Oh! My Beloved Khaptad – Heaven on Earth!

High up on earth, a heavenly scenery
White cap atop a shawl of greenery
Serenely grazing herd of sheep and cow
Flocking migratory birds crossing above!

With backpack and buddies soaring up and up
With one accord ascend till we touch the top!
The Himal with eternal Ivory blanket of snow
Camouflage by emerald giant alpines in a row!

Ignoring, for a while, mother’s return calls
Hurling at each other the fluffy snowballs
Saunter around freely as long as we can
Shape side-by-side soft-smiley snowman!

Glacial cold where coldness freeze
The chill north Himalayan breeze
Icicles hanging down all over the trees…
We frisked amidst the cold and sneeze!

But now,
What a turn of fate and what a pity
Stuck amidst suffocating somber city
Amidst the hasty life- It’s vagaries and vain
My soul soars on the top of that mountain!

Oh! My beloved Khaptad, Patan, Triveni and alpine trees
Though far, yet thou art, forever etched in my memories!

(Dr. Joshi’s reminiscence of his childhood playground Khaptad located at the lap of Himalayas in Far Western Province of Nepal is dedicated to his beloved English teacher Dr. Vivek Chauhan. )