Monday, September 14, 2015

Kerala, an experience !

Kerala is the most amazing place I have ever visited. I am much impressed by the place and the people themselves. No doubt it is a beautiful place with different geographical features but the most amazing thing was the people around. Whoever I met and talked to were so kind, generous and disciplined. Anyone I happen to meet in Kerala was so so so generous that their behaviour encourages you to behave like them. Auto Rickshaw Driver, Bus Conductor, Local residents, Shopping Mall Staff, Restaurant Staff, you choose anyone; they are like a gem of the people. For Example, we happened to get into the wrong bus in Boat Jetty in Ernakulum, as the bus conductor found it out he requested us to get down at the next stop and helped us to get into the right bus, which was not of his concern at all, I was like spellbound. And are you thinking if we paid him the fare? No, not at all. I have never met such a humble public bus staff ever, nowhere. You dare not imagine that in Nepal.

Another example, we took our hotel room in MG Road, Ernakulam. We wanted to go to Cherai Beach the next day. We took an auto-rickshaw from our hotel and asked him to take us to the bus stop from where we could get a bus for Cherai Beach. Also requested him to show us the bus, as we wouldn’t recognize the correct bus. He rode us to the bus stop; he was moving his auto here and there and was turning it many times. I was wondering why he was doing so. At last, he stopped behind a bus and told us, that we were supposed to get onto the bus standing in front of us. I mean can you imagine people being so helpful to two unknown people in an unknown town?

our train experience to Kerala
15 Oct 2012
We boarded a train from Gorakhpur to Ernakulam, Cochin, Kerala. It was a tedious fifty-three hours journey on the train. We were to spend three nights on the train. For sure it was meant to be very boring, but contrary it was not tiresome at all. We met different people during our train journey. Though the travel was not that pleasant from Gorakhpur to Lucknow. Some railway staff came and sat in our compartment and were talking nonstop. Their voices were irritating and my head was about to burst listening to their loud talks.

The compartment was silent as they got off in Lucknow Junction.  Then we happened to meet a very nice big family. They were a whole lot bunch of people with two sweet little cousin sisters. Who knew not Hindi but English and Telugu only. I still remember their names- Sadvi and Saranya. They made our journey to Kerala even more exciting. And their grandfather was a gentleman. A man in his late 40s was educated and had a lot of sense of humour. He kept us telling us the speciality of South India, things to do and not to do while in Kerala. He insisted we try banana chips which is one of the famous snacks of South India. 

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Lost & Found

Bhim Shumsher JBR (centre) and other Ranas

I found this photo on my way to the office, lying on the road and was full of dust. As my eyes fell upon it, I picked it up hurriedly and wiped the dust with my hand as I was curious to see the people in the photo. I hardly could make a guess that the photo must have been of Nepali soldiers. I was so happy as if I found the valuable thing and showed it to my colleagues, contrary they took it lightly. In the evening when I reached home after the office, I showed it to Kamal, he was as much excited as I was. We both tried to figure out who might they could be, and when that photo might have been taken? Some days passed by in our curiosity. Suddenly one day we thought to forward the photo to Vintage Nepal to post on their FB page. As they had been posting such photos in their timeline. Kamal sent a scanned copy to them. They were able to find out the people in the photo and the year photo was taken.  It was taken in 1930 AD. And people in the photo were Then Prime Minister Bhim Shumsher JBR (centre) and other Ranas, including Padma Shumsher JBR and Juddha Shumsher JBR. And hence our curiosity came to an end. I thought it was worth sharing with you guys. 
Below is the link where you can see the photo on Vintage Nepal’s FB page.

Thank you.
God Bless :)

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Into the Nature



Gosaikunda Lake situated in Langtang National Park in Rasuwa Nepal
Frozen Gosainkunda

Gosainkunda is a sacred Hindu and Buddhist religious site. I am not aware of Buddhist mythologies and inscriptions but many  Hindu mythologies attribute Gosainkunda as the abode of Hindu deities Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.  Many Hindu Puranas and epics like Ramayan and Mahabharat refer to Samundra   Manthan, which is directly related to the origin of Gosainkunda. Its holy water is considered of particular significance during Gangadashahara, which takes place in Jestha (the second month of the Nepali Calendar) and the sacred thread festival Janai Purnima, in Bhadra (the fifth month of the Nepali Calendar) when thousands of Hindu pilgrims visit the area. Gosainkunda is believed to have formed from the digging of the land by the Trishul of Lord Shiva after he drank the poison from Samundra Manthan and desperately wanted cold water to quench the overwhelming heat.
Gosainkunda is not only famous for religious purposes but also is one of the most attractive trekking routes for tourists visiting Nepal. It attracts tourists with its natural beauty and diversity. It falls under the Langtang National Park, which is also the habitat of the most endangered Red Panda.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Lucks!


A friend, a sister, a teacher, a student always loving and rarely irritating is LUCKS. Her name is not LUCKS actually; it is given name to her by me. Today is her birthday and I thought of wishing her in a different way. Here come a big warm hug and a very special birthday wish for my special Lucks. Happy Birthday, darling. You were always so close to my heart and will remain so. The only difference is that I am not able to spend as much time as before with you. I had a great time being with you for more than two years. You were always there for me in my ups and downs. You always had been my strength. We shared secrets and had the same opinion about life, love, family and friends. It amuses me even today that how my sayings, feeling and opinions inspired you always. I must agree that you were a good student and at the same time, you were my teacher. I learnt many lessons about life from you. Lucks I am getting too emotional now, do not know what to write more about you. Even now, while I am typing this I am smiling, thinking about you.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Gardening in Winter

In the hustle and bustle of urban life, your garden is the place where you have contact with nature and enjoy some quiet and peaceful time. Therefore, it deserves special attention in terms of dedication and constant maintenance, to make it a welcoming sanctuary in every season including winter. 
Keeping the freshness and greenness of one’s garden in a foggy, frosty, cold winter is a big challenge for anybody. Plants are also living things: they suffer the winter like many of us do. In the absence of proper care and nourishment, the gardens would be lifeless in winter. Many people ignore their garden in the winter. The feeling is that, once the flowers fade and the leaves die, there is nothing of interest in the garden. Nothing could be further from the truth. With all the work you do to keep your garden beautiful and attractive from spring to autumn, why let your garden die down in winter? Against the harsh backdrop of dew, fog and earth, you can plant a variety of plants that will add dimension to your garden. By selecting proper winter plants (which are listed below) that produce flowers when most other plants are dormant, you can bring colour and interest into your garden even when the days are cold and gloomy. Winter is actually time to rake up all the leaves and make a compost bin so that they can be recycled into an excellent soil conditioner. It is also time to prune shrubs, trees and rose bushes which prepares plants to bloom and grow for next spring. It is about protecting your plants from the changes in the weather, cleaning up from the summer’s reward and winterizing gardening tools to ensure that they stay in good working condition. In winter, it is obvious that the cold temperature makes it very difficult to maintain and grow plants and flowers. But, this is not impossible if you prepare ahead of time during the previous seasons. With the first fall of temperature, it is necessary to begin the pruning of plants and new plantations have to be done before cold winter arrives.
Garden of Dreams, Kehsar Mahal, Kathmandu

Plants and flowers for winter gardens
1. Foxglove flourishes in shade. Grow foxglove plant in partial shade in well-drained, acidic soil, rich in humus.
2. Snapdragon (baghmukhe) needs rich, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Grow it in full sun.
3. Nasturtium has showy, often intensely bright flowers and rounded leaves. Grow it in full sun to partial shade.
4. Pansy (putali phool) is one of the most popular and recognizable cool weather annuals. Pansy tolerates a variety of soils. General-purpose fertilizer works well with it. Grow in partial shade.
Pumila Liliput (in my garden :))
5. Calendula (asarfi) is commonly called “Pot Marigold”. It blooms throughout the season. Grow in full sun or partial shade.
6. Sweet Alyssum flourishes in loamy, well-drained soil. It requires very little attention. Grow in full sun to partial sun.
7. English Ivy needs well-drained soil. It can act as ground cover and also can climb heights. Grow in part shade to full shade.
8. Weeping Winter Jasmine (jaii) is a fast grower. It tolerates almost any well-drained soil and suffers no serious disease or insect pests. Grow it in sun or shade, but it flowers more heavily in sun.
9. Bulbs are also good for winter gardening. Among the most popular of winter-flowering bulbs are Daffodil, Crocus, Hyacinth and Tulip.
Bougainvillaea

Tools and their uses in gardening
Sickle (hasiya)—it is used for many purposes. In gardening, it is used to cut grasses, branches, etc.
Pruning saw (karauti)—very useful for removing branches which are too thick for secateurs or loppers and when working in confined spaces.
Rakes (chande)—a leaf rake is the most effective tool for clearing up a heavy drop of leaves.
Hoe (khurpi, kuto)—hoes are tools used to create furrows in the garden for planting; to break up hard, clumpy soil; and remove weeds. Hoes come in many different sizes and weights; they also come in a wide variety of blade shapes.
Grass shear (kainchi)—grass shears are used to prune and give shape to shrubs.
Lawnmower—lawn mower is used to trim lawn grass. Secateurs (Pruner) (kainchi)—secateurs are used to spruce roses, shrubs, etc. for a cleaner cut with less crushing of the stem.
Leaves collector (doko)—this can be of bamboo or plastic and is used to carry dried leaves.
Watering can (jhari)—watering cans in metal and plastics are available in the market. Their purpose is to water plants.

How to take care of gardening tools
1. Remove soil from tools after use.
2. Never store tools wet. Make sure they are dried completely before storing to prevent rusting and wood handle rot.
3. After use, wipe the metal parts of pruners, shears and saw with oil.
4. During the offseason, sharpen your tools. You can use a whetstone for sharpening cutting tools. Also, a file can be used to remove nicks and smoothen the edges of your tools.

Things to do in the garden in winter
1. Pull up all weeds and dried leaves and begin a compost bin. Composting enables you to recycle garden debris and provides excellent soil conditioners for the next planting season.
2. Cut back dry stems, remove diseased leaves from evergreen plants and discard them into the trash. Do not use diseased leaves for composting; it may transfer the disease to plants. Prune roses and remove stems that cross each other.
3. Shape other bushes and trees into desirable shapes to ensure blooming next spring. Cut off all dead wood from vines, trees, bamboo and shrubs. Check support for vines and strengthen them.
4. A brick-paved path on the lawn adds charm and ambience to the home garden. Be sure to scrub green algae off the bricks. And, keep the edges weed-free and clean.
5. Aerate your soil well, pull weeds and improve your soil texture. Add organic matter such as leaf mould or compost to your soil. Adding ash from firewood is an excellent way to provide nutrients to your garden soil.
6. Clean your garden tools. Be sure to sharpen the edges, and oil the necessary parts of the tools. If you keep your tools in good condition, your work in the spring will be easier. Make sure blades are wiped off and clean before storing them in a dry place.
Happy gardening and may you and your family enjoy long leisurely sun-soaked days in your thriving winter garden!

originally published on healthy life