No Place Like Home

I was listening to "93 million miles" by Jason Mraz the other day. To quote the song, there is a line:

“Just know, wherever you go, you can always come back home’. And it just got me thinking: wherever people go, there is no place like home.

What would you picturize in your mind when I say the word ‘home’? a place where your soul is familiar to every corner; where you are surrounded by the people you love; a place where you feel welcomed with open arms without even the need of those words or the gesture; a place where you can be yourself. Home is home, and no house is a home without the people who make it a home; be it a building of bricks or a country.

And yet, we seem to take our home country for granted sometimes. When we see pictures of beaches and tall buildings posted by our friends and family abroad, we do not take a minute to say: “Wow! What a beautiful place! I wish I could go there.” But how often do we stop and appreciate the beauty around us, the heaven that our country is?

We really are living in heaven, are we not? Where else can we find a range of beautiful snow peaks; all kinds of weather; picture perfect landscapes; serene lakes surrounded by valleys? Where else can we find so many cultures and languages that live together? Where else can we laugh on some silly joke over that perfect cup of tea with friends?

Perhaps, this is not the best situation to bring this topic forward, what with all changes happening in our home recently. But like I said, home is home, and there is no place like home.

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Rajamati

I think we’ve all heard the song of Rajamati growing up. It is so popular that many people in Nepal claim this is the only Newari song that they have heard. The song was written some 200 years back. The first few lines go like this, which I’m sure you must have heard of, unless you’ve been living under a rock: Rājamati kumati, jike wasā pirati Hāya bābā Rājamati-chā Rājamati mabila dhāsā Kāshi wane tela bubā Hayā biu Rājamati-chā. San dhāsā kuli kuli, mikhā dhāsā bālā bālā Sakumi yā mhyāy machā lā Khwā dhāsā tuyu khwā, khwālay niga tee du Tāhā Nani yā Rājamati-chā. It is said to be written by or rather from the perspective of a man who was infatuated and in awe of the beauty of Rajamati. He describes with great admiration: her hair, her eyes, her complexion and the little moles on her face. However it is unknown who the writer of this beautiful song is. The song rushed into popularity after it was played in England in 1850 when Prime Minister Jung Bahadur Rana vi...

The Leaving vs The Left Behind

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Most Asked Question

Coming back home after one year has been a rollercoaster of emotions for me the past month. Getting to see everyone again, embracing family and friends, working on an office desk again, walking through same old alleys and of course, devouring delicious food that I so dearly missed. I am actually almost through the food list that I have been saving. But the people have been asking me the same question a lot: do you like it here in Nepal or in Bangalore? And the answer has always been the same for me: I like it wherever I am. Kathmandu is home, it is warm, and it is where family is. Bangalore is a different vibe and freedom and excitement. Kathmandu is a different fun and Bangalore is different fun, which is why I live in the moment and enjoy where I am. My mother always tells me: “ La wani tha nya wani ma” in Nepal Bhasa meaning “ the fish must go where the water goes”. The meaning while very basic is also very deep. If the fish does not flow with the water, it cannot survive. I...

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