My City - Dear Patan!

Dear Patan,

Jwajalapa!

You are the City of Beauty! City of Fine Arts! Mother of the Man of the Century-- Satya Mohan Joshi, the Literary giant of Nepal!

I am your devotee, coming to your lap from Parbat- the abode of Lord Shiva, the small but beautiful district named after Parbati! The district is on the bank of holy river Kali Ganga which flows out of the foot of Mount Kailash.

I came to your courtyard many years ago. Ever since I saw your majestic beauty, I have stayed here worshipping you every morning. I am enchanted by your warm love and kind caress. I see the yesteryears of our ancient civilizations- Hindu, Bauddha, Kirant, Jain and Bon- gleaming on your face. Your temples, stupas and palaces are the mirrors that reflect your intellectual beauty and the power of artistic creativity. I find myself more fortunate to have got the chance to drink your charm through my eyes.

The First Poet Bhanubhakta Acharya praised the beauty of Balaju and Kantipur long ago. Poet of the Era Siddhicharan Shrestha penned the beauty of Okhaldhunga decades ago. I am also eager to chant these words in praise of your majestic presence, glorious past and mysterious being-

O the pristine Godavari and Phulchoki hills!

O dear visionary Newar ancestors!

O the Kings and Queens of this soil!

O the Deities, Tantriks and Gubhajus!

O the Ajimas and Haratimas!

Where Hindus and Buddhists worship together!

Where Natives and foreigners converse together!

Where the ancient and the modern exist together!

Buddham Sharanam Gachchhami!

Sangham Sharanam Gachchhami!

Dhammam Sharanam Gachchhami!

Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare!

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare!

In legend and in fact, you are the morning star of our civilization! As I read somewhere – Maha Manjushree founded Manjupatan. Then and there, King Ari Malla adored you. You heralded the Newari civilization in course of time. You enjoyed as a separate kingdom for ages. Your kings and queens hand in hand with your people devoted their lives in your decoration. Then appeared myriad palaces, temples, stupas and chaityas filled with the mystery of creation. Your courtyards and golden temples and spouts bear the witness of your opulence. Viharas, Bahals and Tundals are the creations of immortal hands and creative minds of your Newar artisans!

Your beauty is open and hidden. Every corner looks fascinating. Vibrant markets, curio shops, and exquisite handicrafts! There is a fusion of old and new, ancient and modern. Your sisters – Kantipur, Bhadgaon and Kirtipur – also feel happy to have got a beautiful sister like you. You are the Queen of the Queens and Beauty of the Beauties!

Babylon feels proud of its Hanging Garden! Paris city feels proud of its Louvre Museum. You are proud of Patan Durbar Square! Patan Museum! Mahabauddha (Thousands Buddhas) Temple! Hiranya Varna Mahavihar (Golden Temple)! Shree Krishna Temple! Radha Krishna Temple! Bhimsen Temple! The list goes long but there is no ample room to mention all those lovely temples. I am sorry! Your sculptures, paintings and artefacts reveal your rich cultural heritage. Please grant me the power to see your unseen facets from the visible ones!

Your people are famous for warm hospitality and rich cultural traditions. They never boast about their opulence but keep busy doing their business. Ever feeling proud of their job! No complain, no grudging! Ready to hold the chair, and ready to go to the farm! Youths or aged ones! The world knows the talents of your sons, and the beauties of your daughters! Whoever comes and casts his eyes around you knows the sublime value of life. Here I remember the young poet John Keats. He says:

“Beauty is truth, truth beauty—that is all

Ye know on earth, all ye need to know.”

Beauty is no beauty without kindness. But you must have something that endows your people to be kind. So you are beautiful! So you are to me the kingdom of joys that excels all other bliss! I seek no more when I am with you. Some people weigh their pleasure by their wealth but I weigh my pleasure by your blessings. You are the giver and I am the receiver. Your kind favour to me is enough!

You are the home of learning , the home of Patan High School , the oldest of the town.

O Patan High School!

I bow my head before you. You are second only after Durbar High School in the history. You are the centre of quality education, the hub of excellence, and the garden of multiple colours. Newcomers are amazed to see the things: peaceful environment, a large playground and so on. This is the reason why aspiring students come to you from Taplejung to Darchula, and Jhapa to Kanchanpur. Within a short span of time your blissful gaze easily transforms them into successful and patriotic citizens. You are ever-embracing to those who come to your door! I wonder at seeing your magical wand! You are constant, but keep changing others! You are really great!

When I behold your gorgeous appearance, I remember your bygone days – Five score years ago (It is 2080 B.S. now.) you were born at Mangal Bazar on Bhadra 29 with the generosity of the Rana Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher JBR. The earthquake in 2090 BS shifted you to Lagankhel for a while. Then you came to Patan Dhoka in 1992 BS, and the next Rana Prime minister Juddha Shumsher JBR laid the foundation stone of yours. And Mr Lokman Singh was fortunate to assume the role of the first Headmaster in 1981 BS. He served up to 2011 BS. His successors are: Mr Lalit Bahadur Shrestha (2011—2024 BS), Mr Indra Prasad Sharma (2024—2029 BS), Mr Tulasi Bahadur Singh (2029—2034 BS), Mr Kedarman Pradhan (2035—2036 BS), Mr Laxman Bikram Pande (2037—2049 BS), Mr Hom Bahadur Kunwar (2049—2065 BS), Ms Shubha Laxmi Bajracharya (2065—2069 BS), Mr Ishwor Man Bajracharya (2069—2080 BS) and Mr Harischandra Gauli (2080--) respectively. I am hopeful that our new captain will prove his efficiency in heading you to a new height.

You are now hundred years old! But you are ever young, evergreen and ever-expanding! Time cannot steal your glow. A mysterious being you are!

You expanded your dimension in 2063 B.S. and kindly embraced me from the beginning. I am fortunate to serve as a teacher of English language and literature. I am ever grateful to our guardians and promoters: respected SMC chairperson Mr Kullal Dongol, the headmasters Mr Hom Bahadur Kunwar and Mr Ishwor Man Bajracharya and the coordinator Dr Dhundiraj Bhattarai! Dr Bhattarai, along with Mr Ramesh Kumar Rijal other office bearers, has done his best from the beginning till date for promoting the morning shift i.e. '+2 level' to the optimum level. Moreover, the visionary leadership and untiring effort of the SMC Chairperson Mr Aroj Kumar Khadgi and his teammates is ever commendable. Equally, I am grateful to the management and administrative body and the local community! All the officials and maintenance staff have shown their kindness to me. Also, it is my luck to remain between and among the versatile and veteran faculties. Their love and kindness make me feel ever young and energetic! Their live discussions on various themes every morning make me spellbound. What smiling faces they are! Moreover, the moment I stand before my lovely students I feel I am with my brothers and sisters. I cherish them in my eyes!

There came a hard time in 2072 B.S. for you. Mother Earth shook her belly and sent her tremors that disjointed your limbs. However, you sustained all those shocks and aftershocks but kept us safe under your warm wings. No casualty at all! Oh, how kind and protective you are! You are our saviour! For some years you sheltered our entire family under the roof of Temporary Learning Centres within your courtyard. But your Auditorium Hall is kept intact. It needed no remake except retrofitting. But your main building was rebuilt with the financial assistance of the generous Japanese people. After the inauguration by Rt. Honourable Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, the Prime Minister, on 6 Baishakh 2078 B.S., you held us in your arms. Good heavens, how elegant you are! In the flashlight of your smile, I see the image of our outgoing Principal!

Dear Ishwor Man Sir,

What a delightful figure you have! Your towering personality, a pretty face and a very agreeable countenance! As you are great in your appearance, so great you are in your performance. Some people make a fuss over trifle matters envying you. They create confusion but you believe in action! I read somewhere – The headmaster of a school is the captain of a sailing ship. Truly, you are our captain. For a long time and until quite recently, you burnt yourself at the service of our school family. You are kind to those who are unkind to you. Your patience and dedication are the open pages to all of us. I express deep sense of gratitude to you on behalf of myself and our entire family for your untiring effort. Had you not become our Principal, had you not made a bold decision, it would have been our far cry to see our school building in this gorgeous form. How easily you convinced all the stakeholders! How tactfully you bridged all the well-wishers! Oh, just for a minute! There is a very old and famous saying—Behind every successful man, there stands a woman. I would like to offer my salutation to dear Moona Shrestha Madam too!

O Patan High School!

We have been eagerly awaiting the grand celebration of your Centennial Jubilee on the upcoming Bhadra 29, 2080! That day you will look like a Princess! We have hoped that LMC Mayor, Respected Chiribabu Maharjan- a highly academic and charismatic leader- would come to unveil your scarf! The whole Patan will be to your right and to your left, forward and backyard! Our whole family will do our best to honour you. We will show our sincere gratitude to you! Everyone will be cheering and singing and dancing that day. Time will freeze at that moment! For my part, it will be a special day of my entire life.

Now I remember the lines of the Victorian poet, Alfred Lord Tennyson. In his poem The Brook he penned these lines – "For men may come and men may go/ But I go on forever." In the same sense, generations after generations of teachers and students come and go, but you will be here forever!