Nothing to Declare (Authentic Verified) by Rabi Thapa

"In the titular story of Nothing to Declare, Bikram realizes his most fervent aspiration?emigrating to London, a dream that encapsulates the hopes of the middle-class. In Night Out in Kathmandu, the young Nepalis who have returned from abroad congregate in the bars of Thamel, sharing their tables with those who, for various reasons, could not make the journey. Their conversations revolve around familiar themes: visas, music, drink, and the perpetual frustration of romantic endeavors. Among them are foreign trekkers, wandering the well-trodden paths, smoking inexpensive grass and searching for their elusive inner truths.

In Home for Dashain, the shadow of the Maobadis looms large, as they enact their vengeance on behalf of the oppressed. Though seldom spoken of in the city?s heart, they are ever present, evoked in the melancholic performances of pole dancers in the more provocative establishments and the transvestites who traverse the streets seeking clients. In Aryaghat, a Kathmandu family lays to rest the ashes of a Nepali boy who, disillusioned and isolated, has taken his own life in far-off Alabama.

Through these sixteen evocative stories, Nothing to Declare paints a poignant portrait of the middle-class youth in Kathmandu?passionate, contemplative, and at times disenchanted. The tales reflect their struggles as they forge their paths in a society that is rapidly evolving yet remains steeped in tradition, seeking meaning and testing the boundaries of an ever-conservative world.

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