GLIMPSE OF GLORY

Curiosity has been the most priority for the entire explorer who unraveled earth. Life dazzles if curiosity sneaks to priority and landed on success plus discovery, so is the case to me. I always wanted to explore, especially Mother Nature and go through all the mysteries of it.
It’s been nearly a decade when one of my query transformed into a beautiful memory always sticks in my mind. I can’t say it a grave mistake but it was really a mischief to involve some of my best buddies I had. As we were the nearby resident of Swoyambhunath Stupa, we always had a dream to see Kathmandu city at night from the top of Swoyambhunath, that’s why our plans weaved and program fixed.
I with my three other friends, decided to climb up Swoyambhunath before dusk, stay till dusk changes into night and see the beautiful Kathmandu valley. We were bit more excited than usual. We often used to climb up the hill but that day was very special to us since it was very first evening climb to Swoyambhunath.
We climbed according to our plan. It was just an end of the day when we started. We were really happy and curious that day. Even the tiresome stairs became no problem at all. We reached onto the top soon and decided to wait till the dusk changes into darkness and see the glowing blubs in street and small houses of Kathmandu valley. Now we had to wait only…..
It takes no time to pass the day if you aren’t waiting but if you are, it definitely takes you long.
Earlier, all of us were happy and excited but when an hour passed, excitement started to turn into wrinkles. Louder voices and cracking of jokes deemed. Flocking people to the stupa now started to climb down. But still much time left we guessed to be completely dark.
“Let’s get down”- yelled one my friend but we were determined. Of all sudden a tiny droplet stroke on my cheek and rolled down. “What the hell!” my friend Beejay groaned. “Is it going to rain? How pathetic!” I murmured. We hadn’t expected the rain but may be fate had already planned. I felt little awkward. I couldn’t call off the program since I was too much curious to behold the scene.
Wind was howling from early in the evening but we didn’t even bother to have a quick notification that it would rain. That became our mistake then. Now the tiny droplet became prominent. We quickly found shelter under the roof of a temple. Rain showed its face. Atmosphere unexpectedly changed the face as if it suddenly lost its patience. Slight rain changed into downpour. Sky was totally cloudy, thundering and drizzling now and then. It seemed almost impossible to carry on our mission.
Now, we were like the defeated soldiers hopeless, pathetic and despair. We decided to wait until rain stops. I always am happy when it rains but for that rain; I cursed. Half an hour passed no sign to stop raining. We were becoming late by the time. Heavily heartedly we decided to call off our voyage (I want to call it as a voyage because it was like a voyage for us) and backed off. We were waiting for the rain to stop but no sign to stop. Some how rain managed to slow down and we speeded up to climb down. It is too risky to climb down on the stairs of Swoyambhunath in rain because some parts are almost vertical and possibility of slippery is there. Pit falls and bumps might cause hazards so we were little cautious to haphazard walking as we usually did.
We safely climbed down all the stairs but still rain wasn’t stopped. We rushed towards our home. Worst of all, in the middle of our way, suddenly rain again agitated. Now this time not just only the rain, it was along with mighty hailstone. I knew that hailstone usually comes before rain but that day was little different. We were hit by the rain first and hailstone afterwards. Now we were desperately running on the swampy road (usually almost all the roads of Kathmandu is swampy in rain). Hailstone was pattering roads, vehicle and mercilessly to our heads. We couldn’t even find a shelter to protect our head and were totally panic.
Fortunately we found an Inn (pati). We rushed in. we were shivering out of cold. After some time, rain finally stopped and we safely returned home. We thanked to Buddha. Definitely we weren’t enjoying at that moment but when I recall this now, I quiet feel refreshing and nostalgic for those days. Thanks to my friends who always are with me even in these kind of moments………….but exploration is not finished yet…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

subhash thapa magar