Expensive Nepal

Price of Amul Cheese, whose printed MRP is INR 75, they charge it NRs 180 in Kathmandu. Be it vehicle cost, or be it the cost of vegetables, everything is expensive in Nepal. I have started finding India, much more cheaper place now, when I compare with Nepal.

I was in Manali for a day. We were travelling to Solang Valley. Since we did not have our vehicle reserved, we had to travel for half an hour to reach the bus stop that would take us to our destination. On our way back towards the bus stop, something stopped us. We saw small tiny hotel ‘Annapurna Dhaba’, and thought of having tea there, as it was about to rain.

Initially, we only doubted if this small tea shop was of Nepalese. Once we started speaking, the owner himself asked us Bhaiharu kun gauko? clarifying our doubt. We generally don’t give huge priority to Nepalese in India, because we have been cheated by these Nepalese few times, but since he was interested in talking to us, we could not turn out to be rude.

Solang Valley, Manali

Once we started talking, we talked how Nepalese perceive Solang Valley, how often do Nepalese visit, we talked about food, we talked of Nepalese in Dehradun, and then we talked about him.

His father was born in Dhading, he had his home there itself. He escaped from his home during Maoist insurgency. His parents passed away, and despite having his brothers, sisters and cousins in different parts of Nepal, he did not talk anything on returning back.

We had to ask on our own, ‘Ani dai, nafarkine Nepal aba?’ He then spoke with his innocent voice, he expressed all his feelings that he had towards Nepal. He explained, how much he missed his village back in Nepal, he explained the beautiful weather there. He shared how Dashain used to be like in Nepal, and how silently he stays here at Dashain. His wife came and then asking ‘Hamrai gau ka bhai haru rachan ho?’ and he asked with us where our home was. From Biratnagar to Nepalgunj, we were team there. We told them that we were from Biratnagar, Simara, Parasi, Butuwal, Nepalgunj and Dhangadi.

It had been quite awkward that we were simply staying there; we therefore ordered tea with his wife and continued talking. He told us that Nepal was no longer for people like him. How can we manage our life if we go there? My two children are going to school; we are somehow managing to survive with this small tea shop, where we earn around eight thousand Indian currency. If we go to Nepal, can we manage with this amount? It costs five hundred if we have to eat something for snacks in Kathmandu. Travelling is very expensive, foods are expensive.

Yes, he wanted to return back to Nepal, but how would he manage his living there? We had no answers. We, bunch of MBA student, didn’t had a clue about what we were going to do after returning back to Nepal, how could we answer for him?

His wife came with tea, and suggested us to have cookies if we were hungry. They had discounted us the amount of tea, and we were having it at INR 10, while others were paying five rupees extra for the same tea. Or maybe our was even better one, we got to taste Nepalese taste of tea after real long time.

We further talked. He then stated the situation of other Nepalese around, who were in similar phase. There was tunnel construction going on from Solang valley to Rotang pass which was around 20 kms. This would reduce the entire long route by 3 hours and then. There were Nepalese youths, who had been working for the same. He showed us few boys ahead and told us that they work whole night there, and every morning walk 4 hours to their room, and every evening go to same place walking.

We understood that Nepalese labors have been working really hard in India. They have learned a lot as well, only if they could be used for tunnel construction in Nepal, I wondered.

He then talked about other Nepalese in Himanchal, who had similar feelings. They have no options if they return back to Nepal. Their children were born in India, and seem to be habituated in India itself. Nepal may not interest for their grandson now. He explained how often Nepalese come to Solang valley, and return back disappointed, because they have seen something much more wonderful than this small hill in Nepal. He talked about difficult times when every road would be filled with snow as well.

It was time for our bus to come; we had to run for couple of minutes in heavy rain to get into the bus. I was facing window. I stared outside and felt..

How this Dai (person) came to India, how their children are born in India, how again their children’s children will take birth there and gradually they will forget that once their family used to be Nepalese. It would then be easy and beneficial for them to be Indian citizen than being Nepalese, after all, driving a car in India is like riding a bike in Nepal, the cost turns out similar.

 Originally published in voices in crisis web portal dated 15th March, 2016.