Monday 11 May 2015

Nepal Earthquake diaries

25th April 2015, a date that is engraved in my memory along with many other happy dates. Every one has their sad story of what happened on11:56am on that fateful day.  For me it was a regular Saturday Morning, hurrying my self doing some laundry before the electricity goes off, having some Saturday morning must-haves jeri-swari, i could hear the sound of the vacuum cleaner in the background. Just a regular day, however there was something about the air that day, it was noticeably cloudy and had some kind go smog in the air. "Its never sunny when i have a day off" - I muttered. 
The first Saturday since i came back from my Holiday i was particularity aching to stay home and relax. Wash off the henna on your head, the stench is giving me a headache shouted my husband and banged the door of our bedroom which is on the 4th floor of our house. i laughed at him and played "fluorescent adolescence "and went to wash my hair. As soon as i finished, the lights went off in the toilet.  it was a matter of few seconds to be precise. I changed and closed the door to my bedroom which leads to a small balcony with the stairs to go downstairs. "Pookie, lets go downstairs" I called out to my 1 year old pug who was taking a post-lunch nap in the balcony. Just when i closed the door to my bedroom, the house started shaking. I wish i had enough words to describe that particular feeling. for the first few seconds, i thought i was dizzy. But then the flower vases outside my room started falling mercilessly on the floor and it was then i realized it was an earthquake. I was in a state of despair, shock. My dog was scared, his already big eyes looked as if it was about to pop from his skull. He didn't know what to do, nor did I. Pookie got too scared and he hurried down the stairs.  I reminded my self not to lose composure I was constantly uttering " Oh my god, what the hell is this" That 56 seconds, which seemed and still seems like an eternity was the most traumatizing moment of my life. One thought that came across my head was" I am going to die alone" as i was alone in that flat.  
As the earthquake subsided, I hurried down the stairs to see my mother in law holding my two helpers by the kitchen door, my husband holding on to his 83 year old grandmother. I was scared for the first time then. I looked at the house, everything scattered everywhere. My husband pulled me towards the frame of the door. we huddled up together until we had the first after shock, a 7.2 rector scale earth quake. We wanted to run downstairs but it was out grandmother, who is paralyzed in her one leg. We slowly got her down from the 3rd floor to the ground and then to an open space before our house. After that, it was aftershocks after aftershocks. It never seemed to end. I had left my phone to charge. I was in no condition to go back to the house on the 4th floor to get my phone. But i was worried now, about my parents, my grandparents who are almost immobile, my sister everyone. Pookie had his face buried in my chest and was whining, poor thing. we were sitting on the ground in despair. 
We decided to take shelter in our relative's house who was kind enough to open his gates for 21 of us. We camped in their front lawn. We then started getting news of Dharahara collapsing, my hear sank as soon as i heard that news. Few years ago, my sister and I did a competition as to who climbs that ancient historical monument faster. Then soon we heard news that all 3 durbar squares have been affected. I had contacted my family but then and all of them were safe and sound. I sighed with relief. I realized how lucky i was to have both sides of my family safe and sound with no property damaged. Because there were thousands of people who had lost their lives, property or both so as to say. I decided to sleep with my husband's grandmother in our car for that day and many more to come... That night was tough. We ate what we could get. Throughout the night, I occasionally turned the light of our car to check on my grandmother in law. With the sound soft snore in the background and "see you again - piano cover by Wiz Kafila" I tossed sides with my eyes glued to the sky waiting for a better tomorrow 




Thursday 15 January 2015

Being a teacher

Today, I bid goodbye to my first ever batch of The British College, L3S1 2014. I felt a tight knot in my heart while doing so. Not that I am not going to see them around in college, I will see them around and probably teach some of them too.  But it's not going to be the same. For me they will always be the very special. They have taught me so much about patience, perserverance,  positive reinforcement and above all a true meaning an joy of being a teacher. I never knew I had this caring heart inside of me who cares about their every glitch,  worries when they don't turn up in consequently for couple of days, get tensed if they mingle in a wrong company. 

I don't know if I will feel this way to every batch I teach, that if my future students can capture my heart similarly, only time will tell.

This post is for them, for each and every student. All I want to say is that I love you all and I will always cherish each and every one . I will always back you up when you need me. You all are a special lot!

Saturday 29 November 2014

Simple living

"When I go to a simple village and see those simple people living their lives, I realise how poor I am " ~Saurav Satyal

Monday 10 November 2014

Sheer joy

Every thing I am not , you are
You complete me through and through.

Joy puee joy
That is what you are.

Weekend

It feels like a mahabharat to actually take out time for my self these days when work,  family, my pet pookie, social obligations are all craving for my attention.  However, last weekend I decided that I had to go away from this maddening city. Go away even if it meant to hibernate for few hours. 

Monday 8 September 2014

Hafa'

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Hafa' ~ about a gurl who loves rain, gentle rain.

Every time it rains, I wonder how I always get lost in the splashes of rain. I find my self facing towards the sky, with my arms wide open and drops of rain falling gently over my face. My lashes cover my eyes, my smile stretches right over my face, and I am as jubilant ever every time it rains. With every rainfall, these series of events come to pass all over again. Rainfall and me, we are somehow connected. I say that because ever since I was a little girl I remember getting amused with rain. When I was a kid, I used to squeal with delight at the very sound of pitter patter on my window pane. I used to quietly sneak out of my room and run outside in my lawn, jump on the puddles of mud wearing a slipper which was way beyond my little feet. I always got a bash after I came home from my mom or my dad for spoiling their slippers, and used to get sick eventually. But then these little bashings never really did stop me from experiencing that certain feeling of trance, of that divine sensation when the first drop of rain falls on the ground. Every time I stand there in my balcony or on terrace with my arms wide open; I find my self in peace, in tranquility. I some how can connect with the rain. My mind fills with euphoric feelings. I am exhilarated after every slosh of rain falls on my soul, not only my body. My soul gets quenched after every splash. This occasional slosh has been the reason for my happiness. For me being some one who gets inspiration and happiness over small things, this is a perfect moment whereby all my worries, my negative aura gets washed by and there is an ample place for my creativity to flourish. Today too it rained, well it’s still raining and the flower within me has bloomed exhibiting its all beauty. Amidst the regular onslaught of work and mundane activities, today after my trip to my terrace, I have found myself back, smiling and shining and so very placid. Some people feel the rain, while others just get wet. Try to feel it and you then know the sheer beauty of it. You will be able to then live by heart and walk with faith and fly with love.

My husband gave me this name ~Hafa' when we were dating back then. He was the one who inspired me to write this article