Will we ever find peace in this chaos? It’s a question that lingers inside the mind of everyone stuck in Kathmandu’s endless traffic jams. Once a beautiful valley known for its quiet charm, Kathmandu today is trapped under a cacophonous din of honking horns and revving engines.
The traffic of Kathmandu has become a nightmare for pedestrians and motorists alike. This mess isn’t just due to high numbers of vehicles on the streets; it’s the result of years of poor planning and neglect. Narrow roads built decades ago now struggle to handle the sheer number of vehicles. They are clogged with an endless stream of traffic. Morning and evening rush hours feel like an eternity.
It’s not just the roads that are overwhelmed but also the people’s mind and their hearts. The city itself seems to be staining under the weight of its own growth. While Kathmandu’s ancient temples and narrow alleyways tell stories of centuries past, its roads tell a different tale—one of crowd and chaos.
Kathmandu is a city trapped in its own rhythm—one that feels unrelenting, exhausting ,and at times suffocating. The energy of the city is undeniable. What was once a place of peaceful spirituality now is locked in a constant rush. Once a steady beat of history , culture and community has become a noise, frustration and uncertainty. The city’s charm is still there, in its temple and its traditions but now it’s harder to hear over the blare of horns. Once the sounds of temple bells and sweet melodies filled the air, and the silence was loud enough to hear our own thoughts and understand each other’s emotions. But now, lost in the same cycle of frustration and rage the city’s noise drowns out everything—and in the midst of the chaos people can barely hear anything let alone their own thoughts. People are constantly swept away by a surge of nostalgia—longing for a peace they once grew up with as they walk through chaotic streets.
The people who called Kathmandu home are no longer just navigating the streets , they are navigating the frustration and their weariness. Despite numerous attempts at reform from widening roads to introducing more efficient transportation systems, it seems to go into vain. The city’s leaders have long promised a solution, but it never seems to be enough. To see Kathmandu free from all these constant noises and traffic feels like a distant dream. As the city continues to grow, one can only wonder if Kathmandu will ever find a way to break free and return to the rhythm it once knew of.
As the question still remains, how much longer can people stay trapped in a rhythm that can no longer serve them?
Shraddha Acharya
BSc, IInd Year
Padma Kanya Campus
