Ram Bahadur Pradhan, 84, of Bahundangi, Mechinagar-4, Jhapa, has donated 2 bighas 5 kathas of land worth 45 million rupees, which he earned through his life's hard work, struggle and sacrifice, to the Manav Sewa Ashram.

After transferring the property, he himself is living under the protection of the ashram. 'Who will I leave this much property to?' As he got older, this question began to haunt Pradhan's mind. Since he had no children, he was increasingly worried about how his property would be used after his death.

Once he thought of a plan, distribute the 2 bighas 5 kathas of land to the squatters. He did not want to do it again. Should we open an old age home ourselves? That dream of his also came to an end. He decided to donate the land to an old age home or a children's home. As he understood, he joined the Manav Sewa Ashram. ‘I had the idea of ​​donating the land to a good organization,’ he says, ‘Manav Sewa Ashram seemed right.’

There were repeated discussions with Ramji Adhikari, a representative of Manav Sewa Ashram. Finally, an agreement was reached five years ago. Pradhan decided to donate 2 bighas and 5 katthas of land in his name in Bahundangi, Mechinagar, Jhapa to the ashram. ‘I told the ashram that this land, these two mothers and a cow are your responsibility,’ Pradhan recalled, ‘but, I will not take any of your services. From today, I am free.’

Then Pradhan reached the land revenue office in Bhadrapur and transferred the land in the name of the ashram. Currently, there are 104 dependents in Manav Sewa Ashram, including the elderly, helpless, street people, and children. Pradhan also lives in the ashram’s house with his two wives, Lakshmi and Purnamaya. ‘The ashram has taken care of all the basic needs including food, clothing, medicine and treatment,’ says Pradhan.

Ram Bahadur was born in a village in Dolakha’s district. He left home at the age of 14-15 in search of employment. Like many young people at that time, he too was ‘Mughalan’. He took a train from Birgunj-Raxaul to Siliguri. Then he took a jeep to Sikkim.

The present-day Indian state of Sikkim was an independent country at that time. He got a job carrying heavy loads and digging roads. While working in the village, there was a time when men would get 25 paisa, women 20 paisa and children 12 paisa for a day’s work. In Sikkim, he felt that carrying heavy loads was valued as labor. However, he could not stay long in this Himalayan country, which was always cold. And then he went to Siliguri. At that time, Nepali speakers were in majority in Siliguri. Nepali faces were everywhere in every street, alley and road of Siliguri.

Pradhan met a Nepali friend in Siliguri. The friend pointed to the west and said, ‘Our Nepal is over there. Do you want to go and see?’ Pradhan was surprised to hear his friend’s words. After initially not believing him, he agreed to go.

From Siliguri, they reached Naxalbari via Matigada-Bagdogara. They crossed the Mechi River and reached Bahundangi through the northwest from Naxalbari Bazaar. ‘I was surprised to see Nepal so close,’ Pradhan said excitedly, ‘After visiting Nepal, I did not want to go back.’

This was around 2020. At that time, the East-West Highway was just being dug. A bridge had just been built on the Mechi River. He met Toyaraj Bharati of Bahundangi. He decided to buy land in Bahundangi by combining the few thousand rupees he had earned by carrying heavy loads in Sikkim and the few thousand he had brought from selling land in Dolakha. ‘At that time, I had bought land for four thousand rupees per bigha,’ he recalls.