Navin Shakya

mood

Dashain vacation

Every year, a group of my friends comes up with an ambitious trekking plan for the long Dashain vacation. It’s become a bit of a tradition: mountains, trails and endless stories around…
Annoying strikes

Look, we get it—in the democratic world you can speak up when you’re fed up. People have the right to protest, go on strike, and tell the government they’re not happy. It’s…
Feeling like Walter Mitty

Sometimes, in the middle of an ordinary day—while reading emails or sitting in a meeting—I find my mind drifting far away. One second I’m focused on work, the next I’m trekking through…
Trolley speaker man

Almost every week, sometimes even twice, someone with a trolley speaker arrives in my neighbourhood, asking for donations to help a kidney or cancer patient—or similarly devastating illness. At first, I felt…
Brilliant effort, girls!

Back in our school days, the Nepali national cricket team was not good. To put it bluntly, we were a disappointing unit. Chasing even the smallest targets felt like an impossible task,…
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…
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…
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…
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…