The Half closed eyes of Buddha

CHARACTERS IN THE STORY

1. The tourist:

The main narrator of the story. He is a foreign guest in Nepal. He has an aesthetic vision regarding the beautiful country Nepal based on his study in history, culture and religion.

2. The Guide:

Another main narrator, a Nepalese person who works as a tourist guide. He has good knowledge of Nepalese art, culture, geography and religion.

3. The farmer's family:

The poor and simple farmer's family living in a remote village with lots of hardships in their lives. They are quite hopeful about the doctor. They have deep faith, intimacy, kindliness, and gratitude in themselves.

4. A paralyzed child:

A small boy who is affected by Polio. His whole body is useless. He is unable to speak, move his hands, chew his food, or even spit. Among his other body parts, his eyes are only the living parts of his body.

The lovely nation of Nepal and its many facets relating to its history, culture, religion, people, and survival are the subject of this tale.

Two foreign tourists and a Nepali tour guide make up the main cast. Both of them serve as the primary narrators and frequently discuss different facets of the stunning nation of Nepal.

Setting: The various locations in the Kathmandu Valley.

• As the tourist steps on the land of Nepal, he describes about the aesthetic splendor of the green valley with its symmetrical fields, various housing colors, the aroma of the mountains and soil, and the feeling of a long-lasting tranquility in the air of Kathmandu valley.
• According to the tourist, the East countries has given the west countries a lot of things, including the Purans, brass and ivory statues and ornaments, manuscripts written on palm leaves, and copperplate inscriptions.
• The tourist claims to have spent many years reading books about Nepal and its history, and he appears to be well-versed in it.
• As the tourist meets the guide, he is welcomed to Nepal along with the half closed eyes of Buddha.
• The tourist asks the guide to lead him in the current circumstances, and he will follow the guide in the traditional manners.
• While walking out from the airport, the tourist talks of Manjushri, a man who used his sword to slash the hills of Chobhar in order to release water from the Kathmandu Valley and allow people to dwell there.
• And speaks of the nuns and monks dispersing the law and collecting alms across the Kasthamandap. He refers to the gaze of shaven-headed monks as the samyak gaze, which is perception that is unadulterated and pure; a sight that sees things as it truly is.
• The tourist seemed to know almost everything about Nepal and at one point the guide felt that he was the tourist and the guide is guiding him about his own country.
• Later that day, they discusses the inventiveness of the Nepalese, he believes that Nepalese people are amazing and unique. 
• According to him, the creative abilities of Nepalese people make them quite imaginative. 
• He observes ornamentation, beautiful depictions of deities, and various artistic wooden images.
• In Kathmandu, he encounters a variety of groups, including Aryans, non-Aryans, Hindus, and Buddhists. Here, individuals from various communities have lived side by side in peace and harmony for many years.
• The guide take tourist for lunch 
• Making momo is the elderly man smoking hookah. 
• The elderly man takes a bite of scorching momo and burns his tongue. 
• The grandchild chuckles at his grandfather's muddled speech.
• The tourist acknowledges that these scenes cannot be found in library books.
• He thanked the guide for the Nepali and Newari meals, particularly the momos.
• The guide tells a story about an elderly resident of the home who educates his grandson on the lives of Princess Bhirkuti and King Amshuvarma. He talks about the fine relationship of the King of Nepal with the neighbouring country (Tibet) 
• The then uses the idea of the different smiles he encounters wherever he travels to communicate his happiness. 
• In various relationships, he poses as the oldest son of a farmer, a landowner, a husband, or a friend of his sister's husband. 
• He notices Nepalese smiles everywhere. He claims that the smile is sincere and wise, coming from the soul.
• Then the tourist discusses about the eyes. Eyes are everywhere, including those on carved lattice windows, door panels, stupas, people's eyes, Himalayan eyes, and the Lord Buddha's half-closed eyes.
• The tourist wishes to observe the Buddha's clear eyes reflecting the pleasant light of sunset, he likes to visit isolated locations. 
• He asks the guide to show him a pair of stunning, full eyes that are unmatched and whose memory will make his trip unforgettable.
• The traveler is taken to Chobar by a Nepali guide so that he can see some eyes. He takes him to see the Bagmati River's outflow as well as the actual gap that Manjushri created.
• He takes him to the Adinath temple, which is at the center of the community. The Adinath Temple is a tangible illustration of Nepalese harmony and tolerance, the traveler believes.
• In order to show the visitor the pulse of reality, the guide finally brings him to a far-off village. He is taken to a struggling farmer's home by the guide. The pulse of reality is shown to the visitor inside the residence..
• He discovers a young boy who has polio and whose entire body is worthless. The youngster is in such terrible shape that he cannot even spit, chew his food, use his hands, or speak. Only the living components of his body, his eyes, exist.
• The boy's parents are introduced to the visitor by the tour guide as a doctor, and they are overjoyed.
• He even shows the tourist the boy's sibling. The boy's sister is a lovely young lady with a healthy body. His sibling has full physical freedom to speak, crawl, and move.
• Finally, a Nepali guide discusses a variety of topics pertaining to the sentiments, wishes, language, etc. of the eyes.
• The guide believes that everything has purpose and importance, including the natural beauty of the area, people's lives, their long-lasting happy relationships, their struggles and sorrows, faiths, and death. All of these features, in his opinion, are as lovely as the Buddha's reflection of the setting sun.