Saani hails a taxi, " Dai Thamel Jane ho?" The driver nods, Saani gets in. It's friday evening, the traffic in kathmandu is heavy. The taxi stops every other five minutes and every time the taxi stopped, the driver stared at Sanni through front mirror. Saani pretends not to notice and looks away from window. The guy on a moterbike next to their taxi, winks at her and pouts his lips to fly a kiss. She then looks away on the other side of the road, where a cow is trying to make it's way through the traffic. The taxi driver turns the FM and the song " chalecha batas sustari manai sarara... baros chaina jindai ko bachau hasera" is on. Saani smiles to the song. Kathmandu is getting ready to rest, the shopkeepers are closing down the stores, childrens are going back inside their homes, mothers are preparing dinner, fathers are coming back from work, girls saani's age are in their room reading, doing their homework or else watching tv.
Saani asks the driver to pull the car over at Thamel gate. She walks through the shining lights of Thamel .There are bunch of tourists looking excited and and some lost , a group of young college boys smoking infront of a pub, some rebellious teenagers in a circle laughing in front of a building with a big sign board that read " Thamel Dance Bar". Saani enters the building. She has been working here for the past six months. Her cousin Kanchan helped her find this job. Saani came to kathmandu after her father died in an ambush between Maoist and the Nepal Police. Her mother had died during her brother kancha's birth. Since they had nothing left in the village, they decided to move to Kathmandu. It was also because she didn't want her brother to join the Maoist and die like her father. She couldn't afford to lose the only family she had now.
Saani went to the dressing room, there were posters of bollywood actors and actress on the wall, there was a small mirror hung on the wall. Few beer bottles on the floor. Saani changed into a jeans short and a pink tube top that she and kanchan had bought at the HongKong Bazaar the other day. She wore her red lipstick, let her wavy hair down, put on her black block heels, Saani is ready to be served.
Bishnu saau pops his head through the door, yells at Saani to come out and get to work. Saani hurries to the stage that is at the corner of the room. There is a pole in the middle of the stage that Bishu sau had installed a week ago. He said it is going to be the new trend soon, Saani still does not know what that pole actually is for. Next to that pole, Bisnu sau had build a small bath tub that was installed inside the stage and above on the ceiling was the water sprinkler. Bisnu sau was proud of it. He called it shower dance. For the last two days, Bisnu sau encouraged the girls to wear see through sari and dance in that shower. Saani hated it but the customer seemed to enjoy it. They enjoyed as the water fell on Saani's sari and sticked it her body, give them the opportunity to imagine how she'd looked without it. Half of kathmandu struggle to get water whereas Thamel Dance Bar never runs out of it.
As saani walks on the stage, blue, green, purle, red lights flash from the side and above. The DJ plays a bollywood song. Saani does not understand Hindi but she knows her job is to move her body to the music. She smiles and looks through the room. In the front table next to the stage there is a group of five men, old enough to be Saani's dad. One of them stands up, throws money at Saani .. the others whistle and sends flying kisses. The music stops. It's time for other dancers to perform.
A group of young men walks in, Bishnu sau signals saani to escort them. Saani walks them to the middle table. The guys speak English. They must have come from abroad. One of them took cigratte out, Saani helped light it. As saani leaned forward to serve them with their order of drink, one of them came closer to her touched her belly, the other took out a cell phone and recorded video. Rest laughed and said "Youtube hai youtube." Saani doesnt know what they are talking about... but she knows that tomorrow is Kancha's tuition fee day and she has to make her customer's happy.
As nights pass, more customers come and go. It's almost dawn, saani is cleaning the dance floor. She changes back to her kurta, and walks out of the building. The cleaning ladies from the municipal office are sweeping the streets of Thamel (The dirts from yesterday). The milk vans are rushing to deliver. A man on a bicycle with bags of breads on both the handles and behind his seat crosses her way. Somewhere in the distance, the temple bells are ringing. Kathmandu is waking up. Saani's day just ended. She is tired, she hails a taxi, " Dai Tinchuli jane ho?" The driver nods, Saani gets in.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Omen
It's a breezy evening. A Young "Yak" herder, Kesang is singing one of the popular bollywood songs, while laying on the branch of a big tree and staring at the sky. Every few minute Kesang wakes up and looks over to make sure his Yaks are within his seight. They are grazing on a fine green grass and enjoying cool breeze. The bells on thier neck ringing each time they move their jaws to chew those grass. Kesang whistle at them in a very melodious tone. It looks as though the Yaks understand Kesang and starts to move closer to him. It's time for Kesang to get the Yaks home before Tigers and other evil spirits come to attack.
Most of the guys (Kesang's age) have gone to India to work. Most of them work as a labor,constructing roads and doing whaterver jobs they can get in India.It was the new trend in the village.Going abroad. They all returned to the village once a year and usually around New Year time, to spend time with family and that's how Kesang got his taste of Bollywood. His friends who returned from India sang all the popular Bollywood songs.
Kesang has always been a firm believer of god. Every time he looks up in the sky, he feels as though he is looking at this guard, at someone who protects him from everything, someone who protects his yaks from the evil spirits and the Tigers. For Kesang, his belief and his Yaks were the most important belongings he had.
One morning, as usual Kesang went to Milk his Yak. As he was walking to his herd's hut, a black cat crossed his path. (A bad omen). Being a believer and a superstitious person, he didn't know if he should continue to walk or just go back to his house. He decided he should just spit three times (spitting three times somehow "dismissed" the bad omen) and move one and so thats what he did. When he got to the the hut, unfortunately he finds one of his Yak dead. He doesn't understand why that happened. The Yak was just fine the night before. It must have been the evil spirit (in disguise of a cat) who ate the Yak.
Kesang goes to the witch doctor in the village for the cure of his fear. He wants to make sure the evil spirit does not come back again. The witch doctor gives him a piece of red thread and directs Kesang to tie it around the Yak's neck.
That afternoon, Kesang does not feel like going in the woods but his Yaks needs to be fed so he sends his younger brother, Rigzen to look after the herd.
Rigzen does not usually go out in the woods and for some weird reason, he dislikes the land where Kesangs goes to graze the Yaks. Today he decides to take the Yaks across river. Rigzen guides the Yaks through the woods and across the bridge, that basically was a two large logs set across the river. Rigzen wants to go to India next session with his friends. He does not like being a herder. He lets the Yaks enjoy the grass while he lays on the grass, and plans what kind of cloths he would buy when he goes to India. Maybe the leather jacket that Temba wore last when he returned would look good on him. Or maybe the Green hoodie that Tenzing had would look better. Both seem comfortable and styalish. The sun is warm, and while planning he falls asleep.
When he wakes up, it's almost dusk. He looks around, the yaks are out of his seights. He hurries and starts to whistle the way Kesang does, soon enough he hears the sound of Yak's bell. The yaks walkes towards him and off they go home. Kesang had always told Rigzen to let the Yaks cross the river first but being a rebel in the family, Rigzen cares less who crosses the river first as long as all the Yaks and he gets home. Something bad happens that day.
Rigzen crosses the river first and while watching all the yaks to follow him, one of the Yaks slips over the log and falls in the river. Rigzen cannot swim and even if he did, it would not make any difference. The yak cries as the river carries it. Rigzen just watches until yak is out of his seight.
Kesang is devasted now. How can two of his Yaks die on the same day? What is this suppose to mean? What were his gods in the sky doing? How can this happen to him? . He is now worried the evil spirit is taking away each of his Yak one by one.
Kesang could not fall asleep. All sort of thoughts were touching his mind. He felt he needed to be with his Yak to protect them. So he took his blanket and went to sleep with this Yaks. The yak's hut was made from tree branches and hays. Kesang was cold. He lit a small fire to warm himself in the corner. He felt better being next to his Yaks. After a while, Kesang went back to his house to get some chang (liquor made from barley). He found a shoe turned upside down at the door. (again a bad omen) The same feeling rushed in his heart when he had seen the cat this morning. He tried to ignore the feeling and turned the slipper upside, spitted three times, went to get this chang.
When he came back, he could not believe his eyes. The yak's hut was on fire. He had left the fire burning. The blanket must have caught the fire and spread it.
He heard his Yak's cry. The fire got bigger and bigger. He ran inside his home and got bucket full of water. He did it again and again and each time he got back with more water... the fire was getting bigger.. until the hut just collapsed. He sat there shattered, watching part of him burn.
He sat there till the morning, trying to find answers for why this was happening? All of a sudden he realised, he was betrayed. Betrayed by his protector. He didn't know how to react or what to do... suddenly he got up, went to his home and came back with a gun. He pointed the gun at the sky and started to shoot. His faith was gone. He didn't know who he was shooting at but he felt someone up in the sky was responsible for his misfortune.
Most of the guys (Kesang's age) have gone to India to work. Most of them work as a labor,constructing roads and doing whaterver jobs they can get in India.It was the new trend in the village.Going abroad. They all returned to the village once a year and usually around New Year time, to spend time with family and that's how Kesang got his taste of Bollywood. His friends who returned from India sang all the popular Bollywood songs.
Kesang has always been a firm believer of god. Every time he looks up in the sky, he feels as though he is looking at this guard, at someone who protects him from everything, someone who protects his yaks from the evil spirits and the Tigers. For Kesang, his belief and his Yaks were the most important belongings he had.
One morning, as usual Kesang went to Milk his Yak. As he was walking to his herd's hut, a black cat crossed his path. (A bad omen). Being a believer and a superstitious person, he didn't know if he should continue to walk or just go back to his house. He decided he should just spit three times (spitting three times somehow "dismissed" the bad omen) and move one and so thats what he did. When he got to the the hut, unfortunately he finds one of his Yak dead. He doesn't understand why that happened. The Yak was just fine the night before. It must have been the evil spirit (in disguise of a cat) who ate the Yak.
Kesang goes to the witch doctor in the village for the cure of his fear. He wants to make sure the evil spirit does not come back again. The witch doctor gives him a piece of red thread and directs Kesang to tie it around the Yak's neck.
That afternoon, Kesang does not feel like going in the woods but his Yaks needs to be fed so he sends his younger brother, Rigzen to look after the herd.
Rigzen does not usually go out in the woods and for some weird reason, he dislikes the land where Kesangs goes to graze the Yaks. Today he decides to take the Yaks across river. Rigzen guides the Yaks through the woods and across the bridge, that basically was a two large logs set across the river. Rigzen wants to go to India next session with his friends. He does not like being a herder. He lets the Yaks enjoy the grass while he lays on the grass, and plans what kind of cloths he would buy when he goes to India. Maybe the leather jacket that Temba wore last when he returned would look good on him. Or maybe the Green hoodie that Tenzing had would look better. Both seem comfortable and styalish. The sun is warm, and while planning he falls asleep.
When he wakes up, it's almost dusk. He looks around, the yaks are out of his seights. He hurries and starts to whistle the way Kesang does, soon enough he hears the sound of Yak's bell. The yaks walkes towards him and off they go home. Kesang had always told Rigzen to let the Yaks cross the river first but being a rebel in the family, Rigzen cares less who crosses the river first as long as all the Yaks and he gets home. Something bad happens that day.
Rigzen crosses the river first and while watching all the yaks to follow him, one of the Yaks slips over the log and falls in the river. Rigzen cannot swim and even if he did, it would not make any difference. The yak cries as the river carries it. Rigzen just watches until yak is out of his seight.
Kesang is devasted now. How can two of his Yaks die on the same day? What is this suppose to mean? What were his gods in the sky doing? How can this happen to him? . He is now worried the evil spirit is taking away each of his Yak one by one.
Kesang could not fall asleep. All sort of thoughts were touching his mind. He felt he needed to be with his Yak to protect them. So he took his blanket and went to sleep with this Yaks. The yak's hut was made from tree branches and hays. Kesang was cold. He lit a small fire to warm himself in the corner. He felt better being next to his Yaks. After a while, Kesang went back to his house to get some chang (liquor made from barley). He found a shoe turned upside down at the door. (again a bad omen) The same feeling rushed in his heart when he had seen the cat this morning. He tried to ignore the feeling and turned the slipper upside, spitted three times, went to get this chang.
When he came back, he could not believe his eyes. The yak's hut was on fire. He had left the fire burning. The blanket must have caught the fire and spread it.
He heard his Yak's cry. The fire got bigger and bigger. He ran inside his home and got bucket full of water. He did it again and again and each time he got back with more water... the fire was getting bigger.. until the hut just collapsed. He sat there shattered, watching part of him burn.
He sat there till the morning, trying to find answers for why this was happening? All of a sudden he realised, he was betrayed. Betrayed by his protector. He didn't know how to react or what to do... suddenly he got up, went to his home and came back with a gun. He pointed the gun at the sky and started to shoot. His faith was gone. He didn't know who he was shooting at but he felt someone up in the sky was responsible for his misfortune.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)