Every morning, I got to go to the college except Thursdays and Fridays. Sometimes it is easy to wake up early and sometimes it is difficult waking up early and get ready for the college. But however I manage to go to college which is located at Baluwatar, Kathmandu from Gatthaghar, Bhaktapur i.e. from where I live. Every day on my way to college I see lot of things and I always have lots of things moving in my head and heart. I wish the day would go perfect every day after I left home for my college.
I have to walk nearly 15 minutes to get to the bus stop from my home, and in this 15 minutes way I see lot of beautiful as well as disappointing things. In a clear day I can have wonderful view of mountains in the north with cool breeze blowing through my ear. On the either side of the black topped road there is paddy field these days and it is really pleasant greenish green for my eyes. The chirping of the little birds sounds like some harmonious music being played by the most skilled artist which goes through my ear and reaches my heart. Sometimes I can also observe the sunrise in the east while walking this very road and all these beautiful views in the morning fill my heart with happiness and give peace to my head and energize me. But like we all know that there is bright side and dark side of everything, along with all these beautiful view I also have to cross a bridge under which Hanumante River is flowing with all the waste materials in it. Along the side of the bridge also there is huge heap of solid waste which is degrading the aesthetic value of the place.
On my way to college, I see lots of different people with different motives and different destinations. Some of them are jogging and others are doing physical exercise keeping them fit. Some people are buying fresh vegetables direct from the farmers in the morning while some people are there in streets buying the breakfast stuffs. Many of them are the students leaving for their schools and colleges while some of them are already leaving for their workplaces. Every morning those students remind me of my old school days and college days, seeing them makes me smile at my heart because I see myself back in my school and high school. Some are the street vendors who are already starting their daily businesses. Also not to forget the pavement of Sundhara, commonly known as RNAC area, I can see lots of beggars even though its morning time. They never give me the better vibes and I never feel good seeing those people, after all they are also the part of the society that we live in. In the bus stand, all the helpers of the buses and micro-buses are shouting their route and calling as much passengers as they can to their buses. Most of these helpers are little boys not more than 15 years in age and I always think and ask myself, “Where are the children rights of these boys?”
Every day while coming to college, I have to cross these three rivers; Hanumante, Manohara and Bagmati. None of these rivers are in their original state of clean and pure instead they are all polluted and are in worse condition. I don’t blame the river itself for being polluted, it is us, we human being who have polluted these rivers. The growing population of the city, rapid and unmanaged urbanization and carelessness of people living here are major reasons for the polluted rivers. Not only the rivers, even the roads and pavement are full of garbage and solid wastes in the morning. There are several big, green dustbins provided by the metropolitan in the streets but all the waste would be right there beside the dustbins. I wonder why nobody even cares to throw the garbage in the dustbin. In some places, I can see some workers collecting those heaps of waste in the certain truck for processing the waste and I can read on the side of those trucks that these have been aided by the Chinese government. In the streets, also I can see sweepers sweeping the roads and pavements making them look cleaner and they are the first ones who I thank in the beginning of my day.
In ancient time, it has been said that Kathmandu is the city of temples and there are as much gods as the people living here. I can believe this saying because I bow my head and pray ten times in front of ten different temples from my home to my college even the city has so much urbanized than the ancient period. I don’t much believe in gods but I bow before the temple and ask nothing to god. I don’t know why but passing by these temples and praying to gods makes me feel that my day will be better.
Along with the temples, there are lots of new buildings that have been mushrooming in this city. While I am in the microbus, I watch these new buildings and analyze their designs and the pattern. In some buildings which are just completed or still under construction have the graphic picture of that building and I try to compare the picture and the building if they are exactly the same or there is some difference. Whatever I might see or whatever I might think on my way, I would be listening to music of some kind. It may be from my mobile phone or it could be playing from the player of the micro bus or the sound of prayers from distant. The good music is always a good starter of the day.
These are the things that I see every day on my way to college and these are the thoughts that generally dwell in my head during that time. The major thing that compel my mind to think some more is the waste and garbage that is thrown on either side of the road and everywhere. These heaps of garbage are degrading the aesthetic value of the city. The city, which was once known as city of temples and gods is soon to be known as city of garbage. The pollution of the city can hamper the name and fame of the city in front of other countries. If only the waste was managed properly the city would look even more beautiful and clean.
