Blue

I wander from this nook to that corner of my room

Edgy

I feel lonely, dead silence embraces me

I pick my bottle drink a mouthful of water

As I can feel water gushing its way inside

I remember I wasn’t thirsty

I was just lonely

I try to laugh at my loudest voice

To pretend I am still cool

I Dance like a crazy teenager

Alas! It makes me look more like a fool

I miss my moon and my rabbit here

How I wish I could kiss my dear

I am living these days with just one fear

How long would it take to be near?

Boats together they seem yet empty without their rower!

Haat Bazar these days

In this world of emerging virtual reality and online marketing, by market we still understand that it is a place where buyers and sellers meet, interact and exchange their goods for money or commodities itself so as to meet their needs and wants. One of the market type where growers and ultimate consumers meet face to face eliminating the existence of ‘evil’ middlemen is “Haat Bazar” which usually occurs in peri-urban and rural areas. Haat bazar is usually conducted periodically; once or twice a week thereby being christened according to the day they are conducted viz; Aaitabarey, Sombarey, Malgalbarey, Budhabarey, Bihibarey, Sukrabarey and Sanischarey. Also many haat got their name based on the “tithi” of hindu calendar.

Growers get to sell their produce (usually low volume) in a handsome price and consumers get to enjoy the fresh and quality produce in lower price than in the hegemonic market place. This market system which started quite hundreds of years ago stills carries its beauty and stands tall in the present scenario of highly competitive market and era of supermarkets like Walmart, Big Mart, Bhatbhateni and many others. Farmers who usually own a small piece of land yet who enjoys marketable surplus are highly benefitted by haat bazar. Consumers too feel less cheated by retailers and middlemen. Here both the parties enjoy win-win situation. People gather in haat bazar for fun, enjoy street foods, meet friends and for many other recreational activities making haat bazar a tourist destination too for many domestic and from abroad. Some years back and to some extent still now haat is also a rendezvous for teenagers and lovebirds. 

With the advancement and incorporation of technologies in marketing, haat bazar almost got erased not until now. We can see haat bazar rising again trying to fight with the robust mega markets and highly competitive trade.

Yet these days the share of happiness from haat bazar seems to be grabbed by few traders who especially in terai region own their own vehicle, roam from one haat to another throughout the week greatly displacing the marginalized growers who have lesser ability to compete with those fortified traders. Haat bazar these days have mainly transformed into “bazar on wheels”. No wonder few consumers who can haggle enjoy better price but the haat is actually losing its essence in the perspective that the growers are actually not being able to fit themselves in the market system. The haat bazar also has been proven to be beneficial to few local pied pipers who collect the rent from the stalls in the area without actually using the collected fund to improve the overall management of the bazar. In other words, the haat bazar has been a place to hedge taxation for many seeming traders. To add, the lack of proper parking facility, being devoid of well managed shades, lack of quality assurance and monitoring have added woes not only to the management personnel but also to the consumers.

In this context, this is a high time for government to curb the unnecessary burgeoning of haat bazar and bring it into certain frame and bind it by the set of policies.

Farmer like him must benefit from haat bazar rather than well-established traders

thoughts

Amygdala is an amicable young lass who lives amidst the chaos of Kathmandu valley. She hails from a distant village where her hamlet stands as an epitome of serenity. On the top of a hillock stands her small yet cozy beautiful house where she was born and was raised in her early childhood. The verdant woods, the crystal clear streamlets, the lustrous meadows, grazing billy goats, and the soothing cool breeze all not just added the tranquility but also witness her transformation from a wobbling toddler to an animated young girl. 

She is now here in "brick-mandu" to pursue her "brighter career" where she can hardly find what she grew with. All she can do is miss those all with whom she created those memories that she plays with now. 

She writes:

Azure blue sky

Dazzling white house

Birds flap wings to fly

As my memories drifts by

Some busy haggling 

While some feel so shy

The sun is shinning

As the lad honks driving by

He has traveled miles

To feel

Flowing river, thunderous sky

The smell of soil

And to create 

Memories

Oh my 

I rest in this bench

As different bodies roam

What they all could be feeling

As they might be missing their home

Lucky the birds they might think

That can fly away

Lucky toddler they might say

Who can laugh and run

Under the pure sun