Through Doors & Windows

Being a native of Bagdogra, fondly known as the replica of secular India, I have lots of Nepali friends and have the advantage of knowing their language.

So, when my friends asked me to plan a trip to Nepal, I knew that it would be easier for me to communicate in a foreign land and immediately got down to it. We narrowed it down to three places – Kathmandu, Pokhara and Bandipur, all thanks to Instagram.

It was April 14, 2017 around 10:30 PM when we landed in Kathmandu. After filling the demarcation form, we booked two taxis and headed towards our hotel in Thamel. The moment we reached Thamel, our driver told us that it was the Nepali New Year (2074), because of which the area was crowded and we had to walk beyond that point. It was indeed an experience in itself- loud music, young crowd, tourists from different countries and the decorated lanes. Amidst of all these, we finally reached to our hotel around 11:00 PM. The next morning when we opened our windows, much to our surprise, we saw a different Nepal from the one we saw last night. Surrounding buildings (mostly hotels) were festooned with colorful banners hanging over the streets. The refined morning light was a bliss, promising beautiful days ahead. Though the hotel lane was narrow and congested, it still looked beautiful in the morning light.