Archives December 29, 2021

First Day: 

When I woke up, the place was dark, cold, and had a musty smell. Silk-like threads of sun rays seem to pierce through the creeks of the walls. The floor was wet, there was goat shit everywhere, and holy mother of lord!!! There were goats all around me.

As far as I can recall, last night, I went to my comfy bed, inside the walls of my own house. “How did I get in here? Did I get drunk? Did I sleepwalk?” Now, there was no point lying there. So I hurriedly got up and tried to run but to my astonishment, I found my neck tied to the shed post. No matter how much I tried, I was too weak to break the rope.

Then I looked down at my feet and you wouldn’t believe what I just saw: I had four legs. One by one I started probing my body parts and I found my body has fur all over it; two horns, a tail and balls hanging between my legs. I WAS A FREAKING GOAT.

“How did I turn into a goat? Did my consciousness shift to a goat brain? Or Am I dead? Is this reincarnation?….” Since I couldn’t get out of the shed, all I could do was sit there and ponder my fate. I wanted to believe that this was all just a bad dream but even if I slapped myself, I couldn’t wake up. I was certain that this was real. While I was lying there thinking about myself, all the other goats around me were sound asleep.

I became a goat on the first day of Dashain(festival in Nepal). While being human, I had so many plans to enjoy my holidays but now it will all be ruined. “Perhaps I will turn back into a human at the end of this day”, I consoled myself.

Then I could hear someone’s footsteps outside. A human opened the door of the shed. And I was again stunned because the man who opened the door was none other than myself.

This hit me like a thunderstruck. “If I am inside a goat’s body, then who is inside me? Did a goat and my consciousness swap? Or did my consciousness split into two different bodies?”

Again, there was no point in pondering for answers. So I interrogated my human body in a very loud voice. “Who the heck are you? What are you doing in my body? Are you some kind of demon? Did you make me like this?……..”

“MOM!!! This goat is doing Maa Maa a lot. Has something happened to it?” My body spoke.

“It might just be hungry. Take them all out of the shed and hang some grass for them.”

I was again dumbfounded. Humans couldn’t understand me, while I could understand them. That means, all my efforts to find the truth are futile now. He opened the ropes of all the other goats and tied them near the net full of grass. When he untied my rope, I tried to run away but he got hold of my rope. No matter how hard I tried I was weakling in front of him. He pulled me with force and tied me to that same pole with other goats.

I felt very depressed about my situation. To share my feelings, I started talking to other goats around me. They seemed to understand me, which was a good thing. Then I asked those goats what they thought was the cause of this. And their reply was Maa…Maa.Maa.

Holy shit!! I couldn’t understand them. Heck, I couldn’t understand any of the goat languages. All I could hear was what a normal human would hear from a goat: Maa Maa.

Now, this was even more perplexing. While I could understand humans, they couldn’t understand me and goats could understand me but I couldn’t goats. I was realizing that my day is getting worse.

With grief, I cried all day. “Why did you do this to me, god? Why? Answer me. Anyone?…”

“Mommy, this goat is crying a lot. If this continues for a few days, we should sell it to the butcher”, my human body said.

“Eek… WHAT? Am I getting killed?” I nearly pooped in fear. From that moment I stopped crying.

Night fell. I was tired from crying the whole day. So I slept wishing to wake up as a full human the next day.

Next day: 

Crap, I was still inside this goat body and inside that same, old dirty shed. Then, the same pattern followed. My human self would come and tie me to the post outside the shed. To relieve my misery, I would try to share my feelings with other goats. They were very good listeners and they understood every single word. I never thought goats were this intelligent. But alas I couldn’t understand their replay. I felt miserable. There was no one to help me to get out of my position.

Extreme sadness came into me. “What is the purpose of living like this? Being a stupid goat, eating all day, pooing and die as human food? This isn’t what I came to earth for. Why is this happening to me? Is this my punishment?” Realizing my sorrow, the other goats came near to console me. Although I was saying bad things about goats, they understood my pain. One of them even hugged me with its neck.

“Do you know that humans are keeping you so they could kill you and eat you?”, I asked one of the goats. It simply nodded giving approval. “Then what is the meaning of living such a life, knowing that you are no more than food?”

The goats didn’t say anything. “Oh of course.. I can’t understand him even if he said anything. The goat was wise enough to stay silent while I lost track of my situation. How stupid?” This time I felt myself even more stupid than a goat.

As days passed by, I started understanding the rules of this game. I had the body of a goat but the mind of a human. I can eat both grass and human food. Talking about sexual desires, I get aroused looking at a female goat as well as a hot human lady.

But there were some drawbacks of being a goat. For the first few days, the balls hanging between my legs were so uncomfortable. I couldn’t sit or walk properly with it. I couldn’t go wherever I liked as I would be tied with the rope. Humans would treat us very badly. My own human self would sometimes get drunk and pee inside the shed. One night, while I was asleep inside the shed, he peed on me. Yuck, that was disgusting.

But the worst part was yet to come. It was the eighth day of dashain. I knew, this is the day when male goats will be cut as a sacrifice to Goddess Durga. It seems that other goats are also aware that today some one of them will be cut. But no one was panicking. They were extremely calm as if it was a normal day.

My human family was preparing for the ceremony. My sister applied red mud with cow dung in one area and my parents started the rituals. After the ritual was complete, my father signaled my human body to bring the goat. He came right toward me. I was very afraid. I wanted to run away but he pulled my rope with great force and started untying me. “This is it. Today is the day when I will get punished for all the wrongdoings of my life”, I thought.

Then suddenly another male goat, the same size as me, charged my human body in the knee. My human self almost fell to the ground.

“Oh, you dare hit me. Today, you will be the dead one”. With rage, he tied me up and took that goat instead. I felt that the goat was saving me by sacrificing himself.

While I was shivering in fear looking at them, my goat friend was taken to the ceremonial place. He was placed in the position, and ready to get his head chopped. At the last moment before the cut, he looked at me. Then, his head was severed.

Bloods were sprouting from his neck. He was crying for help with the breath that remained in him. I could feel he was in extreme pain but I couldn’t do anything. That scene was horrible. On the other hand, My human body was enjoying that show while I was barely able to look at that monstrous scene. I cursed myself. I cursed my life and every single human. I felt horrible to ever have enjoyed seeing an animal being chopped.

Then again, feeling my grief, other goats came around to console me. They knew their fate was the same yet they weren’t afraid, nor were they feeling sorrow. They were doing all in their hands to reduce my sadness. This was the moment I felt grateful for being a goat. I cursed my human life and I was now ready to accept my life as a goat.

While my mind was processing all these emotions, I felt weak, my legs shivered and I fell to the ground. Everything went black and my senses were gone.

Then I woke up. My human family was around me with nervous faces. I looked at my hand; it was a human hand. I knew I was in a human form again. My sister told me that I became unconscious, while looking at the goat ceremony. My parents were really worried about what happened to me.

I mustered up all the strength left in me to stand up. My family tried to stop me but I told them I was fine. I slowly walked outside the house. My goat friend was still being sliced into pieces. I felt extreme guilt.

Then I went toward the shed. The shed was open. The goat body where I was inside a few moments ago, was lying on the ground.

I went near it and patted it on its body. Its body was cold and there was no motion. I hurriedly looked at its face and checked it’s vitals; He was no more with us. I felt despair. Tears came rolling down my eyes. For the moment, I felt I was no longer in this world.

My family came near to ask what happened. “I don’t know”, I said with tears in my eyes. I didn’t feel like telling them my experience.I just wanted to sit there, with its body in my arms. Even if I share my experience with other humans, nothing’s gonna change for the goats. They will still have to live a life as food for humans.

जन्मिदाँ सास हुन्छ तर नाम हुँदैन , मृत्यु ग्रहण गर्दा नाम हुन्छ तर सास हुँदैन ।यहि सास र नाम बीचको यात्रालाई जीवनको संज्ञा दिइन्छ।

धार्मिक रुपमा जीवनलाई प्राण , शरीर र आत्माको त्रिवेणी भनिन्छ। साहित्यिक रुपमा जीवन भनेको सास रहुन्जेल गरिने अलौकिक र अद्वितीय अनुभुती हो। जीवन त मुटु र मस्तिष्कको समन्वयमा चल्ने रेलगाडी हो। जीवनलाई एउटै बाटो दोराउन यी दुई अङगको सफल तालमेल हुनु  आवश्यक हुन्छ। तालमेल भएन भने मानिस चपेटामा पर्छ, ऊ न यताको हुन्छ न त उताको , उसलाई त साउने भेलले बगाएर लान्छ। २०० ग्राम को मुटु र २०००  ग्रामको मस्तिष्कामा भार त मस्तिष्कको बढी भएता पनि यथार्थमा दुवैले समान भुमिका खेलेका हुन्छन्। सामाजिक भाषामा भन्दा मस्तिष्कले मायावी संसार र अपरिचित धोका प्रती सचेत गराउँछ भने मुटुले सामाजिक सम्बन्ध मूल्याकंन गर्छ।समयले काँचुली फेरेपछि  यथार्थको संसारमा कायापलट हुनु स्वभाविक हो। तात्पर्य के हो भने, मुटुले सोच्न थाल्यो भने सुखी जीवनमा ग्रहण लाग्नेमा दुई मत छैन।

एउटा जोडी भागेर बिहे गर्ने निधो गर्छन्। उनिहरुको लागि आफ्नो प्रेमी भन्दा प्रिय कोहि हुँदैन। यसको अर्थ उसले मनले सोच्न थाल्छ र पारिवारिक सम्बन्धलाई मस्तिष्कले मूल्याकंन गर्न थाल्छ।तसर्थ मन, मस्तिष्क  माथि हावी हुन पुग्छ र बामे सर्दा रसायका आमाका ती नयन बाट सन्तान सदाका लागि टाढा भइदिन्छ। उक्त जोडीले जस्तो सुकै निर्णय लिए पनि हार निश्चित छ। मनको कुरा सुनेर  ऊ निपुण प्रेमी त बन्न सक्ला तर बाँकी जीवन मातापिता भएको टुहुरो जसरी व्यतीत गर्न बाध्य हुन्छ।यसको ठीक उल्टो, यदि उसले कुनै निर्णयको समर्थन गर्न सक्दैन किनभने जस्तो सुकै निर्णय लिए पनि प्रेम कि त पारिवारिक जीवन नष्ट हुने पक्का छ।

जीवन त गुलाबको बोट सरह हो।  यहाँ फूल भन्दा काँडा धेरै भेटिन्छ्न्।तर काँडा खोपिएर छियाछिया भएको हातको औँलाले गुलाबको फूलको स्पर्श गर्नु को मज्जालाई शब्दमा बयान गर्न सकिँदैन।जीवनलाई ” दुवै हातमा लड्डु “को टुक्का संग दाँज्न मिल्दैन।आखिर दर्शनशास्त्रमा पनि लेखिएको छ,” केही पाउनका लागि केही गुमाउनुपर्छ।”

त्यसैले मस्तिष्क र मुटु बीच चलिरहने आन्तरिक द्वन्द्व त प्रकृतिको शाश्वत नियम सरह हो। मस्तिष्कले आफू बाँच भन्छ, मुटुले अरुलाई बचाँऊ भन्छ। मस्तिष्कले आफू हाँस भन्छ, मुटुले अरुको आँसुको कारक नबन भन्छ।मस्तिष्कले आफ्नो लागि जित भन्छ, मनले अरुको लागि जित भन्छ।हरेक वस्तुको जस्तै जीवनको पनि दुई पाटा छन्।एउटा पाटो नियाल्दा मस्तिष्क सहि देखिन्छ भने अर्को पाटो हेर्दा मुटुलाई पनि गलत भन्न सकिँदैन। तसर्थ कति बेला कस्तो कुरालाई व्यवहारमा उतार्ने भन्नेमा हाम्रो निर्णय  भर पर्छ। परिस्थितिको माग र समयको चाहना अनुरुप निर्णय गर्नु नै दुई उत्कृष्ट निर्णय बीच सर्वोकृष्ट छान्नु हो।

विडम्बना के हो भने, मानिस लिएका निर्णय प्रति असन्तुष्ठि जायर गर्छ। प्रेम जीवनलाई तिलाञ्जली दिएको मान्छे, बाँकी जीवन पागल प्रेमी जसरी पुराना दिनहरुलाई आँसुरुपी कागजमा समेट्न थाल्छ। त्यसैगरी पारिवारिक जीवनलाई इतिश्री भनेको सन्तान जीवन भर आमाको ममता र बुबाको मार्गदर्शन पाउन भौँतारिन्छ। त्यसैले पछि पश्चताप गर्नुभन्दा वेलैमा आफ्नो निर्णय प्रति प्रतिबद्ध हुनुपर्छ। जीवन त हिमाद्रीको शिखरबाट सागर सम्म मिसिने हिमनदी सरह हो। जसरी बगेको खोला फर्किँदैन, त्यसैगरी अतीतका कुराहरुलाई मनमा राखेर आँसु बगाउनु केवल मुर्खता हो।जीवनलाई त मुहारमा मुस्कान छर्ने अपुर्व माध्यम बनाउनुपर्छ।

“आखिर अप्रत्याशित घटनाको संगम नै त हो जीवन”

Satellite cities and its dire need in vicinity of Kathmandu

With the scarcity of facilities and opportunities at the place of origin, urban transition is a normal process in Nepal. The term urban transition refers to migration of people from rural areas to the cities for commercial or service oriented jobs. With urban transition at its peak, the population density of major cities of Nepal is increasing ominously. Among the major cities of Nepal, Kathmandu remains the hotspot for urban transition which makes the functioning of city harder.   To regulate the population and create a balance between resource and growing population, the concept of satellite city was introduced.

As a satellite revolves around a planet, a satellite city is also created adjacent to a major city to stop the direct flow of people into it.  Generally, Satellite city has a distinctive border such as rivers to separate it with the major city.  It is constructed at a suitable distance from the major city so that the distance between satellite city and major city must not be an issue for the locals who travel to and fro for various cause. Satellite city is a well-planned city that is capable of self-sustaining on most of its requirements and have its own municipal government. The population of satellite city may only rely on major city for employment.  Many people have fallacy of considering satellite city and suburb to be same.  Suburb on other hand is a residential area located at the outskirts of the major city and completely depends on it for the functioning

Construction and Requirements of satellite city

For construction of satellite city, a huge area must be allocated within which the infrastructures are built. The land allocation must be approved by geologist and engineers on the basis of proper research on various factors to prevent possible casualties. The infrastructures must be built in such a way that it prioritizes the use of public vehicles and dissuade public to use cars, ensures accessibility for everyone residing in the city including the ones with the disabilities. In many places of our country an average person walks a fair distance only to reach the bus station. So the city must be created in such a way that it obviates the burden of walking long distance only to reach bus station. Sustainable development must be the main theme while constructing the satellite cities. The energy consumption of the city should be made less while decreasing the carbon emission. The Use of alternative sources of energy which are favorable to the place must be prioritized. The city must ensure proper disposal of the daily waste produced by the city with no harm to the environment.

Proper planning for the supply of electricity, water must be done before the construction to maintain the continuous flow of electricity to the residents. The wires in the city must be made underground to increase the beauty of the city and lessen jeopardy. The functioning of the city must comply with the technology which we also refer as a smart city. Proper drainage system must be established during construction to prevent the accumulation of water on roads during rainy seasons.

It must contain adequate amount of open spaces such as parks and playgrounds for people to have some quality time and perform physical exercises.  The city must be able to create an example of religious harmony between different religions and must ensure the conservation of heritages during construction

A satellite city must also be created by keeping the security factors in mind. It must be created in such a way that in case of emergency the city can be cordoned with ease.

Need of satellite city for  Kathmandu

The population density of major cities of Nepal is high. Among all the population density of Kathmandu stands out among all. The lack of choice for people to choose an alternative to Kathmandu has lured everyone to Kathmandu. The necessity to create a satellite city in the vicinity of Kathmandu has already been created. The crime rate and traffic congestion has commensurate with the population. People have to spend an ample amount of time in traffic jams which indirectly hampers the mental wellbeing and make a loss that cannot be retrieved.  Growing crime rates is getting difficult for the police to control. Deterioration in quality of basic facilities   due to inability of government to provide everyone is increasing. The land exploitation is at its peak with the land value skyrocketing which has created an economic problem for the working class family to afford their own house.

So to control these problems satellite city is a solution.  If a city is provided to the population with all the facilities they get in Kathmandu, then the populations will definitely divide uniformly over the areas.

The necessity to construct a satellite city has already been surpassed. Although the construction of satellite cities has already been  purposed in vicinity of Kathmandu the projects remain yet to be completed with the estimated time already passing out. The completion of satellite city must be a top priority.

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