Category: Happiness

A Month in Palpa: Some of the Things I Learnt

On December 31, 2016

In Family, Gratitude, Happiness, Humans and Humanity, Love, Writing

I spent about a month (26 days to be precise) at Palpa with my friends and teachers for field-work on Geology. It’s a matter of 100 marks after all. But life is not only about university lessons and exams. There are a lot more things to learn.

A view from Tundikhel, Tansen

1. Life’s uncertain

The day we left for Palpa, we were happy. Though we were in the cabin, 7-8 of us could gossip freely and we did not complain. The uncertainty of life showed up after we reached Siddhababa as it got dark on the way. To our dismay, the bus had a damaged dynamo. To state it straight, the bus lacked headlight. We searched for torch lights to help the driver, which was in vain. When the bus took sharp turns, my heart leaped out to my mouth. We prayed, we sought ideas. Another vehicle from behind helped the driver see the road. When the bus stopped at Dumre, Palpa, we shook hands with the driver, cheered and thanked God. The next day, when I saw the road and the gorge of Tinau River, I felt that it is a miracle that I’m alive.

Gorge formed by Tinau River

2. Schedule cannot always be followed

We began with a schedule. We had to follow it but we did not. What should have been done on the seventh day was completed on the first day. It created a lot of confusion. It was difficult to understand what we did but as time passed, we understood what we had done. Learning under a schedule is easier but there is no need to panic if the schedule is disturbed.
3. We can’t observe nature well from inside a bus

Three buses were reserved for daily travel (traverse is the word geologists use) along the Siddhartha Highway. While we were in the bus, we had difficulty in observing geological features. There is problem in connecting things with places when we try to recall. When we walked along towards the end of the exursion because of protests against Federal Model, we understood things really well.
4. There’s always a way to discover fun

When there are so many people around you, you never have to feel low. Even when there is a lot of work to do, you get support from them. Your mind is more inclined to fun in those times. I also found that we look for fun when we are under restrictions. Sometimes, noticing small movements and chats can also give immense pleasures. Enjoying things in the present can help a lot in overcoming troubles.

Boys find fun on the last day of field

5. Togetherness

Most of us have lived in closely-knit families. A lot of problems arise while we are away from family. Homesickness is a problem to many. With the support of friends, this is no big deal. Together we celebrated successes and soothed failures. Together we solved the financial problems we could get into. Together we worked and together we succeeded. Together we bacame family of a sort.
6. Thankfulness

Spending a month at an entirely new place is difficult. Without the help of local people, the school we stayed and all the stakeholders, it would have been impossible. We thank them for their support. We thank our chefs without whom we would not have got food in time. We thank our teachers for the knowledge they imparted. We thank each other for tolerating and cooperating. We also thank our families who have undergone several challenges before and during our excursion.
7. That feeling when you’re leaving

I don’t get a perfect word for this. I was happy that I was returning home but I was also sad that I was leaving the place that had sheltered us for about a month. I still remember the faces of people who bade us farewell. Was it a kind of attachment, a kind of bond I had made with the place and it’s people? Maybe I left a part of my soul there so that I can remember them everyday.
I heard someone say, “You may get a lot of chances to earn money. To earn memories though, you have a very few chances.” Memories of the camp, friends, people and places have formed this article. I proudly share my priceless article for all forever.

100th Post: Thanks Everyone!

By Sandeept

On July 10, 2016

In Blogging, Gratitude, Happiness

It’s been a little more than a year since I joined WordPress. During this blogging journey I have made some achievements, which would not have been possible without you.

The word “you” refers to everyone who have visited and viewed pages and post on my blog site. I am thankful to every known and unknown visitors who viewed my posts this year. You’ve always encouraged me to bring up something better.

The word “you” specific also. I need to thank fellow bloggers for the likes and comments on my posts. I would like to thank Anand (Blabberwockying!) for making the earlier journey of blogging easier. You’re on the top of the most comments on my post (42). I should thank Carlos Lewis (Thoughts of a Train Wrecked Pineapple) for his insightful comments.

I thank Jyoti (Life is all about PAIN) for her encouraging comments. I am indebted to Rashmi (Mind and Life Matters) for sharing this particular article “Some Women who Died for Love“. Your sharing of that article boosted up my page visits. My site reached over 3k views after that. I don’t think I would have achieved it without you sharing it.

I am grateful to the blogging communities hosted by Blogging University, and Blogger’s World (Formerly Blogging 101: Alumni). I am thankful to its Admins and members. I am sorry I have not been able to include so many names here. Many many thanks to you as well.

Last but not the least, I thank my parents and my friends, with whom I have connection in the physical world as well. Thanks for reading my posts, for sharing and waiting for a new article.

Thanks for the encouragement, wonderful people!

Here are some achievements I need share with everyone.

Achieved on 8th June, 2016.

Achieved on 17th June, 2016

Achieved on 26th June, 2016

Fan Pressure?

By Sandeept

On June 22, 2016

In Blogging, Happiness

Who do authors, singers and actors crave for? Fans, obviously. It is good for them to have a good number of people following them and their works. Is it always good, though?

Even if celebrities want to keep their lives secret, their fans want to know each and every aspect of their lives. This gives rise to (most of the times) nonsense gossips and “entertainment news”. We know many celebrated people, especially actors, being the victims of the paparazzi. I am not talking about actors and musicians, though. I am talking about authors. That’s because, not until recently, I have realized that author can succumb to fan pressure.

Authors want their books, and their stories to be read. They also want to huge number of faithful fans who read their stories, appreciate them and correct their mistakes, if the authors have made any. They would like to please their fans most of the times. The editors and publishers, too would want to publish their works quickly as possible. They think of caching in the popularity of authors at the moment so that sales increase. Writers complete their work. Publishers publish them. Readers read them. Errors- linguistic and technical seem to have increased. The authors have given what the fans wanted but they are not satisfied. Why?

Let’s look at a few real life examples, shall we?
The first in my list is Amish Tripathi. It was a post on his Facebook page that inspired me to write this article. I don’t remember what the post was, though I think it was about Lord Ram. His most recent novel, The Scion of Ikshvaku is the first in the Ramchandra series published last year. The first thing my mind said was, “When is the next book in the series coming up?” I went in to look at the comments and saw that some of his fans had already posted the thing that was in my mind. I paused for a while, scrolled up and down for a few seconds, and I realized, “We fans can be so impatient.” It has not been even a year since the first book’s publication and we are already demanding the sequel. I restrained from making a comment and moved out of the page.
I also remember reading the same author’s biography on Wikipedia. He had published his first two books of the Shiva Trilogy just within eleven months. The second book feels a little weaker than the first one. But because it was a trilogy, one could expect answers in the last book. Imagine the pressure he might have had in completing the series. He could just satisfy the readers and escape the questions related to the narrative. The last book is much bulkier- almost the size of the first two books together. Yet, it felt incomplete to me. Maybe because Shiva is not the hero he should have been. (See, I am creating a sort of fan pressure.)
So he came with the Ramchandra series. And in creating a perfect hero in Ram, Tripathi made him too idealist and one-dimensional. That’s what people are saying in the Goodreads, too.

Subin Bhattarai comes in next. It is hard to believe that a Nepali writer came with a Bhagatesque idea of young romance and gained a massive popularity among the youths. Summer Love (English name for a Nepali novel!) gave its writer a taste of success. Readers, especially teenagers, loved the narrative of a love-struck boy. But just as people are getting bored of Chetan Bhagat(who inspires the term Bhagatesque) , people got bored of his second novel. Saya (sounds Hindi) the second novel and a supposed series speaks with an altered narrative. Readers knew what would happen. So they just did not want the girl’s perspective on the story. And Bhattarai did not make it much convincing. Maybe some fan of his had asked for a story based on the girl’s perspective, he had written the second book, or maybe his initial success on a similar story might have inspired him but he could not impress his fans. Most of those who had not read Summer Love liked Saya, however. So if he can come up with a different content or a different taste, he still has the potential to become a good writer. (Plus, he has a good publishing team and that can be helpful to him.)

Some authors are lucky, however. The last author in this article is JK Rowling. When she published ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’, she had never thought of the popularity it would gain. Yet her target group were children and all her mistakes were forgiven. She had a huge loyal fan base that helped her out. There are now so many information now available on Pottermore that were unanswered during the seven books of the series. I was not convinced. That’s why I have never visited Pottermore.

What shall I conclude that the end of this blog? I believe we all need faithful supporters, who can help us out when we are in trouble. But we should also be careful not to give in to the interest of the crowd. It’s your creation after all.

Congratulations Girl, You Have Broken The Iron Gate!

By Sandeept

On June 17, 2016

In Blogging, Family, Happiness

Dear Ankita,

Congratulations! You have broken the “Iron Gate” has been weakened over the recent years. This year, they almost melted it and by next year, the gate will be on a new location. Well, that means you might have to break it again. But don’t let that worry you. Because that gate won’t be of iron, it will be of gold. Harder to break, of course.

There are only who friends who can always help you- hard work and sincerity. You need to keep them with you. Never let them fly away. Never leave them. When they are together, the world will be with you. All your weaknesses will turn into strengths. You’ll be a good human being.

Numbers are important to get you up to the greater levels. But they are not what you will be known for. You’ll be known for what you really are. Three hours of examinations worth hundred points are not the measures of your real capabilities. Your capacities are determined by the examinations of your behaviours as a human being, your moralities and the way you can inspire others.

Life’s nothing but struggle. You can never turn away from it. Face it with smiles. You will get what you want. You’ll be able to break all the gates you face, whether it be of gold, platinum or diamond.

Your brother,
Ankit

[Note to the readers who may not understand the “Iron Gate” metaphor:
The School Leaving Certificate Exams (aka SLC) at the end of Grade 10 was termed the Iron Gate. Maybe for the hype it gained, maybe for the opportunities it opened. The introduction of GPA (Grade Point Average) lowered the pressure of SLC. And from the next year, Grade 10 students will not give the SLC exams, ending 82 years old examination system.]

The Craziest Birthday Party Ever!

By Sandeept

On January 23, 2016

In Blogging, Happiness, Love, Story

I am not someone who would take the first step in breaking rules. I am not the one who would like to be in a crazy situation. But one day, I was pulled- by fate or friendship, whatever you may call- to this weirdest, craziest birthday party ever.

We were on the geological excursion- a once in a lifetime experience. The tour was becoming too mundane. Wake up at about five in the morning, have morning meal at eight run to the field at nine. Return back within five-thirty in the evening, dine at six and work until midnight before going to sleep. Most of us were following the same routine. There was a need for change.

Some boys had tried spicing up life already. In the room where I had stayed, a friend of mine had been awakened in the night by some of the boys on his birthday. It was fun then but the teachers scolded them, albeit indirectly. Two nights later, we had to celebrate a birthday. We had to make it special.

Girls took the initiation. They prepared everything- unknown to most of us. They decided to take permission from the Field-in-charge Deepak sir. Laxmi did the talking. I was there when sir said to celebrate the birthday in silence.

The wait was long. I had some work to do, however. Time passed on easy. Rabi dai and Pawan dai made faces and took selfies and clicked photos. Sanjeev was probably waiting for the midnight but he did not know what was in store. Anish was busy in his work and we had to remind him at the last moment.

We waited in the dark. The birthday-girl had been sent away by the other girls. They came out as well carrying slices of cakes with them. It was almost January 14. What were we doing at the time when ghosts move around for food? We were talking in excited whispers, eager to wish the birthday-girl.

She stepped up. We all hid ourselves behind the walls of the dark corridor. Within thirty seconds, as soon as she stepped up the last stair, we all jumped and wished, “Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday, Romi!” We wished the birthday-girl in whispers. We had done it. We had wished her in the midnight, with permission, in whispers! (Bajrangi Bhaijaan’s ‘permission leke, taar ke niche se’ was running on my mind!)

Romi was awed. She could not believe it. She wanted to jump and shout. “Ssh! Keep your voice low!” We demanded. The same warning used to come up whenever someone tried to speak up loudly. The party continued with cakes. Everyone wished in whispers again. Apart from the aforementioned people, excluding Deepak sir, Prasmita, Bhawana, Pratigya, Ravi (not to confuse with Rabi dai), Nirusha and Sarita had joined the party. We even took selfies to commemorate the moment. Within half an hour, Anish posted one of the photos on Facebook.

What else happened? The boys slept. The girls said they had had a silent dance party. Rules and ethics ruled us out from the silent dance party. Yet we had participated in the craziest midnight silent birthday party!

[From left to right]1st row: Pratigya, Romi, Bhawana; 2nd row: Prasmita, Sarita, Nirusha, Laxmi; 3rd row: Ravi, Rabi dai, Last row: Anish, Pawan dai, Ankit (aka Sandeept); Selfie click: Sanjeev

[Before the end of this article, Romi, I would like to wish you Happy Birthday again. I know it’s been more than a week already but I also can’t wait another year to wish you.

Along the road of life – miles,
Never let go off your smiles!
May happiness devour all your fears,
Never you be soaked with tears!
With Pure Heart, may you win the World,
Blessed with Friends as precious as Gold!
Happy Birthday!!]

Life’s Lessons

By Sandeept

On January 20, 2016

In Blogging, Gratitude, Happiness, Humans and Humanity, Inspirational

यस्तो रहस्यमय जीवन बुझ्नलाई
जानु कहाँ ? पढ्नु के ? गुरु को बनाई ?
फुल्दो गुलाबबिच ज्ञान अनेक फुल्छन्
उद्यानमा बस गई सब तत्व खुल्छन् !
-लक्ष्मीप्रसाद देवकोटा

Where can we learn the secrets of our life? Laxmi Prasad Devkota asks and answers himself, “Go to the Garden and you will find all the answers.”

The Garden here means Nature. There is everything in Nature we can learn. Nature is an open museum. What we need the eyes that analyse the beauty of nature, and that explore the knowledge within Her womb.

One day, I had written, “You see what you want to see. And nothing else.” I have been aided on this by my Teacher’s words, “You see what you know.” There are many things that might have gone unnoticed around us, but other people from far off can be seeing the same thing from some other perspective. Interpretation of what you have seen is equally important.

Life runs in a weird way, and people act in even weirder ways. It’s life that can teach you about life. A closed room that supports internet might teach you many things but to have a firsthand experience, you have to step out. In the words of my friends, “A bird has wings so that it can fly, not confine itself to its nest.”

For the last fifteen days, I was close to the Nature. Call it a tour or an excursion or a camp, whatever it may be called, it was an experience of a lifetime. The Geological tour for B.Sc. 3rd year gave many unforgettable memories.

What could be better than the assemblage of people from all parts of the country at one place? So many cultures, traditions and ethnicities mixed up into one. There was no discrimination, only friendship and love. No one cared if you looked dirty. Everyone was the same. Nobody raised questions on the religion and the customs one followed. No one fought in the name of sex, caste and religion. There was one friendly existence of like-minded people- all devoted to learn the science of the Nature.

There were rows, there were quarrels, there was a fight- which we can never forget. But I am proud to say that it was not in the name of personal biases. The tension the fight caused was immeasurable but the peace that came up later was extraordinary. I personally thank both the boys who were expelled for fighting(sadly)- despite your untimely rage, you acted like men.

Life is not just about the flowering rose. Even with the rose, thorns show themselves up. The task we did was not easy. It was nothing but determination that made us walk almost ten kilometers a day, observing, learning and sweating. Some of us even risked our lives in the quest of knowledge. However the sleep that came up after the hardworking was the best ever. Congratulations to all who accepted the challenge! Keep it up and one day, you will all stand up as wonderful human beings.

The camp was frustrating at times. Hours of work and no approval! We spoke out the frustration to our friends. We worked together. No matter how many times our work was rejected, we worked on to make it better. When we finally came out at the end with the maps, graphs and the reports we had prepared, I remember the smiles we all had. We had finally shown the spirit that we never give up despite all the failures we might have had.

The tour was not only a chance to learn different cultures within the camp but also to know the lives of people around us. Shree Bageshowri H.S.S., where we stayed, showed an excellent example of hospitality. Little students gave up the comforts of their rooms so that we could take a rest in the evenings. The love the villagers showed us, wherever we went was incredible. Their selflessness moved me. Here in city, where people run for money, there they act as humans and believe in humanity.

What else did I learn? For the first time in my life, I studied my friends closely and found that they are not entirely perfect. They have flaws in one way or the other, but they are also the best as humans. And one important thing- teachers are just like us. They have had more experience than us, but they are students in their hearts. They too are not perfect. They too are learners paving paths for the new ones to come up and take up their places.

Finally, life is the only entity that can teach us lives. Thanks to Nature who has given me life and an opportunity to learn about it.

Does Crying Make One Weak?

By Sandeept

On December 11, 2015

In Blogging, Happiness, Inspirational, Philosophical, Reasoning

I asked the question last Saturday. How that question came up? How I tried to find answers? What were the conclusions? Coming up in this post.

Background

On Saturday morning, while I went to the barber’s for a haircut, I saw a couple with their daughter there. The little girl’s head was shaved. Her mother said, “She does not have nice hair. Will she grow nice hair after the shave?”

For me, the hair seemed nice. At least it was better than mine. But that’s not the real thing. The girl, like most of the girls, loved her hair and was crying as the electrical razor was moving over her hair. Her mother first said, “We’ll not throw the hair. We will braid it and keep at home.” While the girl was not convinced, “Don’t care what other will say. Your hair will grow up again. You need to be strong. You should not cry. Crying makes you weak.”

The first response my mind gave was that the notion was wrong. Occasional crying has actually helped me psychologically and emotionally. Later on, as I thought more, I felt that she might be right.

[Note: It would be unfair if I did not tell you that the woman was actually obsessed with the hair of her daughter. I was compelled to think that the hair was not bad at all. The couple might have thought about selling the hair to make a wig. I can’t be sure, however. God knows what they wanted to do with it- sell it or keep it on display.]

Discussion

I debated within my mind. Whether or not crying could make someone weak, I could not say. Thankfully, I am a member of a blogging forum, Blogger’s World! (Blogging 101:Alumni, until December 9- you can note the old name on the web address!) I posted this question on Sunday, December 6, 2015 and received comments from about at least ten people.

The first comment came from Piyusha @Wandering Soul.

I strongly disagree that it makes one weak. People certainly perceive the one who is crying as weak, so it may make you look weak. But doesn’t make you weak. and honestly, which is better? To bottle up emotions inside you and not let them out because you are to scared to express yourself or to be brave enough to freely express emotions and hence, emotionally healthy even at the risk of being perceived as weak because people don’t understand emotions as much as they should or as much as they think do.

The next was from Heather @heathernotes.com, began the conversation with the evidence of physiological difference between men and women:

Scientists speculate that women cry more because they have shallower tear ducts than men.

The third one came from Anand/Vibrant @Blabberwockying. His comment was worth a post and he did it as well. In short, he said that crying could be weakness if we do not care when and where to cry. He also said that devotees cry for their God, thus attaining a deeper connection with the higher consciousness. (He was also attacked by other bloggers for the comment, but because that does not meet my objective here, I would want you to click the link to the forum above.)

Cathy Lynn Brooks@cathylynnbrooks.com said that children should be able (allowed) to express emotions and cry. Ishita @!shita believed that crying was healthy no matter however people looked at it. Ria @koko boocro, Amanda @raniamanda, 21 Time traveler agreed that crying was not a weakness at all. It was an emotional outlet, difficult to handle to most people. Darshith Badiyani and Bethany Harvey @Overlooked Nature said that people had to embrace crying as any other human emotions. Rashmi @Mind and Life Matters said that crying was just as important as laughing. Dawn Marie, Indira and shinepositivepower accepted that crying did not make one weak, but was a method of cleansing one’s soul.

Conclusion

It’s impossible to say whether crying makes one weak or not. Though, the participants in the discussion generally agreed that crying did not make one weak, I now believe that it actually depends upon the situation.

When can crying become your strength?

When you are in a problem and need help, crying can help you get help easily.
When you feel sad from deep within, shedding a little amount of tears can help your soul.
Crying can be a process of healing your psyche.
If you can manipulate someone by crying.

In short, when you cry to let out your emotions, you become healthy. What can be more beneficial to a person than a healthy mind?

When can crying become your weakness?

When you cry in wrong places and at wrong times.
When your fears and emotional problems are exposed to your enemies.
When you can not decide when to cry and when not to.

The Dual Nature of People Who Cry

Being sensitive can make you weak, so is the condition when you become too expressive. Becoming insensitive or inexpressive does not mean you are strong either.*

Almost every one in the discussion believed that we cry while we are emotional and it is difficult to handle someone who cries often. We also say, “Don’t cry,” to someone who is going through an emotional stress. But we also encourage someone to cry if their burden can be decreased.

All in all, crying is a result of overwhelming emotions- sad or happy and it has to be accepted as a part of our emotional, spiritual and bodily health. (Crying is good for your eyes!)

[*Final Note: The topics of sensitivity and expressiveness were also prominently discussed in the forum. Here is the link again. These are the inherent characters of humans, which tell people of your strengths and weaknesses. For example, seeing you cry often (expressiveness) people might say you are weak, even if it is not the case. Also, crying may not always solve one’s problem.]

Our Similarities within Our Differences

By Sandeept

On August 7, 2015

In Blogging, Happiness, Humans and Humanity, Similarities and Differences

There are more that 7 billion humans and each of us is unique. The difference begins from a small section of DNA- the molecule of life. Extremely minute variations distinguishes me from other people. These variation give me my genetic identification. My DNA is however, not much varied from yours. If it had varied even by 1%, I would have been an Orangutan, and a variation of 1.5% would have made be a Chimp. We are humans, the most interactive beings in the Earth. We might belong to different sexes, races, ethnicity and speak different languages but the word “Humans” makes us one.

We might follow the paths paved by different religious sects. I have been guided by the Hindu principles. Some of my friends have been guided by the Buddha, some by Christ and some by Mohammed. Some of them still worship the land on which they live and grow crops. There are still some who don’t believe upon God. Whatever faith they may have, they are my friends and I respect their choices. In fact these choices reflect the society in which they were born. The diversity of human societies is amazing and yet we all believe in one common goal- Happiness. Several paths have been suggested for us to obtain happiness and all of these include Love, Harmony, and Co-existence.

We might have different hobbies. We might have been doing the works of our hobby; some thinking of doing someday before they themselves perish. Some of us might be outspoken, while some may be introvert. Whatever we do, we seek for pleasure and that is what we live for.

At last,

Everything in this Universe is random. For the Earth to be in a habitable zone, for her to conceive billions of organisms out of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen were random events. The origin of humans was random. The life that we got is random. To create an order out of this randomness is within our capacities. No matter how different you are from me, we are heading to the same light of knowledge and recognizing similarities within our differences.