Common people have their own sorrows and newness. In such a situation, often the household expenses become a major problem for them. Some of them are forced to forget even the smallest wishes and dreams in the midst of household expenses. Some are burdened by the burden of these household expenses. Ekantipur has started this regular column to understand the household spending style of the common man and the dimensions of the struggle associated with it: Editor

My name is Akwal Pathan . Now I am 75 years old . It has been five years since I started receiving old age allowance . My house is near Khurhurhuria, Rohini rural municipality-2 of Rupandehi . I am known as Mistri, Sahu, Raghu in the village . Not only Rupandehi district, but also Bhagwanpur and Nautanwa in India are known as Mistri because they repair bicycles.

It's been 50 years since I started repairing bicycles. Earlier my shop was at Vaikunthpur Chowk on the Bhairahawa-Parasi road section . Now in Khurhurhuriya . When I started the shop, not only in Rohini, but also in Bhairahawa, there was no bicycle repair shop . 

There was a shop in Parasi, the headquarters of Nawalparasi. They used to come to my shop to make bicycles from Bhagwanpur, Sunauli and Nautanwa in India. Ruppandehi used to come from all over the district to make bicycles and there used to be a huge gathering at my shop. At the time when I started the shop, one punctured wheel fetched 50 paisa . Now a single puncture cost 30 rupees . However, the price of a tea has reached 20 rupees. Earlier, the bicycle was the main means of transportation.

He used to travel on foot without a bicycle. Now there are many vehicles. Repair shops are also scattered. In the early days, up to 35 rupees were earned per day . Not earning now . Sometimes I earn money equivalent to a cup of tea . Sometimes the income is up to two hundred rupees . 

There were 7 members in my family . After the marriage of the eldest daughter, 6 of us live . Mrs. Khatbun Nisha is 50 years old. Daughters aged 20 and 19 are at home. They didn't read . Two sons aged 17 and 16 go to school. The eldest son has reached the 10th standard and the youngest son has reached the 9th standard.

This bicycle shop is the main source of income. I have eight paddy fields in my name . There is a brick house with no original door and no plaster. I have reared a buffalo and padi and three goats. This is my wealth.

In the village, we produce grain by blinding other people's fields . When we don't have money, we keep the grain we need for the house and sell the remaining rice and wheat . I buy clothes for my family members from the income from selling food . The money received for old-age allowance is sufficient for food. Since the harvest is done at home, I use salt oil from the earnings of the bicycle shop . Sons don't work because they are young . During the school holidays, they come to the bicycle shop and help. 

I have heart disease . Had a heart attack 6 years ago . Surgery was done at Butwal Heart Hospital. There was no money for treatment at that time. 5 lakh loan had to be taken out by putting the red parts of house and land in Agricultural Development Bank. 3 lakh 72 thousand were spent on treatment . Dhan disease is cured . From that time you should take daily heart pressure . I have to buy medicine worth 4 thousand rupees per month. In the beginning, the doctor prescribed a medicine of 6,000 per month . I asked the doctor that he should not take pressure. The doctor did not agree . Later wrote a pressure of 2 thousand less. 

Now I have to pay interest of 5 thousand rupees per month to Krishi Bikas Bank. Stopped drinking tea to collect bank interest and medicine expenses . It's been years since I ate delicious vegetables. 5000 is hardly earned per month from a bicycle shop . After selling the leftovers and food and water, I go to Butwal's heart hospital to check up once a month. After going to check once, it costs 3 thousand 5 rupees . Even if you go away from home in life, you have to get treatment in Butwal. 

The marriage of the eldest daughter cost 10 lakh rupees . A loan of one and a half lakhs sought in the village at the time of marriage is yet to be paid . It's time to get two daughters married. Worries about how to marry her daughter. They are not old enough to send their sons abroad. I don't like to send abroad after breaking my studies . I have also grown old as the sole breadwinner of the family . Now the limbs don't move like before . I have repaired bicycles for 50 years . I have a bicycle . Sons go to study in it . I walk to the store . What can be said about the shop, it is only a place where the old people of the village gather and pass the time .