Quotes: A Kiss Please Miss

You'll find awesome quotes on public vehicles in Nepal. Now something new to photograph! Always kiss a miss and never miss a kiss!

Reactions: Not Interested.

People react interestingly when a camera is pointed towards them.

Self-Portraits: Guy in Distress

Self-portraits can be scary for me.

People: Manchey Thari Thari Ka

People were dancing at Basantapur. It's a nice place to photograph but there are too many photographers!

Hold On!

My new blog www.saral.com.np got hacked yesterday. Unfortunately I didn't back up. :(

Now will upload the new website with more security.

Can We Trust The Bible?

Absolutely. With our very lives! But it's not as easy as that. In apologetics, you have to give reasons.

The Bible is the foundational document of the Christian faith: how do we know that Christ is the only way to God? Or that Jesus died and rose? Or that He is coming back? It's from the Bible. It holds the highest authority over us on earth and is, by the Protestant definition, inerrant, infallible word of God. But can we trust it? Let's be honest, if we stake our eternity on the Bible, which we do if we trust Christ, we need to be sure that it's telling the truth! If the Bible is truly God's word, then we should read it, obey it, love it, cherish it and fully trust it. If the Bible is truly God's word, then to reject it is to reject God. So, what are the reasons for trusting the Bible?

I list four evidences: two internal and two external

The unity of the Bible

Hundreds of detailed prophecies

Details historical events

Abundance of archaeological evidence and manuscripts

The full article can be found in the July issue of ReIgnite. Check them out on Facebook.

Photo "Bajey Reading his Bible" by Neeraj Gautam

A Prayer by Bajey

Want to share this video. There is no edit whatsoever. Just fade ins. I'll let the man do the praying.

Death at Pashupati

This is an every day scene at Pashupati. Death is one truth everyone has to face. But what do we do with it?

Towards Eternity

A morning at Pashupati Gate.

For some reason, this picture makes me stop and think for a while. I need to go back and take some more.

Dwanda ko Chapetama Nepali (Nepali in the midst of Conflict)

Dwandako Chapeta by saralisrael

Wrote this song way way back.

Ko - A Very Short Film

A Short Film prepared for Christmas.

From the Sound Booth

Took these at church last Saturday. More Here

Sun on the Sunflower

Took this on my way to college. Had been waiting for a while for the right light.

I'm back!

I'm back. Should start blogging again.

Here is a photo I took. A Dog in Bhaktapur.

प्रभु उचाल्छु तपाईको नाउँ

Nepali translation of the song 'Lord, I Lift Your Name on High'

तपाई मेरो बल प्रभु

तपाई मेरो बल प्रभु
तपाई मेरो साहेता
तपाई जसलाई म पुकार्छु

तपाई मेरो ढाल प्रभु
मेरो जीवन अर्पन्छु
कारण तपाई सर्वेसर्वा मेरो।

सबै जातिका परमेश्चर

Me with fellow brothers in Christ Prashanta dai (left) and Bishal dai.

Mera Othaley - मेरा ओँठले

Something I've started doing. Singing songs and recording them. :D

हिजोको कुराकानी

हिजोको कुराकानीमा आदम र हावा (१५ मिनेट)

पात्रहरु – आदम, हावा, उद्धोषक, अन्तरवाता लिने (मनोज), जनावरहरू – बाघ, जरायो, सर्प

उदधोषक (पर्दा पछाडिबाट) – स्टुडियोमा उपस्तित अनि आप्नो टेलिभिजन सेट अगाडि बसिरहनु भएका समस्त स्रोताहरुलाई न्यानो अविबादन। तपाई हेर्दै हुनुहुन्छ “हिजोको कुराकानी”!

मनोज – स्वागत छ दर्षकहरू “हिजोको कुराकानीमा”। म तपाई कै प्यारो host, मनोज। तपाईहरूलाई थाहै छ, हामीले यस showमा यस्ता व्यक्तिवहरूसगँ कुराकानी गर्छौँ जो हिजो थिए तर अहिले छैनन्। यो सबै आधुनिक technology द्वारा सम्भब छ। आज पनि हामीले यस्ता दुई व्याक्तिहरुलाई, technology को जादुद्वारा स्टुडियोमा बोलाएका छौं जो मानिसहरूसँग तपाई हामी सबै सम्बनदित छौँ।

(हिजोको कुराकानीको लोगो (animation) screen मा आउँछ।)

मनोज – दर्षकबृन्द, हाम्रो अतिथीहरूलाई यहाँ बोलाउनु भन्दा अगाडि तपाईहरुलाई म एउटा video clip देखाउन चाहान्छु। अचम्म नमान्नुस्, यो द्रष्यहरू हजारौं वर्ष पुरानो हुन्। दर्षकबृन्द, television इतिहासमा नै पहिलो पल्ट, exclusive हिजोको कुराकानीमा मात्रै देखाउदै छौं, अदनको बँगैचा।

(Screen मा अदनको बँगैचाको scene आउछ। त्यहाँ हामी एउटा सुन्दर बँगैचा देख्छौं। आदम र हावा पनि त्यहाँ देखिन्छन्। उनिहरू जनावरहरुसँग कुराकानी गरिरहेको, मीठो-मीठो फलफुल खाई रहेको देख्छौं।)

मनोज – दर्षकबृन्द, ईतिहासमा नै पहिलो पल्ट, यहाँ मात्रै, म stage मा बोलाउछु। हाम्रा पहिलो बाबा अनि आमा – आदम र हावा।

(आदम र हावा दुवै एकदम डराँउदै stage मा आउछन्। दुवै जाना पातले बनेको लुगामा।)

मनोज – स्वागत छ। आउनुहोस्। बस्नुस्। तपाईहरू डराउनु पर्दैन, यहाँ भएका सबै मानिसहरू तपाईहरू कै कारण यहाँ छन्।

आदम – ओ हो। धेरै पो रहेछन्। मरो परिवार त सानो थियो। (आदम दर्षक तिर देखाउदै) यी सबै जना तपाईको परिवार हुन्?

मनोज (हाँस्दै) – हा हा। होईन। हामी सबै छुट्टै-छुट्टै परिवारबाट हौं।

आदम (छक्क पर्दै) – ओहो। संसारमा अहिले कति परिवार छन्?

मनोज – हा हा। त्यो भन्न अलि ग्राह्रो छ। (मनोज हावा तिर हेर्दै) तपाई ठिकै हुनुहुन्छ?

हावा (यता उता हेर्दै) – यहाँ बाख्राहरू त छैन नि? बिहान भरि लगाएर बनाएको लुगा हो।

मनोज (हाँस्दै) – तपाई ढुक्क हुनुस् यहाँ बाख्रा, गाँई, भैँसी केहि पनि छैन। हुन्छ हामी अब कुराकानी तिर लागैँ। हाम्रो दर्षकहरुको लागि पनि ठुलो चासोको विषय हुनुपर्छ, हुन त हामीले अगि केहि झलकहरु हेरिसकैँ। तर पनि भन्दिनुस्, अदनको बँगैचा साँच्चिकैमा कस्तो थियो?

आदम – एकदम रमाईलो थियो। केहि कुरासँग डराउन पर्ने थिएन, जनावरहरू पनि हामीसँग साथी जस्तै थिए। खानेकुरा प्रस्त थियो अनि दाजुभाई बिच झगडा भन्ने थिएन।

हावा – मैले कहिले खाना पकाउन पर्ने थिएन, न त लुगा नै धुनुपर्थ्यो।

आदम – त्यो बँगैचा असाध्धै सुन्दर थियो।

मनोज – Hmm.. सुन्नमा निकै रामाईलो ठाँउ जस्तो छ।

हावा – कस्तो राम्रो थियो नि! त्यो सर्प आएर सबै बिगार्यो। हामीलाई चुर्लुम्मै डुबायो नि त्येले।

मनोज – पर्मेश्वरले नखानु भनेको फल खान लागाएर?

हावा – हँ? तपाईलाई यो कुरा कसरी थाहा भो?

मनोज – यो हामी सबैलाई थाहा छ। हामीले धेरै चोटि सुनेको कथा हो।

हावा (रिसाँउदै) – सुन्यैँ आदम? मेरो गल्ती सबैलाई थाहा भयो। यो पक्कै तिम्रो काम हुनुपर्छ! निष्टुरी!

आदम – मेरो काम? मैले के गरे? तिमी त्येसै दोष नलगाउ है।

(आदम र हावा बिच हाना-हान हुन लाग्छ। मनोजले यो कुरा थाहा पाएर छिटो-छिटो उनिहरुलाई शान्त पार्न पट्टि लाग्छ।)

मनोज – ल ल। भईगो। जसको गल्ति भए पनि, हुने कुरा भई सक्यो। तपाईहरू जगडा नगर्नुस् है फेरि पुलिस बोलाउन पर्ला।

आदम – पुलिस? त्यो भनेको कुन जनावरको नाम हो?

मनोज – हाहा। तपाईहरूले नचिन्ने धेरै नयाँ जनावर र बोट-बिरुवाहरु संसारमा आईसके। ल हुन्छ, हामी एउटा छोटो break लिनेछौँ। त्यतिन्जेल तपाईहरू यो द्रष्य हेर्नुहोला।

(Screen मा सर्पले हावालसँग कुरा गरिरहेको अनि फल खान लगाएको देखिन्छ।)

मनोज – दर्षकबृन्द, break पछि स्वागत छ। हामी कुरा गर्दै छौँ आदम र हावासँग। हुन्छ हामीले हेरि हाल्यैँ कसरी सर्पले तपाईहरु लोभ्यायो। अब हामीलाई भन्दिनुस्, यो कुरा थाहा पाउनुभएपछि पर्मेश्वरले के गर्नुभयो।

आदम – पर्मेश्वरे बेलुका हामीलाई खोज्दै आउनु भयो। हामी खाना पछि उहाँसँगै बँगैचामा डुल्ने गर्थेम।

हावा – तर हामी त्यो रात पर्मेश्चरबाट लुकेम। किन भने हामी नाङ्गै थिएम अनि पर्मेश्वरको हामीसँग रिसाउनुभएको हामी चाहादैन थिऐँ।

आदम – हाँसो लाग्ने कुरा त पर्मेश्चर हामीसँग भन्दा बढि सर्पसँग रिसाउनुभयो। त्यसको त पर्मेश्चरले खुट्टानै गाएब गरिदिनुभयो! अनि उहाँले हामीलाई गालि गर्नु भयो।

हावा – तर, हामीले त्यस्तो ठुलो अनआदर गर्दा पनि उहाँले हामीलाई प्रेम गर्न छाड्नु भएन। उहाँले हाम्रो निम्ति लुगाहरु बनाई दिनुभयो।

मनोज – त्यस पछि पर्मेश्वरले तपाईहरूलाई बँगैचाबाट निकाल्दिनु भयो?

आदम – हो। त्यो दिनपछि हाम्रो जीवन एकदम गाह्रो भयो। हामीलाई खानको लागि दु:ख गर्नुपर्यो। जनावरहरू पनि हाम्रो साथी हुन छाडे!

मनोज – तपाईहरूको पर्मेश्चरसँग सम्बन्ध चाहिँ कस्तो भयो त?

हावा – हामीले जति बदमासी गरेता पनि, पर्मेश्वरले हामिलाई माया गर्न छोड्नु भएन।

आदम – हो। उहाँले हामीलाई ‘म तिमीहरूसँग सधैँ हुनेछु’ भनेर भन्नुभयो।

मनोज – निस्चय पनि। पर्मेश्चर महान हुनुहुन्छ। ल त स्रोताहरू, हामीसँग आज समय यतिको लागि मात्रै छ। तपाईहरू दुवै जानालाई आईदिनुभएको लागि धन्यवाद। तपाईहरू यतिका वर्षसम्म पनि छुट्टिनु भएन। यो कुरा त मान्नै पर्छ।

आदम – हामीसगँ अरु के नै उपाय थियो र?

हावा – त्यो त हो। आदम बँगैचा छाड्नु परेर मसँग खुब रिसाएको थियो अनि ‘म त आर्कैसँग बिहे गर्छु’भन्दै थियो। मैले त हुन्छ भन्दिए।

(हावा हाँस्दै।)

आदम – अरू केटी नि हुनुपर्यो नि!

मनोज (आदम र हावाको कुराकानीलाई रोक्दै) – हुन्छ त दर्षकबृन्द। तपाईहरूलाई हिजोको कुराकानी हेर्दिनु भएकोमा धन्यवाद। अब आर्को हप्ता भेटैँ। नमस्ते।

समाप्त

A Life Lived for Others

This blogger dude is starting college from tomorrow. Check out my first assignment :)

"To live for others – that is my aim in life. It would be selfish to just exist for yourself; be a part of society and not do all-that-you-can to make society better. I think to be born as a human being entails a greater responsibility - help those who are less fortunate , love them. The most beautiful part about living for others is that you can do it even if you are someone like Bill Gates or just a mere employee of an unheard of company; just the desire needs to pour out from the heart.

Of course I cannot fulfill my goals in life if I don’t have a healthy body to do it. First, I want to remain physically fit, as long as I can. Having a history of sporadic sessions of exercise, an unbalanced diet and illnesses at regular intervals of about a month, remaining healthy is a challenge for me. However, its not impossible; healthy and clean diet and regular exercise of 30 minutes every day should put me on the right track. In addition to physical fitness, I want to develop virtues that define me; Benjamin Franklin’s 13 virtues will be a model for me. Further, to have a family – a loving wife, beautiful children, grandchildren and if time permits, great-grandchildren – would be another of my life time goal. However, to fulfill this goal, I think it would be wise to stay single for the 4 years of my undergraduate study.

Academics also play a vital role in achieving my goals; without a good education and career I would be able to do little to society. It might come as a surprise to many pursuing a management degree, but I don’t aim to become a successful businessman or an entrepreneur; to tell the truth, I need to use a spell checker just to get the word ‘entrepreneur’ correct. The most important thing is that I need to enjoy my work and the salary I get or my fame doesn’t play a vital role. Of course this doesn’t mean that I’ll not perform at my best. My academic and professional life will be one of hard work and commitment.

I don’t want to be remembered as a rich individual who gave to society out of his abundance but as an individual who gave to others even in his insufficiency. This is what my faith teaches me and this is what I’ll aim to do. Being of a Christian faith, most of what I believe or aim in life comes from what the bible teaches me. Ultimately, after I retire from my job, I want to get into ministry or work for my faith and church. However, for now I want to continue what I am doing at church and outside church and seize every new opportunity to serve society.

While my aims and goals in life are certain, the details might vary. I might choose to exercise 45 minutes everyday or date a beautiful girl in my 4th year of bachelors or prepare a list of my own 14 virtues, borrowing some from Benjamin Franklin’s of course, but what I want to achieve in life will remain the same; live humbly and serve others."