Embark on a captivating journey through the mystical realms of the Himalayas in this semi-fictional short story. 🏔️📖
Join a young medical student navigating the intricate tapestry of reality and imagination. Venture into a captivating odyssey, wh...
I found myself once again in a Tempo headed to Vasantapur. This time, I was alone. There was a particular destination I had in mind. Since my arrival in Nepal around four years ago, I had visited several Hindu temples and Buddhist monasteries, including Pashupatinath Temple, Swayambhunath Stupa, and Boudhanath Stupa. However, there was one place I had yet to explore, a lesser-known spot that had been brought to my attention by a good friend of mine from our medical college, Rina Prajapati, who was studying Dentistry. I remember taking a stroll with her to Bhaktapur Durbar Square, where she explained to me about her own Newari culture and history.
The Newars are considered the indigenous inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley. During our stroll, we stopped at an authentic Newari restaurant in Bhaktapur Durbar Square, where we enjoyed delicious Newari food called "Bhara". It was during this meal that she mentioned a place she used to hang out with her friends, known as "Sigal", also referred to as "Shree Gha". Despite not being widely known, she assured me it was a fantastic spot. Apparently, it was located somewhere on the way from Vasantapur to Thamel. According to her, it was a place where people devoted to Buddhism resided and they even taught its philosophies and concepts.
After yesterday's dream, this idea popped into my head. Since I was relatively jobless and didn't have much going on, I decided to explore this place. In fact, I thought I might be fortunate to find someone capable of expanding my knowledge regarding some of those brand-new terms and words I had come across recently.
I opened Google Maps and searched for the place as I reached towards the end of Vasantapur, considering there are more than a couple of roads to reach Thamel from there. I continued walking along the road, following the map for about 15 minutes. However, I got distracted when I noticed a local chip shop on the right side of the road, and I found myself drooling. They had various kinds of chips including potato, banana, and even mango. Suddenly, the sound of my phone buzzing in my pocket disturbed me, displaying the message, "You have arrived at your destination". I started looking around, wondering where this place actually was. Moving a few steps ahead, I scanned my surroundings again and suddenly noticed a road on the left leading to a decently big stupa. "Oh, this must be it,'" I mused happily. It was quite a hidden place, and someone could easily miss it if they walked straight along the road without prior knowledge of this place.
I continued along the road towards the stupa area, which led me to a small, vibrant square adorned with a few thangka* art shops, Nepali handicraft shops, and a handful of food joints. It was indeed a hidden gem, tucked away near Thamel, and its existence would have been unimaginable to many. Unlike the bustling crowds I had encountered at similar places in Kathmandu, this square was not crowded at all.
As I wandered around the stupa, I noticed an entrance to a monastery on the right side. "Drubgon Jangchup Choeling," read the sign atop the gate. "That must be the name of the monastery," I thought to myself. Without hesitation, I stepped inside the gate and entered the monastery grounds. Leaving my shoes outside, I proceeded into the main shrine.
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