Tour Guide, Kathmandu, Nepal
| 3 mins read
Having born and grew up in the mountain, I always have a very special affinity with my mountains, villages, valleys and rivers... The freshness of the air, lush green forests, houses with beautiful unique local architecture engraved all over the terraces across the terrain slopes, super hospitable people with smiling faces .... all are the ingredients that make Nepal's mountains spectacular and lovable. My heart always longed to be in the mountain and I used every single excuse to escape from Kathmandu ... to be with my hills, with my people; my spirit always lifted up and experienced boundless happiness.
Sadly, my visit to the village in 25th of April 2015 turned out to be a very different, strange and sad experience. The mountains are still there, standing tall as always, but they all look scary, and not so nice anymore. Looking at the destruction in the villages, I realized it was not only the green forest that made our mountain beautiful, it was not only the snow crown that made the Himalayas spectacular, it was not the rivers and valleys that made my country picturesque. It was also the people who made these hills beautiful!
When these people are sunk into tears, the mountains are in tears too. What used to be a cluster of beautiful houses in the terraces now looks bombed and abandoned... the whole village is in a state of numbness. Broken home, broken hearts.. broken mountains.
Thousands of people lost lives across the country in less then a minute and injured over that numbers. One man grieving in one corner of the broken home in memory of his loved wife, another mother mourning by the end of a terrace for her infant, another lost ralative, another lost friend... every single house got flattened in less than aminute...!
I myself fell down and injured the back, no idea how much damage... but barely able to crael. I had no idea how to manage the situation, and was taken to the hospital. Helicopter rescue was overwhelming, and not available. Road access was blocked by falling rocks and landslide caused by earthquake. I spent more than a month in the village with injury, crawling from one village to another one nearby. Shared deep sorrow with villagers, trying best as possible to comfort them which they might live with for rest of their lives. I found myself so helpless, and terribly distressed. I came back to Kathmandu with a broken heart! And went to the hospital for MRI test. The reports appear terrifying. It's already too late for spinal cord operation. I have decided to live with the pain. No problem, I have my life still and I can see the world more... Life is beautiful and precious.
4th October 2015. 11:20 am