don’t fear its outburst. Yet, at Tengboche, special prayers and offerings were being made by the Rinpoche to prevent climate change.

Basecamp to Copenhagen: Day 6 and 7 (Nov 15th adn 16th, 2009)

At pheriche: Acclimatization day

Traces of a dry monsoon

Pheriche: out of this world

tip of a mountain

Basecamp to Copenhagen trek: Day 5 (November 14th, 2009)

(November 14th and 15th, 2009)

We walk away from Debuche at 7:30 a.m. The way is surrounded by rhododendron trees and although there are no rhododendrons blooming its nice to walk in between them. We walk slowly through bridges and past ‘mani stones’. Each time we come across a mani stone , we go around through the right side as part of the common ritual in the Himalayas.

Did I take this picture? Yes I did....seems so untrue now

3 Idiots: Don’t be an idiot! Go watch the movie!

Direction: Raj Kumar hirani
Rating: ****

If you must adapt a book into a film make it better. 3 idiots certainly prove this. If you haven’t seen the movie why haven’t you? I can’t thank “3I” more,’ it’s made me want to write a review after so long. ‘Pa’ stinks and it even makes you forget ‘Kaminey’.

I certainly walked into the hall with a preconception- ‘I have read 5 point someone and this is just what it is’- so wrong was I, it’s much more. Rajkumar Hirani and Abhijat Joshi deserve accolades for writing such an original screenplay. You will laugh like crazy and sometimes you won’t know if it’s you or the person next to you who’s sobbing.

‘3 Idiots’ is a feel good movie in the true sense-it makes you believe in good things and good people. It gives a new meaning to friendship, to university life, to the word ‘ambition’ and ‘passion’. Like each of Vidhu Vinod Chopra productions the movie has set a standard, left a landmark. It gives a new dimension to Bollywood as an industry.

Why do we enjoy watching Bollywood movies?Because they elude us with an imaginary world. Here, the world is so real you can feel each scene. Hirani certainly has not let us down. He has brought in reality and imagination in a blend that is entertainment topped with realism. The industry is after all making sensible films.

Basecamp to Copenhagen trek: Day 4( November 13,2009)

It’s a crispy morm in Khumjung. From my hotel room I can see Ama Dablam in all its glory.

from my room window

Sherpa Lodge: great hospitality, nice rooms

We have tea and noodles for breakfast and start our journey to Tengboche.As I bid goodbye to Kathlyn she gives me a tibetan herb for good luck. It’s a herb given on auspicious moments when one is undertaking a difficult task.I forget the name….