My country is humor superseded by political derision My country is a novice aided by perfunctory ruling

Waves of my heart  Are fading away from myself hiding from me  And leaving me

I am writing my novel based on a real story. But before moving to the real facts, I will be expounding on my recurring dreams.

I was traveling to China in 2017 with my business partner on some business. At the Tribhuvan International Airport, the immigration officials took my passport for around 30 minutes during which they spoke to their seniors on the phone several times, interrogated me in length and were all set to send me back home just because I was an unmarried woman, traveling with an unrelated man.

Jamuna Magar, 46, is a new face in Kathmandu. She’s been living in the capital with her eldest son for only four months. She says she was married at just 14 and gave birth to her first child two years later. Magar says, “I lost many children following pregnancy-related complications.

Scavengers -- better known as ‘Kawadi walas' -- are known for their vexatious yells. They earn their living selling scrap metal, glass bottles or paper. Sanjay Jaiswal, 40, is one such scavenger.

Gamveer Dhoj Joshi, 65, owns a money change business unit on the ground floor of the Laxmi -Narayan temple at Basantapur. He took over the job from his father, who used to occupy the same spot. He says, “Coins have always fascinated me because they carry history along with them. Furthermore, you can also learn a lot by just looking at their shape and structure.”

Wish I can be the wind, Wish I can be the sea, Wish I can be the man of my dreams, But I do not know where that wind will lead,

Prabina Kaldang, 25, has been married for two years. She and her husband have a six-month-old baby. Her husband is a railing worker.

I had always been a chubby girl and then, one day, I simply had enough of all the snide remarks and comments and decided to shed the kilos. There was a time when I thought I couldn’t do it, that I’d always be on the heavier side, and then there came time when I fit into the dress that was once 10 sizes too small for me. It took some hard work and determination, and not liposuction like the doctor suggested, but I’m now a weight I’m comfortable with.

Sometime during the evening last week, I spotted two young men around Hanuman Dhokha . 19-year-old Manish Shrestha, an art student, was preparing his canvas, and 20-year-old Kamal Sherpa, a photography student, was clicking photos of his surroundings.

Making family happy

I try to turn the page of the story, there’s lot of pain inside my heart. Not a boy, I am a girl. So, the society dominates me. Somewhere deep around I am sinking within me. Remembering the past I still get the chills. Possibly I won’t be able to convey the feelings in my heart.

Gopal and Binda Nepali, of Naubise – Dhading, have spent the better part of their conjugal life selling Taparis near Kasthamandap. They have been running their shop in a narrow lane of Basantapur, which leads to Kastamandap, for the past 16 years.

KATHMANDU, July 19: After dozens being injured, Dr. KC has agreed to come to Kathmandu. "I cannot see students being injured, instead I will fly to Kathmandu", said Dr. KC.

Strong and determined

A happy family of four

A day before I bought a new ‘Kites’ pencil. It choked to me ‘I can thoroughly breathe still.’ Shocked and gobsmacked; I kept my sharpener aside. And my pencil narrated its story with tears’ tide -

Tilak Tharu was an ardent football player as a child. But at 19, Tharu was left immobile with a broken spine after an injury,. “My father blames football for my disability. He says it’s the reason that I am on a wheelchair” stated the 25-year-old Tharu.

Second year IT student, Sugam Singh is also a freelance model and a freelance photographer. During his leisure time – if he ever gets any that is – he pursues other hobbies like calligraphy and coding.

Pedaling rickshaw on the path to happiness

Just to say “I love you”Never seems enough

Carrying hopes from Jumla

Story of Introvert

Affinity for cooking and traveling

I have a list of medicines, some homeopathic, and others chemical based that I consume every day. Most of the time, they are scattered all over my room but I’ve never known why I need to rely on them. No matter how absurd it might sound, I actually don’t know why. I stand in front of my dressing table, and my eyes shift to the reflection of a medical gel. I find myself staring at it. It’s not easy for me to avoid all the medicines that I have lying in every corner of my room.

Shujaat Bhukari was a lone reasoned voice in a deeply divided society. He loved Kashmir and he firmly believed there was no other solution than peaceful dialogue to end the ongoing impasse

The occupation that made me able

In spite of his young age, Gajendra Baitha is yet to relish the privileges of a young boy. At an early age of just eight years, he was handed with toys and candies to seek profit, to make ends meet for his family.

Currently, Tika Ram lives in Narayanghat with his spouse. “My marriage turned into the happiest story of my life. My wife helps me overcome every obstacle, and every night our family gets together for dinner.

I never thought, I would get married to my school days crush. He was one year senior to me,” remembers Devi Basnet, a 27-year-old security guard in Patan. Blushing, she mentioned how her brother-in-law used to tease her, calling her ‘bhauju’ (sister-in-law) even before the marriage.

Keshari Maharjan One can find 70-year-old Keshari Maharjan working at Kriti Buddha Bihar.  When she started working there some 40 years back, she was full of energy, but at present, her pace has slowed down. Currently, she’s limited only to easier tasks.

17-year-old Karma Yangzen Lama Yolmo’s covers of popular English and Nepali songs create quite the buzz on social media. As a Nepali Instagrammer and YouTuber, Yolmo has gathered over 20k followers on Instagram and more than 5k subscribers on her YouTube channel.

Babu Kaji Maharjan of Balkumari, Patan, started as a farmer to make ends meet. Later, he jumped ship to the Ministry of Finance to work as a truck driver.  Meanwhile, he also lent hands for the renovations of Patan Durbar Square in his prime. “I have seen a lot of changes in the people. What matters to me the most is when my grandchildren call their parents mommy and daddy instead of maa and baa,” he stated.

“People of my age are seen traveling, continuing their studies and I am here working and having fun in my own world. I enjoy working, looking around and talking with different people.”

I had no friend to share how I was feeling. I was uncomfortable with the blood in panty. I suffered with pelvic cramping and lower back pain.

Sandip Tandukar (right), and Chewant Gurung are two 25-year-olds who have shared the bond of friendship since their school days. Though they parted ways after graduating from high school, their passion for cooking brought them together again.

I feel so lucky and blessed to have you, in my life. My world changed since the day you came into my life. Change, in a sense, if I am tensed, your innocent image calms my nerves and you become the reason to bring the smile back to my face. You’ve always been there to cheer me up. You fill my heart with joy.

Originally from Morang, 53-year-old Jeevan Bastola owns a garment stall in the street at Haugal, Patan. Having a brief experience as a teacher in Solukhumbu, Bastola remembers wandering around Kathmandu in hopes of finding a job.

Ganga Chitrakar, an elderly curio shop owner recalled her love story as she spoke to us on a sunny Friday afternoon. She remembered meeting her husband in Dharan, her hometown. He was a driver then and was required to travel a lot. Chitrakar blushed when she was taken back to her hay days.

I pledge to continue the battle Dr Upendra Devkota fought his entire life until the enemy is vanquished.

Kanhaiya Mandal is a new face in Kathmandu. Here, he spends most of his time assisting his brother in his paan stall. The Dhanusha resident often recalls memories of his hometown, especially the moments he spent with his friends back home. Nonetheless, he’s also aware of his responsibilities towards his family. “I am 20 years old now.

“What do you expect from life? Should it be food to feed you while you’re hungry, home to stay, clothes to wear and work to do? I am happy with what I have. I have been mending shoes since 1994.

Amar Bahadur Adhikari was born in Ramechhap. Life was quite normal there. His family members were farmers. In 2058 BS they moved to Dhading and rented land from locals for farming.

I still remember…it was the time of the Maoist insurgency. I was on my way to Kalikot from India with my friends. The army opened fire and two gunshots hit my leg. Four of my friends were killed on the spot.

Thupten Faten has been a monk for over 40 years now, at Samdeling Gumba, which is one of the oldest monasteries in Boudha. At eight years old Faten was instructed by his parents to become a monk and so he became one.

Have you ever listened to the stories about the struggle of your grandmother? Grandparents’ stories can be quite interesting and lesson worthy. Kanchhi, who was born in Bhaktapur and now lives at Jhochhen, Kathmandu, is a great soul.

Daicha Maharjan is a farmer and a grandfather. He can be found sitting in a sunlit corner in Patan Durbar Square with his friends to escape the boredom of his house.

SLAMMED

In his five-decade-long life, Prakash KC has experienced several ups and downs. He travelled and worked in various places including Kathmandu, Sarlahi and Sindhuli in search of source of livelihood.  Now he is happy to run a small shop on the footpath of Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu.