Saturday, June 10, 2023

A DAY IN JAWLAKHEL ZOO



















On 26th of July ’08 (i.e. 11th of Sharwan 2065 BS) Saturday , went to Jawlakhel to worship Rato Machendranath and also visited the zoo –  for a sort of picnic with gharveti didi (Radhika Maharjan) with her two daughters and her kith and kins along with suman dc and Mahesh airi. This was the first outing for me (i.e. any site seeing or in a public place) after coming to Kathmandu , to persue higher education in Tribhuvan university. We started at, say around 10 am in the morning, in a bus full of families to go to Jwalakhel. After reaching there we first offered prayers and worshipped Rato Machendranath and thereafter went inside the zoo. Saturday being holiday there was a large mob of families and it was very difficult to get inside the zoo but anyhow Abin Maharjan and myself got inside and found many group of families occupying(sitting) empty space inside the zoo, almost every corner of the park were occupied and Suman and myself was asked by Radhika didi to go ahead to look for vacant place but there was hardly any open area. At last we got one and brought everything/belongings to the mentioned place and then after arranging, we all sat down and started eating different delicacies prepared by our tenant and her relatives. The atmosphere/environment over there was so over whelming that everyone were busy in their world enjoying every bit of it. Mahesh, Suman and myself went further inside the zoo to see different types and species of animals and birds. Somewhere even found people dancing and singing their traditional folk dance. Mostly people inside were from newar community. I enjoyed every bit of it inside the zoo. Eventually, at around 5 pm we packed our stuff and came out of the park and just after 10 min walk saw some people especially elderly offering water to the passerby which was very pleasing to see. On our way back our tenant and her kins decided to walk on foot all the way to Kirtipur via shortcut route they knew rather than going in a bus, on which we agreed and decided to accompany them. And we reached our place around 7pm in the evening after nearly 2 hours walk from Lalitpur. This is how the day went about. 


This memory paints a vivid and heartfelt picture of my early days in Kathmandu and the first outing after moving there for higher education.




A Day at Jawalakhel Zoo – My First Outing in Kathmandu

Date: 26th July 2008 (11th of Shrawan, 2065 BS, Saturday)


After moving to Kathmandu to pursue higher education at Tribhuvan University, I had my first proper outing on the 26th of July, 2008. That Saturday, I joined my tenant, Radhika didi (Radhika Maharjan), along with her two daughters, extended family, and friends—including Suman DC and Mahesh Airi—for a sort of picnic-cum-pilgrimage to Jawalakhel.


We set off around 10 AM in a bus packed with families, all headed for Jawalakhel. Once there, we first visited the temple of Rato Machindranath, offering prayers in the hope of blessings and peace. The area buzzed with devotees, chatter, and the warmth of shared faith.


After the worship, we made our way into the Jawalakhel Zoo. Being a Saturday, the zoo was brimming with visitors—families, children, and groups of friends. The crowd was so dense that even entering felt like a small triumph. Somehow, Abin Maharjan and I managed to squeeze our way inside.


Inside, almost every inch of open space was occupied. Families had laid out mats and settled in with home-cooked food, laughter, and conversation. Radhika didi asked Suman and me to look for a vacant spot for our group, and after quite a bit of searching, we finally found a little patch of ground. We gathered the rest of the group and settled down for a picnic.


We shared and relished a variety of homemade delicacies prepared by Radhika didi and her relatives. The energy around us was contagious—people were dancing, singing folk songs, and simply enjoying life. Most of the visitors seemed to be from the Newar community, adding to the cultural richness of the scene. The atmosphere was overwhelming in the best way—vibrant, festive, and full of life.


Later, Mahesh, Suman, and I wandered deeper into the zoo to see the animals and birds. It felt like a mini adventure within the day. Time flew by, and by 5 PM, we packed up and exited the park.


Just a short walk from the zoo, we saw a group of elderly people offering drinking water to passersby—a simple yet deeply touching gesture. Instead of taking a bus back, our group decided to walk all the way to Kirtipur through a shortcut known to our tenant’s relatives. We agreed, and what followed was a nearly two-hour walk from Lalitpur, winding through local neighborhoods and lanes. We reached home around 7 PM, tired but filled with stories and joy.


That day stands out vividly in my memory—not just as my first outing in Kathmandu, but as an immersion into its community spirit, its rhythm, and its welcoming chaos. It was the beginning of many more experiences to come in this city that would soon become my second home.



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