Before the 7.9-magnitude earthquake hit Nepal on April 25, 2015, I had spent some time in Kathmandu and surrounding cities for a meditation retreat and some brief sightseeing. I am lucky to have escaped the disaster, but I would like to share the sense of peace, love, and energy that I’ve experienced in the country just a week before the earthquake. I created this photo essay combining my photographs and observations, in hopes of inspiring kind people to help Nepal and its people recover from the calamity.
The people of Nepal are early risers
Who start off their day with faith
Whether at home
At a temple
Or under a tree
There is always so much energy
And plenty of colors everywhere
In a busy square, a kid finds a way to entertain himself
A mother shows off her daughter's fabulous sense of style
And a father publicly displays affection for his beloved child
This is a place where every friend is a brother
And every solitary soul can form one community of sisters
This is a place where a young child learns to be diligent
An old man defies his age
And a worker masters the art of living
Even in a busy square like this, a man can find solitude
A woman (and a puppy) can attain comfort under the sun
And a monkey can meditate peacefully
But little do they know that just a week later, the places they rest on would no longer exist
The colorful windows thrown out of their frames and covered in dust
And the places of worship demolished or severely damaged
The historic sites I once admired
Are now only revered through photographs
There is no way to confirm who is alive, who is hurt, and who is in danger
And whose homes are destroyed, resources deprived, basic needs unsatisfied
I pray that no more children are separated from families
That no more students are forced to stop schoolwork
And that no more faithful people are buried under temples
Thankfully, some fortunate people like Stuty have survived the earthquake
But her house is damaged, water supply is cut off, and her family is living under the fear of frequent aftershocks
There are ways you and I can help put that smile back on Stuty's face.
I've gathered a list of organizations accepting donations for disaster relief and reconstruction of homes:
Nepal Earthquake Children's Relief Fund by Save the Children
Paypal Global Giving: Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund
Nepal Youth Mobilisation for Earthquake Relief
Basics 4 Life: Clean Water and Safe Shelter to the People of Nepal
In addition, you can directly send the following needed items to my friends in Nepal: masks, tents, hand sanitizers, mosquito nets/repellents, water purification tablets, etc.
Receiver: Pawan Roy
Address: Panna Hiti Marg Siphal, Kathmandu, Central Region 44600, Nepal
Phone: +977 9851082627
Once the above items are received, Pawan will help distribute them to the areas with the most need.
Please refer to this form to get free earthquake relief transportation service.
Let's do all we can to help bring Nepal back to the way it was, a week before the earthquake.
Special thanks to my Airbnb host in Nepal, Pawan Roy, for providing me a home in Kathmandu. He and his extended family, especially the grandma, the nephew Rahul, and the daughter Stuty, have shown me true kindness and have deeply inspired me for this project.