These days the ‘hot’ issue for protest has been strike against price hike of petrol and lpg by students and “landless” squatters. Squatters are protesting against the government’s decision to demolish their homes to make roads. I have been waking up early every morning to cover that, but that is being postponed. But that is something else to write about. Which I will blog soon.

Students affiliated with ANNFSU

When it comes to protest and it involves students, Tri Chandra Campus is one of the ‘happening’ place. Today I rushed as I got information that students affiliated with Nepal Students’ Union (NSU) are burning Prime Minister’s effigy. When I reached there, students affiliated with ANNFSU were preparing the effigy.

A few minutes later, my confusion was cleared when a student told both unions had prepared the effigy to burn. First ANNFSU students went to road, chanted slogans against Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai. Slogans were about cursing him, and demanding to reduce the price. The burnt the effigy and still stayed on the road chanting slogans and blocking traffic.

Students affiliated with NSU

About an hour later was the turn for NSU. They repeated the same thing. They brought the effigy out of college. They rallied around Rani pokhari and Jamal, came back chanting almost the same slogans. They burnt the effigy around 30 meters far from the previous one. What a co-ordination between two rivals.

Hindu culture has god for almost everything, I think. God who created this world, god for wealth, security, power, prosperity and so on. One of the many gods is  Goddess Saraswoti, god for knowledge.

There is special day to worship gods. For Saraswoti, it’s Saraswoti puja. This day is also known as basanta panchami or shree panchami. It is the first day of spring season (basanta).

I remember as a kid or rather school student, I used to worship books and my colorbox on this day. There used to be some special puja organised at school. Standing on queue like each day school assembly and offering flowers to the photo of Saraswoti and getting a packet of sweets and fruits.

There is also a culture that kids start learning alphabets from this day. They have to write something, at least a letter. So kids are taken to the Saraswoti temple and they write on the walls. Well, that is the myth.

Today, I went to Saraswoti temple at Swoyambhu. The walls were all written by chalk. And they certainly were not written by kids. I had to wait for some time to find a kid writing on the wall. Most of the people who were writing on the walls were teenagers. Writing own names. Or mostly girlfriend’s/boyfriend’s name with ‘plus’ sign between the names and making heart shapes. I could tell that by the way they were talking and writing.

Changes in everything are certain. But how much and in what way is what we should understand.

Ratnapark never fails to amuse me. It really is a happening place in the city, at least for me. I think it is like Times Square. Although I haven’t been there, I had read somewhere that if you stay there for few minutes you can see people from all around the world. It looks like if we stay there for some time, we can meet people from all around Nepal. I really enjoy being in such places. It is really fascinating to see totally different things going on at the same time. A kid running without pants past a person sleeping on the ground. A romantic couple next to a boozed man. Street vendors always cautious towards the van of municipality. People hustling to get in a tempo or a micro bus. Vendors selling watches dipped in a bowl of water to prove it is waterproof next another vendor selling porn magazines. This is just a glimpse. This place should never fail to amuse .

Today, I was assigned to go there to cover some protest. Not to forget this is also a favorite place for protesters too. But didn’t see anything like that there. Instead, a vendor was selling colourful air filled plastic guitar.

I had never seen that thing before. That quickly attracted the passersby and they started buying it. I talked to the vendor. He was from Rajasthan India and has been a street vendor in Nepal for four years. I asked has he been selling the same thing, he said: “no, it is a new product”.

Soon I saw there were other people already walking with the guitar.

Today in the happening place, what amused me was the plastic guitar.

Click for winner’s gallery.

Tamang people carrying a structure of dragon take part in a rally during Sonam Lhochhar at Tudikhel, Kathmandu on Tuesday, January 24, 2012. The year 2848th Duk lhochhar is celebrated as the year of dragon. (click below for more photos)

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Buddhist kids pray during the closing ceremony of a 7 days camp at International Buddhist Meditation Center, Sankhamul, Kathmandu on Tuesday, January 24, 2012.

A mask dancer performs a traditional dance during the celebration of Shree Pachali Bhairavnath Festival at Makhan, Basantapur in Kathmandu on Saturday, January 21, 2012. The festival is celebrated in every 12 years.

A mask dancer performs a traditional dance during the Shikali festival at Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur on Friday, January 20, 2012.

Squatters scuffle with Police during their protest at Sankhamul, Kathmandu on Thursday, January 17, 2012.

I cycled to Khokana yesterday. It was in the daytime. Daylight is considered ‘bad’ light to take photos. Too bad for landscape. I enjoy the midday light though. I enjoyed shooting in the harsh light. I don’t have anything to write though. I just want to share my photos. (click below for more photos)