Shared Hands on Saturday

शनिबार बिहान, टोलमा "सामुदायिक हात" भन्ने समूहले सरसफाइ र पुस्तक-साटासाट कार्यक्रम राख्यो, र म घुम्न निस्किएको भए पनि उनीहरूमा मिसिएँ।

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On Saturday morning, a group called "Community Hands" held a cleanup and book-exchange program in the neighborhood, and although I had just gone out for a walk, I joined them.

सडकको कुनामा पानी चुहाइरहेको पुरानो धारा देखेपछि, पसलका दाइसँग औजार मागेर हामीले भित्तोको भ्वाङ थुन्यौं, जसले वरिपरिका घरहरूले महिनौंदेखि भोगिरहेको झन्झट एकैचोटि घटायो।

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After seeing an old tap leaking at the street corner, we borrowed tools from the shopkeeper and plugged the hole in the wall, which at once reduced the hassle neighbors had suffered for months.

सुरुमै हात माटोले भरिँदा हल्का दिक्क लाग्यो, तर छेउकी हजुरआमाले, "साझा काममा लाग्दा हात मैलो हुनु शुभ मानिन्छ," भनेर हौस्याउनु भयो।

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At first, when my hands got covered with mud I felt a bit annoyed, but the grandma next door encouraged me, saying, "Getting your hands dirty in shared work is considered auspicious."

त्यसपछि सबैलाई गफिँदै बस्न निम्त्याउन, म र केटाकेटीले चोकका बैंच पुछ्यौं र पुराना पुस्तकहरू उमेरअनुसार छानेर टोकरीमा राख्यौं।

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Then, to invite everyone to sit and chat, the kids and I wiped the benches in the square and sorted old books by age groups into baskets.

पढाइबाट टाढा राखिएका जुम्ल्याहा भाइहरूमध्ये एकलाई स्वयंसेवक दीपकले अक्षर जोड्दै पढाउँदै नक्सा देखाए, अनि उसले पहिले कहिल्यै बोल्न नपाएको उत्साहमा, "नेपालको पश्चिम यति पर रहेछ!" भन्दै आँखा चम्कायो।

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Volunteer Dipak, joining letters as he taught, showed a map to one of a pair of twins kept away from schooling, and with a kind of excitement he’d never voiced before, the boy’s eyes sparkled as he said, “So the west of Nepal is this far!”

सोही बेला, टोल समितिकी शान्ति दिदीले बाढीपीडित परिवारका लागि बटुलेका न्यानो लुगा ल्याएर, लक्का परेको मुस्कानसहित झोलाहरू थमाइदिनुभयो।

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At that moment, Shanti didi from the neighborhood committee brought warm clothes she had collected for flood-affected families and handed over the bags with a bright smile.

कसैको परालको छानो मर्मत चाहिन्छ भन्ने कुरा उठेपछि, कसले के ल्याउने भनेर छिनमै सूची बनाइयो र म, हतारिँदै भए पनि, रङ र किल्ला ल्याउने जिम्मा लिएँ।

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When it came up that someone’s thatched roof needed repair, we quickly made a list of who would bring what, and though I was in a rush, I took on the task of bringing paint and nails.

दिउँसोतिर घाम अलिकति झिँक्दा, हामीले पुरानो चौतारीमा चिया उमाल्यौं र जसको हात खाली थियो, उसले कथा सुनायो— कसैले पैसाभन्दा समयको दान कति अमूल्य रहेछ भने, कसैले पहिले कहिल्यै यति नजिकिबाट छिमेकी भेटेको रहेनछ।

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As the afternoon sun grew softer, we brewed tea at the old resting platform, and whoever had free hands told a story—one said time given is more precious than money, another said they had never met neighbors so closely before.

म आफैं पनि, बिहानको सानो निर्णयले दिनको स्वर बदलिदिने रहेछ भन्ने अनुभूति बोकेर, झोलामा बाँकी रहेकाहरूका लागि केही अतिरिक्त कलम र कापी हालें।

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I too, carrying the feeling that a small morning decision can change the tone of a whole day, slipped a few extra pens and notebooks into my bag for those still in need.

साँझ पर्नासाथ, धारा नचुहिने भएको खबर सुनाएर छिमेकी बुवाले फोन गर्नुभयो, र टाढाबाट आएको एउटा सानो "धन्यवाद" सन्देशले थाकेको काँधमै हल्का न्यानोपन थप्यो।

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At dusk, a neighbor uncle phoned to say the tap had stopped leaking, and a small “thank you” message from afar added a gentle warmth to my tired shoulders.

घरतर्फ फर्कँदा लाग्यो— सामूहिक मन एक मुठी नुनजत्तिकै सानो किन नहोस्, स्वाद भने त्यहीँबाट त बदलिन थाल्छ।

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Walking home, it felt to me that even if our collective will is as small as a pinch of salt, that is exactly where the flavor begins to change.