Want Change? Why not change yourself? Why not ACT?

Want Change? Why not change yourself? Why not ACT?

The characters mentioned here are  fictitious. Any resemblance to person, living or dead is purely coincidental.

(Trrngg! Trrngg!)

With the alarm, Ram wakes up, looks at the alarm (on the phone). It’s ticking at already half past eight. Soon, he realizes he had already snoozed the alarm twice.

Ram is a 24 year old guy, doing his Masters. He entered Kathmandu Valley in search of a job after completing his Bachelors from hometown Birgunj-still unemployed-search phase going on. He lives alone, family still back in hometown.

“Damn! I’m going to be late again. Why can’t I ever get up on time, man?”

(Hahahahahaha…Krishna,your timing is mindblowing. Sudesh, your expressions literally kill me. Superb! Tum dono ki Jodi ko koi nahi jeet sakta. I want to take you both home.”)

Archana Puran Singh is giving feedbacks to the comedian duo on the background. It seems, Ram had slept last night without turning off the TV, ‘again’.

Hastily, he wakes up, takes a little of the toothpaste on the brush and enters bathroom-gets fresh. In hurry, he leaves the tap open, of which he has no idea.

He has a class to attend at nine. It takes 45 minutes to reach the college by bus, 15 minutes by motorbike. Luckily, he has a bike, so he can still make it on time.

Gets dressed up – takes out the bike on the road – tries to start the engine.

“Holy Moly! Ajai yesko baajeko petrol sakinu parne.”

His bike was out of fuel. Now was the time to panic. Few minutes left, and now he doesn’t have any other option than the bus. 

“Ghanta jasto, hijo petrol halna ta gako ho ni. Etroooo thulo line thiyo. Khattam chha Nepal! Chahine belama kei paidaina.”

He hurries towards the bus station to get a bus. No wonder, at this peak-office-hour, you don’t get a bus that easy. If you happen to get one (luckily), there is hardly any space for a leg. He is now sure, that he is doomed.

Now that he is sure to miss the class, he decides to have breakfast instead and meet the next class. The bill is Rs. 100.

“Teit, kati mahangi badheko yaar Nepalma.”

The next class is at 12, so he can be there easy. He takes a bus. 

The teacher enters. (Nobody greets the teacher) He starts writing something on the board, while Ram is already prepared, not to study, rather to tease the girls and hit them with paper balls. So, if he is such a nasty student in class, why would he be so eager to attend the class, you ask? Well, his college has this rule of disqualifying the students for exams if he/she doesn’t get above 80%. He regrets for joining the college now.

The classes are over. He is out in the Tea shop, puffing cigarettes with his notorious gang of friends.

“Berojgariko karan yo mahina 35000 jana yuwa haru bidesh palayan”-He reads out the headline from a newspaper. 

“la hera ketaharu ho hamro bhawisya. Yesto chha deshko sthiti. Kathmandu aayeko 6 mahina bhaisakyo, euta jagir paako haina khai. Sakinna basna yo deshma, basinna. Gainchha bidesh!”

“Keta ho hid, aja mero ma gayera taas khelum. Bholi shanivaar pani ho, tanna khayera raaila garnu parchha, raaila.”- One of his friends puts out his ‘brilliant’ plan.

The plan was accepted, it was a brilliant one, after all.

It’s 8pm. The boys had been playing and drinking all evening. He was asked to stay night out at the place, but refused, since he likes being in his own bed, for some reason. There are no buses to take – thinks of taking a taxi. 

”Maitidevi samma kati?”

“350 rupaiya.”

“350?? Bho hidera janchhu baru.”

“jaa na ta, kaslai sunairaa! Taal-taal ka hunchhan manchheharu pani.”

It’s an hour walk back to home. He reaches the room at 9:15 – all tired and hungry, opens the room, and switches on the lights.

“mulaa, ajaa pani batti chhaina hai yo deshma. Frustooo!"

Finds a candle and lights it. All tired, he lies on the bed flat.

“Aja sasto paayo bhanera makhkha pardai khako tyo mo:mo. Garnu garyo ni. Pet kaatera aayo ekkasi. Jaanu paryo, fresh  bhayera aaunu paryo.”

Turns on the tap – nothing but a ‘fussss’ of air. 

“Shit! Aaudaa. K garne hola aba. Kei hudaina paune bela ma. Bihana petrol thiyena, aile paani chhaina, batti pani chhaina esso motor chalau bhane. Ghanta jasto Nepal.”

“Aunty! Aunty!”

“Hajur?”

“Paani bhaye, ek baalti dinu na, bathroom jaanu paryo.”

“ekchhin hai.”

“bihana babule dhara khullai chhodera jaanu bhayechha, tanki ko paani saab rittiyera gayechha. Yesto chala le bhayena hai, bhandyachhu maile.”

“Hush aunty. Aaja hatar ma birsechhu.”

“Ani bhada kaile dine? Solar bigrechha, banaunu parne.”

“Ghar ma bhanechhu, paisa pathaune bittikai dinchhu hai aunty.”

“chado bhanda chado, natra antai kotha khojnu.”

The landlord sees the bike on the way.She murmurs, “bhada dine paisa chhaina, bike chadnu parne.”

“aafulai yaha garho parirako bela, yei bela yo motilai pani bhada ko kura garnu parne.”

With a bucket of water, he relieves himself,gets refreshed. It’s already 10pm. Hungry, but tired, arms not helping to get something ready to eat. Adding to this, there is no electricity, making it more tiring to cook rice. Thinks of having noodles and sleep, but he ate it all yesterday. No other choice but to make something and eat. Rice, potato curry with a little soup, and that is enough for a night.

Dark room, just a fair brightness of the candle glowing in the corner, tired body – the perfect time for the brain to work, the time to think stupid things actually. Ram starts replaying the day on his mind.

“

“Saala, kasto khattam bhayo ajako din. Bihana dhila uthiyo, lecture ni miss bhayo-barbaad. Attendance pugla jasto chhaina yo pali, garho parne bho. Mula Sharma budho le NQ (not qualified) laidela bhanne darr. Huna ta galti tyo budho ko haina, galti merai ho. Hijo raati time ma sutera, bihana saberai utheko bhaye yo saab hune nai thiyena.”

“Petrol ni ajai sakinu parne re feri. Petrol ko line pani eti laamo hunchha feri. Sarkarlai dosh diyera ni k garnu. Dosh dinu ko satta baru euta cycle kinera chalauna pani ta sakchhu ni afule – paisa ni bachchha, na petrol shortage ko tension, na jam ma parine jhanjhat. Bholi nai gayera euta cycle chai lyaunu paryo.”


“Berojgaar chhu bhanera Sarkar lai dosh ta lagaye, tara mero chahi dosh chhaina ra? Padhne belama guchcha khelera basiyo, job khojnu ko satta, hawa ktaharu sanga hallera hidinchha, ani kasari painchha ta jagir. Ani Sarkarlai dosh diyo basyo. Bholi bata job khojna thalnu paryo.”

“Belka bathroom ma pani nahunuko kaaran pani ta maai hu ni. Dhara ramrari banda garera gako bhaye ta esto hunthena.”

Now, Ram has a job, wakes up early, gets to college on time, cycles everyday to his job and college, has quit smoking and drinking. He needed change, he changed himself, and he acted.

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(The following lines aren't mine)

We must be inspired by the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough, we must act on it .Being willing is not enough, we must do. 

“Those who wish to sing always find a song.”

“You see things and ask why? I see things that never were and ask why not?” – George Bernard Shaw

Complaining will lead you to nowhere. If it affects you so much, why not rethink? Why not change the way it is? Why not ACT?