The Other Sky

Tulsi Thapa

Day-1, evening

It was an early December evening, days were shorter. It seemed that night hastened to chase the daylight and snatched the warmth of the earth.

The shivering cold at Shikharkot made the customers surround the hearth of teashop to warm up themselves. More than drinking their tea, they enjoyed their leisured gossip and entertained the warmth of fireplace.

Meanwhile a bus arrived and stopped near the teashop. It was the bus from Kathmandu. So they naturally drew their attention towards that bus as everyone expected something new.

 Passengers started getting off the bus. Among them was a young lady. She was never seen before there in that village. Her dress, get up and appearance completely gave different look other than the villagers, she looked smart and attractive. So everyone from that teashop was gazing at her. The cleaner took out her suitcase from the bus. She lit her torch, rolled her suitcase and arrived at the gate of that teashop.

” Namaste to you all ! ” Her sweet voice echoed there. She modestly held her palms in Namaste posture.

“Ah, Namaste sis! Namaste! You’re most welcome. Please come inside. Let’s have a cup of tea.” An adult person among the customers was the first to respond her, ” Oh thanks! ” She didn’t intend to waste her time but asked, “Could you tell me the way to a nice lodge nearby?”

“Ah Ma’am, it’s nearby!” The lady shopkeeper pointed her finger to the left side, “Just pass over few houses!” “Thank you! Thank God. It’s nearby. Well, I’d love to have your cup of tea tomorrow morning. This time I’d better move”.

“Just a moment please!” The lady shopkeeper called someone, “Chintoo! Hey Chintoo!” Immediately a small boy appeared from inside. The lady shopkeeper told him to help the lady reach the nearest Shikharkot lodge. Chintoo was hired to work for her at that tea shop.

Before he was ready to move he asked, “Let me carry your rolling suitcase ma’am.”

“No thanks!” The lady smiled and answered in a loving tone.

Chintoo didn’t get the opportunity to carry the rolling suitcase. It would have been a new experience for him. But he received the lovely response as the precious prize from the young lady.

“Here’s the lodge ma’am!” Chintoo pointed his finger towards the lodge. “Enjoy your stay here. I’ve to go ma’am. Namaste!. He was just about to move, the lady asked him to wait, “Hmm…your name’s…..Chintoo! Oh yes, isn’t it?” She asked. Chintoo nodded his head and smiled. The lady took out a ten rupee note from her wallet, gave it to him and said, “Well it’s for you. Buy sweets and enjoy!”

Chintoo hesitated but she handed the note in his grip and said, “You’re such a good boy, Chintoo. I’ll come to your shop and drink tea, tomorrow morning ok Bye! She patted him and he ran away. Her eyes followed Chintoo for a moment…With some serene thought in her mind she entered the lodge.

Before she went to bed, she started writing her diary and ended with these lines, “Arrived at Palung. I’ve full confidence to meet him here… It may take few more days.

***

Day-2, Morning

Next morning Palung valley was shrouded in mist. It looked like the dawn would linger on for hours. The chilly wind compelled the customers rush inside the teashop at Shikharkot for sipping hot tea.

The young lady, who arrived there at Shikharkot evening was the hot –cake gossip for the customers while sipping their cups of tea.

It seemed they have this task to make the young lady distinctly visible out of the thick mist. So they guessed and figured out in their own ways.

Everyone present there was curious enough to know: “Who was that young lady? Why did she come here? Who did she want to meet with? What was her purpose for that?”

The lady shopkeeper was surprisingly happy with the rush in her tea shop from the very early morning. Chintoo was also feeling amazed even he had to wash many more dishes, glasses and plates with icy cold water.

“You know our Chintoo got a ten rupee note as a tip from that madam for guiding her just up to that Shikharkot lodge.” The lady shopkeeper told this news to her customers with great pride, Chintoo smiled happily and kept washing plates.

At least 20 to 25 customers drank tea that morning and made guesses who could be the young lady? When they went back the news of young lady’s arrival at Shikharkot must have spread all around the village.

Even the shivering cold could not make this news shrink and it spread like wildfire.

Chintoo with his child like innocent smile told his mistress that the madam was to come there for breakfast that morning.

 “Well, it’s good news. Let’s prepare every item for her breakfast”. She asked Chintoo, “Bring that milk pot here and look for the egg basket.

She seemed to be in a hurry to prepare breakfast for the young lady who was supposed to be there at any moment.

There were few customers left. When they saw the lady shopkeeper’s excited preparation, they wanted to stay longer till the young lady arrived.

After a while the young lady arrived at the tea shop, she was well dressed in Pant, Shirt, overcoat woolen cap and sports shoes.

“Namaste Sister! Now I’m here to drink tea today. Yesterday I missed that”. She expressed her plan and sat on a chair.

Her presence itself seemed to fill the teashop with glamorous charm and brighten the room.

“Chintoo, serve this boiled egg and biscuits to ma’am. I’ll prepare special tea for her”. Looking at the young lady she added, “You need a hot cup of tea to get relief from this chilly cold, ma’am”.

The few customers were curiously watching the young lady. They saw lady shopkeeper pleasingly treating the young lady in completely another way.

She silently drank tea, ate boiled egg and biscuits. No one dared to speak with her. She remained there in a prestigious manner. Later she paid the bill and asked, “Sis, this track to downward leads to Ghartikhola, isn’t it?”

The shopkeeper immediately answered, “Oh yes Ma’am! On the way, you may meet other people going to Ghartikhola. Better to walk with them”.

‘Well thank you sis! See you again in the evening’. Then she looked at Chintoo and added, “Chintoo, will you accompany me today also?”. Chintoo was puzzled, but the lady smiled and providing him few more chocolates. She poured her love to him and proceeded towards Ghartikhola passing by Bikashghar.

Day-2, afternoon

Her presence at Shikharkot spread as wildfire all around the vicinity. The villagers talked about her as the headlines of a newspaper. Whereas unaware of villagers’ concerns about her, she was heading along the track to Ghartikhola.

God knows she might have some important mission to accomplish or someone special to meet with, there. When the passersby noticed her on the way they took her as a young lady from some elite family with prestigious status in society. May be, because of such assumption they did not dare to speak to her.

Generally, everyone in rural areas takes interest in such new comers and becomes anxious to know about them. It seemed that she knew the track well. Once she rested on a boulder where from she viewed a rivulet and across that a village. As she was informed by one of her friends, she easily guessed she was near Ghartikhola. So she didn’t have to ask anyone about the location.

The latest news rumoured at Shikharkot was, “The young lady left Shikharkot for Ghartikhola”.

“But why?” and “after all who was she?” These queries still remained unanswered. But Shikharkotians have their own guesses, made near to the truth. If the young lady has gone to Ghartikhola, then he must be Bistakaji who she wanted to meet with. There can be no one else for a lady like her.

Where can Bistakaji be at such a moment-when someone is fanatically trying to trace him out…?

***

It’s a fifteen minutes’ walk from Okharbazar to Shikharkot and lo! Here comes Bistakaji! He is striding alone with firm steps along the road to Shikharkot.

He is quite a tall figure with white complex and can be noticed even from afar. He possesses a muscular body and broad chest. At present, he wore short beard and long hair, clad in warm shirt, cotton pant and a long woolen jacket. He hung a big cotton bag on his left arm. Looking at his outfit one can take him as someone going for trekking. If seen inside any campus premises, anyone would have considered him as a professor or inside any conference hall as a philosopher…

Don’t be confused….he’s a peculiar person, Bistakaji!

A woman coming back from Shikharkot happened to meet him near Dobato. She had some important message to convey him. “Oh Namaste Bistakaji!”  Well, there at Shikharkot they say…a young lady has gone towards Ghartikhola to meet you…But how could she know you are here?

“Oh yeah, how could she?” Bistakaji gazed at the woman and unexpectedly raised the same question to her, she couldn’t reply and was perplexed.

“At this moment we two are here. You met me. Our talk needs to be between you and me. How can a third person interfere in?” He remarked in his own way. She remained quite puzzled. He added, “ Try to understand the consequence of a rumour.  Suppose you heard a rumour”. Pointing at himself he said “This Bistakaji has gone mad. You, go on spreading this rumour to everyone you meet, the whole day. By evening this rumour is sure to turn into a truth and everyone is to take me as a mad man. Remember how dangerous can be your rumour! You yourself might turn mad. Wanna be a mad woman? Do you follow me? Ha…Ha! He kept on laughing loudly and marched towards Shikharkot. Poor woman! She didn’t speak a word, bowing her head she walked slowly.

It was quite a sunny afternoon. A group of young people at Shikharkot were engaged in their gossip and enjoying the warmth of sunlight. Most of them noticed Bistakaji approaching nearer to them. Suddenly their topic of gossip changed and they whispered.

‘Look, here comes Bistakaji! That young lady, who’s gone to Ghartikhola to meet him will have to return alone without meeting him.’

‘What an unlucky lady! She needn’t have to walk that long way if she’d stayed here.’

“Bistakaji can’t be met so easily. He’s no schedule either. No one knows where he takes food nor where he takes shelter at night.”

“Depends on his own will. If he thinks he should meet someone, then only it becomes possible, otherwise…….”

After few minutes Bistakaji arrived there. Everyone stood from the parapet and joined their palms to greet him ‘Namaste’. He raised his hands in response and smiled too. One of them spoke, “A young lady was eagerly willing to meet you and she…..”

“…..and she’s gone to Ghartikhola”. Bistakaji interrupted and completed his message leaving the informer in awkward position. Then he didn’t stand there any longer and moved ahead.

It was a surprise for the lady shopkeeper when Bistakaji entered her teashop. She also modestly greeted him,

“Namaste hajur! You’re most welcome. Please come and reign in.” (Raj hos in Nepali)

Bistakaji objected, “I’m not that kaji to reign over you. First of all, overthrow that who reigns over your brain. Then only you’ll reign yourself and retain your own lordship. Life’s yours and someone to reign over you? Why can’t you people understand this? When’ll you?” Bistakaji easily poured the truth on their brain. They’d never thought of that truth and tried to understand. It was the wisdom that seemed to shower in that tea shop from the sky. Every one there kept silent and breathless.

The lady shopkeeper silently and humbly served him a cup of tea. She also wanted to inform him,” Well kaji this morning a young lady…….” She hadn’t completed her message, Bistakaji spoke in between, “Searching someone at the place where he’s not present and you know what happens!”

The mystery she wanted to tell him was abruptly snatched and thrown away by Bistakaji like an eagle does diving to the ground and grabs the chicken.

Bistakaji has nothing to do with that rumour at Shikharkot. He silently sipped his tea. At this very moment a bus arrived. He paid the bill and immediately left the shop and got on the bus.

He, generally used to appear suddenly and disappear again in no time. Anyone who comes to meet him, can’t know where he can be met and ironically he who is to be met doesn’t know who has come to meet him.

Shrouded in queries, Shikharkot remained there bewildered. But the bus left the place winding up to Daman with the peculiar personality Bistakaji.

***

It was twilight when the young lady reached Shikharkot. She entered the teashop. She looked a bit tired but didn’t have any sign of despair on her face. She has bright appearance and was amiable and gentle in her conversation. No one knew her by her name yet. But she has already been a well-known lovely personality to Shikharkotians. Most of them knew she had gone to Ghartikhola but she could not have met Bistakaji, who they have guessed as the only person she wanted to meet with, Had she any relatives there? Then this might have been a worthy visit.

“Oh, ma’am you’ve comeback! Must be feeling tired. Please have a nice rest”. The lady shopkeeper received her with warm welcome.

“Yeah, a bit tired. It was a complete round from here to Ghartikhola, Palung bazar and again coming back here. It’s quite a big walk. Such a beautiful valley, villages and people”. She explained with great pleasure. Others there at teashop listened and closely watched her. They took her as a beautiful and gentle lady.

But the shopkeeper had something to know from the beautiful lady so she asked, “Excuse me ma’am ! May I ask you one thing if you don’t mind?”

“Yes of course! Plz!” She replied.

“To visit Ghartikhola for a gentle lady like you, we thought it for sure it must be none other than Bistakaji who you wanted to meet with”.

“Yeah! Even some of the passers-by asked me if I’d come to meet Bistakaji?” Well, I think I’m here to visit the lovely place where your adorable Bistakaji lives. To visit this place is to visit him in other sense. Isn’t it?” She pointed to some of them and asked,” Among you gentlemen, one might be Bistakaji. I don’t know him personally but I might’ve already met him or I’m still looking for him, Isn’t it?”.

Those who listened her might have understood half of the truth. The other half remained out of their understanding.

The sense of her dialogue can take either way. So the mystery still remained unsolved.

The tea-shopkeeper thought that the lady had rightly answered them without disclosing the fact whether she had come to meet Bistakaji or not.

Why to disclose everything to those who are quite unknown to her. She did well. Otherwise they could have twisted the fact and defamed her.

The young lady stood up and jokingly spoke to Chintoo, “Won’t you guide me up to the lodge?” Chintoo smiled back and waved her to bid bye.

She reached the lodge and entered her room. Then she started writing notes on her diary. She has just closed her writing sentence! “Today also I couldn’t meet him. Let me try tomorrow again.”

Someone knocked at the door. She asked to come in. Deepak, the lodge manager entered and asked for dinner. She nodded her head. Before he left the room he informed her about the police’s visit and asked her to take precaution.

That afternoon few constables in civil dress from Pulchowk Police Post had visited the lodge. They asked for entry register. They noted down the young lady’s ID written on that register.

Name: Shiru Pradhan
Address: Chhauni, Kathmandu
Occupation: Studying Horticulture
Arrival date: 10th December.

The constables checked her room. They went back warning Deepak not to disclose the news to anyone even to Shiru.

Shiru reacted, “Well, never mind. Did they use to come earlier too?”

“Oh yes ma’am. Whenever they feel suspicion they visit. They have taken our customers under custody. You know ma’am it’s a lodge and such events occur regularly.”

“What makes them suspect this time?’ Any idea?” Shiru wanted Deepak’s comment.

“Well ma’am there’s a rumour at Shikharkot. I’m sorry to mention this to you. They think that you are here to meet Bistakaji and you know who ever comes to meet him is suspected and they keep under their surveillance. Most probably, this might be the reason, ma’am!”

“OK, don’t worry Deepak. It doesn’t make any difference. This is their part of duty. No problem will be created from my part. I myself will be there at Police Post tomorrow morning.”

“OK, ma’am, please come to the dining hall for dinner.

Shiru added the last line in her diary,” My visit to Palung is being much more mysterious, adventurous one for sure”!

***

Day-3, morning

Today it was a quite fair morning. The sky was without fog. Shiru has reached the police Post at Pulchok as scheduled. She stood by the side of road as if she was waiting for a vehicle.

She felt she was being gazed by some constables. They moved their hands and nodded their heads in signal. She thought it would be better for her to be noticed. If the Police wanted to have any inquiry she was prepared for that. Let them ask for it first. So she lingered on there at shop and later sat on a chair placed in front of a tea shop.

Dressed as for morning walk in tracksuit, P. cap, sunglass and sports shoes. She was quite a new figure to the onlookers. She sat there with ease and ordered for a cup of tea. Tea was served instantly. She began to sip her tea.

No constable came from that post to ask her to go inside for inquiry as she expected till she drank her tea.

Why would anyone of them come if they had already collected the information from lodge? They did not find any suspicious evidence. She could not be charged for any reasons to take her under custody. They were not fools to come to her and inform, “Well we know all about you. We’ve no charges or suspicion against you. So you are free to move, Have a nice trip!”

But they watched her curiously from their office premises.

She thought she should move now. So she paid for the tea and walked along the road that led to Okharbazar.

Right after she left Pulchok, the onlookers wanted to know if the Police have any information about the lady.

“Well, do you know anything about that lady? She’s been much in talk since yesterday”. One of them asked the constable in guard near the gate.

As a Police he should be aware of all the events happening in the area. He need not answer that question. But before he spoke a word his face expressed sort of boast. He wanted to prove he knows everything. So he explained, “She’s Shiru Pradhan from Kathmandu, a student of horticulture and she is on her trip to Palung. Don’t you see? She looks well educated and belongs to an elite family?”

***

Day-3, afternoon

Shiru had already reached Okharbazar. But the curiosity on her was still roaming around Pulchok. It happens generally with beauties like Shiru. Everywhere she was much in talk.

 If she has been on this trip just to meet Bistakaji as it is in the rumour, then she has been late for one day. Bistakaji has already passed through the route Shiru has covered till now; from Shikharkot to Ghartikhola, Palung and Okharbazar. Bistakaji crossed this route one day before. From Shikharkot, Bistakaji has already gone to Daman. Moreover there is no certainly that he’ll detain at Daman. Rather he may go further to the south and even to the east or west. Who knows his destination? He’ll continue his trip to Hetauda, Birgunj or may be to Chitawan. Who can fix his schedule? Does Shiru know Bistakaji’s trip schedule? Why is Shiru following the same route?

 Why is she one day late? Is it only a co-incidence?

 Why did not Shiru ever ask anyone as to where can she meet the person she wanted to meet with. Was it Bistakaji? Why did not she want to disclose that? It would have been easier and even wiser for her.

Ah! It can be her instinct not to disclose her secrecy before the mission is accomplished. This is exactly the same behavior as the lady shopkeeper has commented once, ” Why would a woman be frank enough all at once with unknown people?”

When she was at Okharbazar she spent few hours with farmers. She visited their horticulture farms. She listened to them, observed their ways of plantation and how they nurture the plants. She had to counsel them on their issues. She learnt a lot about traditional farming and she suggested them some of modern technology to follow.

She had done the same dealing with farmers at Ghartikhola and Palung. She dined at a hotel there and she climbed up Kiteni hill through Pulchok. Daman is nearer from Kiteni hill than from Shikharkot. If she is to meet Bistakaji it would be better for her to climb up the remaining steep to reach Daman. But she didn’t do that. She climbed down to Shikharkot.

By this afternoon Shikharkotians knew the young lady’s name and her purpose of visit as registered in the lodge register.

Day-3, evening

Shiru reached her lodge and rested on sofa near the reception counter. Smilingly she asked the manager, “Deepak, did the police come this afternoon? Deepak nodded his head and said, “No ma’am.” But added one new information. “But if you’re to meet Bistakaji, you’ve to go to Daman.”

Apparently Shiru didn’t react. She remained calm.

Shiru had never met Bistakaji before. She found it was him everywhere. Everyone talked about him with due respect. She realized he possessed a distinguished personality. He was not a lay man. She sketched him in her mind as a man of honour and adored by everyone. Moreover she found that those who came to meet him were always under the surveillance of police. She calculated it must be because of his revolutionary character and activities. Most probably for this reason it was quite difficult to meet him.

After having super she came to her room. While she was to begin her diary writing she remembered her mother as she had been away from her for few days. She loved her mother and she was the lovely daughter for her.

Where as her father’s behavior with her mother was quite disgusting and inhumane. He scolded and abused her mother without any major reason causes. He took no time to hit and knock her down. At times Shiru was also treated badly.

Shiru wondered how her mother could tolerate all these violence committed by that creature called father. She had borne this fate from her very childhood.

When she was fourteen, her father met with an accident and was killed. Her mother broke her bangles, wiped sindur (red powder), fainted, and came into consciousness again fell unconscious several times……..

But when her mother kept crying and sobbing she also shed tears, not in the sorrow of her father’s death; but for her mother’s crying.

Time gradually passed by. Shiru grew up. Her mind was focused only on two things; one her mum and next her study. She was attentive and diligent in her study. She attained excellence rating in her subjects. Her mother was only the source of inspiration to her. She began to feel her responsibility too.

When she stepped in her youth, she had developed strong distaste for male. Most probably it was psychologically deep rooted from her father’s disgusting behavior that tortured her mother.

Shiru was of marriageable age and her mother insisted her to get married. Especially in this respect she disobeyed her mother.

As she was deep in memory, she hadn’t written anything in her diary. So she simply wrote one sentence,” Today also, I could not meet him. Let me see what happens tomorrow!” And she went to bed.

***

Day-4, morning

This morning, the weather seemed fair enough. No patches of fog hung around, the sunshine was pleasantly bright.

Shiru was ready to leave the lodge. She stood near the counter and paid the bill. Deepak the lodge manager was a bit surprised. He didn’t expect her to leave the lodge so soon. He unknowingly asked, “Ma’am back to Kathmandu?”

“Oh not sure. But today towards Daman!”

Deepak did not react but received a flash memory of that dialogue, he had spoken to her, “if you’ve to meet Bistakaji. You’ve to go to Daman and now she says she is going to Daman”. It means….. For Deepak it was as clear as the morning sunlight.

Deepak slightly smiled and asked her in modest tone, “Please keep visiting us ma’am!” Then he joined his palms to greet ‘Namaste’ and waved right hand bidding bye.

Shiru smiled and said, “Oh sure, Deepak, I’ll. Bye!” Waving her hand she came out of the lodge. She reached the same teashop where she’ll have her breakfast and wait for the bus. The tea-shop keeper greeted her with a cup of tea and asked if she was going back. Shiru told her she was going to Daman. The shopkeeper informed her the time for the bus.

 Shiru looked for Chintoo expecting somewhere in the shop. She could not see him. So she asked, “I don’t see Chintoo here!”

‘Oh, he’s gone to the market. He’ll be back soon, ma’am!”

“Well, where is he from sis?” Shiru was curious to know.

“Ah, poor boy! He’s an orphan. Someone from nearby village brought him here. He’s been here with me almost for five years. Now he’s twelve. He is a nice boy ma’am!”

Shiru didn’t speak a word but she felt deep sympathy in her heart for Chintoo. In the meantime Chintoo arrived there carrying bags he had brought. When he saw Shiru ma’am he bowed his head with respect and smiled, she patted him with love in his shoulder. He went inside the shop to keep the things he had brought. Meanwhile the bus to Daman arrived.

 “Chintoo, hurry up! Carry this ma’am’s suitcase up to the bus”.

Chintoo willingly did that. Shiru followed him and got on the bus. Before she took her seat she pulled Chintoo nearer and hugged him for a moment. She placed few notes in his hand and waved her hand to bid bye.

She could not speak as her eyes were wet and lips trembled. She bowed her head and wiped her face. Chintoo waved his hand and spoke, “Bye ma’am. Shiru replied in low voice, ‘Bye Chintoo, see you!” Chintoo got down.

The bus started, it took speed and winding up the hill. It disappeared. But Shiru was waving her hand from the bus. To whom? May be to Chintoo or may be to someone unseen person who she had come to meet with.

Like the mild sunlight during winter Shiru appeared at Shikharkot for a short period and now she is gone. Her stay at Shikharkot was supposed to be nearer to her destined mission but it did not take place as expected. It seemed like Shiru was just chasing after her own mission and that was moving ahead.

Shiru started viewing the mountain scenery while the bus wheeled up the winding road to attain the top of the hill.

She was not among those who would remain at the bottom of a hill and imagine to be on the top without any efforts. During this trip to Palung, she thought she must succeed to meet someone she was earnestly willing to meet with. Daman, where she is heading for might be the last resort.

She knows this won’t be simply be a meeting. It would be an unexpected, most specific and planned event from her part, It must be reasonably decisive meeting. If not agree upon, she has to make an abrupt turning in her life.

 She was overwhelmed with this feeling during this trip to Daman.

‘Daman….Daman anyone for Daman!” The bus conductor shouted. Shiru was only single passenger to get down there. So she did.

First of all she had to look for a neat and clean lodge. She chose Daman hotel and lodge near the view tower. It looked safe and comfortable. She took rest for half an hour. While in the room she decided her own schedule.

She would try her best to search the place where the person she wanted to meet with was staying at. She would walk around Daman with this purpose. Before that she wished to go to Daman View tower and to have a grand view of Himalayan Panorama and Palung valley through the telescope.

So she came out of the lodge and went towards Daman tower. As the weather was so fair a long range of majestic Himalayan peaks seemed surrounding the Palung valley. This lovely view could be seen even with naked eyes. Shiru climbed up the stairs of view tower.

There were other onlookers on the telescope. So she had to wait for her turn. Then she went through the leaflet of tower that displayed the pictures of the Himalayan peaks with their names and heights. It made her easier to identify the names and height of the peaks from west to east.

She got her turn and started to look through the telescope. It was her first opportunity to look at those Himalayan peaks so near and clear. She thought she could even touch those farthest peaks like Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and even Sagarmatha if she stretched her hands.

If she can think of touching those farthest peaks, why cannot she meet the person she wanted to meet with! She resolved she wouldn’t go back without meeting him. She decided this while viewing the beautiful range of Himalayan peaks. She completed her turn on the telescope and got down the tower.

She was much delighted like a child to view the beautiful panoramas of Himalayas and wished to visit more places that would reveal the snowy peaks.

She has just stepped out of the tower, she overheard a loud roar of laughter from nearby terrace. She looked at that side from where the laughter arose.

She saw a cottage on a terrace inside the tower premises. She noticed a chessboard on the table and two people were seated on chairs placed face to face. Obviously they were playing chess. It seemed the game was over. One of them might be a player and might have won the game stood up and again began to laugh aloud.

 Shiru attentively looked at him. His play mate was staring at the chessboard. But Shiru couldn’t distract herself from staring at the laughing guy. He was a tall figure with broad chest, long hair, unshaved beard and thick moustache; wearing loose pants and warm jacket. He resembled someone like a philosopher.

 Shiru guessed he must be the same ideal person who she wanted to meet with. She should be sure about that. So she picked out diary book from her vanity bag and took out a photograph. Hiding slightly in a corner she tallied it with the tall figure standing in front of the table. She found it was him who she was looking for.

 She was delighted and took it as an achievement to her and felt a bit relaxed. She assured herself Daman was sure to be the last resort of this trip.

Meeting with her own ideal personality should not be simply meant for an introductory formality. It needed to be systematically arranged and handled with a delicate manner.

 She got down to the road and crossed it to enter the lodge. She went to her room. Then she wrote these lines in her letter pad.

“It’s a request to you who I look for meeting with. It’s more like knocking at your door.

If permitted this one is sure to be an unexpected meeting-quite different from a common one. It has a specific mission. I have known you from a distance, but with a broader vision. Once accomplished no need to meet again.

 Let me know the venue. Please make it today!”

-Shiru Pradhan

An unknown lady you’ve never seen, even heard of…

Staying at Daman hotel and lodge.

While writing these lines she was neither in a hurry nor nervous. She wrote it with full confidence. She enclosed this message in an envelope and stitched it.

Then she approached the counter and asked the receptionist showing him the same photograph, “I think you know him well, don’t you?”

The receptionist looked at the photo and immediately replied, ‘Oh, he is Bistakaji.’

At this Shiru’s reaction reflected on her reddened appearance. She asked him, “Just a minute!” Then she went to a table nearby and wrote sort of address on the envelope.

To whom everyone knows as Bistakaji
Daman, View Tower

Then she asked the receptionist, “Could you take this message to Bistakaji. This moment, he is there at view tower.”

“Why not ma’am I’ll do that.” He was ready to go and he walked towards view tower with that envelope in his pocket.

 Shiru was feeling happy for that unexpected opportunity. She went to her room.

Her complete attention was how Bistakaji would react to her request. She eagerly waited for the response she would get.

There was a soft knock at the door. Shiru opened the door and there stood the receptionist with a smile.

He said, “Ma’am, the reply is there inside this very envelope.”

She anxiously opened the envelope and picked out the slip that read;

“This world itself is the world of unknown figures. The more you get introduction, the more you get unknown aspect in it. Well, let me have one more introduction with an unknown lady figure at view tower premises today late afternoon.”

*          *       *

Shiru was in joyous mood. Her request was accepted. She tried to feel the depth of the language written on that slip she had received.

In fact this world itself is an enormous crowd of unknown people. To think we are known to one another is but the introduction of only physical appearance. What counts is the internal quality like attitude and behavioral aspects of a man are the main factors that constitute his real introduction. The inner reality of a person remains unknown until we come across the deception from so called known character.

Unfortunately Shiru had undergone such unbelievable deception from her own so called known character and she had been carrying that grief till now. She doesn’t want even to remember that event.

After she had her morning food, she thought of the necessary preparation for that scheduled meeting with her ideal person. She thought she needs to be mentally prepared. She would present herself in a gentle and modest manner. She would not act excitedly or overwhelmed with emotional feelings.

She might need to explain why was he (Bistakaji) her ideal person? She was ready to check herself how her confidence would work and she began other preparation for that long awaited meeting.

She bought two cans of orange juice, few packets biscuits, fruits, mineral water bottles and a bunch of flowers too.

Equipped with full confidence she need not put on fashionable dresses or decorate with cosmetics and ornaments. Clad in simple dress like Sari and Shawl, she looked gentle and even beautiful. Beauty emerged from within her purity of heart.

*          *       *

Day- 4, afternoon

Now it was time for her to move for view tower. When she reached there she saw the same setting of two chairs and a table in front of that cottage she had seen in the morning. She reached near the cottage and waited for a while looking around. Then she kept everything she had brought on that table and arranged those items properly in her own way. It seemed she was through the rehearsal before the meeting. She looked at the cottage and thought whether that was Bistakaji’s lodge as there was no other complex for him to stay inside the view tower.

Surprisingly, Bistakaji came out from that very cottage. Yeah! He was no other than Shiru’s ideal person, a great personality of her peculiar dream.

Without any hesitation Shiru presented the bunch of flowers and greeted him ‘Namaste joining her both palms. He accepted flowers and asked her to be seated. She sat on a chair embracing not only her shawl and sari but also her own identity and prestige. There was silence on both side for a moment. She did not think it fair to stare at Bistakaji but guided by feminine instinct, she looked sideways.

But Bistakaji gazed at her and broke the silence with his heavy voice, “Oh-you unknown lady! How did you know me?” It was not a question but his curiosity to know about her.

Shiru did not reply instantly. Before she answered she waited for her own sincere feeling. Her answer should not float on surface. It must touch and come up from the depth within.

‘If I’m to speak the truth, I got your precious introduction from your loud laughter that echoed around here this morning. I’m proud to be there during that moment.” Shiru did not expect herself to have answered in such a smooth way. She thought she had rightly answered. She added, ‘How could you laugh in such a heartily way?” She wished to avoid any queries about her in the very beginning.

“Hmm.., this morning we two were here playing chess and trying to defeat each other. We applied every tricky step. I detected his tricks and was safe. But he could not defend my attack. My check made his king imprisoned. So I laughed aloud. Every victory has its own conspiracy part. No one knows who wins and gets defeated. But you know who win generally they conspire against the opponents.”

Shiru smiled. She knew this meeting of her with him was also a sort of conspiracy. Bistakaji was unaware of it. It meant she was to win. ‘Would she also laugh aloud like Bistakaji? She did not know how she would react in that case. But she had a question and she asked again, “If you were defeated would you have laughed that way too?”

“Yeah, why not! I’d have laughed on my foolishness! I don’t hesitate to laugh at myself.” Bistakaji easily replied her counter question. All at once he became alert and asked her, “Are you having any conspiracy against anyone at present?” Shiru was shocked with his question, but controlled herself and replied him, “Life itself is a grand net of conspiracy.” She gave this philosophical touch in her answer.

Bistakaji felt he was not having this conversation with an ordinary woman who would take interest in futile topic. He realized that she was clever enough to distract the topic directed towards her.

Bistakaji did not intend to quit easily. So he asked directly, “Who I’m talking to?”

It was like an arrow thrown from a bow directly targeted to her and she could not avoid that but she again replied indirectly, “with an unknown lady!” The answer was in the same style as Bistakaji had addressed her in the very beginning of this meeting. It was just like a boomerang to him.

At this, Bistakajis loud laughter echoed the view tower premises. This made Shiru also smile. She was pleased to make him laugh in that glamorous pattern. She found this meeting being joyous. To make this meeting more interesting she opened the juice can and served that to Bistakaji. Both of them sipped their juice slowly. She was trying to make this meeting favorable as she needed to start her own proposal.

“Then Shiru Pradhan! Who is she?” Bistakaji was encouraging her steadily to reveal herself.

“That’s my incomplete introduction.” She replied, “I want to complete my introduction,” “What did you get from your visit to Ghartikhola?” asked Bistakaji.

Shiru was embarrassed by this question. So Bistakaji already knew about her search for him. She did not want to conceal the fact. Thus she replied, “That was a search mission. It had arrived here at Daman.”

“Well, what are you looking for? What have you lost?” Bistakji’s this question almost knocked her down. But she maintained herself and replied, “I’ve not lost anything. Rather I’m an incomplete woman. I’m searching for my remaining part. In this respect I’m an explorer and not exposer.”

Shiru kept silence. She was willing to express what made her feel an incomplete woman. But she could not speak a word. Bistakaji was waiting for her view. But the talk itself kept silence for a moment.

Bistakaji thought Shiru must be under a grave grief. So she could not express her feeling. Giving a philosophical touch to his talk he said, “This juice is sweet in its taste, but its sweetness can’t be seen. Are we going to scratch the sweetness from inside?”

Shiru modestly replied, “Let’s try to understand what sweetness is? I’m a lady who has suffered bitterness in life!”

“Ah you know, it’s not only sweetness that comprises life. To understand life you’ve to feel and face bitterness too!” Bistakaji supported her logic, “Now let’s try to explore the bitter events that came across your life. I’m much interested to know what makes your existence rather than who are you!” Shiru started peeling oranges and began to remember her own bitter past that reddened her face. She was sweating too. She wiped her face with her shawl. She could not express ‘what makes her?’

“You said you’re an explorer. Tell me, what are you exploring?”

“I don’t want you to feel the bitter taste. So have this and sweeten yourself”. She gave him peeled orange. He took it.

Before she answered his question, she thought herself whether it would be too early to disclose her chapter of life and her expectation from him. But at once she concluded herself it wouldn’t make any difference even her proposal would be rejected by him. Because she has a great faith in him as he was a man of morals, honour and prestige. She believed he wouldn’t distress and defame her. Thus she decided to unfold herself……..

‘Well, I’m exploring myself. As I told you I’m an incomplete woman.” She wiped her sweated face, took a long breathe and unfolded herself, “I’m still unmarried but……….”

“Is this your problem?”

“No, my problem is rather not to get married.” Shiru unfolded half to her problem.

“Then, don’t get married. That’s the solution.” Bistakaji took it lightly.

So Shiru intended to make it a bit clear and said, “Sorry for being slow to disclose the disgusting chapter of my life. I know I must complete it first.” She looked at him just to draw his attention. “I shouldn’t waste your precious time to unveil myself.” Then she exploded, “Yes I’m still unmarried……but I’m not virgin. I was raped by one of the wicked boyfriend.” She hadn’t exposed this secrecy even to her mum. She did it here with Bistakaji and felt she had unloaded the burden she had been carrying. Then she started at Bistakaji to trace out his reaction. She found him completely calm and saint-like solemn expression in his face. She realized him as the most venerable person.

Without any sort of excitement Bistakaji rather thought she was not here only to unfold her bitter truth of her life. She must have some genuine cause to be here with him.

Shiru had to complete her story. She explained again, “After that worst event of my life, I take every male as heinous creature. I won’t get married to any man in the world.”

Bistakaji made an inquiry, “At this moment, a person who you’re talking to is undoubtedly a male. Why this man is to be your object?”

Shiru decided this time she needs to be wise enough and even logical in her answer as it may be decisive moment for her.

She was just about to answer she noticed someone climbing up the stairs to view tower compound. So she informed him, “Well, I see your chess partner is coming up here. He has to take revenge on you for the defeat he faced this morning.”

‘Well, never mind I’m playing chess.”

“Where and with whom?” Shiru was puzzled.

“I am playing chess with you. You’re ahead to check me.”

Shiru smiled and replied, “Yeah I’m alert enough not to lose the game. Who knows whose attack will be unavoidable? But I know in both cases whoever may win. You’ll laugh aloud. You’ve that sportsmanship!”

To speak the truth, Shiru hasn’t yet moved her turn for check. It will take time. The game is interestingly being continued. It must not be left unfinished. So Bistakaji raised his hand and gave signal to his friend to wait for a while.

Had Bistakaji’s partner arrived there, she would not have answered his last question. It would have remained unanswered and again she had to wait for another moment might be some days later or never.

So Shiru eager enough to utilize the right moment and she began her explanation, “What am I exploring…..? For your kind information I’m exploring myself. The vital question is whether I’m a woman or not…..? She paused for few seconds and again continued, “If to make love with a male is the proof to be a woman then I’m not. Being attracted with male and to be engaged with each other is the symbol of womanhood then I’m not. This kind of instinct even prevails among animals” She concluded.

‘For these reasons I don’t find womanhood within myself.” Then she drank glass of water, took a long breathing and spoke, “To be a woman genuinely means to be a mother. Nowadays this kind of intense feeling has arisen within me. In this sense I’m longing for motherhood. To me it’s the proof and more than that prestige of a woman. But no woman can turn into a mother by herself. Because of this, woman are incomplete living beings.”

Both of them had forgotten to eat orange. Bistakaji didn’t suggest any way out. He just realized Shiru’s feeling and anguish.

So he simply mentioned, “But a woman needs to get married with a man to be a mother. How can you forget this inevitable reality?”

“But I hate to get married with any man in this world and bear his child, if I’d intended that way I could have given birth to lots of kids like a bitch with lots of puppies. Take it for sure bitches are also mothers to their puppies.”

Shiru had strong determination in her words and she asked, “Is it right or wrong to wish myself to be a mother? possible or impossible? I searched you and came here to get answer to this question of mine.”

‘Why do you expect my answer for this?’ Bistakaji was curious to know her intention.

“Cause I want you to answer for me. So I dared to ask.” She answered with her modesty. She was determined to get answer.

Shiru can become a mother to her child. She has the right. But how is it possible? This was a great question Bistakaji has faced from a woman who hates male person and does not like to be anyone’s wife. He was to some extent perplexed with her question.

He took time and answered, “Motherhood! It’s the born gift of any woman. You can be a mother! There’s no doubt.”

It was but Bistakaji’s feeling of respect for Shiru’s intense desire for motherhood. Shiru felt delighted and her face brightened with happiness when she heard positive response from him.

Although he sympathized Shiru, he had doubt in his mind, ‘but how could it be possible? It was not the vedic age when sages used to help woman to conceive (writudan) baby.

Shiru could guess Bistakaji’s dubious feeling. So she wished to normalize the abnormal situation and she unfolded the hidden core.

“At this moment, I’ve one He man in my mind and I intensely wish being the mother of his child.” She paused and again continued, “Genetically I’m sure my child from him is sure to be as handsome, healthy, wise, courageous and of great morale as his father’s.” I want to be a great mother conceived from a great father like him.

“Then your problem is solved, Go and get married with him.” Bistakaji concluded.

“I’ve not completed my saying. Just wait please till the end! I want to be a complete woman. But I discard being wife of any man in the world as I mentioned it earlier.”

“Then who is that He-man you’ve just mentioned?”

‘That He-man whose child I want to conceive can be no other than you!” Thus she exposed her mission. It was that big explosion Bistakaji hadn’t expected from an unknown strange lady. It made him spin.

With a sudden jerk he stood up and moved to the far corner of that terrace.

Shiru wiped the sweat drops from her forehead and fastened her hair on her back. She was compelled to think whether she was in haste to propose in that way! She knew Bistakaji was disturbed. Anyway she had to wait for his response. He seemed to be confused and unrest too. Sometime he would stand for a while gazing at far landscape and the other moment he would loiter round the terrace.

Shiru could not even guess what would happen to her proposal! Would it be rejected or accepted? She should be ready for either decision made. It depended on Bistakaji, her ideal!

Bistakaji found it difficult to justify Shiru’s version of motherhood. She was ready to conceive a child from a man without getting married. He knew it would hardly be recognized either socially, morally and even legally too. In that case she would have to face intolerable hindrances in future and same fate to the child so-born.

But he had to give his decision as Shiru was waiting for his response. After a while, he got an idea and came out from the dubious hangover. So he came back and sat on his chair. Shiru was ready to face his decision. She waited patiently till he spoke.

Shiru gave him an apple. It was womanly hospitality. He took that apple and asked, “Is it the same kind of apple that Adam and Eve had taken during the era of creation?”

His comment on apple made Shiru ashamed. She heard him and ask, “Are you Eve?

She replied, “You be Adam. This apple simply represents my proposal of being mother of your child that I’d conceive from you. I’m ready to accept your choice.”

“Well, I don’t need to take that apple in the sense of my being Adam. But don’t worry. I’ve another apple. Would you like to take that?”

Bistakaji spoke guided by his morals.

Shiru responded in a balanced tone. “Let me see and find what sort of apple is that.”

“That’s fine! You’ve strong determination. You’re not a lady to flow simply on emotion. I respect your sense of motherhood. But the irony is you hate every male and discard the culture of being wife.”

Bistakaji was ready to suggest her right track that would properly lead to her own destination. He kept thinking for a while and then he echoed his words, “To achieve the lovely and honourable status of motherhood is not only to conceive the child in your womb. It’s a limited way of thinking. You can broaden yourself and you should do that”. Bistakaji was alert enough to watch if Shiru was attentively listening to him or not. He continued his saying, “One can find several helpless kids lying astray on the road. Lots of orphan you can come across in rural area. They’ve lost their mothers and intensely looking for them. You can be an ideal mother to one of them, can’t you? In doing so you’ll be an ideal mother. Your motherhood would be the most respected one.”

Pointing at the sky he said, “That sky teaches us to be broad enough in our thought and action. Don’t confine yourself in a closet. Are you ready Shiru?”

Poor Shiru had never thought in that direction.

-Motherhood can be attained in that way. It was clear as the blue sky.

-She doesn’t have to be someone’s wife.

-She need not conceive anyone’s baby in her womb.

Bistakaji showed her, “The other sky.” Shiru conceived the noble idea from him. She was free from her own entanglement and found herself floating on peaceful ocean.

 Had Bistakaji accepted Shiru’s proposal, the consequence would have been quite adverse. The child born from her, she herself and even Bistakaji would have to face insurmountable social problems and blames. Shiru began to realize the wretched condition she would have to undergo as the consequence of being unmarried woman with a child.

Now she could visualize the right path- ‘The other sky’ as Bistakaji suggested, blue and bright, neat and clean, broad and wide.

Bistakaji saintly words and right decision brightened her soul and future. Shiru was deep in her thought.

“What’s the matter with you Shiru?” He asked getting her keeping silent. She replied, “I’m thinking of Mother Teresa. She was a great mother. Wasn’t she?”

“Ah yeah! It’s the perfect memory for your motherhood. ‘Congrats’ ! For every woman to become a mother is her biological need. But now you won’t have limitation. Broaden your concept of motherhood. Make it meaningful. In your motherhood every child would grow to be a great man.”

Shiru feeling herself peaceful and happy, smilingly she asked him, “Now you will take this apple, won’t you?”

“OK I won’t hesitate. It’s not the same apple, quite different for me now.” He gladly took that apple. Shiru felt the sacred motherhood had already begun to germinate inside her. She was filled with peace and pleasure as she used to feel while inside the temple during her prayer.

 She said, “I’ll preserve that pure apple you gave to me, in my heart forever. Thank you Bistakaji! I owe to you! Now may I bring your chess board from your cottage?”

“The game is over. Isn’t it?” Bistakaji asked biting the apple, “Do you know who won the game?”

“No one was defeated!’ Shiru answered proudly. ‘I received your sacred check!”

Bistakaji laughed in his style loudly and joyously.

Shiru said, “Look, your loud laughter has called upon your partner. He comes here! Bistakaji signaled him to join them.

*          *       *

Day-4, evening

That evening Shiru stayed at Daman Hotel and Lodge. Before she went to bed she eagerly wrote few words to her mum on her diary.

– Mum, I’m coming back, your daughter, myself as mother. Oh, don’t feel shocked. I mean a mother of an orphan. You know I hate and discard males, now I’m blessed with boon to quench my thirst of motherhood. A perfect motherhood! I’m coming soon.

Mum, Congrat me! Bye! – Shiru

***        

Chintoo got his mother!!!!

At Shikharkot this news spread like the wildfire. Shiru Pradhan has gone back to Kathmandu. She is now a perfect mother. She had adopted Chintoo as her son.

***