Traffic Chaos in Kathmandu

So the winter has arrived in Kathmandu. People have started putting on thick clothes like jackets and sweaters. I got well, as of now, and back to the daily business of news, blogs and talks. The effects of Protest Politics in Kathmandu are still visible and they are causing problems to Kathmanduits. The other day it was a strike in Satdobato area and hundreds of school kids couldn’t return home until late evening because of traffic blockade. Yesterday, it was a strike in Pepsi Cola and people in Gothataar area (including me) faced difficulties in reaching their destinations in other parts of the city. The strike in Pepsi Cola (this is actually a place if you didn’t know, on way to Sano Thimi from Koteshwor, where the factory of Pepsi is located!) was extended to Jadibuti and the traffic in Araniko Highway is blocked today. People residing near the Airport say that they haven’t been compensated by the airport for their land. I see they have a reason to protest but they don’t need to block the road and create havoc. There are other means of voicing their demands.

I reached my office via a long and bumpy route that went through Guheshwori, Gaushala and Tinkune. “Oh… this is a chance to get darshan of Pashupatinath,” commented one of the passengers in the bus. “Oh..bie, a chance for darshan,” responded the girl sitting next to me. And she moved her hand from chest to head. “Tapaile ta dhognu bhayena ta. Bhagwan mannu hunna ki kya ho?” I smiled and defended, “No, no. It’s not like that. I do respect the god.” I always wonder why people do the long distance darshan bhet with the by waving their hands between their head and chest.

So it was a long journey from home to office today. In Koteshwor, the traffic is a mess. A disappoint trend has started in Nepal these days: Road has become the most convenient place to vent anger. If you want to protest, just go to the road and lie down there. Traveling in the city has become difficult because of these kind of small scale protests, I don’t know how many. The good news of the week is that the ruling alliance of seven parties and the Maoists has agreed on the contents of the Interim Constitution. That’s encouraging but the problem it seems is with our psyche. Ke bhayeko yo? Joi Poi ko jhagada pani aba ta sadak ma aaula ra traffic jam hola bhanne pir! [What’s happening? I am worrying that hubbies and wives of the town might bring their “bilateral disputes” on the road to block the traffic!]

For the record: I was busy, very busy, with retrieving achieves of UWB from the Archives.org Way Back Machine. It’s quite tiresome process but I am taking it as fun. My principle is: enjoy whatever work you do. Sad that we lost all the contents of UWB in February last year. Hum, now I should start retrieving the data. See you later!