Romancing Words :)

\ We live in a country where if we were asked to name some good books by a Nepali writer who writes in English, I’m sure only few names would strike the frontal cortex of your cerebrum. And Samrat Upadhyay is not one of those names which can possibly skip our minds in those moments of peril. “Buddha’s Orphans” is the latest novel by our native author of “Arresting God in Kathmandu.” Hailed as a Buddhist Chekhov, it’s incredible how the Whiting Award winner author, who himself has been living in the States for more than two decades has been able to pull a novel off his sleeves which is permeated with so much originality of our culture. The story transverses us more than half the century back to the era of social and political upheavals in Nepal to the present day. Provided that, most of us , including the author himself,were not even born during the year when the story unfolds, still Upadhyay has carved his writing in such a way that the pictures from the alleys to every geogra...

A few months back, while I was spending my vacation at home, I was on my way to my music class and there was this little boy walking few inches ahead of me…5 or maybe 6 years in age…might I guess. He looked so cute in his school uniform that I couldn’t refrain myself from talking to him…and in no time I was already asking for his name and whereabouts. Fortunately, we were heading in the same direction. We talked so merrily and it didn’t feel like it was our first conversation. Then I noticed the kid had no bag, no shoes. He was wearing slippers and carrying polythene to school. I couldn’t help but ask him about it. Without hesitating even for a second, he was like, “My parents have no money to buy those for me”. And all of a sudden I had nothing to say. “I should get home fast. I've got to look after my kid-brother”, he added and paced his steps. I was walking in a daze now. Then this other day, I was out shopping with my mother, I saw this little boy selling socks.  I ...

After pressurizing myself everyday with…“I’m gonna start writing tomorrow!!”…phew! I’m finally writing…again. These schedules are keeping me so-so busy that by the end of the day, I’m already tired and slumping into bed. No time to write or do anything else. It’s the sophomore year. I promised myself that I’d enjoy this year to the fullest. No expectations. No commitments. No strings attached.   And most importantly no regrets. And I’d ‘LIKE’ to think I’ve finally adapted to Dharan. But as I always say being home is the warmest feeling ever… Being far away from home is so difficult. I feel like  I've  grown so much. I’m taking care of myself alone, handling my problems in my own (sometimes others’ problems too) and I get angry so much less than before. Of course I can get angry sometimes too. I don’t like getting angry  doesn't  mean that I can ...

“Each end gives us the opportunity for a rebirth.” Entitled as an international bestseller author, Paulo Coelho has marked his return with his most personal novel till date, Aleph, which he frequently calls ‘A journey back to my kingdom’. Being the protagonist himself, Coelho explains about his journey from a simple book signing event in London to a whirlwind detour of five weeks through Africa, Europe and finally to Asia on a train. As always, this time too, he doesn’t fail to inspire his readers with his limpid literature and leaves everyone spell bound when it comes to writing about love, hope and confronting the challenges in life. Aleph, as described in the book, is the point where time and space converge. Like the ever loved Santiago, the main character of “The Alchemist”, Paulo too suffers a grave crisis in faith. Successful but discontented writer, Coelho, sets up in a journey to seek a path of spiritual renewal and growth as...