Kathmandu:

The Durbar Marg area had been turned into a ‘no motor vehicle zone’ on October 14. Why? For the Durbar Marg Street Festival (duh!) organised by the Durbar Marg Development Board.

And what a festival.

The crooners on the stage (built right next to the roundabout leading to Kasthamandap), the eager crowd waiting to shout and clap and scream to their idols’ biddings from the stage, families — nuclear, extended and otherwise — trailing, the aroma of the kebabs wafting in the air, clinking of beer bottles as friends toasted each other, girls in high heels each more beautiful than the other, guying trying to look uninterested but failing miserably, and of course no any-number-of-wheelers or the honking of horns... this was Durbar Marg as the heart of City came alive to celebrate the day.

The restaurants too had come out on to the street — the pavements on both sides were packed with tables and chairs and filled with mouth-watering goodies, that the people of course enjoyed with relish.

All-time favourite games like the hoopla, fishing, thrash-the-cans also attracted a number of children, while many were taking the rides of their life on the aeroplane roundabouts, the

‘mini’ giant-wheel, and the more energetic ones could be seen jumping on the bouncy. The balloon-wallah was one famous guy on the street this October afternoon. Many could not resist the urge to shop as the shops were offering special discounts in honour of the festival.

And as the people mingled and lingered over their food and drinks and a smoke, the singers belted out one number after another (Country roads, What’s up, Yo mann and many more) till the sun set and the lights came on, and the party carried on.