The Best Grandfather in the World – part I

This is possibly the most valuable moment of writing for me because the story I am going to share here is about my grandfather – the most adorable person of my life.  I have told pieces of the story to most of my trekking friends / clients in the off trekking chats because it comes to discussion when they ask about my family background, study and career.  While sharing the stories about him, each time I have found myself in difficulty to hide the sorrow and tears within me. However it's always the moment of pleasure at least to recall his love, kindness and guidance which have brought me to this moment. So I always feel pleased, proud and fortunate to have him as my guardian and equally pleased to share the story about him through this blog.  

Grandpa's only faded picture re skateched by a painter

When I was 6 years or so, my parents and grandfather wanted me to take to the village school which is situated in about half hour's walk.  One day, my father went to the school and brought the course book of grade one.  Grade one is still the beginning of the schooling in the government schools especially in the remote areas. There is no grades such as nursery or kindergarten for younger or beginner students.  My early learning of alphabet started with punishment which was by my father. If I was unable to write down or memorize the alphabets he would grab my hair from the back and knock down to the ground or against the piece of wood board where we used to write down by a piece of home made chalk.  I used to cry a lot and I didn't want to go to school because he used to say, 'if you didn't memorize all these I will ask the master (teacher) to come and punish you.'  So like many other children I developed fear or phobia of avoid going school. 

found on the internet

One day my grandfather came down from summer pasture situated up high in the mountains and I cried on his lap saying 'please take me with you.  I want to read with you but I never want to go to school and learn with teachers.'  Then next day my father sent me with grandfather to the summer pasture which was one day's walk in the altitude of around 9000ft where my grandfather used to live all summer.  We had lots of cows, few buffalos, sheep, goats and oxen.  We also had our own land there. Along with me, one of my cousins also was there who used to help look after the animal.  We had temporary animal hut (Goth Nep.) and one corner of the goth was to sleep three of us.  My grandfather was unable to write the alphabet but he was able to say it. So we used to memorize the alphabet and try to match it on the book by counting i.e. the first letter grandpa pronounce must be the first letter printed on the page and it looks like this or that.  Among the animal herders some of them were senior students or ex students of the village school, so grandfather used to ask them to teach me and my cousin.  That's how we learned basic alphabet and some numbers to write, read and we memorized all of them. I only remember once my grandfather punishing me for not reading well; otherwise he never hit me due to not reading or writing.  I think we had completed about the level of nursery or similar just by listening grandfather or with some help of neighbor cow herder. 

More fun than reading or writing of course were to wonder around the hill, make noises, make ski of a tree bark and ski down the hill and end up with wound or cloth being torn everywhere.  So we used to get punished for such behavior rather than for studying.  We used to cause lots of trouble by spelling the milk or stealing the butter or not looking after the baby cow or buffalo while he would go far away to look after animal or to bring firewood or fresh grasses.   

Tradition of taking animal in the pastures is still alive in our area. This is seen in 2009 when I went to my village.

All of the fun of herding animal ended with summer when we returned home with animals as the winter would be harsh in the mountains. That became the last summer that my grandfather took animals up high.  After returning home, he decided to migrate to other district where his younger brother used to live. Later I learned from him that he felt so lonely due to grandmother's death ( couple of years back) so he decided to move to other place. My father didn't want to leave the village but both father and mother agreed to send me with grandfather to this new place.  By that time I think I was seven and my grandfather was 70.  My father helped us to reach this new place called Kamalakhoj of southern Nepal which was almost one week's walk as there was no road in those days.  In Kamalakhoj, my grandfather's younger brother who had moved there  much earlier were well settled and his sons and daughters (my uncles / aunts as we call for father's cousins) were attending the school.  Because my grandfather and father were well prepared, they managed to buy land and construct a small hut for two of us to live and work on.  Then my father returned to Solukhumbu.  

Not much later, I was admitted to the school which was a regional secondary school for whole district and it was at least one and half hours walk from our home.  I had pleaded my grandfather not to send me to the school but one of my uncles said he will take care and ask the teacher not to punish me.  I was convinced to attend the school only if he could keep me with him all day.  So the first day in the school, he admitted me on grade one but he kept me with him all day at his class (grade 9).  Next day, he said, 'look did you see teachers hitting anyone? so now you must stay at your class not at mine.'  This is how my schooling and wonderful life with my grandfather commenced.  Of course I missed my family especially my mom but my grandfather always cared me with much love and kindness so I was not that sad missing rest of the family. 

Further about grandfather to be continued in next post…

So far it's been fantastic to read your comments both published in the blog or sent to my mailbox. I appreciate your response and kindness to read this blog which have been inspiration to write more.  Till next time all the best