muwa goes to patan

muwa had been wanting to visit deviji for a long time now. then when dada got his heart attack last week, she had wanted to come.. but she needed to get well herself, having recently been bedridden with a very very bad bout of flu.

when muwa says she wants to visit dada, it means she wants to take along with her food cooked by her own hands with dada loves.

so today was the day. muwa (she's 95!) prepared with her aphnai haat, dal, matar ko sukkha tarkari (naam matra ko tel haleko,as she puts it!) and tusa ra ghiraunla ko chhip-chhipey gabarey.

baba drove her to patan in the evening.. and through the car ventilation, it seems she also managed to get a whiff of the 'durdasha' of bagmati as the jeep crossed the 'holy' river!

the evening was looking very pink with a huge storm cloud reflecting the ruddy rays of the setting sun

before muwa arrived dada and deviji were together with deviji's 'babu.' her maternal instincts towards the 'baby' have diminished quite a bit since last year!


when muwa arrived, dada and shobhadi went to help her get into the house... shobhadi used to work for muwa's children's knitware outfit for over a dozen years before she came to help care for deviji...

muwa walks into the room and spots deviji

deviji beams when she sees muwa.. muwa and deviji shared a special bond.. with lots of common interests, and deviji going out of her way to help and please muwa!

muwa is very glad to see deviji and keeps saying, 'she's trying to fathom who i am!"

dada opens the thermos with tattato goodies cooked by muwa. he immediately set them aside for dinner..

baba also joins the group. muwa tells dada how shocked she was to learn about dada's heart problem.. "how could it have happened to you?"

deviji reaches out to her jwain

deviji is pretty serious for the rest of the evening...

... although she looks intently at muwa trying to guage the familiarity... in this picture it seems like she and deviji are really engaging in a real conversation!

.. she occasionally tries to reach out to muwa...muwa also repeats, "malai deviji le nadekheko katti bhayi sakyo, ani ma pheri dublaeko pani chhu!"
.. and at other times just fiddles with the table in front of her

dada takes his evening dose of medicine

then it's deviji's turn for dinner...

it's time to go and muwa holds deviji's hand and says "deviji ma jaun hai ta?"

and deviji rewards her with a beatific smile.. and thus manages to warm everyone else's hearts too!

the (hot) flash party

it was the gathering of the class of '73, whoever could make it at honey (khatri) kc's house in gyaneshwar. we gathered at 1:30 and bit by bit the friends trickled in. the group getting more and more loud and fun with every other addition!

the nearly four-hour party turned out to be a 'hot flash' party with us 'post, current and past' menopausal friends(some needing fan therapy too!)!!! we discussed our ailments, our spouses, our children, our schooldays, our jobs, the grandkids (whoever were blessed with them) and maternity clothes (whoever were going to be blessed with grandkids!)

we went through pictures of friends and their families

and we ate and we ate, for honey had laid out quite a spread.. and the soon ma sugandha was added by the goodies brought by friends!


the hostess honey

rita (thapa) singh, the fanwaali
jyoti (rajbhandary)thapa

kalpana (shrestha) shrestha the mumbaiwaali

anita (basnet)karkey

biva (rana)shah -- the evergreen grandma

bimala (khatri) k.c. the non-retired retiree

rupa (basnet) rana - the boutique grandma

laxmi (shrestha) singh -- the other retiree

some liked to be hugged.. some didn't!

we ate enough for two days!

we laughed.. a lot!

we caught up with each other's families and friends

we listened...

and we reacted...

we gossiped...

and we looked at more pictures!

grandma and would be grandma shared notes

before i left, all friends said a big hi for dada (my father) who is recuperating from a heart attack he suffered a week ago

back in patan, dada saw the picture and wanted a reciprocal 'hi' to the class of '73

dada's homecoming

it was a very joyous moment for us today to welcome dada home after five days in the hospital. dada had a massive heart attack on sunday, 11th april and had undergone an emergency angioplasty procedure that saved his life.

dada's recovery was an amazing and exemplary one, his positivity, his inner physical as well as mental strength, discipline, good humour and just being 'nice' impressed all in the hospital.

today we brought dada back home to sri durbar tole and to deviji...
(pictures taken by me, sandaji and eelum)


dada specially ordered black pants and cream shirt as his 'homecoming' attire!

the nurse explains dada's medications as part of the check out procedures

as dada's about to leave the cabin, shanta got a call in her mobile.. it was himali, or humayu, as dada calls her, from berekely

soon dr pandey (cardiologist) and dr thapa (emergency room)came to escort dada out of the hospital...

...but not before dr. pandey gives her last minute do's and don'ts.. normal food, just no oily fried food, boso and red meat.. normal homebound activities, including navigating one flight of stairs

dada was taken out of the hospital the same way he came in.. through the emergency room. here he is with shanta and sandaji in front of the bed where his initial tests were done.. before he was rushed to the cath lab

the final handshake from the doctor for norvic's 'model' patient

soon we are homebound.. here we are approaching the thapathali crossing

.. and now entering the gates of sri durbar tole... notice the bougainvillea spilling over from the walls of bachan's property...

...heading towards dada's office past yala maya kendra...

.. and the final stretch homewards...

...where the loved ones are gathered

a round of applause as the car comes to a halt

dada first goes to deviji

and the same adoration reflected in deviji's face for the owner of 'tyo goro haat' after six decades of togetherness

mala for dada...


...and deviji...

together again

deviji's joy was infectious

all happy to have dada back home

heading towards the house

dada offering dakshina in the ghadaa

gajendra bajey offers tika to dada..

... and other blessings

dada with his three sisters

deviji's still all smiles


dada engrossed in chatting with his siblings

and relaxing in the couch nearby

having lunch under shobha didi's watchful eyes

and by nightfall.. dada's watching the havoc caused by the ash from the volcanic eruption in iceland!

iti