BRAILLE BOOK FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN

 

BRAILLE BOOK FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN

 The book will be distributed free of cost to blind children in dependent schools.

बालिका छँदाको अनुभूति : सरिता अर्याल | The experience of being a girl

please click here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGSeWheiNg0

 

दृष्टिविहीन बालबालिकासँग बालसाहित्य प्रतिष्ठान नेपाल

 

पुष्पसदन स्कुलका आलोक

गोविन्दबहादुर मल्ल गोठालेको जीवनी

Respected Author Ms. Nilima Sinha says

 

 AWIC/ IBBY- India's President Respected Author Ms. Nilima Sinha says about her writing journey and AWIC (President at Association of Writers and Illustrators for children- AWIC)  

हार्दिक आभार

                                     ३ वर्ष अगाडिको सम्झना 

ममतामयी आमा देवनायकी रामानुजदासीको स्मृतिमा

 

आदरणीय साहित्यकार विश्वेश्वरप्रसाद कोइरालाको जीवनी

 

जमुनीको छोरो म : रामबाबु सुवेदी

 

बालदिवसको उपहार : लेखक कार्तिकेय | कथावाचक सरिता अर्याल

CONGRATULATIONS

Respected Mr. Mingzhou Zhang

We would like to heartily congratulate you on being elected to the post of President at IBBY for the second time. We would like to wish you good luck for your successful journey ahead.

President

Children’s Literature Foundation (CLFN)

CLFN's Monthly Book Review Award- September 2020

 Lets read and review Nepali Children's Literature and win prizes

                 -CONGRATULATIONS-

Author Mr. Arun Nadi Khatri

''CLFN's Monthly Book Review Award (September 2020)'' 

आदरणीय लेखक विजय चालिसे लिखित कृति 'विजय चालिसेका बालकथाहरु’ कृतिको उत्कृष्ट समीक्षा गर्नुभएकाले लेखक अरुण नदी खत्री लाई 'नेपाली बालसाहित्य पढौँ र समीक्षा गरौँ अनि पुरस्कार जितौँ मासिक कार्यक्रम’ अन्तर्गत् भदौ महिनाका लागि पुरस्कृत गरिएको छ ।

                                   - बालसाहित्य प्रतिष्ठान नेपाल

बालदिवसको उपहार

 

(बालकथा)

- कार्तिकेय

“म पनि जाने ! हजुरआमासँग मिठो पापा छ ।”

सानो बाबु राजु रुँदै करायो । 

गुरुआमाले ट्वाल्ल पर्दै गुरुबालाई हेरिन् ।

“हुन्न हुन्न ! यस्तो बेला मनले होइन बुद्धिले काम गर्नुपर्छ बुढी । त्यहाँ आमा बाको घर वरिपरि १० जना कोरोना रोगी भेटिइसके रे । फेरि यो त्यहाँ गएपछि हजुरबालाई लिएर गाउँ घुम्न र त्यहाँका केटाकेटीसँग खेल्न जान्छ । भो भो आज नलैजाऊ !” गुरुबाले थचक्क गुन्द्रीमा बस्दै भने ।

राजु हिक्कहिक्क गर्दै बेस्सरी रोयो । गुरुआमाले उसलाई गम्लङ्ग अँगालो मारिन् । आमाको अँगालोमा बाँधिएपछि राजुको रुवाई विस्तारै कम हुँदै गयो ।

“म मेरो सानो बाबुलाई छोडेर कतै जान्न ।” गुरुआमाले उसलाई माया गर्दै भनिन् । यसो भन्दै गर्दा उनको आँखा आँसुले टम्म भरियो । सारीको सप्कोले आँसु पुछ्दै उनी छोरोलाई हेर्दै सोच्न थालिन्,

“यो केटो हजुरबुवा हजुरआमा भनेपछि हिरिक्कै गर्छ । सानो ४ वर्ष पुगेदेखि नै भो अब म तिमीलाई बोक्न सक्दिन । हजुरआमा घर नजाने भनेकी थिएँ ! तर त्यति सानो बच्चो यति लामो बाटो आउँछ र जाने गर्छ भन्दा छिमेकीहरु छक्क पर्थे । कहिलेकाहीं त म आफैँ पनि छक्क पर्थेँ । म विद्यालयमा पढाउन छिर्ने बेला बुवाले आएर लैजानुहुन्थ्यो । ऊ दिनभरि हजुरबुवा र हजुरआमासँग खेल्थ्यो । बेलुका फर्केर आएपछि जब ऊ सुत्थ्यो । अनि म उसका नरम खुट्टा हेरेर आफैँ टोलाउँथेँ । आँखा रसाउँथ्यो । अनि ती साना गोडामा तेल लगाइदिन्थेँ । तर समय नि कस्तो आयो ? हिँड छोरा म बोकेरै लान्छु भन्ने शक्ति पनि ममा छैन ! ऊलाई त के छ जाऊँ भन्यो भने बतोडले कुदेरै मामाघर पुग्न खोज्छ । अब त ७ वर्षको भइसक्यो । सानोदेखि दौडिएको बाटो भएर होला । अब यो २ घन्टाको हिँडाई पनि उसलाई केही लाग्नै छोडिसक्यो । तर, यस्तो बेला मलाई ... ?” गुरुआमा एक्लै बडबडाइन् ।

उनले अकस्मात् सम्झिन्, “ओहो, आज त हामी समुदायको कोटा शिक्षकलाई तलब लिन बोलाएका छन् । यस्तो महामारीको बेला भनेको बेला गएन भने फेरि कहिले पाइने हो ठेगान छैन । घरमा नि खर्चको निकै खाचो छ । निजी विद्यालयमा पढाउने गुरुबाले पनि तलब नपाएको आधा वर्ष नि पुगिसक्यो ।”

गुरुआमा मनमनै आफैँसग कुरा गर्दै ओछ्यानबाट विस्तारै उठिन् । छोरोलाई सानो ओढ्ने ओढाइदिइन् । छोरो फुसफुस सुतिरहेको थियो ।

“गुरुबा अब यो सुत्यो । साँझ मात्र ब्युझिन्छ होला । म विद्यालय गएर बजारसम्म पुगेर आउँछु है ! ब्युँझियो भने यसो पाठो देखाउँदै घुमाउनुहोला ।” गुरुआमाले दुःखी स्वरमा भनिन् ।

“भो दुःखी नहोऊ गुरुआमा ! सब ठिक हुन्छ । विस्तारै केटोलाई म घरमै रमाउने बानी पार्छु । ढुक्क भएर जाऊ । सकभर छिट्टै आउनू नि है !” गुरुबाले आफ्नी प्यारी बुढी (गुरुआमा) को पिठ्युँ थपथपाउँदै भने ।

त्यसपछि गुरुआमा फिस्स हाँसिन् । अनि फटाफट बाटो लागिन् । विद्यालय पुग्न छिटोछिटो गर्दा नि दुई घन्टा हिँड्नुपथ्र्यो । उकाली, ओराली गर्दै क्यानखोला तरेपछि बल्लतल्ल विद्यालय पुगिन्थ्यो । विद्यालयबाट केही पर उनको माइती घर थियो ।

गुरुआमा एकसुरमा सकभर छिटो हिँड्दै थिइन् । कान्लामाथिबाट काइँला दाइ अकस्मात् कराए – “मास्टरनी नानी, अलि होस गर्दै जानू है । तल खोल्सामा बाघ छ रे । केटाकेटीहरु हल्लीखल्ली गर्दैछन् ।”

गुरुआमा टक्क अडिइन् । उनको मुटुको चाल बढ्यो ।

“होइन, आज त म विद्यालय पुग्नैपर्छ ।” उनले मनमनै अठोट गरिन् । अनि फटाफट बाटो लागिन् । अलिपर पुगेपछि एक हुल केटाकेटी दौडिँदै आए ।

“के भयो ? किन कुँदेका तिमेरु ?” गुरुआमाले सोधिन् ।

“पर खोल्सामा बाघ छ बाघ !” साहिला काकाकी छोरी रीताले स्वाँ स्वाँ गर्दै भनी ।

“अनि कता गयो त ?” गुरुआमाले उत्सुक हुँदै सोधिन् ।

“एकछिन अघिसम्म त्यही थियो । तर अहिले कता हरायो कता ।” रीताले डराउँदै भनी ।

“लौ तिमीहरु घर गएर बस ! छिटो जाओ ।” गुरुआमाले भनिन् ।

“गुरुआमा, तपाईं चाहिँ त्यतै जाने र ?” अर्जुनले सोध्यो । ऊ गुरुआमाको विद्यार्थी थियो । ७ कक्षामा एक वर्ष पढाएकी थिइन् ।

“आज मैले जानैपर्छ बाबु !” गुरुआमाले दृढ स्वरमा भनिन् ।

केटाकेटीहरु गुरुआमा जानुभएको हेरेर एकछिन टोलाए । अनि  घरतिर दौडिए । 

गुरुआमा सकभर छिटो बाटो लाग्दै थिइन् । केटाकेटीले भनेको खोल्सो आउन थालेपछि उनी अलि चनाखो भइन्, डराइन । मुटु छिटोछिटो धड्कन थाल्यो । उनले यसो चियाएर तलतिर खोल्सोमा हेरिन् । आम्मै, बाघको टिलिक्क टल्किएको शरीरको पछाडिको भाग देखियो । ओहो, बाघ त शिकार खानमा मस्त थियो । गुरुआमाले बाघले के खाएको हो भन्ने कुरा नजिक गएर हेर्न सकिनन् । उनी फटाफट हिँडिन् । र, जति सक्यो छिटो गरेर विद्यालय पुगिन् ।

हस्याङफस्याङ गर्दै विद्यालय आइपुगेकी सम्झना गुरुआमालाई हेर्दै लेखापाल गुरुले हाँस्दै सोधे – “होइन, सय मिटरको दौड जितेर आइयो कि क्या हो ?”

“आज बाटामा बाघ भेटियो । शिकार खाँदै थियो !” गुरुआमाले असिनपसिन हुँदै भनिन् ।

“आम्मै ! हो र भन्या ? लौ एकछिन आराम गर्नुस् ! मुख पनि धुनुस् ।” लेखापाल गुरुले भने ।

एकछिन आराम गरेपछि गुरुआमाको डर कम भयो ।

“ज्यानै माया मारेर पढाउन आउनुभएको छ हाम्री गुरुआमा !” लेखापाल गुरुले पैसा बुझेर दस्तखत गर्दै गरेकी गुरुआमालाई हेर्दै भने ।

“यसपालि मासिक तलबको आधा रकम मात्र दिन सकेका छौँ है !” पैसा गन्दै गरेकी सम्झना गुरुआमालाई हेर्दै लेखापाल गुरुले सानो स्वरमा भने ।

गुरुआमाले खुइया गर्दै भनिन् – “ठिकै छ, समुदायको कोटाको शिक्षिका भएपछि यस्तै हो । धन्य ! तिन महिनाको रहेछ र नुन तेल चाहिँ किन्न पुग्ने भो !”

 पैसा लिएपछि गुरुआमा बिदा भएर हरिवन बजारतिर लागिन् । उनले बजार पुगेर नुनतेल किनिन् । घर फर्कने बेलामा शशी इन्टरप्राइजेज पसल आयो । पसल अगाडि एउटी आमा र बच्चा बात मार्दै गरेका थिए । उनले एकछिन रोकिएर हेरिन् । आफ्नो छोरालाई झलझली सम्झिन् ।

“बालदिवस नि आयो । त्यो केटोलाई केही उपहार लगिदिनु परो ! के लगिदिऊ होला ?” गुरुआमाले पसल अगाडि उभिएर सामान हेर्दै सोचिन् ।

“दिदी, केही चाहिने हो भने भनिहाल्नुस् है । लकडाउनले पसल खोलेको छैन । म त सामान छुटेर लिन आएको मात्र हुँ ।” पसलका मालिकले भने ।

एकछिन विचार गरेर गुरुआमाले छोरा र बुवाआमाका लागि उपहार किनिन् । अनि पोको बोकेर फटाफट बाटो लागिन् ।

बाटामा मानिसहरु चौतारीमा थकाइ मारिहरेका थिए । तर, त्यो दिन अरु बेलाको जस्तो भिड थिएन । हरिवन बजारमा पनि फाट्टफुट्ट मान्छे हिँडेका देखिन्थे । औषधी र किराना पसलहरु मात्र खुलेका थिए ।

“नमस्ते, गुरुआमा !” राजेशले नमस्कार गर्दै भन्यो ।

आफूले कक्षा ९ मा पढाएको विद्यार्थी युवा भइसकेको देखेर गुरुआमाले एकछिन छक्क परेर हेर्दै भनिन् – “नमस्ते ! अहिले के गर्दैछौ बाबु ?”

“गाडी र मोटर बनाउन सिक्ने विषय पढ्दैछु गुरुआमा !” राजेशले खुसी हुँदै भन्यो ।

 “लौ त बाबु, टाढा पुग्नु छ, म लागे है भन्दै गुरुआमा बाटो लागिन् । राजेश पनि नमस्ते गरेर आफ्नो घरभित्र छिर्यो ।

त्यो दिन बाटामा पनि त्यति धेरै मान्छेहरु थिएनन् । बाटो खाली थियो । गुरुआमा यताउति नहेर्दै सकभर छिटो अगाडि बढ्दै थिइन् ।

 “ऐ दिदी ! कफ्र्यु लागेको दिन पनि कता हिँडिरहेको हँ ?” परबाट एउटा प्रहरी कराउँदै दौडिएर आयो ।

नजिक आइपुगेपछि त्यो प्रहरीले नमस्ते ! गुरुआमा भन्दै दुई हात जोडेर नमस्ते ग र्यो ।

 “चिन्नुभयो मिस ? म सन्तबहादुर !” प्रहरीले भन्यो ।

“ऐ सन्त ! तिमी प्रहरी भइसक्यौ बाबु ? माफ गर है बाबु ! मैले त हतारमा  कफ्र्युको कुरा नै भुसुक्कै बिर्सेछु ।” गुरुआमाले भनिन् ।

“होइन ठिक छ गुरुआमा ! मान्छेले रोग नसारुन् भनेर मात्र हो ! मलाई क्षमा गर्नु है गुरुआमा ! मैले नचिनेर कराएँ ।” सन्तबहादुले नम्र स्वरमा भन्यो ।

“होइन बाबु, ठिक छ ! त्यो तिम्रो काम गरेका हौ नि !” गुरुआमाले भनिन् ।

छुट्टिने बेलामा सन्तले गुरुआमालई दुई हात जोडेर नमस्ते ग र्यो ।

“तिम्रो भलो होस् बाबु !” गुरुआमाले आशीर्वाद दिँदै भनिन् ।

छिटोछिटो हिँड्दै गरेकी गुरुआमाको मनमा रोइरहेको छोराको याद आयो ।

“केटो उठ्यो कि ? रुँदै पो छ कि ?” यही कुरा सोच्दै गुरुआमा सकेसम्म छिटो हिँडिन् ।

माइती घर पुगेर बुवाआमालाई भेटेपछि गुरुआमा खुसी भइन् । एकछिन आराम गरेर एक लोटा पानी खाइन् । उनले सबै कुरा सम्झाउँदै बुवालाई एउटा प्याकेट दिइन् । नाति विरामी भएको खबरले बुढाबुढी हजुरबुवा र हजुरआमा दुःखी भए ।

“नानी यो तँ नि लगा र नाति र ज्वाइँलाई नि दिनू है ! बाहिर हिँड्दा यो लगाएर मात्र हिँडेस् छोरी !” आमाले ३ वटा मास्क गुरुआमाको हातमा राखिदिइन् ।

गुरुआमाले मास्क हेर्दै भनिन् – “यहाँ पनि कोरोना आइसक्यो है आमा !”

“तेरो काकालाई नि भयो छोरी ! बैंकमा काम गर्ने बुहारीलाई सुरुमा भयो रे !” बुवाले दिक्क मान्दै भने ।

“अहिले त छरछिमेकमा नि आफ्नै घरमा बसौँ । कसैको घरमा पाहुना नजाऔँ ! भन्दै गाउँपालिकाले माइकमा भन्दै हिँडेको छ नानी !” आमाले दुःखी स्वरमा भनिन् ।

बुवाआमाको कुरा सुनेर गुरुआमालाई दुःख लाग्यो ।

“अब यो केही समयको लागि मात्र हो रे ! केही महिना घरभित्रै अनुशासनमा बसेपछि सब ठिक हुन्छ रे !” उनले बुवाआमातिर फर्किएर हाँस्दै भनिन् ।

पढेकी छोरीको कुरा सुनेर बुवाआमाको चाउरिएको गाला उज्यालो देखियो ।

“लौ बुवा म घर पुगेर सल्लाहा गरे अनुसार नै गर्छु नि है ! तपाईंले कुरा त बुझ्नुभयो नि ?” छुट्टिने बेलामा गुरुआमाले सोधिन् ।

“बुझेँ नानी बुझेँ !” बुवाले भने ।

“मैले नि बुझेँ नानी ! म नि सम्झाई हाल्छु नि । यो नाति केटोलाई दिनु है !” आमाले एउटा खानेकुराको बट्टा दिँदै भनिन् ।

त्यसपछि गुरुआमा हतारहतार घरतिर लागिन् । बाटाभरि उनको मनमा घरबाट हिँड्दा रोएर सुतेको छोराको सम्झना झलझली आइरह्यो । उकाली–ओराली विद्यालय, घर र बजार गर्दागर्दै ५ घन्टा बढी हिँडेको ज्यान फत्रक गलिसकेको थियो । त्यसमाथि साथमा नुन तेल र सामानको पोको पनि थियो । घर पुग्नै लाग्दा काकाले कान्लामाथिबाट बिहानको जसैगरी कराउँदै भने – “नानी ! आज खोल्सामा बाघले एउटा मृग मारेर खाएछ नि है !”

काकाको कुराले गुरुआमाले बिहान जाँदा शिकार खाँदै गरेको बाघ सम्झिइन् । छोरो भेट्ने हतारोले उनले त त्यो खोल्साको बाघ पनि बिर्सेकी रहिछिन् । उनी बल्ल झसङ्ग भइन् । उनी घर पुग्दा झमक्क साँझ परिसकेको थियो ।

“बाबु उठ्यो त गुरुबा ?” उनले पोको पिढिमा राख्दै सोधिन् ।

“उठेर निकैबेर रोयो । अनि बल्ल सुत्यो । केही गर्दा नि मानेन है आज त ! केटोलाई हनहनी ज्वरो आएको छ ! के गर्ने होला ?” गुरुबाले नियाउरो अनुहार लाएर भने ।

“होइन सब ठिक हुन्छ । आफूले जानेको केही न केही उपाय गर्नुपर्छ ।” गुरुआमाले आँसु झार्दै भनिन् ।

त्यसपछि गुरुआमाले बाहिरबाट आएको कपडा फेरिन् । हातमुख साबुन पानीले राम्ररी धोइन् । अनि उनी चिसो पानी र टालो बोकेर छोरा छेउमा गइन् ।

“तिमी यो उपायतिर लाग । म खाना बनाउँछु है !” छोरालाई पानी पट्टी लगाउँदै गरेकी बुढीलाई पुलुक्क हेर्दै गुरुबाले भने ।

“हस् हुन्छ । तरकारीमा सागको रस खाने है !” गुरुआमाले भनिन् ।

गुरुआमाको उपाय पानीपट्टी रहेछ भन्ने कुरा बुझेर गुरु बा भान्सामा गए । यता गुरुआमाले छोरालाई विस्तारै सुमसुम्याइन् । बच्चाको जिउ हनहनी तातेको थियो । निधारमा चिसो भएपछि छोराले पुलुक्क हे¥यो । आमालाई अगाडि देखेपछि ऊ आमासँग टाँसियो । अनि आमासँग अँगालो मारेर निदायो ।

भोलिपल्ट बिहान बच्चाको ज्वरो अलि कम भएको थियो । गुरुआमाले उता घरका बुवालाई सम्झाए जस्तै आफ्ना बुढा गुरुबालाई पनि सबै कुरा बेलुका नै सम्झाइसकेकी थिइन् ।

 हुन्छ, कोसिस गरौँ न त ! गुरुबाले आशा गर्दै भनेका थिए ।

“लौ लौ बाबु ! हजुरबा हजुरआमा आउनुभयो ।” गुरुबाले बेलुका गुरुआमाले भने अनुसार छोरो उठ्ने बित्तिकै कराउँदै भने ।

केटो छक्क प¥यो । खै कहाँ हुनुहुन्छ भन्दै ऊ आमा भएतिर दौडियो ।

गुरुआमा एउटा टेबुलमाथि हजुरबा र हजुरआमाको हाँसिरहेको फोटो राखेर खाटमा बसिरहेकी थिइन् । उनी छेउमा पुगेर त्यो सानो केटो राजुले पनि एकटकसँग हजुरबुवा हजुरआमालाई हे र्यो ।  

“खोई त हजुरबा आमा ?” राजुले सोध्यो ।

त्यसपछि गुरुआमाले एउटा सानो प्याकेट राजुको हातमा दिँदै भनिन् – “यो मेरो सानो छोरालाई बालदिवसको उपहार !”

राजुले बिस्तारै सानो बक्सा खोल्यो ।

“यो कसरी खेल्ने हो आमा ?” उसले सामान हेर्दै सोध्यो ।

त्यसपछि गुरुआमाले खेलौनामा भएका नम्बर थिचिन् । अनि उसको अगाडि राखिदिइन् ।

“को हो ? मेरो नाति राजुले फोन गरेको हो ?”

अचानक हजुरआमाको साँच्चैको आवाज सुनियो ।

राजुले एकपटक टेबुलमा राखिएको हजुरआमाको फोटोलाई हे¥यो । अनि फेरि त्यो खेलौनालाई हे र्यो ।

“के गर्दैछ मेरो सानो बाबु ?” हजुरआमाले पठाइदिएको पुस्टकारी खायो ।

हजुरआमाले सोधिन् ।

त्यसपछि बल्ल सानेले च्याप्प त्यो खेलौना आमाको हातबाट लियो । अनि हातमा बोकेर आमाले गरेजस्तै गरी बोल्दै भन्यो – “मैले मिठो पापा खाएँ आहा आमा ! ”

उताबाट हजुरबाको बोली पनि सुनियो – “मिठो पापा अर्को पनि देऊ त छोरी  सानेलाई ! ”

अनि बल्ल राजु खुसी हुँदै फोनमा बोल्न थाल्यो । त्यो दिन राजुले हजुरबुवा र हजुरआमासँग धेरैबेर मजाले कुरा ग¥यो । अनि ऊ टन्न दुध भात खाएर सुत्यो । उसको ज्वरो पनि धेरै कम भइसकेको थियो ।

त्यसपछि गुरुबाले आफ्नो धेरैअघि बिग्रेको मोबाइल फोनलाई दिक्क मानेर हेर्दै नयाँ फोनलाई लोभ गर्दै हेरे ।

 “यो तिमीलाई पनि हो बुढा ! यो उन्नाइस सयको फोनले आज अमूल्य काम ग र्यो ।”

गुरुआमाले खुसी हुँदै भनिन् ।

“त्यो त हो बुढी !” गुरुबाले मुसुक्क हाँस्दै भने ।

त्यसपछि सानो छोरोलाई दुईतिरबाट अँगालो मारेर गुरुबा र गुरुआमा मस्तसँग सुते ।

पोस्ट बक्स २५८५९, काठमाडौँ, नेपाल ।

चिडिमारको कथा

–   कार्तिकेय

“गे माई चिडिमार पकडगेल (ऐ आमा, चिडिमार समातियो ।)”

रामजनमले दौडिँदै आएर भन्यो ।

जानकीका कान ठाडा भए । उसले बाउले चिडिमारलाई बेचेको चरालाई झलझली सम्झी । 

 “कति राम्रो छ !” उसले मनमनै भनी ।

 “कहाँ छ भाइ कहाँ छ ? त्यलाई कहाँ राखेको छ ?” जानकीले उत्सुक हुँदै सोधी ।

“पुलिसको घरमा राखेको छ ! त्यहाँ बुवा पनि छ ।” रामजनमले आतिँदै भन्यो ।

त्यसपछि जानकी यताउति कतै नहेरी सीधै पुलिस चौकीतिर दौडी । 

बाटामा उसलाई हस्याङफस्याङ गर्दै दौडेको देखेर सबैले अचम्म मानेर हेरे । ऊ भने केही वास्ता नगरी चौकीमा पुगेर मात्र टक्क अडिई ।

उसले चनाखो भएर चरा कतातिर छ भनेर चारैतिर हेरी ।

“पुलिसले कुखुरालाई जस्तै चरालाई नि पकाएर खायो जस्तो छ !” उसले खिन्न भएर मनमनै भनी ।

एकछिनपछि “होइन हजुर होइन !” भन्दै कोही कराएको आवाज सुनियो ।

जानकी सुटुक्क झ्यालछेउमा गई । उसले चियाएर हेरी । चिडिमार कान समातेर प्रहरीको सामुन्ने उभिएको थियो । उसका बा अलि पछाडि अँध्यारो मुख लाएर बसेका थिए । पुलिसको हवल्दार पान चपाउँदै थियो । उसले हातमा कालो डन्डा बोकेको थियो । उसको टोपीमा टिलिक्क ब्याच टल्केको थियो ।

त्यो कोठामा जानकीले सबैथोक देखी । तर उसले त्यहाँ चरालाई भने देखिन । अँह चरा त्यहाँ थिएन ।

“होइन कहाँ राख्यो होला त्यो चिडिमारले चरा ? कतै पुलिसले आफ्नो छोरा अनुकलाललाई दिएर पो पठायो कि ? मेरा बाउले पनि त्यो चरा समातेर ल्याएको दिन मलाई बोक्न दिएको थियो ।” जानकीले आफैँसँग मनमनै कुरा गर्दै भनी । ऊ चरा समातेको दिनको कल्पनामा हराई :

“त्यो दिन म कति रमाएको थियो । मैले यसो हातले चराले छुन खोजेँ । उसले मलाई टोकुँला जस्तै गर्यो । अनि उसलाई मैले पिँजडाभित्र खानेकुरा हालिदिएँ । पानी पनि खान दिएँ । अनि बल्ल ऊ शान्त भयो । ऊ मलाई टवाल्ल परेर हेरिरहेको थियो । त्यो दिन उसलाई आफू सुत्ने खाट छेउमै राखेर म सुतेँ । भोलिपल्ट बिहान भएपछि बाबु काममा गए । त्यो दिनभरि म चरासँग खेलेर बसेँ । दिउँसो भँगेराहरु उडेर पिँजडा नजिक आए । चराले फटफटी पखेटा चाल्यो । पिँजडा भित्र यसो गर्दा उसको एउटा प्वाँख पनि चुँडिएर झर्यो । विचरा ! उसलाई कति दुख्यो होला ! कति उड्न मन लागेको होला ? मैले त्यो दिन यो कुरा धेरै  सोचेँ । ”

अचानक पछाडिबाट “चरा मिलगेल पुलिस दाजु ! (चरा भेटियो पुलिस दाइ)” भन्दै कोही कराएको  सुनियो ।

जानकीले झसङ्ग हुँदै यसो पछाडि फर्केर हेरी ।

“गे माई ! दारु चाचा पो रहेछ । (ऐ आमा दारु काका पो रहेछ) उसको हातमा पिँजडा र चरा !” जानकीले छक्क पर्दै सानो स्वरमा भनी ।

अनि ऊ चाचाको छेउमा पुगेर चरालाई हेर्न थाली ।

बल्ल कोठाबाट पुलिस, चिडिमार र जानकीका बाउ निस्किए ।

“कहाँ लुकाको रहेछ यो बदमासले ?” पुलिसले रिसाउँदै भन्यो ।

“हजुर नन्दनी भाउजूको पसलमा राखेको रहेछ । पचास टका दिएपछि बल्ल बोल्यो !” दारु चाचाले ङिच्च दाँत देखाउँदै भने ।

 “साला, हरामी ! झुटो बोल्छस् ! पुलिसले चिडिमारलाई एक लात हान्यो ।”

ऊ होइन हजुर, होइन भन्दै हात जोड्दै डराएर अलि पछाडि सर्यो । अब जानकीका बुवा प्रहरीको आँखामा परे । उसलाई पनि प्रहरीले गालामा चड्याम्म हिर्कायो ।

मालिक अब यस्तो गर्दैन मालिक भन्दै ऊ हात जोडेर रोयो ।

यो सबै दृश्य हेर्दाहेर्दै जानकीका गोडा थरथर कामे । उसले आँखा चिम्म गरेर सुटुक्क यो सबै कुरा हेरी । उसको एउटा आँखा चरामा र अर्को आँखा पुलिसमा थियो ।

“यो चरो समातेर बेच्न पाइँदैन भन्ने थाहा छैन ? बदमासहरु !” पुलिसका हाकिमले भने । उनी बल्ल चौकीमा आइपुगे ।

इन्सपेक्टर साब भन्दै प्रहरी हवल्दारले सलाम ठोके । दारु चाचाले पनि हजुर सर भन्दै नमस्कार गरे ।

“के भयो त हलदार साब यिनेरुको कुरा ?” इन्सपेक्टरले सोधे ।

हवल्दारले एकछिन इन्सपेक्टरसँग सल्लाहा गरे ।

“लौ अब चिडिमारसँग लिएको पैसा निकाल त बलदेव ।” हवल्दारले कराउँदै भने ।

जानकीका बा बलदेवले खल्तीबाट ५ सय निकाल्यो । पुलिसलाई पैसा फिर्ता दिँदा उसको हात थर्र   काम्यो ।

बाउले पुलिसलाई पैसा दिएपछि ‘आज साम भरपेट मिठो खाने छोरी’ (आज बेलुका भरपेट खाउँला छोरी) भनेर बाउले भनेको कुरा जानकीले झलझली सम्झी । उसको अनुहार नियाउरो भयो । फेरि उसले फटफट पखेटा चाल्दै पिँजडाबाट जान खोजेको चरालाई सम्झी । आफ्नो पखेटा नै खस्ने गरी उफ्रिएर उड्न खोजेको चराको सम्झनाले उसको मन गह्रौ भयो । मनमनै भनी – “यो चरालाई पुलिसले पिँजडामा थुनेर पाल्छ होला । होइन, होइन पुलिसले नि पारिबाट आएको अर्को चिडिमारलाई बेच्छ होला । बाले भनेको पारि यसको पाँच हजार आउँछ रे । अब के गर्छ होला पुलिसले ?”

“ऐ सानी केटी यता आइजे त ।” पुलिसले अकस्मात् बोलायो ।

जानकी निकै डराई । उसले मनमनै भनी – “उसले घरसम्म लगेर चरा छोडि दे भन्यो भने म के गर्ने होला ? राति पकाएर पो खाइदिने हो कि ? ”

“ऐ केटी किन ढिलो हँ ? छिटो आउनू भनेको सुनिनस् !” पुलिसले लौरो ठटाएर कराउँदै भन्यो ।

जानकी झसङ्ग भई । ऊ विस्तारै हिँडेर पुलिसको हाकिम छेउमा पुगी ।

“लु यो चरा बोकेर मेरो पछिपछि हिँड त अब !” पुलिसले कराउँदै भन्यो ।

जानकी पिँजडा बोकेर पछि लागी । ऊ सँगसँगै चिडिमार, उसका बाउ बलदेव, हवल्दार र पुलिसका हाकिम इन्सपेक्टर पनि हिँडे ।

बाटामा हिँड्दै जाँदा जानकीले यसो चरालाई हेरी । आम्मै, त्यो चराले उसलाई टुलुटुलु हेरिरहेको थियो । जानकीले उसलाई मायालु नजरले हेरी ।

“लौ यही ठाउँ ठिक छ । पिँजडालाई यही राखौँ !” पुलिसका हाकिमले भने ।

“पिँजडा यहाँ राखेर पछाडि बस त केटी !” हवल्दारले रुखो स्वरमा भन्यो ।

जानकीले ठुस्स परेर हाकिमतिर हेर्दै पिँजडालाई भुइँमा राखी ।

“आम्मै, पुलिसका हाकिमले कम्मरमा भिरेको सानो बन्दूक पो निकाले ! कतै चरा मार्न त होइन ?” जानकीले डराउँदै मनमनै भनी ।

एकछिनपछि हाकिमले आफ्नो बन्दूक र बेल्ट हवल्दारलाई बोक्न दियो । उसले वनको वरिपरि हेर्यो । त्यहाँ ठुलाठुला रुखहरु थिए । छेउमा सानो मन्दिर पनि थियो ।

”लौ ठिक छ ! यो चराका साथीहरु यतै उडिरहेका छन् जस्तो छ ।” पुलिसका हाकिमले भने ।

”अब के गर्ने त सर ?” हवल्दारले सोध्यो ।

 “ऐ नानी यता आऊ त !” इन्सपेक्टरले जानकीलाई बोलाए ।

जानकी डराई डराई हाकिमको नजिक गएर उभिई । उसको छेउमै पिँजडा थियो । चरो ट्वाल्ल परेर हेरिरहेको थियो ।

“लु अब यो चरोलाई पिँजडाबाट निकालेर उडाइदेऊ !” इन्सपेक्टरले भने ।

पुलिसका हाकिम इन्सपेक्टरको कुरा सुनेर जानकी दङ्ग परी । अघिसम्म फिटिक्कै मन नपरेको पुलिस पनि उसलाई मनपर्न थाल्यो । झन् हाकिम त उसलाई अझ बढी मनपर्यो ।

त्यसपछि जानकीले च्याप्प समातेर चरालाई पिँजडाबाट निकाली । अनि एकपल्ट दुःखी भएका बाउलाई हेरी । एक हप्ताभरि घरमा मिठो खाना नपाक्ने कुरा पनि सम्झी । तर ऊ दुःखी भइन । उसको हातको चरा पखेटा चलाउन हतारिएको थियो । उसले आफ्नो हात खुकुलो पारी । अनि ‘जा अपने माई के पास जा’ (जा आफ्नी आमा भएको ठाउँमा जा) भन्दै फुत्त चरालाई उडाइ दिई । चराले पर पुगेर फुत्त फर्केर हेर्यो । सायद उसले सबैजनालाई धन्यवाद भनेको हुनुपर्छ । त्यसपछि चरा मजाले भुर्र उडेर रुखमाथि  गयो ।

जानकी एकपटक फेरि बाउलाई हेरेर दुःखी भई । अनि फेरि रुखमा बसेको चरालाई हेरेर मुसुक्क हाँसी । छोरी खुसी भएकोमा उसको बाउ बलदेव पनि खुसी भयो ।

रुखमा बसेको चरा आफ्नो परिवारसँग रमाउँदै गरेको देखेर सबैजना खुसी भए । अनि रमाउँदै घर फर्किए ।

                     चिडिमार गाउँको भ्रमणका क्रममा लेखकले खिच्नुभएको बालिकाको तस्बिर ।

राष्ट्रिय बालदिवसका अवसरमा अनलाइन वक्तृत्वकला प्रतियोगिता

 काठमाडौ, भदौ ११

राष्ट्रकवि माधव घिमिरेज्यूमा हार्दिक श्रद्धान्जली अर्पण गर्दै राष्ट्रिय बालदिवस २०७७ का अवसरमा कार्तिकेय ट्रस्ट नेपालले अनलाइन वक्तृत्वकला प्रतियोगिता आयोजना गर्ने भएको ट्रस्टका अध्यक्ष मोहन कार्कीले प्रेस विज्ञप्ती मार्फत् जानकारी गराउनु भएको छ । हाम्रा ‘राष्ट्रकवि माधव घिमिरे’ विषयक यस प्रतियोगितामा भाग लिन ९ देखि १८ वर्षसम्मका बालबालिबालिकाहरुले आफ्नो वक्तृताको ५ मिनेट लामो भिडियो बनाएर इमेल पठाउनु पर्नेछ । 

नेपाली भाषामा तयार गरिएको भिडियोमा राष्ट्र, राष्ट्रियताको सवालमा नकारात्मक भाव हुनु नहुने र व्यक्तिगत रुपमा नकारात्मक टिप्पणी गर्न नपाइने आयोजक संस्थाका अध्यक्ष कार्कीले बताउनुभयो । देशभरिबाट प्राप्त भएका बालबालिकाका भिडियो मध्ये प्रतियोगीको उमेर र शैक्षिक तह अनुसारको मौलिक भाषा, तर्कपूर्ण शैली र प्रभावकारी वक्तृतालाई प्राथमिकतामा राखी मूल्यांकन गरिने विज्ञप्तीमा भनिएको छ ।

भदौ २५ गतेभित्र कार्तिकेय ट्रस्टको इमेल  kartikeyatrust1999@gmail.com मा भिडियो पठाइसक्नुपर्ने यस प्रतियोगितामा पहिलो, दोस्रो र तेस्रो पुरस्कार स्वरुप क्रमश  ५ हजार नगद र १ हजार ९ सय मूल्यका बालपुस्तकहरु गरी जम्मा रु. ६९००, ३ हजार नगद र १ हजार ३ सय मूल्यका बालपुस्तकहरु गरी जम्मा रु. ४३०० र २ हजार नगद र १ हजार ३ सय मूल्यका बालपुस्तकहरु गरी जम्मा रु. ३३०० प्रदान गरिने बताइएको छ । 

पुरस्कृत प्रतिभाहरुको प्रस्तुति र पुरस्कार वितरण जुमबाट गरिने यस कार्यक्रमको मिडिया पार्टनर केटाकेटी अनलाइन युट्युब च्यानल (डिजिटल बालपत्रिका) र बालसाहित्य प्रतिष्ठान नेपाल रहेका छन् ।

अध्यक्ष मोहन कार्की

Affordable books for Needy Children

This program is for poor children in the community. Children who cannot buy children's books will get a free children's story book. Our goal is to increase reading culture.

You participate in this campaign.

Become a donor in book printing and distribution by donating books on a relative's memory, birthday or any other auspicious occasion.

Under this program, we have published 13 types of books, including Braille books and sighted children books. 

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Our upcoming books. we request any interested donor for  

publish these books.

CLFN'S NEW BOOK 'BEADS OF JOY'

 Publisher’s Note

We are extremely glad to launch this book, which is simultaneously tans-generational and transnational. It is trans-generational because, this collection presents writers of various generations together. Senior and established writers like Geeta Keshary of Nepal, to debutants like Rama Adhikari have been accommodated in it, to suggest a variation of tastes, issues and styles. It showcases how mainstream Nepali children’s stories, along with the recent and contemporary additions echo a global call for variation and multiplicity, both in terms of form and content. 

The collection is transnational because it accommodates writers from Nepal and India, though the former outnumber the latter. This is indicative of two things. First, children everywhere share the same sentiment, same problem, same aspiration and the same dream, and are above the planes of nationalism, border, frontier and all sorts of chauvinism and differences. Second, this book is an example of the type of collaboration Children’s Literature Foundation Nepal (CLFN) seeks to undertake in future: bringing writers from various nations, and anthologizing together. 

We are hopeful that rendering and compiling these stories into English shall pave a way for Indian authors to get them translated into different Indian languages and disseminate them across the vast territorial expanse of India, and reach out to a high number of readers. We are already in negotiation with some interested Indian publishers, and hopefully, the idea will become a reality soon.

We thank the authors, both Nepalese and Indians for allowing us to compile, translate and edit their works and finally for allowing us to publish this work. We thank editor Mahesh Paudyal for her incredible efforts, and illustrator Palpasa Manandhar for his wonderful illustrations. More books of such quality and better range shall keep coming from CLFN in the days to come.

Kartikeya Ghimire

President, CLFN

He Stopped Bringing Balloons

CHILDREN'S STORY BY - Basushree Pandey,  Translated by Mahesh Paudyal

Children! You must have seen big, inflated balloons kept for sale in the market. You must also have requested your parents to buy them, and kept at home. At some homes, during children’s birthdays, they make bunches of inflated balloons, and hang them together.

It is so pleasing to see air being blown into a balloon. But once it blasts, the rubber pieces can bring a lot of harm. We should immediately throw them away. If, by any means, a fragment gets into your gullet and gets struck, it can even bring death. Some children often take up pieces of broken balloon, pull inward with their tongues and make a small ball-like bulb, and play rubbing it on palms or on foreheads.

My husband also loves to play with balloons. He has not abandoned his childhood interest even today. Every year, when Dashain festival comes, he buys several packets of balloons, and keeps them in his cupboard. Any child that happens to be with him when he opens the cupboard, gets an inflated balloon for sure.

It was the full moon day of Holi festival. People in our neighborhood were celebrating the festival at one of our relatives’ with full pomp, throwing color and lolas—balloons filled with water—at one other. The family had a nine-month old baby too. He could hardly crawl. Laying the baby in the cradle in one corner of the room, the parents walked up to the top of the house to enjoy Holi . After enjoying for a long time, they came downstairs to see if their child had woken up.

The child was not in the place they had placed him. He was near the door, lying unconscious. Alarmed, the parents rushed the child to the hospital. The doctor examined his chest, stomach and everything, but it was of no use. Later, when he examined the throat, he found a piece of balloon stuck in it. If they had immediately noticed, the child could have been saved. But since it was too late, the child died.

The following day too, there was a news that another child had died, swallowing a balloon. I remember, in our village too, an eight year old child had died for the same reason, some years ago. When my husband heard all these things, he stopped brining balloons.

Charumati and Her Secret

Children's Story by Sushila Deoja, Translated by Mahesh Paudyal 

Author Sushila Deoja

“It’s wonderful; really wonderful. It’s going to be great fun, my dear friends,” said Charumati, who was busy talking on the phone.

“What’s wrong with Charu today? Who is it she is talking to, making such a big noise even on Saturday? She has spoilt my sleep,” said her mother, complaining with her father.

“Leave her. Maybe it’s one of her friends. She is a sixth grader now. While at home, she gets my mobile phone to play with. Why grumble, if she is talking to her friends?” said her father, wiping his face.

“Why such commotion since so early in the morning? Others’ children slumber till 10 o’clock on Saturdays. But ours starts hollering even before sunrise, and disturbs.”

Grumbling, the mother came out on the balcony. The father also sat nearby, pulling a chair.

“Listen to me. We must do it secretly, without letting anyone know,” said Charumati secretly on the phone kept underneath their ladder, and placed the receiver back.

Her father and mother gazed at each other in a state of doubt and fear.

“I don’t think Charumati is up to anything good. She looks like an upstart. Shall I slap her once and ask what it is?” said her mother with red eyes, fuming with anger.

“Oh no! Do not show the manners of a head-teacher at home. Instead, let’s feign that we heard nothing she said. I shall spy on her,” said the father, requesting his wife to stay quiet.

 “Fine; start spying on your own daughter. What a disturbance has come about even on a Saturday!” said the mother, muttering.

“Daddy, please give me five-hundred rupees as loan. I will return when I have enough saving in my piggy bag,” said Charumati, imploring.

“Why do you need money early in the morning?” her father asked. 

“Daddy, I urgently need it today. Please lend me that as loan without asking why,” said Charumati, holding her father’s hands tightly, and making a request.

Her father was at a loss. Finding himself in dilemma, he turned towards his wife.  

 “It’s needless. Why should you give her money so early in the morning? It’s the time of Corona pandemic. It’s terrifying to enter restaurants and eat anything there,” said the mother, annoyed.

Translator Mahesh Paudyal

Charumati was unhappy hearing her mother speak. She almost seemed crying, her eyes red with annoyance. The father realized that he had been trapped between the affairs of his wife and daughter. Deciding that he would spy on his daughter this time, he took out a five-hundred rupee note from his purse and gave it over to his daughter.

Charu was delighted. She hurriedly wore a new dress and walked out of home.

“Daughter, shall I take you on my scooter?” her father asked.

“You don’t need to, Daddy. I shall be back in twenty minutes. I shall walk,” Charumati said.

“Fine. Go and return well,” said her father.

Charu’s mother, on her part, continued to glare at her husband with red eyes.

“What a mess!” said the father to himself in a low tone.

Following this, he secretly wore a pair of black glasses and a fancy hat, and went after Charu.

Charu was busy walking on her own. Perhaps she was confused, unable to decide what she should buy for the five-hundred rupees she had in her hand.

On the way, people who, could recognize Charu and Krishna Guru smiled and took their ways. Guru, on his part, moved on, signaling the passersby to stay quiet.

“Oh, what’s wrong with Krishna Guru today?” was what people said, after having seen him walk in such a get-up.

Charu stopped outside a liquor shop.

“Oh God, it’s a mess! Is my daughter really going to have alcohol?” Krishan Guru thought.

In a short while, Charu’s friend Radha came out into the street, waving at Charu.

“Oh, shit! This the house of Charu’s friend Radha. What a fool I am,” thought Krishan Guru and slapped himself on his forehead for thinking nonsense.

From there, Charu and Radhika moved ahead, their hands locked in each other’s.

When Krishna Guru was at the market in the middle of the village, the number of people laughing at his get-up increased. Charu’s friends, who were studying in the same school as hers, could not control their laughter. They moved homewards, laughing out loud.

But Krishna Guru was highly elated. He cared for no one. After all, his daughter was not aware of his surveillance. He was contented at that.

When he was at the marketplace, Krishna Guru met Safal Guru—another teacher.

“Where are you going so early in the morning?” he said and almost spelled out Krishna Guru’s name. Before he had done that, Krishna Guru went rushing to him and shut his mouth. Then he whispered into his ears and told that he was spying on his daughter. Safal Guru could not help laughing, though he tried to keep his giggles as low as he could.

The two girls, Charu and Radha, were moving on their own accord. They went straight into the marketplace. The market had no customers; one could see only shopkeepers.

 “Sir, come with me. Let’s go to the hotel up there on the first floor and spy on the girls from there, sipping tea. There is no crowd, after all. Because of Corona fear, only a handful of people are coming out of home these days. We can see the girls clearly, no matter wherever they go.”

Krishna Guru nodded.

“Sister, would you give us a glass of luke-warm water each? I forgot to drink even a glass of water this morning, as my mind was completely on spying,” said Krishna Guru, looking at Safal Guru and the lady who owned the hotel, turn by turn. On seeing Krishna Guru’s get-up, the hotel owner broke into a giggle, and placed a jug of water on their table.

“Guru, let’s quickly eat whatever we want. I must soon walk after my daughter, spying,” Krishna Guru said, taking snacks in haste.

Taking a sip from his teacup, Safal Guru said, “It seems I must also come with you.”

“No, you don’t need to. If the girls see, there will be a mess,” said Krishna Guru, stammering.

On hearing them talk, the hotel-owner stared at them with doubt. She raised her ears with care.

“Sir, let’s go. The girls are returning. They have reached fairly far. One of them carries a red bag as well,” said Safal Guru, hurrying up.

 “Is that so? I was lost in the tea,” said Krishan Guru and paid the bill. Then they came out into the street downstairs.

When they were gone, the hotel-owner said to herself, “Unruly old men!” and laughed out loud.

 

Safal and Krishna Guru started keeping fast paces. Radha and Charu were much ahead of them.

“Sir, your daughter is just twelve. Do you need to doubt her so much and spy on her? I didn’t really like it, Sir,” Safal Guru said.

 “It’s not doubt, Sir. It’s love to some extent, and some fear too. We cannot rely on children these days. It’s a father’s heart, you know. I love her. I must be alert,” said Krishna Guru, laughing.

“That’s right. Sir, you are busy spying. But we have come outside my home. Let’ part for now.”

Safal Guru took leave of him.

“That’s fine. Goodbye,” said Krishna Guru.

At the moment of parting, Safar Guru giggled once again at Krishna Guru’s looks, and entered his gate. When he was inside his home, he recalled whatever Krishna Guru had said and laughed out to his satisfaction.

On the other hand, Charu and Radha were outside Radha’s house. They were talking. Krishna Guru was watching them, standing at a distance.

After some time, Radha went into her house. Charu also went her way. Krishna Guru followed her, taking quick steps. 

 “Oh God, the red bag in daughter Charu’s hand is missing!” said Krishna Guru to himself, after they had walked through a distance. He wondered what the red bag contained. He was impatient to know what was there inside it, but there was nothing he could do. He could not walk into Radha’s home. He feared that it would upset Charu and she might cry.

Helpless, he started following his daughter. On reaching home, Charu walked straight into her room on the first floor. Krishna Guru went into the washroom and cleaned his face and limbs. 

Having cleaned himself in the tap on the ground flood, Krishna Guru entered the kitchen. Seeing her husband’s get-up, his wife giggled.

“I had gone out to spy on our daughter,” he said, softly whispering into his wife’s ears.

“So what did you discover? How did your daughter spend those that hundred rupees?” asked Charu’s mother, apparently quite unhappy.

 “I don’t really know, but she bought something. He put in a red back and gave it to her friend Radha to keep. I haven’t been able to discover what lies inside the bag,” said Krishna Guru with a sigh.

“Maybe your loving daughter spent the money on a trivial thing. If it was a thing of use, she could certainly bring it home. Oh, how good she is in spending! A few days ago, she quarreled with me and broke her piggy bag. It has somewhere around five thousand rupees in it. She has finished it off, moving around with Radha and her brother form the maternal home. She doesn’t allow me to ask. If I do, she just says, ‘It’s a secret—Charu’s, and her mother’s,’ and laughs. I am quite worked up, Sir. Youd daughter doesn’t seem to be in good manners. What are we to do now? It has been a week she started going astray like this,” said Charu’s mother with a grim face.

 “Really? Why didn’t you tell it all to me when she was asking for five-hundred rupees? I won’t have given her any,” Krishna Guru said.

“Do not show-off. You always give in, whenever your daughter says. And now you boast off when she is away,” said his wife, fuming.

“Mom! Dad!” I am going said Charu, shouting from the courtyard.

“O God, where on earth are you going again?” said her mother, coming out on the porch.

“Did you forget out decision to visit maternal home today?” Charu said.

“Daughter, hadn’t we decided to go together?” the father said in a loving voice.

 “I am bound to reach rather earlier. I and Radha are going together. Daddy, you please reach at 1 o’clock at all cost. I will take my lunch at Radha’s and go. My lunch is ready there,” said Charu, joining her hands in request.

After this, father and daughter laughed.

Krishna Guru gawked, seeing his daughter move away.

“Why are you gawking at the road? Would you drink tea too, or it suffices you to spy on your daughter?” said his wife in a harsh voice.

“Hurry up. We should leave early so that we can reach there in time,” Krishna Guru said.

 “That’s fine. Why hurry? Even if we go slow, it is not more than an hour’s drive. If I drive, I think, I will be there in 40 minutes,” said his wife, laughing.

“Are you taking our vehicle? I feel it boring to take it out of the garage and keep it back,” Krishna Guru said.

“Leave it. You don’t need to take it out. You don’t need to drive and keep it back, either. I shall do everything. We must take our own car in such a time of Corona pandemic. Why should we hire a taxi used by dozens of people?” said his wife, announcing her decision.

 “OK. Your words are sensible,” said Krishna Guru, smiling.

“You have tea and put new dress. Rice will be ready in the rice-cooker in thirty minutes. Within forty-five minutes, I will take out the car and get it cleaned. We shall have our lunch thereafter and leave. Do not can glued to a comedy movie, forgetting  your tea. I am worked up with  your comedy,” she said and moved towards the garage, laughing.

Krishna Guru went into his room and wore a new pair of pants, a shirt and a pair of socks. Then he got hold of his binoculars and walked onto the roof of the house. Adjusting the binoculars—the best pair of his days—he smiled and said, “Look! Daughter Charu and Radha have just come out on the road; they are walking. This means, they spent a whole hour to have their lunch. Let me see where they will be going next,” he said, adjusting the binoculars on the stand. He started looking out carefully with his binoculars.

Charu and Radha moved on, taking quick steps. On the way, they also came across Safal Guru. He laughed on seeing them. He ran his eyes all round, perhaps to find if Krishna Guru was spying on Radha today as well.

“It seems everything will go wrong. Safar Guru cannot maintain any secret. What if he leaks this morning’s details to Charu?” though Krishna Guru and shuddered.

Even as doubts filled his mind, he observed more keenly from his binoculars. Thank God, Safal Guru didn’t go close to the girls. He kept his way, without caring to stop.

After that, Charu and Radha went to the bus park further away from their home and boarded a bus. He zoomed in the binoculars and observed keenly. They had boarded the route 21 bus that would take them to their maternal home.

After having observed this, Krishna Guru closed his binoculars, taking a breath of comfort. He packed it back into a carton and thrust it underneath the bed  where it was before. Then he hurried back to the kitchen.

“Where were you lost? Your tea has become cold. Leave it; take lunch instead. Else, we will be late,” said his wife, apparently unhappy.

 “Is the car in order?” Krishna Guru asked, taking his lunch.

“It is. Why? Was anything wrong?” his wife asked.

“No. But it has been three months since we stopped using. I was concerned if it refused to start,” he said.

“No.All is find. It got started easily.”

“That’s great. Do you know: Charu and Radha also a route bus?” he said.

“Oh God. I was wondering where you had gone. Means, you were on the roof with  your binoculars, spying on  your daughter!” said the wife, laughing.

“Dress up and come downstairs quickly. I will be starting the car at the courtyard,” Krishna Guru said.

“That’s fine, my hubby! Get into the car I have cleaned,” she said, giving her husband the key of their car.

Downstairs, Krishna Guru started the car and waited for a while, letting the engine purr.  

His wife showed up in a while, beautifully clad in a sari and a cholo.

“You move to the other seat. I will myself drive the car I cleaned,” said the wife, laughing.

Krishna moved a little, making room for his wife to seat on the driver’s seat. The wife started driving. The road was quite empty. Perhaps  it was because of pandemic, people in the city streets were scantier than those in the villages.

The town appears fully shut. Our village is far better. It’s quite near to the city, and the shops are all open,” the wife said.

“It’s unwise to open shops or do a lot of moving,” the husband said.

To her husband’s words, the wife nodded.

At quarter to one, Krishna Guru and his wife reached their ancestral home. Having parked the vehicle on the courtyard, they went straight inside to see their ninety-year-old mother. He was pleased to see Charu Radha and Saurav—his brother’s son—who were busy talking with their grandmother. He bowed down to his mother with respect. His wife also did the same, showing her reverence to her mother-in-law.

“Did you bow to  your grandmother, kids?” Krishna Guru asked.

“We did, Daddy,” Charu said.

“Brother, please give us some water. We are hungry.”

No sooner had Krishna Guru said this, his brother and his wife came into her room.  The sister-in-law brought a glass of water from the filter.

“Brother, did the kids eat anything,” Krishna’s wife asked.

“I don’t really know, Bhauju. Since early in the morning, they have been going to the roof. They only said it’s secret, and kept working, shutting the door. It’s only now they have come downstairs. They had also locked the door leading to the roof,” the brother said.

“Oh. Means, the kids bothered you a lot during lock-down,” she said. In the meantime, she remembered that Charu had mentioned about keeping things secret in the morning. Only now could she understand that Charu had phoned her brother and asked him to keep everything secret. She was now impatient to know what the kids’ secret was. 

 “It’s time we go to the rooftop. Uncle and my dad, you slowly lift Grandma and bring her on the rooftop. Others, you can come upstairs only in neat, fresh clothes today,” Saurva said.

“We are in neat dresses,” everyone said in a single voice.

Following this, Krishna Guru and his brother lifted their mother and took her to the rooftop. Others followed joyfully.

The rooftop had been beautifully decorated with color-papers. A small tent had also been erected. At one corner of the tent, pictures of the kids’ grandparents—father and mother of Krishna Guru—had been pasted. There also was something wrapped in a red cloth.

“Oh God, the red bag Charu had packed her purchase in the market is here. What does it contain?” said Krishna Guru to himself. His spying eyes  took no time in spotting the bag there.

“What’s there inside the bag?” he wondered.

“Grandma, Grandpa, Daddy, Mummy, Uncle and Aunt! You please sit on the chairs near those photographs,” said Charu, requesting everyone.

The kids clapped.

After that, Saurav said with joy, “I know request Sister Charu to lift that red cloth and reveal the secrecy of this event, the Mystery of Charumati.”

Quite curious, everyone got up from the chairs to see the thing underneath the red cloth.

The red cloth was gone in the blink of the eyes.

Oh, there was a wonderful cake underneath the red cloth. The first word written on the cake was “90”. The second line read: “Happy Birthday, Grandma.”

On seeing this, the eyes of all the elders had tears in them. The kids helped their grandmother slice the cake. They also put a paper-cap on her head. Then all of them sang together, “Happy birthday  to you, Granny!”

Then they added oil to the wick-lamp, lighted it and placed it near to their grandmother’s photograph. All of them put their hands together. The turn of the red bag came only after that. Radha brought the bag and handed it over to Charu. Krishna Guru observed keenly to see what lay inside the bag.

Inside the bag was a red shall, on which, the inscriptions read: “Hare Krishna!” There also was another thing wrapped in paper. Charumati tore the paper off and took out the thing. Oh, it was a framed photograph that showed Grandpa, Grandpa, Krishna Guru and his wife, his brother, his sister-in-law, Charu, Saurav and Radha.

Oh, how beautiful Charumati’s mystery was!

All of them gave their gifts to the grandmother, and sought her blessings. They bowed down to her feet.

After this, the kids pulled out the containers they had kept hidden on one corner. They contained curd, sweets, pulaw and other food items. All of them ate their lunch, enjoying.

Seeing their daughter, Krishna Guru and her wife had tears in their eyes. Their hearts leaped up with joy. They heads rose high. Standing together, Krishna Guru and his wife invited their daughter Charu to come into their loving arms. Charu and Radha came running into their arms. Saurav too ran into his parents’ arms. Then, they all placed Grandma in the middle and took group photos.