Nepal Is Transforming – II

As we moved from Burtibang to Dhorpatan, the drive slowed, with many herders moving toward the upper hills as spring flowers bloom in the forests. On our way, a lady caught our eyes, herding cattle, who was listening to music on her smartphone with EarPods placed in her ears. She was utilizing the 4G connection on her phone, listening to her favorite songs streaming on YouTube. With Nepali modern folk songs becoming popular among the millions of Nepalis worldwide, with millions of views, I wonder how many of these perspectives are paid attention to, given that our planners and those in the private and development sectors typically see Nepal from central Kathmandu. Their understanding of the changes occurring outside of Kathmandu, in every area of Nepal, is a question that keeps coming to mind.

I recall driving these roads during the insurgency, when my heart raced at each checkpoint—some manned by the state and others by insurgents. The roads were in disrepair, bridges had been damaged, and spending a night in those areas posed a significant challenge. At that time, Nepalis viewed their fellow citizens with suspicion. Conversations were rare, and people were focused solely on completing their tasks. This time, we booked a hotel through the global site Booking.com—what a stark contrast to a decade ago! Back then, tourism had taken a severe hit, with trekking trails in this region becoming virtually inaccessible. Now, as we travel through the same areas with their stunning landscapes and newly constructed roads, I cannot help but reflect on how we can unlock the potential of this region. ‘Nepal Khaali hudaichha!’ or ‘Nepal is getting emptier by the day’, is a narrative that we tend to hear on a day-to-day basis. Moving around Western Nepal made me realize the importance to understand migration in the contexts of Nepal.

First, its fairly common in Nepal to relocate and move within the country. A prime example of this is the migration of certain groups to the high hills in summer to cultivate and harvest potatoes, who then return before the onset of monsoon season to settle in areas with a lower risk of landslides and flooding. Furthermore, the technological advancements have significantly transformed the agricultural practices. Large expanses of land located above riverbanks, which were previously difficult to utilize due to irrigation challenges, are now being effectively cultivated for crops and vegetables. Micro-hydro and off-grid solar solutions have facilitated irrigation in these regions. One can observe solar panels installed along riverbanks, utilizing solar energy to power pumps that transport water from streams and rivers to agricultural fields. Furthermore, the use of plastic tunnels for vegetable farming has become increasingly common. Improved road infrastructure has enhanced access to markets, allowing vegetables to be transported to the southern plains of Nepal and even across the border into India. In border towns and major cities such as Lucknow, vegetables from the hills of Nepal command premium prices.

Next, we see the growing trends of urbanization in the nooks and corners of the country. If hills are empty, the cities are full. As we were driving through Rampur in Palpa District, we witnessed the amalgamation of wealth and the construction galore in the emerging city. This city, earlier unknown to wider front, is now a center of economic activities for people from far-flung areas as they converge to earlier get money from money transfer agents and now more of center for shopping and selling their wares. These cities have created jobs. We ate in a restaurant of a hotel, where the staff were from Kapilvastu. They feel Rampur have better economic opportunities than the village they came from.  This exhibits a little explored dynamic of internal migration, that is still widely prevalent, yet less talked about.

We stopped at Srijana Farms, a getaway in Tansen that serves organic food, and buckwheat muffins made my day. A group from Gorakhpur, India, was there to watch the Champions Trophy cricket finals. This place is four hours from Gorakhpur and developing like the Nagarkot of Butwal. Like Nagarkot’s transformation in the last twenty-five years, I see these cities transforming in a shorter period, promoting internal tourism. The people there are least bothered about who is in power in Kathmandu; they see the opportunities emerging. This transformation is not merely in terms of infrastructure but also from the lenses of mindset and perspectives toward emerging opportunities. We drive back through the Kali Gandaki corridor, a route that offers a stunning variety of views. We pass through Gaidakot and Bharatpur in Chitwan, where the six-lane highway has become quite popular on TikTok videos and Reels. The development of this city is a great example of how citizens drive progress, rather than the government. The government typically steps in to build infrastructure when citizens develop an economic base, pay higher taxes, and demand more services. From my hotel room on the eighth floor of the Vivanta, I watch the vehicles passing by on the highway while enjoying a cup of tea. The visuals have changed dramatically in just a decade. Transformation is indeed happening, and it’s important to recognize these changes and view them positively.