It has been more than a decade since my family moved to Kamalbinayak. This place is about 30 minutes away from where I used to live. It is not inside the core areas of Bhaktapur. It was somewhat remote, as there were not many houses and all I could see were fields used for farming. There was a grassland opposite my house and a farm at the back where only paddy was planted. In the summer, as heavy rain fell, both areas were covered with water, which flowed along the narrow road in front of our house. When we went to school, we had to take off our shoes and walk barefoot. It was kind of fun.
The area in front of my house was covered in grass and water in summer, which is why some birds used to hide in the grass and lay eggs. Sometimes we could see small birds following their mother. At that time, we even had two pet ducks that used to find food there. It was a suitable place for ducks.
The area used to be silent, as not many people lived there and it was mainly farmland rather than a residential area. At the beginning, I thought this was not the place for me, as I could not see people staying outside their houses and there was no one I could talk to or make friends with. Also, there were no street lights, so staying outside was not possible. I used to spend most of my time inside the house, and at night I had to come home early before it got dark. But as time went by, I became accustomed to it. It felt peaceful, and in the morning, as I went to the roof, I could see greenery stretching as far as my eyes could see and hear the chirping of birds. The morning views, with fresh air, birdsong, and tea, made the day special.
A decade later, this space has turned into a banquet hall for different functions. The farms are filled with houses, and I can no longer see the fields. All I can see now are concrete houses. It has become a neighborhood similar to the one I had at my old house. There is no longer water flowing on the road, as stones are now paved on it. The width of the road has increased so that small vehicles can pass through. Moreover, there were no electricity poles before, but now there are two poles with street lights in front of our house, making it easier to come and go at night.
Furthermore, the area at the back of my house has turned into a parking lot for the banquet opposite our house. We can hear loud music from there whenever there are functions like weddings or Bratabandha. It makes me feel like this place is no longer the one it used to be, as it has lost the quiet that once defined it.