The Inner Frame by Mr. Nath

जेठ महिनाका उदेक लाग्दा दिनहरू थिए । बारि सम्याउने क्रममा लागेका गाँउलेहरू वेला वेलामा काेदालाे टेकाएर अाकाशतिर हेर्ने गर्दथे, अनि कम्मरमा बादिएकाे पटुकाकाे एक छेउलाइ दुबै हातले समाएर अनुहार भरिकाे  पसिना पुछेर फेरि एकसुरले खन्न थाल्दथे ।  सबैजसाे गाँउलेहरू असारे धानकाे बेर्ना छर्ने तयारीमा लागेकाे प्रस्ट हुन्थ्याे । गाँउभरिकाे सबैभन्दा फुर्सदिलाे व्यक्ति म नै थिए भन्दा फरक पदैनथ्याे, मसगं न खन्नकालागी बारि थियाे नपाल्नकालागी परिवार नै । त्याे सबै मैले अतिथमा छाडेर अाएकाे थिए मेरा कल्पनाहरूकाे अध्याराेमा मेराे पहुच भन्दा टाढा । गाँउमा मजतिकाे  फुर्सदिलाे एक मात्र अर्काे व्यक्ति हुनुहुन्थ्याे बिर्खमान् दाइ। त्याे दिन म उहाँकाे घरपुग्दा नाम्लाेभरि धान राखेर पिडिमा बसि हुक्का तान्दै हुनुहुन्थ्याे । मैले पुग्ने वितिक्कै काैतुहल भएर बिर्खमान् दाइलाइ धान केका लागी हाे भनेर साेधे । बिर्खमान् दाइले अलि भावुक हुदै भन्नु भाे गाैतमीलाइ विहे गरि अन्माएर याे घरमा ल्याउदाे दुइ अन्जुलि जति माइतकाे धान ल्याएकि थिइ । उनीले चार महिना जति त्याे पाेकाे शिरानमाथी नै राखिन्हाेला, जब त्याे...

२०६७ सालमा काठमाडौं पस्ने बेला जनसंख्या अहिले भन्दा थोरै थियो, ७६ साल आइपुग्दा मान्छेहरुको संख्या बढ्यो तर सुलभ शौचालय भने बढेनन् । सरकारले खुला ठाँउमा पिशाव गर्न निरुत्साहित गर्नकालागी भित्ता भित्तामा भगवान्को फोटो पनि टास्यो, ठुला ठुला अक्षरले चेतावनी पनि लेख्यो र खुला दिसापिशावमुक्त क्षेत्रपनि घोषणा ग¥यो तर सुलभ शौचालय भने बनाएन । घोषणा जेसुकै गरिएता पनि चेतावनी जेसुकै लेखिएता पनि जुनसुकै ठाँउमा जुनसुकै समयममा जोसुकै व्यक्तिलाई पिशाव लाग्नसक्छ । पिशाव लागेपछिको उपाय सबैको एउटै हुन्छ, फरक यति हो त्यो कहिले हाम्रो नियन्त्रणमा हुन्छ कहिले हुदैन । स्वास्थ्यकै दृष्ट्रिकोणले हेर्ने हो भनेपनि दैनिक रुपमा दुई लिटरसम्म पानी प्युनु पर्छ र स्वास्थ्य व्यक्तिले औसत रुपमा आधी लिटरजति पिशाव २४ घण्टामा फाल्नुपर्ने हुन्छ । यदि समय समयमा यसो नगर्ने हो भने मिर्गौला, मुत्रनली, मुत्रथैलीका समस्याहरु लगायतका अन्य स्वास्थ्य समस्याहरु देखिन सक्दछन् । तर के गर्नु त्यति हुदा हुदैपनि लाको बेलामा पिसाब गर्नपनि गाह्रो छ देशमा । केही समय अघिसम्म त घुम्ती शौचालयको उपलब्धताले वसन्तपुर लगायतका केही क्षेत्र...

On one fine evening of the late winter, Mr. Raman and we were sitting in the same old place, a small tea shop with few scattered chairs, two patio umbrella tables, an old dustbin in the corner which was less filled with the waste than the corner itself and a busy kettle over the stove with brownish black stain of tea on one side. Overall, it was a cool place to hang out with buddies after a busy schedule of the day. There was not much left of the evening as on sidewalk peopl e were rushing homes to escape cold night falling soon but a mild lighted butcher shop and a bright liquor distributor on the other side of the road were still busy and counting. After a couple of teas and few clouds of smoke, we were still deep into a discussion and guess, what was all discussion about? the bloody Valentine Day as it was February 10. There was particularly no one seems to be desperately waiting for the Valentine as far as I was believing yet out of courtesy Valentine Day was a much-discusse...

The day before yesterday one of my friends had smartly started a discussion about why a person should marry? Putting his point he referenced one of the greatest thinkers,, Mr. Socarates and said "Socrates once said "At least once, a man should marry if he is lucky he will have a great prosperous life. And even if he is not so lucky, he will be a good philosopher or something like that". Saying all that he proudly sit down on the chair nearby. Abruptly, one from the circle aske d "Raman, you are married too, What are you?" Relaxing his proud shoulder, taking a long sip of tea and puffing a big cloud of smoke he replied in a kind of sad tone "Can't you figure out, I am a philosopher as most of the married men are" The table burst out in big laughter but sadness in their eyes was quite visible.

Mr. Raman is a science geek. He often likes to put down his bright ideas on the tea table. Which obviously we all find difficult to understand but rarely we argue on the legitimacy of the point as it often leads to more confusing statements. We usually nod our head immediately to convey we understand and agree on the point he put forward. After that, we try to figure out what it really means over a couple of coffee and a few boxes of smoke. Interestingly, most of the time I l eave the tea table confused and cursing my friend from school who always somehow used to convince me to bunk my science classes. On one fine day over a tea talk, Raman in his usual manner put both hands on the table not caring of the ashes and drops of tea, lean his body towards us as some kind of centripetal force is working on him and with a sense of excitement in his voice said "Do you people know the certainty of uncertainty depends upon its certainty, not on its uncertainty". As usual, we noded...