Reflections in Dallas
By Abhibandu Kafle
Category: uncategorized
बराला-
आज दिउँसो हिंडीरहेंथ्ये, उद्देश्यहीन भएर, बराला हुनुको अर्थ बुझ्न – अर्को भाषामा आंफैभित्र नियाल्न । सुरुवात भने बाहिरी हेराईबाट प्रेरित भयो । हाँसहरु पानीमा निश्चल रुपमा पौडीरहँदा म नजीक आएको देखेपछि बेजोडसँग उडेको दृश्यले दङ्ग बनायो । बथान निकै माथिसम्म उड्ने रहेछन । सधैँ आफुपछाड़ीको झाडीबाट खस्याक-खुसुक हुँदा आफ्नो हिंडाइ तीब्र बनाउने खुट्टाहरुलाई रोकेर, फर्केर हेरें – रंग फेरेर रातो हुन हुन लागेको जुरेलीं नाचिरहेछ ।
जुरेली अनि हांशहरुले सम्झाए – कति चीजलाई फर्किएर हेरिन जीन्दगीभरी, डराएर भागीरहें , ती मीठा रंग अनि बेजोड उडानहरु छुटाएँ ।
झोलामा बोकेको फलफुल थियो । पहिलोपल्ट रोक्दा खाने विचार आयो । हात हाले निकाल्नलाई, झल्यास्स भएँ – फलफुल नभएर हैन, भोकलाई सोध्न बिर्सेको बर्षौ भएको अनुभूति गरेर । बसीसक्दा मनको उकुसमुकुसले अत्याएको असर रहेछ खाने इच्छा । त्यसको दुई मिनटभित्र फोटो खिच्न लागेछु, आफु अगाडिको तालको । खासै विशिष्ट केही थिएन, रहर लागेको पनि हैन, बस स्मृतिलाई सोध्न बिर्सेको बर्षौ भएछ – ‘के यो दृश्य साचै यादगार छ त?’
आज कोशीस गरें हरेक पहिला बिचारलाई प्रश्न तेर्स्याउने – के यो साचिकै चाह हो त? कि फगत मनको छटपटी बिर्साउने तिकडम ?
अनि आफ्नो गतिमा धेरै सुस्त भएँ प्रश्नहरुका बीच । किनकी पुग्न कहीं थिएन । उत्तर आउंदैथियो भित्रबाट – यस क्षणको लागी म बराला, बस् बराला ।
English translation - Barala
Dallas, TX
This afternoon, I walked aimlessly, trying to understand the meaning of ‘Barala’, to introspect in another language. It started with external observations.
I was astounded by the sight of ducks effortlessly gliding in the water and then suddenly taking flight as I approached. They could fly quite high, it seemed.
Always when the rustling in the bushes behind me quickened my steps, today, I stopped and turned back – a butterfly was dancing, its colors changing to a deeper red.
The butterfly and ducks reminded me – of all the things I’ve spent my life running from in fear, those sweet colors and remarkable flights I missed.
I had fruits in my bag. The first time I stopped to eat, a sudden realization struck – not of the fruits, but of the years I had forgotten to ask my hunger. Sitting down, I felt an itch of curiosity in my mind influencing my desire to eat. Within two minutes, I started taking pictures, of the lake in front of me. Nothing special, not even a particular fondness, just years of forgetting to ask my memory – ‘Is this scene truly memorable?’
Today, I attempted to challenge every initial thought – ‘Is this genuinely what I want? Or just a trick to ease the mind’s restlessness?’
And then, I slowed down amidst these questions. Because there was nowhere I needed to be. An answer was emerging from within – ‘For this moment, I am Barala, just Barala.’