KAIROS: IT’S ABOUT TIME.

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On one of the days of 2nd year of my Master's Degree, I was sitting with friends and teachers on the ground for sun-warm, and it is a good way of talking about various topics. Sunny day and funny talk. You know, if you are a student of literature, you like to talk, analyze and put your criticism on various topics. Then I remembered a story, in fact, it is a folktale and I started to share it with my teachers and students.

I heard the story the day before when I used to attend the class trekking guide. There were many friends who used to share their experiences and were very special days with kind-hearted people. The story goes like this.


              

             Myself MB                                                      Rhododendron

               

           Poplar                                                                        Uttish 
      
Photos: Google


Once upon a time, there was an Uttis tree (it’s a soft tree normally found in the landslide area or in a steep hill) living happily with his friends and family. When he became grown enough for traveling, he used to go far distances and enjoy the surrounding panoramas. He loved the sceneries and he went on. When he was walking through the forest, all of a sudden, he saw a very beautiful Rhododendron. She was smiling with her extreme effort. Blooming in her youth.

Seeing a beautiful lady, he got highly impressed. All of a sudden, he went close to her and proposed to her for the marriage. “Oh Rhododendron I have come from a far way. I am very lucky to see a very beautiful girl. My parents would be happy to see our couple. Will you marry me?” Rhododendron just smiled and became shy. Uttish said that he will go to his parents and talk about this. Uttish went back and the time flew on.

Poplar used to be the mediator for any marriage ceremony. Poplar and Uttish went to the Rhododendron to tell her that they will come with a special ritual to take her. His parents were convinced to his proposal. This time the proposal was getting a formal shape. Poplar and Uttish went on, sometimes ascending to uphill and sometimes descending, crossing the stream and walking through the bushes.

When they reached the Rhododendron, the spring was already finished. There were not any flowers at all. Beautiful blooming Rhododendron had changed into an ugly lady. But she liked that Uttish came with a mediator. Seeing such an ugly lady, Uttish soon decided to go back instead of on talking about marriage. He was just hoping for the same beautiful Rhododendron and now for him, everything finished.

Rhododendron became so depressed on listening to it. She requested Uttish many times not to change his decision but he did not listen. She cried but nothing changed. Poplar could not say anything because both sides should agree to this.

Again the time flew on. Spring came.

Uttish was going somewhere the same way. To his surprise, Rhododendron had become more beautiful than last year. He did not believe it but was real. He went on looking and looking at her. At last, he excused her and asked: “dear Rhododendron, it was my fault to see and analyze wrongly such a beautiful lady. Please, forget the past and now I want to marry you”.

Rhododendron had not forgotten the talking of last year. He had bitterly complained about her youth. At first, she did not like to talk with him and later she thought that she has to reply to him. Rhododendron said politely: “Dear Uttish. Thank you for seeing me as a beautiful lady. But did you remember, what did you do last year? I requested you many times with my tear-full eyes to stop you. Nothing changed and you heartless person left me here. Now, listen to my decision. I was alone before and happy. Even now I am alone but happy. It is better to die than becoming your wife. I hope you will not repeat the same proposal again and made it clear to move from here.”

Being very sad, Uttish returned back. He was thinking so many things and his mind was troublesome. He could not think what to do next. All of a sudden he thought something and jumped to the steep hillside and died. After that Uttish always emerges/grows (mostly) in the landslide/steep hillside.

All the teachers liked the story and they praised it. I was very happy to share the folktale with them, which was also new to them.


The next day, I got a call from my friend that the story has been included in our textbook. Becoming the first batch after the curriculum changed, we had not received that book. The next day, I told the teachers about it. While coming back home, I thought what a time to share the story. I was excited and smiled at myself…I did on time. I have read somewhere KAIROS: IT’S ABOUT TIME.

Bhanu Bhakta Khatiwada

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