NEPAL: It was 9 o’clock in the night. We were in small Dhusheni and Suhara Toley villages adjacent to Sindhupal Chawk hill.

We, 20 people, will have to pass the whole night in a single tent if our lives are not perished either by earthquake or be prey of leopard or any other animals of the jungle.

The evening came down as soon as we reached the place. Within few moments, we experienced the hilly earthquake. The tremor jolted the hill as we were preparing to have meal with hilly vegetable, pulses and pickles. The water filled glass was jerking.

I kept quiet so that my companion and also colleague from Dhaka Shipon Habib, a media person, does not get scared. But he jumped out realizing the tremor.

After we finished our meal there was another jolt. The whole family of Madhab tried to console us. They informed us that they have been experiencing about one hundred jolts for past few days.

Long hilly journey caused whole body tired. Madhab’s mother took us to an open place for refreshing. The family was looking very satisfied. The lady was wearing nice bangles, necklace and wrist watch.

They possessed all the courage to face the adverse attitude of the nature. They understand that this life is different from city life.

The total road from Thamel to Sindhupal Chawk is built by cutting hill. This road is not for them, who drives car in the towns. We traveled by motorbike. The driver was Madhab Prashad Achariya. He, who lives in Katmandu, has a travel agency.

Madhab is a son of an aristocrat Brahmin family of Dhusein, where two of his houses were destroyed. He has been traveling this road by motorbike for the last 10/12 years. He drives well.

When we started journey I felt that this type of journey only fits Bayer Grills of National Geographic, because, every moment is risky. I was wearing mask, cotton shirt, jeans jacket, turban, dhoti and sunglass to protect me from sun heat and dust. I cannot imagine that it will be possible to wear this dress in Dhaka.

The whole journey was risky as the road was narrow having all unsuitable situation existing there even we could have rolled down bellow the hill any moment.

But the scenic beauty of Himalayan range helped us to forget the danger and risk of the journey.

During journey from noon to evening we did not find any areas unaffected by the tremor that shook the whole subcontinent.

When we stared at the living people of devastating areas we became simply moved their pitiable condition.

We had to make stopover at some places. I remove the mask unmindfully, though I was alerted by Biman country director Imrul Kayes not to do this.

Madhab informed me that many people were killed in Sindhupal Chawk beyond government’s assessment. Many of them were thrown in the rivers. So, the environment of Sindhupal is heavy.

We had snacks from ‘Snow View Mountain Resort’. On the right side, there is famous tourist-spot Nagarkot. It is an ideal place to view sunrise over the mountain. We could not understand that we would not get our meal before night.

One Padamlal of Shipaghat told that as soon as the quake began we came out and saw the razing of our dwelling houses on the ground.

All including Padmlal informed us that they were waiting for government help. We met old Bir Bahadur, who was admitted in a hospital being injured in the tremor. He was brought back in the village on a stretcher.

The area near Indravati river is now a heap of destruction.

Rabindra Khatia had a three-storey building with a jewelry shop of his own and a cosmetics shop of his wife Kumari Khatia. ‘It does not exist now,’ he painfully said, ‘Everything is finished. We are ruined’.

All villages including Sindhu, Tin Gare and Dhotar are bearing the same pictures of destruction.

Looking all these now we have reached Dhushein. There is no electricity. Madhab’s family was using solar-lamps. No arrangements of charging cell-phones and laptops. But there was network of cell-phone. I brought an extra phone set which was helping me.

No one dared to enter the damaged houses because it can fall down any moment. So, we had to take shelter in a single tent. There was no washroom. Still, I was looking for something positive in such an adverse situation.

Shipon Habib was becoming amazed looking everything. He is very much soft hearted having an emotional mind.

The most positive thing was the availability of pure drinking water of mountain spring. The villagers are very much hospitable.

Madhab’s brother Krishnaprashad Timol Sina said that the guests are the messengers of God. You have come to see our sorrow from such a long distance. All visit the towns and cities but none come to us.

Sindhupal Chawk is situated in the middle of Nepal’s 75 districts. Its area is 2 thousand 542 kilometers population is 3 lakhs. Its district headquarter is Kotara. Sindhupal Chawk is one of the worst affected areas of Nepal in recent earthquake.

Though it is situated near Kathmandu it did not get the touch of development. But it has huge natural resources in the stairs of mountain. Though the hilly soil is not fertile; still the society is agrarian. The rivers Bhote Koshi, Indrabati, SunKoshi and Brahmani are flowing through this district.

Hydroelectricity generated from Bhote Koshi and Sun Koshi is connected with Nepal national grid. More small power stations are in the pipeline. This district has also a link with the highway Kodari connecting Kathmandu and Tibet.

BDST: 1736 HRS, MAY 05, 2015
Edited by Shahjahan
RR