Navin Shakya

Opinions

Social validation

A couple of days ago, my niece, a ninth grader, broke down in tears—big, bitter tears—and locked herself in her room for two days. Why? Because her dad bought her a phone…
Load shedding days

There was a time—not too long ago—when the best sound you could hear in a neighbourhood was kids yelling, “Batti ayo!” (The lights are back!). It was a moment of collective celebration…
Magic of mixtapes

Just watched Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and it totally took me back to the days of Walkmans and mixtapes. I remember the rush of heading to the local music shop after…
Hindsight bias

In recent years, Nepal has faced some serious floods, with the most recent one in this year causing a lot of damage and taking lives. After these events, it’s normal for people…
Glory days of radio

Back in our school days, FM radio was a huge part of our lives. Having a small, battery-operated radio felt like owning something really special. We’d even make handmade cards and take…
Resilience of people

The roads remain dusty, and the pavements are torn apart. The river has scarred their businesses. Yet just couple of days after the calamity, business has resumed as usual. They will paint…
Flood and electricity

For over 40 hours, the rain just didn’t stop. This city couldn’t handle it. The areas near the rivers were completely underwater. So many lives were lost, and billions of rupees worth…
Nepali time

Kathmandu’s roads are full of reckless users—whether it’s pedestrians, bikers, motorists, public bus drivers, school bus drivers, or truck drivers. People of all ages—men, women, old, young, or children—seem to always be…
Hair cut

I usually head for hair cut on Tuesday evenings to get extra few minutes, because that’s when they’re quieter since it’s like an off day for salon in my area. It’s a…
Searching nose

While riding my bike recently, I passed by a garden filled with blooming jasmine flowers. The sweet fragrance that filled the air instantly lifted my mood. It was a brief moment, lasting…