Hoisting Water in Patan

पाटनको साँघुरो गल्लीमा, हिजो बेलुकादेखि पानीको मोटर चलेको थिएन, र बिहान नउम्कँदै मयादिदीको ढोकामा बाल्टिन ठट्किएको आवाज आयो।

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In the narrow alley of Patan, the water pump hadn’t worked since last evening, and before dawn the sound of a bucket knocking came at Maya-didi’s door.

ढोका खोलेँ, उहाँ हातमा खाली चियाकप समाउँदै अलिक लजाइँलजाइँ भन्नुहुन्थ्यो, 'पानी त एक थोपा पनि बाँकी छैन, हिति हुँदै केही ल्याउन सकिन्छ कि?'

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I opened the door, and holding an empty teacup a bit shyly, she said, 'There isn’t even a drop of water left; could we bring some via the hiti?'

काममा ढिलो हुने चिन्ता त थियो, तर छिमेकीको अत्तालिएको स्वर सुन्नासाथ जोस पलायो, अनि तुरुन्तै बोरा र डोरी निकालेर साथ लागें।

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I was worried about being late to work, but the moment I heard my neighbor’s distressed voice, my energy surged, and I quickly pulled out a sack and a rope and went along.

हिति पुग्दा, रातभरको वर्षाले ढल निकास पुरिएको रहेछ, जसका कारण धाराबाट पानी राम्रै बगिरहे पनि कतारै लाग्नुपर्ने अवस्था थियो।

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When we reached the hiti, the overnight rain had clogged the drainage, so even though water was flowing well from the spout, there was still a line to stand in.

कुनै हतार नगरी, पालैपालो कुरा गर्दै, हामीले अरूलाई अघि छोड्यौँ, र पर्खाइको बीचमै उहाँले आमाबिरामी परेको बेलामा छिमेकीहरूले रातभर पालैपालो बसेर कसरी स्याहार गरेको किस्सा सुनाउनुभयो।

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Without hurrying, chatting in turns, we let others go ahead, and in the midst of the wait she told how, when her mother had been ill, the neighbors had taken turns all night to care for her.

त्यो सुन्दा, मनभित्र लाग्यो—आजको सानो मिहिनेतले भोलि कसैलाई ठूलो राहत दिइहाल्छ, त्यसैले मैले बाल्टिन मात्र बोकेनँ, डोरीले अस्थायी टोकरी झिक्ने तरिका पनि सुझाएँ।

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Hearing that, I felt inside that today’s small effort could give someone great relief tomorrow, so I didn’t just carry buckets; I also suggested a way to hoist an improvised basket with a rope.

हात दुख्न थालेकी दिदीलाई सिँढी उक्लन सजिलो होस् भनेर, माथिल्लो झ्यालमा डोरी बाँध्यौँ र टोकरीमा पानी चढायौँ, अनि बालकनी वरिपरि बसेका चरा समेत चकित झैँ हेर्दै थिए।

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So that didi, whose arm had begun to ache, could climb the stairs more easily, we tied a rope to the upper window and hoisted water in a basket, and even the birds perched around the balcony seemed to watch in surprise.

घर आइपुग्दा, भाँडा भरिएका मात्र थिएनन्, उहाँको अनुहारमा 'अब एक्लै परेझैँ लाग्दैन' भन्ने ढुक्क भएको मुस्कान पनि टल्किएको थियो।

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When we arrived home, not only were the containers full, there was also a relieved smile on her face that seemed to say, 'Now it doesn’t feel like I’m alone.'

म फर्कँदा, उहाँले जाडो छल्न ऊनका मोजा थमाउँदै भन्नुभयो, 'समय परे दिइएको हात सासबराबर पर्छ,' र त्यो वाक्य घर पुग्दासम्म कानमै बजिरह्यो।

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As I headed back, she handed me woolen socks to keep out the cold and said, 'A hand given in time is as vital as breath,' and that sentence kept ringing in my ears all the way home.

अर्को हप्ता मोटर मर्मतपछि पनि, हामीले हिति जान छोडेनौँ, किनकि बाटैभरि भेटिने मान्छेसँग सुम्सुम्याउँदै हिँड्दा, पुरानो गल्ली नै फराकिलो भएको अनुभूति हुन्थ्यो।

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Even after the pump was repaired the next week, we didn’t stop going to the hiti, because as we chatted with people along the way, the old alley felt wider.