Note from the translator:
Chow mein is a short story from Durga Karki’s first book Kumari Prashnaharu, a collection of short stories, published by Nepalaya in 2020. Set on a small hilly hamlet, near the ferocious Marsyangdi river, Chow mein is a story of a teenage girl who discovers the absence of her father, and projects her desire for a father on all the male figures in her life. The story culminates in an encounter with her father, but Kamala does not recognize her father until after he has already left the village. Chowmein was shortlisted in the Bharakahari short story competition in 2019.
Translator:
Sandesh Ghimire is a writer and translator based in Kathmandu. He has an MFA in creative writing from the University of Minnesota. He is currently at work on his book and he teaches creative writing at Institute of Advanced Communication, Education and Research in Kathmandu.