A Day

I love you.

"Go and talk to her," he said softly to his brother. 

I was captivated by the "Nitrya Ganesh" painting made by Shankar Shrestha at that moment. The words fell softly but clearly in my ears yet I didn't care to look back. As I have this habit, I don't care about the way I don't have to travel. 

I still recall there were a total of 3 moons in that painting. If I have to be specific 3 waxing crescents on the left side of the painting; one just above the shivalinga, another just above the Ganesh, and another was made as a pair with the sun at the top. It seems like the time just before the sun meets the moon for a few seconds. If I'm correct the "Xenodermus javanicus" (Dragon Snake) was around the neck of Lord Ganesh who was throwing fireballs from his mouth. I encountered a strange detail that day. In every painting of Ganesh in the museum, it appears to be that he was holding a carrot in hand. I find that quite strange and interesting. The right foot of Ganesh was in the air however his left foot was on the ground. The painting was quite mesmerizing. I stood there in awe for a few minutes wondering what could the artist was wondering while trying to give this painting a life.

As I moved to the next painting I noticed a little boy beside me. Maybe around age of the eleven. He seemed quite curious about the paintings. He was asking a lot of questions. But unfortunately, his brother seems to struggle to answer them all. He looked at me and asked the same question "why there's dragon in the sky?"

It was the art piece of Pradhumna Shrestha named "Shangrila". It clearly portrays of fiery scapes of the old Malla squares of Kathmandu Valley. The painting centers on architectural and material space, capturing the Darbar squares of the Kathmandu Valley through a dramatic and fiery lens while maintaining delicate accuracy. But the child's focus was on the "Garud" who flew with the snake in its beak. 

I was quite captivated by that scene as well; everyone was. But I wasn't exactly in a position to answer why the painting was that way to an 11-year-old child. His brother was assured that the child started to question me instead of him. I gave that child the answer I heard long before instead of explaining why there was a rivalry between "Snake and Garud". 

I told that child, "In this painting, the snakes represent 'ego,' 'fear,' and 'obstacles'—those negative traits that can keep a devotee far from God and make life challenging. But by dedicating oneself to Lord Garuda, who embodies devotion, one can overcome these problems. Lord Garuda's grace helps remove these hurdles and leads to a smoother, more fulfilling life. Make sense?" 

He nods his head but I doubt this thing he understands. I shared a faint smile with his brother and moved along. The whole exhibition was enthralling. Those paintings made me think "if I was rich" a lot.  

As it was already 3 hours I spent at that exhibition, I went to the café straight after leaving it. I was sitting in the corner of the café facing the door. The freak street was crowded as usual with the hustle and bustle of people. I could clearly see the street from the window, even the crowd in that area always makes me calm. The smell of mud was mixing with the coffee as the waiter brought it towards me. 

As I looked up towards the door, I saw the familiar body approaching towards me. A boy; a tall one, as he came closer I could clearly see his brown eyes glistening even in the faint sunlight. Gleamy, Cavernous like the depth of the ocean. It felt like he could clearly stare at my heart. His curls were deep bole, hanging just above his forehead. When he slanted his lips it felt like the first blooming of the spring. I could feel the ray of light spreading from his eyes at that moment when he smiled. I could stare at him like I stared at those paintings before. 

Even though I was feeling unsure and confused, his presence made everything better. When he came over and wrapped his arms around me, it felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be. He held me as if he knew I belonged to him- a silent declaration that I was his and his alone, and he understood this undeniable truth as clearly as the stars in the night sky. I felt a deep sense of happiness and peace. Resting my head on his arm, I sighed contentedly, letting go of all my worries.

His soft voice brushed against my ear as he whispered, "Dumb girl, you never turned off your location."