FRAGMENTS OF MY LIFE

5 IN THE MORNING. Before I get off my bed I heard my mom, auntie and grandma praising someone for getting up early and collecting sand from the river and complaining the rest who are still asleep in the family. Yes it’s the start of another day.
Today is the beginning of our greatest festival DASHAIN- supposed to be a different day but I could not find it different than just an ordinary day. This is my same bed, same me and same start of my day with my mom banging at my doors. Well it depends on how you see it.
First day of NAURAAT which means for 9 days we wake up early in the morning, grab our toothbrush, go to the river with friends, wash our face with little praying, and get back home. I must say we used to... Gone are those days when we put on the alarm just to make sure that we don’t wake up late. Those days we would be in a competition with our friends to see who wakes up whom!! Then we would gather together waking up everyone and go to the river talking all the way. We would even share our toothpaste if anyone forgets. Waking up early in the morning was definitely not difficult those times instead we would wake up before anyone does in the family. It was a lot of fun to gather together at the tea shop and have hot HALLUWAS. Then we would go for a football game when it’s still dark. We could hardly see our team mates haha. We were crazy football players. That was really silly but nothing could be more fun than those days. We would fall, hurt and break our toes but nothing could stop us playing the game. There was no age limit. No one was short and no one was tall. Anyone willing to play the games just has to contribute his part of bet (we used to collect Rs. 10 for a game) that would be collected from a team to compete with the opponent. When we get back we would be tired to death. And also be ready to get a loud scold from our moms. I even get scold a lot of times these days but for the reason of getting up late. On the contrary I got scold for getting up so early those times. Whatever you do my mom always has an objection. Lol.
Nowadays I hardly wake up at 7 that’s of course if my mom bangs at my door. lol .But today I have no choice. First day of NAURAAT and I have to collect sand from river that will be used to grow JAMARA (cornflake plant) which will later be used to worship god. My dad never collects sand from the river because its my family rule (not for others just my family rule). My bro hardly collects it because my mom has to fight with him to make him do something early in the morning. This leaves me the only person doing the work. I don’t want to do it but I guess I don’t have the choice. Reluctantly I woke up and all set up to start my at 5 am. With a plastic bag in my one hand and hesitantly I, along with my three cousins, went to the river. As I came out of my home I find something has really changed. It used to be icy cold that we have to wear jacket but this year its not. I would see a lot of people but now I can hardly see five or six. The charm of the tea shop was lost which used to be filled with the customers. Everything felt so different. Everyone has gone busy with their own works and the so called fun are somewhere lost –can only be found in memories. I am not sure how many of us really miss those days. For sure I would not have missed it had my mom not forced me to collect sand this year. Hehe. Of course this day was no fun but I tried to make it sound like a fun haha. Nice try. I snapshot some of our pictures so for those who really thought those days were fun would die to get it back. But I am sure even if someone tries cant get them back. After all those days are good to be kept in memories.