Laborer walks home more than 350 kilometers due to lockdown

Kathmandu, 15 April (2020) - Bhim Bahadur Lama, 63, hails from Sombare Hatiya near Manthali, headquarters of Ramechhap district in central Nepal.

Two months ago when he was going out in search of a job, his mother, 87, said to him, "Do you have to go that far? Can't you find a job nearby? You have become old."

Tears coursed down her cheeks while trying to stop her son. "How can I stop you, though? You are our breadwinner. You could have searched for a job nearby. Take care of your body. Return quickly," the old mother had said.

Bhim Bahadur tears up while recounting the details to Lokantar at Nag Dhunga in Kathmandu Tuesday night.

Tired to his bone, Bhim Bahadur couldn't even speak properly. Maybe due to the loss of energy, his lips were trembling and his hands carrying the bottle were shaking.

He looks exhausted. Tears are rolling down continuously. "I slept on a cold floor at night and may have caught cold," he said.

Bhim Bahadur had to leave house to feed his family. A contractor in Manthali had been providing him work since long and he had suggested Bhim Bahadur to go to faraway Myagdi district for a job.

He remembers the conversation with his mother. "The contractor told me that there is no work in Manthali and I have to go to Myagdi, mother! How else can I buy you the medicines?" 

His voice breaks while saying, "I have not been able to talk with my mom since leaving Myagdi. My mother, wife, children and grandchildren must be worried sick about me." He sighs.

It's been 19 days since he started walking from Myagdi. He continuously walked the first two days and the last five days. The remaining days he stayed at a hotel in Pokhara.

Darwang in Myagdi district is about 350 kilometers away from his hometown. Bhim Bahadur's wife was also not happy with her husband going so far away to work.

But being the sole breadwinner for the family of seven, he could not stay home. He listened to his mother and wife's pleas but decided to go away.

With coronavirus cases raging all around, three of his friends started went away from Darwang. He too wanted to move the next day but his supervisor instructed him to finish the remaining work.

After completing his work, he started preparing to leave for Ramechhap. By then the government had announced lockdown all over the country. He didn't know that all the vehicular movements had stopped. While inquiring for the bus ticket, he came to know that everything had stopped.

"I couldn't believe my ears," he said. "Everyone told me that there were buses and then I believed."

The contractor had told him that his wages will be provided in his house. He believes that the owner must have given money to his family members.

He has little money with him which may not be enough to join hand and mouth. He said that all his money was spent in Pokhara for lodging.

"I arrived at Pokhara on foot from Beni, Myagdi in two days. I stayed at a hotel in Pokhara for nine days waiting for a bus. When it was not available, I walked for five days to arrive to Kathmandu. Now it may take two days for me to reach home," he said with hope.

He has reached Kathmandu valley Tuesday evening. He hopes to stay the night at a stop in Jagati, Bhaktapur.

He was involved in constructing school building in Darwang, Myagdi.

Bhim Bahadur has faced many hardships in his life but this one is the toughest for him. "I knew nothing about coronavirus and lockdown in Darwang. Only in Beni did I know that everything has been closed due to a fatal virus," he told Lokantar.

He had mere 50 rupees with him when he reached Kathmandu.

"For five days I had meal once a day only. I have survived only on beaten rice," he said.

He says that he caught cold drinking cold water from the tap and sleeping on the cold floor at the stop. "Life is like this, these seven days are like a long story for me," he said.

Rajkumar Goplai, Ashok Manandhar, Bijen Shahi and Bishnu Shahi among others provided drinking water and beaten rice to Bhim Bahadur in Thankot.

He put salt-sugar combination of Jeevan Jal in the bottle water and drank it. "I'll spend the night on this," he said, showing the food package.

Bored with home stay due to lockdown, We, Lokantar journalists, have come out to report the lockdown effects in Kathmandu and the highway. We heard the plights of many wage laborers and published news stories on Lokantar. But the encounter with Bham Bahadur Lama melted our hearts.

We have to tell our readers the truth that we couldn't give a ride to Lama in our car. Our selfishness, police's strict instructions and family's suggestions had made us hesitant to take a stranger onboard the car.

But we gave some money to Lama after listening to his painful story. Our small cash assistance brightened Lama's face.

 While parting ways, he said, "Sir, I can reach Manthali with this even if no one gives me any food."

We worry that Lama's health may deteriorate before he reaches Manthali. He is suffering severe cold. He has no fever. He does not have headache or difficulty in breathing. But cold and excessive walking has exhausted him and we wish that he reaches home safely.

We asked him to provide his mobile number while parting. He said, "I don't have mobile phone, sir."

How can we contact you then?

"We may meet again if I don't pass away," he replied.