Ghansikhark village at the foot of Dhaulagiri mountain and Siran of Rahughat river in Myagdi is very pleasant. Leaving behind the pure climate and the love of relatives in the village, I have been camping in Beni's Kalipul with my eldest grandson for 15 years. I am over 70 years old. His 60-year-old wife, eldest son and daughter-in-law are making a living from farming in the village. Apart from farming, they have no other option to earn money.

It's been four or five years since the youngest son Dev went to Portugal . He fell in love with her when he came on vacation two years ago . After staying at home for some time, he has not even spoken to his younger son on the phone. He sometimes talks with his wife and eldest son. It's been five years, I haven't been to the village . Sometimes the elder son Bhim Prasad comes here to know the latest news. It is difficult to reach the village by walking because I cannot stand on my left leg. Since I can't do farming and wood-cutting, I started camping in the headquarters saying that I would feed myself instead of going to the village.  

My sad story is long . I reached Saudi Arabia around 049/50 and worked for 20 years. While working, suddenly the lower part of the left leg stopped moving . After not being able to take it well, the company returned home empty-handed without treatment. A lot of money earned in Saudi Arabia was spent at home while on vacation. After coming here, I sat in Beni's Kalipool and got treatment for my feet. My wife also came to care for me . When returning from Saudi Arabia, I had 3-4 lakh rupees saved, and that too was spent in hospitals in Beni and Pokhara for foot treatment . After the leg did not heal, he did not go for further treatment by taking loans .

I have paid 2600 months' rent in a crude house with water and electricity in Kalipul . I have been collecting fees by cleaning the toilets of Mustang Bus Park near Kalipul for 8 years to feed my stomach . Earlier, cars from all over the country used to stop at Beni. We had to take another car to go to Mustang from Beni . When there were many passengers, the toilet was crowded. 1000 to 1200 rupees was charged daily. Beni municipality has made a shutter by connecting it with the toilet. His wife opened a tea shop by paying 150,000 as an annual rent of 30,000. The tea-snack shop ran well.

has now moved to the bus park building below the ticket counter. Cars from all over the country started going straight to Mustang. The tea shop was closed after the number of passengers decreased. My earnings are now around 200 a day. After having trouble filling her stomach here, the wife returned to the village . When there were three people, leaving Ammal, the household expenses reached 8 thousand per month . Now a month, one bag of rice worth 2500, one cylinder of gas worth 2000 is needed. Two liters of oil cost 480 rupees per month. 1500 rupees are spent on pulses, vegetables, salt, sugar and spices. All in all, 6,000 is enough food for two people. After the son sends money during the festival, we wear new clothes . Relatives send flour, vegetables from home . Grandson Manprasad, who has studied up to 12th standard, walks around saying to play ball (football). 

I come back to the room after nightfall. I pay 500 per month for water and electricity in the toilet . A Harpic costs Rs 130 and a final liter costs Rs 120. The evening meal is cooked by the grandson . In the morning, I eat roti-vegetables, samosa-tea, chowmein, bread-tea and so on to the hotel. Eating bread and vegetables costs 80 rupees, eating tea and samosas costs 60 rupees, and eating dal and rice costs 150 rupees. Tea is 25 rupees. After drinking a glass of ammal (liquor) worth 50 rupees in the morning, I forget the smell of the toilet . The government gives old-age allowance for three months at the rate of 4,000 per month. We have taken care of our grandchildren with the allowance. Sometimes I think - How many days will I have to bear the smell of the toilet like this ? Leave and go back to the house. I can't even leave the place and walk .