It was about two and half years ago, I was appointed as DPR Officer at District Plant Resources Office at Jumla. The office is a branch of Department of Plant Resources, Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation of Nepal Government. Jumla is one of the remotest and underdeveloped districts of Nepal. It lies at the far western part of Nepal. It was a time of serious conflict between Maoist Party and the State. The state was on high alert and engaged in a civil war. Most part of the country except the district headquarters was unsafe for the public servants of Nepal Government and ironically, I had just started my career as a Government Officer. But, it was also an opportunity to explore the biodiversity and beauty of the Karnali region. I was happy that I was going to feel the hearts of Karnali people and the splendour of the environs; no matter what!
In the early winter of 2005, I reached Khalanga Bazaar, the headquarters of Jumla district and Karnali Administrative Zone. It might have taken its name before the unification of Nepal, when it was divided into small Kingdoms. Khalanga is a small valley, stretched East-West, formed by the Tila river. I found the settlement denser than I had imagined before leaving Kathmandu. I joined my office the same day I had reached. I felt disappointed at the very first site of the valley. I could see the bare mountains of hay colour and no sign of vividness. Only greenery, I could see, was that of blue pines and silver fir. I had gone there with much expectations and it was turned down by the nature. I asked the staffs if it was for all round the year. They soothed me saying that the valley will revive to its full colour during Spring and lasts till September.
It snowed about three feet deep in February that year. The whole mountains and the fields were glittering with the snow. I adjusted myself into the situation and it was really nice to crunch the frozen snow while going to and returning from office. Of course, the environment was chilling and frosty, but the company of people of my office was warm.
One fair morning of March, when I got up and was on the burrandah, I saw a young bud of Prunus with pink petals waiting to open into bloom. I was thrilled by the moment I saw the bunch of buds in the bare twigs. I left Jumla for a meeting at Kathamndu, after two weeks from the day. The flowers were not fully flourished.
I returned there after one month. The Spring had just begun. I could see tiny flowers of Gentiana, yellow buttons of Taraxacum occasionally visited by bees, and the Rosa sericea flowers calling to the Bhawaras-the pollinator-insects. The crop field had green mat of sprouting barley and apple trees adorned with white garlands of flowers. The Tila river was happy now with the gifts of Spring and it let its breeze gently touch the puberty of nature. My office turned bright with ornamental flowers, medicinal plants and the surrounding fields’ greenery. I was happy
