Going back to my village

I will be leaving for my village tomorrow. My village, Norbuling, is two-hour walk from Gelephu town. I have no other reasons, except to meet my parents, to spend time on them, with them. And, also to attend a family puja.

Some interesting facts about my village:

We’ve to walk solid two hours over the most infamous river in Bhutan, the 1.8 km long Maokhola, from Gelephu town to reach my village.

The only constituency where the DPT’s manifesto has miserably failed. Over the Maokhola River, during the last election campaign, Prem Kumar Gurung, the DPT candidate for Gelephu constituency had promised constructing 1.8 km long motorable bridge. People are still waiting for the bridge, frustratingly. No sign of the bridge construction yet.

The only place in Bhutan where the works of the party candidate was named against the name of the party candidate. People of this village have named the River, Prem Khola. And, Prem Bridge for the promised motorable bridge. Sarcastically though.

In winter, the locals build bamboo bridges to connect the village with Gelephu.

In summer, when the Moakhola River swells, this temporary bridge will be washed away and the villagers use boats.

Gelephu boils in almost 36 Degree Celsius in summer.

One of the most fertile lands in Bhutan. The Chuzargang rice is produced from here.

The people of Chuzargang are peasants, illiterate or semi-literate and are very tough and strong in physicality. They’re uncommonly humble and always wear slippers.

The villagers don’t work or walk without taking alcohol. Tongpa and bangchang are common amongst the villagers.

Bicycle is one of the modes of transportation here.

Karipa products (children without fathers) are so common here. It’s due to the high rate of teenage pregnancy and school drop-outs especially among girls.