It was the year 2000, I had accompanied my youngest brother to see the place where we were born. Our oldest brother still lives there with his family of five. It was my first visit there but, he had already been there many times before. Long time before his father had died. Sukadev lives in Chitwan, our originating city, but; not in the same are that swept the house and all the corps some thirty years ago. He has been living there since 1995, a year after his marriages. Before moving there he had visited many places to search for the place to settle down with his family. That was also the year he had his first child.
Just minutes before we reach my brother's ‘hot’, if that's what we call home. We have to cross a small river that had a crossing made with just wooden slabs, which was strong enough to cross on bike too. I guess the real bridge would mind it seriously, or give me an evil look, if I call that wooden slab crossing a bridge. Just like that, using the word river does not seemed appropriate at all, still its called a river. In fact, its just a little bigger than the irrigation canal people in villages need to water their farm. may be my fault is being a city girl whole my life so, I really have not seen such small water canal called rivers. Whatever, the fact is, it was that very small river which had not just swept our belongings but dispersed the whole family for years which never united later on in life as a family, in real sense.
When we were returning from the place, Sukdev said showing his fake anger, “we need to tie this river, turn it upside down and then beat it, because this is the river that separated our family.” He said his feelings in such a way that feelings really did not had any emotions attached with it to make its listener feel the said words and believe what he had said.
Looking at that river, it was so hard to believe that it was the river behind the flood that swept the whole village causing troubles for so many family living in that area - Rapti river side may be. But what is very obvious is, that kind of flood do not come easily on the size of river that needs crossing to visit our ‘home’ nor such flood comes every year with ill intention to sweep the whole village with its annual corp.
However, that small river with its big power kept lingering in my mind long time after I saw it and it became hard for me to believe that it was the river and reason behind that landed me and my three brothers in Bal Mandir.
About a couple of years later, I got a chance to go to the Hanglang area. Its just half an hour bus ride towards the east from the place where my brother and his family lives. And after climbing down on Bhandara stop, we have to to go upwards about half an hour to reach the Chepang church there. This place is in slight height despite it being in the in Tarai area. A church from Korea wanted to do some small program and I was on holiday at my brothers place, so I had tailed them just for fun. On the way up to the church at one point, we needed to take a small breathing rest due to the height. Then Rajkumar looked back and said, “Sunita didi, see the river behind, that had caused the flood which swept your home some thirty years ago.”
Although, Rajkumar is a close relative from in laws, I did not knew that, he knew our family story more than me. But, without disclosing my thoughts, I turned back and look down. A huge river was calmly flowing. The dancing winter sun on the river water was adding so much charm on the river. It was the kind of big river, I have never seen before. But, strangely it looked so beautiful from the top. The only thing was it was a flowing calmly, may be it was winter season and not the rainy season when those big river sounds mean and cruel. While watching that river, my mind started forming a concrete conviction, that sure would have been the real reason behind the flood that was so powerful to sweep everything on its way down.
Ever since I have seen that small river on the way to the home that leads to my oldest brother's hot my mind was in denial to believe about what it had caused back in about some thirty years ago. That small river could not have been the sole reason behind the big flood and I was so gnawed with the thought to know more about it. So, when I saw the Manohara River part of a koshi river, if my knowledge about rivers here in Nepal is correct; then I felt I found my answer with more conviction. Without the back support from the big river like that small could never harm anyone. Thus, that small river is the mute storyteller of such believe, so, keep searching your answer; one day you sure will find it when you least expect it. But, for that you must be very curious to find answer.
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