Tribute to my Grandpa..

In the backdrop of dense woods lies a tiny village with houses miles apart but sharing a common community. I am talking about my birthplace the peculiarity of which savours my mind whenever loneliness hunts my psyche. The memory goes back to the childhood when my grandpa made a swing for me to welcome Dashain. He took me to the nearby 'dhara' for shower, lied me down on his towel, fed me milk, narrated stories of his highs and lows, took me along for memorable walks. Yes, he was the man whom I always respected for his innocence, for his enormous sense of humour and the affectionate smiles he shared to enlighten my face in times of despair. He just passed away but I always wanted to see him last time before he fell apart in months old struggle between life and death.

I cant remember me shedding tears in anyone's death so far. Neither I cried on hearing the news of his demise. Months back when I saw his pathetic picture, tears rolled down my cheeks. I only have the memories of the informations I got about his poor health before he passed away. I remember him murmuring my name on phone when I tried to talk to him. Having paralysed on bed for over a month with blood cancer being covered with worsening wound covering his face, he finally rested in peace. I remember him taking me to Swayambhu during my first ever visit to Kathmandu, buying a coke for me. I still remember him admiring my intelligence to find the rented room in Gaushala when he felt difficulty in finding it. He was the father who made all his four sons graduate at a time when others were engaged in farming. For me, he was a man of wisdom though himself uneducated.

He is no more now, nowhere in sight, none of his voices would echo in the rugged terrains of the village. His sincerity, the value he gave for education would always inspire me to work on my dreams. His simplicity, honesty, straight forward nature would remind me of that old man who faced number of ups and downs during his eight decades of living. I now have only the sweet old memories of going with him to the cowshed for milking cow. His memories would never fade apart in my eternal journey of living. May his soul rest in peace in heaven.