Nepal in Six Syllables (December, ’17) (Part III)

Mustang “Padme” As I alighted the bus from Pokhara to Jomsom, the first thing that struck me was the darkness. It was way beyond sunset, the valley was enveloped by a looming silence and the wait for the next day’s sunrise. The village smelled of leafless trees, dust, and isolation. The conductor handed me my rucksack,…

Nepal in Six Syllables (December, ’17) (Part II)

So, what do these flags signify to a generation for whom the musical and aesthetic value overpowers and somewhat overlaps its intrinsic or acquired spiritual and religious value? During my travels in North India and Nepal, my sub-conscious, with the conscious overwhelmed by the unpredictability, vibrancy and unexpected encounters of the places and the people…

Nepal in Six Syllables (December, ’17) (Part I)

What does the flag of five colours, fluttering on monasteries, on rooftops of houses, on windows, in bullet motorbikes headed to the Himalayas mean to you? The green, yellow, blue, white, and red of the soft silk fabric of these flags sold and bought, ever so enthusiastically, are almost always for “aesthetic” purposes. Looking for…