il dolce far niente

il dolce far niente – the sweetnes of doing nothing

Growing up in Darjeeling in the 90s was heavenly. The town was smaller, a lot cleaner, and wide open spaces all around. Cable TV was just making in roads and not everyone could afford it. The teenagers didn’t have online distractions, we mostly played football and other outdoor games. Sundays were the only TV days.

Later, as young adults in early 2000s, our favourite time-pass was “bhattuwa lagnu – hanging out“, which is literally what we did. We “bhattuwa lagus” or hung around the chowk bazar, botanical garden, mall road, video halls and the best of all Chowrasta.

Back then Chowrasta was the heart and soul of Darjeeling – it still is to some extent, but it hadn’t yet become the commercial hell-hole, mela-ground, haat-bazar spot that cheap-ass politicical dalals have turned it. It was a clean and green space for children, youths and elderly alike, to hang out.

That’s what we did, we hung around in Chorwasta all day long, doing nothing, watch life happen.

I recently realized, the Italians have philosophy and phrase for this – “Il dolce far niente – the sweetness of doing nothing.”

It could mean anything, from looking at time fly by, drinking a cup of tea, “season herdai – looking at people of opposite sex” or simply guffing. When you are devoting your time on do-nothing leisure activities, one is supposed to be experiencing “il dolce far niente.”

Today, as I reflect back, I rue that our children and their children may never get to live this philosophy… “il dolce far niente” may only remain something, they read about and not actually live – and just thinking about it, makes me sad.

फेरी त्यो चौतारी

Narayan Das बाट तातो च्या खाएर एक्लै निस्केको मो।

चोक बजार Bata को अघाडी देखि Orient को उक्कालो हिँड्दै Orient देखि New Dish को तेर्सो हुँदै Post Office को उकालो लागेर सिधै Benis Cafe मा पुग्दा

“पंकज 3 कप च्या देउ न हौ!”

Benis Cafe बाटो ठाडो उकालो लागेर Club Side हुँदै
Das Studio को तेर्सोमा रमिता हेर्दै Chowrasta अनि
Chowrasta देखि Mall Road
Mall Road ओरी-पोरी घुर्रा जस्तो फिन् फिन् घुम्दै
फेरी Chowrasta मा आइ पुग्दा

“Mantu को बाउ… 5 कप च्या ल…. तातो है!”

Chowrasta देखि New Elgin हुँदै झरेर
Griha Laximi को छेउमा एकछिन् Toilet break ली कन,फेरी त्योई ओरालो…

कोई बेला चै Short Cut Chowrasta Studio हुँदै
साई रत्न School को ठाडो ओरालो Society Hotel को अघाडी ठिक्कै अाई पुग्दा

“सलिम 6 कप च्या ल…!”

DCM को ओरालो फेरि… National Stores र Shyam Brothers हुँदै
न्यु सुपर मार्केट तेर्सो, फेरि चोक बजारमा
“Narayan Das ल एक छिन्…!”

“भाई 8 कप च्या ले त छिट्टो… सफा ग्लासमा दे है फेरि!”

च्या खाँदै गर्दा अचानक एक जनाले
“भोक लाग्यो हौ… न खानु केहि पनि?”
“के खाने?”
“जाड़ो छ आजु… खै मोमो खानु पर्छ होला”
“निस्की ब्रो…”

“काँ खाने?”

“बिच गल्ली…”
“जुम”
“जुम”

“दिदी 10 double सब्जीको ल… Soup चै तातो होस् ल!”

“ल ब्रो घर गाको ल… भोलि भेटुम न….”
“काँ औंनु?”
“Bata अगाडी भेट न…”

Many many days of such awesome nothingness.
Today I remembered, when I passed this चौतारी
The college days… the friendships are long lost and forgotten…
But the चौतारी is still the same… still waiting.

Amber Gurung must have felt the same when he wrote…

“यात्रा त्यहि बाटो त्यहि
त्यहि बाटो कुन यात्री होला भोली?”
………………………………………