Random hits on the keyboard

This past Saturday, I achieved another milestone in my running. I’m incredibly proud to complete a half marathon in under two hours. Not only was it my fastest half marathon, but I also broke my personal bests for 5K and 10K distances along the way and I’m thrilled to call it an achievement. The event, titled “Run for Protein,” was a lively gathering of thousands of runners across eight different race categories. I didn’t know much about the organizers, I joined purely for the joy of running. In fact, I barely knew anyone at the event, but that didn’t matter. What I truly loved was meeting other running enthusiasts—each one had their own drive to be there. The atmosphere at the stadium was electric, filled with runners spanning every age group, from energetic kids to seasoned athletes (and yes, older participants like me). At 6 in the morning, there were Zumba warm-up sessions, police music bands and cultural dances. The crowds and the noise heated the environment in the cold morning....

Parenting is an incredible journey, and I've been meaning to write about my own experiences for quite some time now. The journey has been full of stories I’m diving in. My son is 15, and my little one is 6. Reflecting on fatherhood has been nothing short of a revelation. Like every parent, our journey is unique, filled with laughter, surprises, and the occasional chaos that keeps life interesting. Parenting teaches you a lot. It has given me a new perspective on what my own parents went through raising me. My kids often hit me with the same unreasonable logic that I used to present to my parents.  Seeing it from the parent’s side is an eye-opener. I can now proudly tell my kids, "I understand what you mean. You will know what I mean later in your life when you have kids."  When my son was born, I got a job outside of Kathmandu, my hometown. This meant leaving him behind as I ventured out. I visited as often as I could, but looking back, I realize I missed a lot of those...

We were always told a lie our whole life that Nepal is rich in water resources. We were forced to memorise it during school time, for the sake of a 'correct' answer. I have always been cynical about the fact that having huge rivers does not make us rich in any way. And I still hold it tightly like a water jar during a water crisis. I grew up in the heart of old (real) Kathmandu, densely populated where dry taps were normal. My sisters were unsung heroes, who used to fetch water from the neighbour's house. They would have easily won the Olympic medal if there had been a bucket relay match. We treated water as liquid gold. The community well pump was always out of order. Laundry had to be done when the stars aligned. Bathings were a strategic affair - sometimes head only and rarely full body. Privacy? Neighbours not only knew about our laundry cycles but could probably sketch out every mole on my body if asked. Then, one fine day, the Prime Minister made a grand promise: Mela...