Journey of my life

My father always used to tell me, “You are today’s bud, and tomorrow’s flowers.” He also used to tell me that I came to this earth or in this land for a purpose. At that time I didn’t really think about it and didn’t pay much attention to it, but as time passed, I realized what it meant.

The day I was born was full moon night, as I was born on 21st Apirl 2008. My relatives and parents used to say that this girl (Hrishtina Kariyapradhan Tharu) is a boon because after my birth, everything was positively changed. After my birth, relationship between my mother and father grew warmer and there was only happy atmosphere. Everyone was happy at that moment.

When I was 2 years old, I used to argue with my parents and cry to go school with my big mother’s daughter and son. People used to call me Chinese in school that may be because I look like them. When people asked my name, I used to tell my name as Kristeena Goreypradhan Tharu but my real caste is Kariyapradhan. They laughed and asked me again why do I tell my caste like that and I used to answer them “I am not black (kariya, Kalo) but I am white (goro). I don’t know much, but one day when my mother went to the market, I locked the door and could not open the door, then after I cut my hair short and cried a lot. My mother returned back home and helped me to open the door, I was still crying and with my shortened hair and next day me and my father went to a parlor and properly chopped my hair.

 My School life

Kinder garden:

As per my mother, I was sent school at 2.5 years old. I remember the day when my mother sent me a lot of tiffin with me but I used to share with my friends and elder sisters and never eat that tiffin own self and tell my mother that I finished my tiffin. I still remember that day when I was studying in grade UKG, I peed on my pants and I bunked the school and later the school sister chased me. I went to my home and my mother changed my clothes. I had to go to my school with that sister because it was examination period. My teacher scolded me and after studying attentively, I scored 1st in my class.

Before when I was 1 or 2 years old, we lived in a rented house. When I was 5 years old, my parents bought a big house. We had to shift our basic and essential things in our new house from our rented house but we used to shift our things and stuffs at night time because my parents felt shy at noon time. I was the one to show the torch light in that midnight and those moments were also fun. I used to think why only the sun, moon and stars chased me while I was roaming around and it was fun thinking that and arguing with others that moon or sun is chasing only me.

I had 5-6 friends during my childhood in my home town. We used to play all the day without eating anything. It was really enjoyable and we also used to go picnic at different festivals like Dipawali playing Deusi Bhailo and collecting money from all the friends. My mom helped us to cook the food and we ate and enjoyed a lot.

I remembered a woman always coming to our house to deliver milk from her own house pet buffalo. I was still 3 or 4, I didn’t remember much but she used to come at morning time and she always used to bite my cheek when I was sleeping and I used to cry a lot. My mother used to scold that woman for doing that thing but she used to tell “Your daughter is beautiful and that is why I bite her cheeks otherwise others will notice her.

When I was 5 or 6 years old, my father fixed an appointment in the Radio Paschim Today for me and I decided to take some of my friends with me for a short child interview. We enjoyed a lot with the Radio Jockey sister Tasvin Didi. I was treated very kindly and the place where I was sitting high sear was also extremely comfortable because I was the daughter of Thakur Kariyapradhan.  They were like “oh Kristeena is so cute” kissed me making my cheeks red.

Primary Level:

I started my student journey from Stone Bridge School which is named Chaityana Pathasala now. I studied that school from grade nursery to grade 4 then I changed my school and went to Axis Vidyasharam which is located in mid Hasanpur where I studied till class 8. I was neither a topper in studies nor very weak. I was just an average student securing average marks. Of course, my grades were high and I always scored 1st in class till 3 or 4 but the moments changed when I changed my school. And my parents admitted me to another school. At first, it was a bit difficult for me to merge into the new environment. My grades were also not that much good but slowly time changed and I studied well and I scored very good marks in last terminal. There was a favorite teacher of mine. He always motivated me in every situation. He always noticed and encouraged me saying Hrishtina should do this things.

At first I was very shy and hesitant to speak in front of many people but he motivated and inspired me telling that you can do it, there is nothing that you cannot do so just believe in yourself and go for it. Just because of him, I started to listen English songs and watch English drama to improve my English speaking. I even now know that my spoken English is not much improved but I am still trying to improve it.

Secondary Level

I joined and started my grade 9 in Aishwarya Vidya Niketan. It was not hard for me to adjust in the school environment. Everyone were very friendly as there were old friends and new friends were also friendly. Before I joined Aishwarya, my study was very good but after joining that school, I secured average marks. It was a bit difficult for me to secure the good students. My book was published when I started to join my grade 10. My grade 10 journey was also very fun and I also made a lot of friends in class 10. Those good memories will remain in my heart.

 My Writing

Everything was going on smoothly and when I was studying in grade 7 at the final terminal examination the Covid-19 pandemic came in existence. Due to that fear, my grades went down because there was not any study environment. Though my article writing journey started from the lockdown period as I was very bored in my room doing nothing. I used my leisure time writing articles, making slides and exploring different websites. After writing some poems and few articles regarding culture festivals and my own thought, my father decided to collect that articles to publish all as a book. I got this writing idea from my father as an assignment in a week and in different festivals. My father used to give me some main points about the particular topic and I used to write my opinions about that. So my father is my motivator and my inspiration of writing journey. My first book “Lockdown Dairy: Pandemic, Festival, Reality” journey was started from grade 7 to grade 9. Everyone liked my book a lot, praised it open heartedly and many people bought the book as well.

Awards

Since I was awarded by “Nava sarjak Sahitya Chautari” family from Hetauda for my book “Lockdown Diary: Pandemic, Festival, Reality”. It was very much proud moment for me and also for my father. Only I was the selected child writer from the entire Far western province. When I got the news that I was getting a national award from Nava sarjak family Hetauda, I could not really believe that because it was really all of a sudden for me. I was not really expecting that like I was insane that it had only been a 3 or 4 days of publication and inauguration of my book named “Lockdown Diary: Pandemic, Festival, Reality” and my father informed me that “Thuli! You are getting an award and we are going to Hetauda tomorrow.” My family calls me Thuli at home. At first I thought he just told me to make me happy and he’s just kidding but after that he said lets go for shopping we should have to buy a formal clothes for the ceremony. Only then I believed and I was very happy and excited for that function.

Getting an award was very prideful moment but when I was speaking in a huge mass of people and students from different schools of Hetauda. That was a different feeling, I was a bit nervous because it was my first experience of delivering speech in front of more than 500 people. Although I have given speeches in my class room, school and also different program, that was a different type of feeling. Everyone was very impressed by my talk and many students also came to me and took my book with my autograph, it was really wonderful moment for me. During the visit in Hetauda, I introduced myself as child writer among the thousands of people. During the day, I met Dr. Devi Prasad Nepal, Member of Nepal Pragya Pratisthan, Child writer Scholar Pramod Pradhan, Writer Om Kumari Banjara, Motivator and writer Deepak Gautam and so many scholars and writer along with friends from different provinces.

As I remember, when I was studying in grade 7; I guess I had sung a song in front of huge mass in Budhha Mandir during festival of ‘Buddha Jayanti’ in my local place. It was also very good moment while sharing my voice to the people. My father friends were also present there and they also praised me. I was very happy at that moment too. At Youth Day, on 12 October, 2022, I was invited in the youth’s ceremony and I had given a short speech about “The youth and importance of youth in upcoming generation” in front of all the youths and the political leaders of my province and also shared some good things about my book too.

My Visits Exposure 

I remember, when I was 4 years old I went to Kathmandu for the first time. I celebrated my fourth birthday in Pashupatinath Temple Kathmandu. And for the second time, my mother and my father had gone Kathmandu without taking me and I stayed back with my big mother’s youngest son and daughter. I had a stomach problem and when my parents knew about that they rushed back to Dhangadhi and took me to Kathmandu with them. At that time, I also visited Dharhara and Narayanhiti Durbar; it was very pleasing and learning moment.

I had visited different places of Nepal with my father. I and my father went to Chitawan, Sauraha for his project and office works and trainings. Apart from works, we had visited and enjoyed a lot of places of Chitawan. We went for jungle safari, camping, and rafting and met a lot of friends of my father.

There was an old man. I just forgot his name; he was from Sindhupalchowk and I always used to do yoga with him in the morning times. In the late evening time, we went for a night walk towards Sauraha Bazar in group and we had also bought some clothes and hats. As I was clicking photos wearing a hat; a man came and touched me and said “I thought this girl standing was a dummy Doll”. We laughed and clicked photos together. I had met a lot of people there. They were so much caring as I was the only child in their group. I had also gone to the hotel which was located in the mid of the jungle and which was established by a Queen but now that hotel is just for the showcase.

I also visited the Baitadi hilly area of Nepal for the first time. As it was the marriage ceremony of my sister, we travelled from Terai to Hilly only for the ceremony. It was really hilarious travelling to hilly area. At mid night, almost 1 AM maybe we were dancing and enjoying in the mid of road near the Godawari Bridge.

When we reached our destination the weather was cold and I didn’t have any warm clothes, my brother provided me his coat. As I had analyzed that place was clean and people were also very nice. I loved that place but the main problem was that we should have to run 4 km far from our place just to fulfill our basic needs. I really liked the taste of water of that place. If I get the second chance to go there again, I would love to.

I also went to NainiTaal, Mansuri, Deharadhun, Hariduwar, Guruduwar India with my parents and my elder moms and fathers. It was a one- week tour with whole family. Enjoying with parents and siblings has another type of vibe and feeling. It was very wonderful moment in that place. We worshiped through Ganga-snan at Haridwar Ganga river. I also enjoyed the scene of that Naini Taal from the cable-car and also visited different temples. But I was fed up of eating the Panir in every veggies like in every items of veggies the panir was there. But enjoying and travelling different places made me more creative.

I also visited Lucknow India with my parents for medical treatment of my grandpa. I got chance to observe historical palace Bhulbhulaiya and their amazing location of that fort. I remember talk with hotel men in Hindi first time through phone for the order something eating items. when I was 4 years old. Hotel man was surprise with me I just conversation in hindi language. And I tested sweet chart food items for the first in Luckhnow.

As I was awarded in Hetauda, a part of that award function we also got chance to visit different landmark Places, I visited religious Bhutandevi Temple of Hetauda with the whole family of Navasarjak. It was very wonderful and precious time spending with them. Even after that function we again went to the Sahid Smarak parks and Makawanpur Gadi of Hetauda. The Makwanpur Gadi is historical landmark fort. I had got 3 different friends in a day. Like I am very friendly and open minded person therefore I do have many friends. Everyone in that group was very kind and caring. After the award ceremony next day while we were returning back to home, we stayed and spent our day in Narayanghat. We enjoyed rafting in Narayani River.

We were traveling with two other guys (Prabin and Bam Dai) who were the part of Navasarjak family. I just remember so funny moments; they were discussing about the money they spent together for each other and dividing the money. Even though they calculated and divided the money in two parts more than 10 times, they both were not satisfied. Even my father also helped to solve at first they said okay but then again another man was not satisfied. Spending time with them was really funny and precious. I would love, if I again get the chance to go to Hetauda.

 Music Video

I acted as a child actor in Ukkrung Bukrung video music. Possibly; Ukkrung Bukrung Music Video is the first video in Nepal on children’s song in Tharu Language. The video was directed by Indu Didi. She is my favorite Didi. My sister Braviya and other friends along with me acted in the lead role. I had a lot of fun while acting in that video and gained a lot of knowledge of the Tharu culture and languages.

My Village VS My Living Place

We are living at Dhangadhi City with my family. Our origin is village ‘Thewai’. When I was child, I always cried to go to village and I preferred village to my living place. But now time changed, my heart changed. Now I really don’t like to go village. My village is now developed, the road is constructed and has been concreted road and the population is also increasing day by day as people are migrating there. In my village the road is constructed fully but in my living place city the road is duff as usual.

There was a cute dog named ‘Kalu’ because it was black in color. The dog always knew that we were coming to the village house and it even rushed to take us to the middle of the road. When I was in village, my grandpa always used to make swing in mango tree or bahari. It was really fun as a child in village. As long as my grandparents were alive I loved to go village but after the death of both grandparents, I really don’t like to go village. Without grandparents the village is not funny. I prefer my living place to my village now.