It was drizzling in the morning. I hurriedly reached the school exactly at 7.30 A.M with a hope of visiting a place which my subject teacher used to talk about so often. The educational excursion was set up by my environment teacher Mr. Surendra Sthapit under the co-ordination of my class-mate, Sonu who used to be the school vice-captain too. She managed the whole program pretty well. As for other, Devraj Bhatta sir accompanied the tour with us to the excursion site. Nearly at 8:00 rest of the students from 7-10 arrived accompanied by their umbrellas as still it was raining, with the glimpse of uncertainly in their faces. My vice- captain looked very desperate about our visit and kept on moving around sometime arguing with the teacher to make it confirm as if we were going or not, later she got the confirmation from the teacher that at every cost he was in the thought of going no matters what so happens. Then I took a long breathe from inside, bit glad that I left home telling family that my teacher is taking us to Khokana and if I had to return it would be very shameful.
After the short stay in school bus arrived & as instructed by the vice-captain we climbed the bus and started to wait few more seniors as they had confirmed that they too would come but we were out of control because the time was ticking over. After a short while everybody sang songs with great enthusiasm as everybody seemed very delighted since they were away from books, more importantly with friends. We played antakshari (a regular dose in the picnic).
We reached the site within no time but it wasn’t the site we had a visit but it was the temple of Ganesh (Karyabinayak) as my teacher suggested that before we start any good deed we should pay homage to lord Ganesh who helps in succeeding the programs we think of. After the temple visit we had a cup of tea and we headed towards the place called Khokana. The track was rough and narrow. Crossing a small newari village we were asked to get off the bus and were told that it was the place where we told about. The place was very empty and barren seemed as if there used to a bricked factory but closed. The fact about the industrial pollution was the good example of that area. Even though the factory wasn’t running the situation of the place was speaking that environment was polluted due to the installation of the factory there. Then Bhatta sir managed to fetch the laborer who explains the queries we made. He told the process of setting up factories of that kind and how the bricks are made and burn, migrating the whole plant to other place.
Then we headed towards a narrower track. It took us up to a lush green meadow like land. The place was absolutely wonderful, truly marvelous. I thought after a long time I got chance to feel the green and smell the green as I being a city dweller there isn’t such green near by my place.
We quickly untied our body weight as our bag, ran across to enjoy the place. Seniors weren’t at all in that place but started to be the part of football match going on of the local boys. Ours teachers made themselves busy preparing breakfast for us.
After breakfast we enjoyed ourselves playing few games and enjoyed the place and silence created there. If there was any noise, that would have been of our’s scream and shout. We firstly played Khokho . It went to few rounds the some proposed of playing Tug-O-War. Suren sir joined the game where as Bhatta sir joined the boys for football. (Most amazing factor was sir enjoyed the game with maximum enthusiasms and zeal he could be so friendly, exciting, intimate I had never thought of as he when in school is always strict, serious and often very quite.)
The drizzle made the grassy turf very slippery but everybody was enjoying the possible slip as much I did. Within the game situation incidentally I was sticking behind him to pull our so called opponents and behind me was Sonu, rest I am uncertain. We won couple of time then they brought Bhatta sir in their side as they were losing the game simultaneously.
Later even before the game started we pulled and we all fell over one another keeping our sir at the base he facing the ground with some cake of cow dung. May be he sneaked some (hope it is not true.) I was very worried he might be angry but the glimpse of smile on his face killed my fear, the game continued. That might be the possible extreme level of enjoyment I had so far in my life. The zeal of the participants, the spirit of the game, the rain everything was in our favor. I quietly thanked God for all these.
Later half of the game was of chasing without any boundaries to run. Suren sir started the game and we all ran trying to run away from him. But he gained much support as he was able to touch some tortoise pretty quickly. But Bhatta sir create a troubled as he vanished from the scene and late came to know that he was hiding down the hill near river Bagmati. Then we all had our Tiffin, as we all felt hungry after the long hour of ups and downs. When we had ours, Suren sir shot us with his video camera and he asked few friends how the excursion ended? But I wasn’t the one who appeared on screen to answer his question but still enjoyed every bit of time I had at Khokana. Surely it was the day to be remembered forever in my life.
Comments are Disabled