May Twenty First, Twenty Twenty Two
First of all, I would like to thank Anoopam for giving me an opportunity, so that I was able to fulfill my wish of making this trip with him. Anoopam and myself met at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu in the early hours of the day. The weather was a little bit overcast and there was light rain, perfect for a cup of lemon tea we had outside the airport. Fortunately, there was no delay and we took the flight to Nepalgunj, the gateway to mid and far-west Nepal.
I was very excited and happy since I had envisioned this trip with Anoopam for at least six months. In approximately an hour we landed there. The first impression of the city was its hot climate. It was drastically hotter than Kathmandu. Since both of us were new to the city, we decided to explore the city for a few hours. The biggest city in mid as well as far-west is famous for a wide range of street foods with its distinct flavors and textures. We figured the best way to roam the town was through an electric rickshaw. After avoiding a couple of drivers, Anoopam picked a driver, his name was Santosh John Oli. We got into the rickshaw, and immediately realized he was an interesting person. Santosh greeted us with a hello, and as we went on talking he said he initially thought we were foreigners. He thought I was an Englishman and Anoopam an Israeli. Well, I think it had more to do with him being drunk than we actually looking like foreigners. Santosh liked us and insisted he will show us the city for free, although we did not agree.
As we went around witnessing the city, we also got an opportunity to peep through his sorrowful past life. Santosh said he had gone to Goa, India after selling the majority of his assets for a business opportunity. He was doing well in his business, enjoying a good Goan lifestyle, with his then girlfriend. As fate would have it, he ended up choosing the wrong business partner and losing all the money he had. Since he lost all his money, he said he cannot face his parents and has been working in the city as a rickshaw driver to barely take care of his wife and a son. Consequently, due to the misfortune in life he seemed to have become an alcoholic. Since, Anoopam also visited Goa several times and once lived there for a few months, they talked various things about life in Goa. After a few hours, Santosh took us to one of the bus stops from where we were to catch a jeep to Khalanga, the capital of Jajarkot, a district in the hills of mid-west Nepal. Since we were unfamiliar with the city, on our behalf he talked to the guy at the counter, and said that this guy is charging more. He also told us to be careful and not to trust anybody easily in the city, as some people might have ulterior motives. So he decided to take us to another bus stop. Throughout the ride around the city he was constantly sharing his stories. I really appreciated that although he had his shares of hardship in life, he had not let his heart become hard. He seemed like a good human being who went above and beyond to help strangers like us. Even in such a short time, I felt like we related and established a bond with him.
Finally, after roaming around the city in the heat, we arrived at another bus stop. Which meant it was time to bid farewell to Santosh.. Despite his hesitance to accept money we insisted and paid him. One thing I observed throughout the trip was Anoopam was not calculative about money, and would give whatever they asked without hesitance, unlike most of us who like to bargain even if we feel we are being slightly overcharged. Which showed his non attachment to money. At the stop we ate some sweet and juicy watermelons and bought a small bottle of alcohol for Santosh as a parting gift. We took a selfie with him, thanked him for his generosity and said goodbye and got on the jeep. He told us to contact him when we return back to Nepalgunj. As we embarked on the next leg of the journey, I took a few seconds to think and wish him well in his life.
Those who travel to Shey Phoksundo Lake usually take a flight to Juphal, Dolpa from Nepalgunj, Banke, to save time and perhaps money. But instead of taking a direct flight to Juphal, I wanted to make it more adventurous and experience more of the land and people of mid-west Nepal. I want to assure you what followed surely was adventurous and enriching. Domestic tourists usually complete the trip in seven days, but I wanted to do it slowly so I planned it for nine days. By the way, I was the one planning almost everything on the trip. Since, Anoopam was not interested in planning and always seemed to be in his own zone, in his own carefree world, as if he was there yet he was not, which was fascinating. Don’t get me wrong though, I enjoy planning. I think I am fairly good at it, and the trip went smoothly too in that regard. On our way to Khalanga we passed through the famous Bardiya National Park. The topography started to change as soon as we started to pass through the Park. The plains of Terai were slowly leaving us and uphill roads and turns of the hills started to welcome us. The jeep made the stop for lunch at Babai valley, named after the Babai river next to it around one in the afternoon. As we left Babai we entered into Surkhet District. After some time, we started to gain more elevation and touched Salyan and Rukum District as well for brief moments.
Eventually, we entered Jajarkot and the roads started becoming steeper and turns became sharper. To make matters worse, the young driver was driving aggressively and recklessly. He did not beep horns at many sharp turns. Maybe it was normal for driver, and people living there, but I sure as hell was scared. In at least one instance he had to stop abruptly at a turn because of being aware of a vehicle coming from the other side. It is not like I was not familiar with roads like this, since I have gone many times to my birthplace in the hills of Arghakhanchi District. At times I would tell myself isn’t this what I asked for, the adventure and thrill. Then I look at Anoopam, he seems unfazed, undisturbed and seeming in another world. I would think to myself, maybe he does not have fear anymore ? I struck up a conversation with one of the passengers in front of me. He worked for CTEVT Nepal and was there for his work in one of the development projects. I also found out he knew a close uncle of mine who used to be the former head of the organization.
As we started to approach Khalanga, it started to rain heavily. I have a fascination for the land and people of the hills and mountains of Nepal. After the rain subsided, the weather became mesmerizing and I started to have nostalgia. It felt like home despite being away from home. We reached Khalanga, probably around six. The capital was located at the top of the hill overlooking Bheri river in the valley. We did a short walk around the town and selected a hotel. During the evening we changed our clothes, got refreshed and ordered some food from the hotel kitchen. In the span of twelve hours, we left Kathmandu, toured through Nepalgunj, past the plains of Banke and Surkhet and to the beautiful hills of Jajarkot. We ended the day with a beautiful meditation.
दियालो मासिक 