This is Chhangru Village. A village situated at Northern-Dharchula, near the Mahakali river. We can say it's the farthest village from Kathmandu. There are two rivers down the village. The Tinkar river coming from Tinkar Bhanjyang... And Nampa river originating from Mt. Nampa. (Nepal's Suspension Bridges) This river goes to Sitapul, Kali River. Then, it mixes with the Kali River. Kali river is the India-Nepal border... Yes, Kali River is the border. We are known as Vyasi Sauka. This happens to be Vyas Rishi's birthplace. That's why... since this is Vyas Rishi's land... That's why it's called Vyasi. In Nepal, the Sauka villages are; Tinkar, Chhangru... And Sitola, Rapla.. four villages. Every other village is in India. If they can't cross the river for fodder... Their animals will be hungry. And.. if they can't cross the same river for firewood... The humans will be hungry. For the sake of their hunger, they have been making wooden bridges. But the monsoon flood breaks the bridge from time to time. The villagers built this bridge for so many times. Right there. It would always break. One year, the landslide came from both this side & that side. Both the bridges were collapsed. It was a terrible situation. This year, a new story of crossing this river will begin. Over the Tinkar River, the suspension bridge is almost complete. The workers are giving a final look to the bridge. This bridge has brought... ...sweet smiles on the faces of these people. The wooden bridge had holes everywhere. The legs of cattle would be stuck in there. Oh! It would shake if many crossed at once. The suspension bridge will shake even more. But it's permanent, it's not risky anymore. We can easily come and go. The cattle can get across. We have to go across to collect fodder. That has been easy now. Going across for firewood has been easy too. We can go and come without any fear. (Laughs) From Dharchula's headquarters Khalanga... It takes 1 week to reach this village on foot. Right now, there isn't even a pavement to walk on. The villagers use the road via India. In this rural Himalayan village. The construction materials for the bridge were transported via India. While making a bridge before this... Materials were brought in a helicopter. Where else would we bring it from, if not India? It's "All Hail Indian Government" to us. From Nepal, there is no way... they bring it by helicopter. From India, we bring cement, reinforcements... We bring it from India only. You guys came via India only.
-Right! We came via India only. It must be difficult for technicians to come here. It's hard. They have to take a permit & make a pass like we do. We have to make it for them & bring them here. They come to visit from time to time. That's why we make the pass for 6 months. How did you bring the materials? We wrote an official letter. And brought them from India only. We couldn't from Nepal... Helicopter was the only choice. For the bridge in Gaga, we brought materials in a helicopter. How can we? In such a rural place. How else could we? How did you bring those strings? We booked a vehicle to bring it. We made a permit letter from the administration... They give us a permit from India. Sitapul is a wooden bridge, right? How did you carry these materials over that wooden bridge? We used mules. The strings too?
-No, mules didn't carry the strings, humans did. About 15-16 brought it here, pulling. To connect villages, to go to another village and to market... These bridges are usually made in such a context. But you are making it to go to the jungle. The cows, mules, and the cattle we have... They go there for grazing. There's no place for grazing animals other than this. There is no road or anything. Now, when our cattle go across, the suspension bridge is there. The old bridge is not in good condition. It's rotten... a flood can demolish it away. The flood has destroyed many. Right? Does it drown animals too? Yes, it might not drown big animals. One year, the flood came above the bridge. Above the girder, right? We have experienced such times. Even if the old bridge collapses, we, now, have the new bridge. First, we have a drinking water problem. Second, we don't have electricity. Those 2 are our biggest problems. We also have difficulty in transportation. In case, India doesn't let us use their road, we are stranded. We'll be left high & dry. The sheep of plain lands ascend to Vyas during monsoon. The sheep & shepherds, who will reach the base of Mt. Nampa... They will be using this bridge to cross the river. It's nearly complete, sir. After 4-6 days of work, we will go home. We will use this bridge. We need this bridge to reach Tinkar. Such wooden bridges... If the flood sweeps away, we must build the wooden bridge ourselves. The government has done us good with this bridge. On this side, the bank we can see from here... We built the bridge to get across our sheep. Yourself?
-Yes, ourselves, who would do it for us? He, I, and other 8-10 people... All the shepherds gathered... We built the bridge for 2-4 days. We have used the wooden panels to walk... We have taken our animals to that side. A bridge being built here is a big deal for us. Something you didn't think of?
-It is. A bridge at somewhere so backwoods. Just imagine, how they must have delivered the materials here. How much would it cost if there was no road from India? It must be difficult to bring goods from India too. Yes, it's something challenging. Now, let's ascend to a village near Dharchula headquarters... Hikla village, where vehicles have reached with difficulty. With us, we have Raghubir Singh Thagunna from Dharchula. Raghubir's organization... ...has been collaborating with donors & government to build bridges for 20 years. At first, there was a conflict in this village. On where the VDC should be, Hikla or Dhari. There used to be such a conflict. There was a river between two villages. If this could be made... It would resolve the conflict regarding VDC office... And... This used to be the Hikila VDC. This was Pipalchauri VDC. Huti, Dhaplakot, Sunsera, Rapla, and Vyas. All these VDCs... They would higly benefit. The people there had to go around this hill. To this day, Nepal government has not been able to build a road there. In any case, the road is built... This is it. For Duhun and Vyans rural municipalities... This bridge is the border that joins them. Where does this water come from? Is it no seeping?
-No. In such hilly places... To build these bridges... How difficult is it? Building bridges is too expensive because of material transportation. Even for local materials, there is a river but no aggregates. Only recently the tractors are coming to this place. And now the road is built. Before, everything was carried by people here. Had to carry cement and the sand is from Mahakali. The sand used is from Mahakali only. From down?
-Yes, down from the Mahakali river. Rodi and Bajuri... the villages seen above there. It was collected from around there. In my village, there is a place called Navgaad. I know nothing of swimming. One day, at a wooden bridge made of two pine logs. It used to be made of "Dadera". That bridge used to shake a lot. One day, I was crossing... some boys shook it. I fell into the river. After I reached about 15-20 feet down... My uncles, they came. They came for swimming?
-No, they rescued me. That experience taught me the importance of bridges. Because I drowned once. Next, we used to pull the strings of those bridges. While building a bridge, we used to cut big Pine trees... The whole village used to collect tiger grass & make rope out of it. They used to pull the logs & lay them over the river. Many people would suffer. While building the wooden bridge?
-Yes. There used to be all wooden bridges. For snacks, everyone used to buy jaggery. We used to go there for that jaggery. But while pulling the rope, it would scratch us. Our clothes would be torn. The ones who suffered the most in the absence of a bridge were... The kids who used to go to school or herd animals. And women who collect fodder. Women who carried loads. The people of Pipalchaur & Hikila bring goods from Dharchula. They carry the loads from there. The beneficiaries of this bridge are... Those whom officials don't know. Common school students, Women and elderly. This service is for those people. This is a charity. I believe those who made this have secured a place in heaven. Just imagine for a while... If this bridge didn't exist... The kids here.. The school is there, VDC is there. If the people of Dhari & Bramhadev had to go for medicine or VDC office... How difficult would it be? I used to walk through here before surveying was done. The Bhimal plant grows in those bushes... I slipped on the Bhimal & was saved by grabbing a bush. After the bridge was built... When I see people carrying rice, flour, grass, & wood... As I said it, life feels magnificent. I feel overwhelmed with happiness. Fills up my heart. I like what people say. "May your kids live a long life." "Because of you, it's been easy for us to rich Dharchula." "You made the bridge, it brought development." "You made such a good bridge." They praised me & I couldn't help but hold my chin. I held my chin and received their blessings. In this period, his organization built 117 bridges only in Dharchula. In Nepal, there are plenty of rivers. For 4-5 months of monsoon, it is a necessity. During winter, it can be crossed with ease. That's why... In Nepal, so many bridges need to be built. There is a need for so many. In Dharchula district... I had the data for every year. Those who died from drowning in a river... 24 to 29 people in a year. Still now.. from 2060 to 2080 BS. We completed building 117 bridges. Still, more bridges are required?
- Still, people are demanding. For example, plenty of oranges grow in Hikla and Pipalchaur. The vehicles come here now. He would carry 1 basket of oranges & sell it there. It takes him time to bring another basket. People have cattle at home & kids to look after. It saves them time for home. There was nothing here before the bridge was built. Now there is a resting spot... The shops and houses have been built. The market access is high here. It has increased business around here. The transportation cost has been reduced. Carrying rice from there, all the way to there... And carrying from here to there... It costs Rs 15 here, it used to cost 100-150 before. Madam, Namaste!
-Namaste! Where is your village?
-That one. Did you come all the way from there? Oh my god! If this bridge wasn't here, how would you go across? It would take 1 day.
-1 day? 1 day's travel is reduced to half an hour. Now, vehicles have reached many villages... We hear that a vehicular bridge would be better than this. If there is vehicle access, one doesn't need this bridge. But... If you are to think practically... The jeeps and buses don't carry firewood or grass. The cattle must walk. This is what the public here needs. The VDC where their president says they don't need a bridge... The villagers from the same VDC always nag us asking for a bridge. The political leaders don't need but the villagers do. Yes, and there is a reason behind leaders not wanting it. In this project... They don't get any bribes or extra incentives. In this difficult topography... This bridge over the Kalagadh River... It has eased the lives of people. The people here used to carry loads from headquarter... They used to carry 40-50 kg of weight. Our lives were like that of a mule. We were like an animal. Just like the animal, we used to carry heavy loads. Had to go down... Humans can be happy with small things. People have scarcity of small things. If he gets that, he will be content. Kathmandu is too far for us. We don't know where Kathmandu is. Dharchula district is such a rural place. During the monsoon, we are haunted by the same old nightmares. The bridges collapse... The roads are damaged. Our fathers & grandfathers used to go to India this way. They used to go there on foot. They used to bring sheep from Taklakot. Life was too hard back then. Now, we have a lot of facilities. The bridges and roads didn't exist even in dreams. Not even in dreams. A bridge connects people's hearts. Not just villages?
-Not just villages but people's hearts. How? That's because people of connecting villages can meet. Otherwise, how would people from two hills meet? We used to show mirrors. We used to connect hearts showing mirrors from this hill to that hill. We now cross the bridge to connect hearts. What do you mean by showing mirrors? We reflect the sun's rays with a mirror. That's a signal to tell people "Here I am". It was a means to establish relation. Everyone used to carry a mirror. You used to show a mirror too?
-Yes, I did that. Our sisters used to come to our maternal home before. While returning home... A while cloth called "Munito" in our language... We used to flare it & our sisters would see that from afar. Such were our miseries. It's now easy to attend weddings and bratabanda. We can even attend a naming ceremony. We can join them on such an occasion. Funeral.
-Funeral and Shraadha too. That's why I said, bridge has connected people. A bridge is such a thing, it connects smallest things. When you need Cetamol for headaches... I call them to tell them I am coming, let's meet at the bridge. We can go easily though the bridge. The students go to study at a Campus there. They go this way as the schools are there. We can go to Dharchula or your Kathmandu. On this way. Before that?
-We had to carry & take the long route. Now, we have vehicle access & this bridge. Now, everything is easy. You hadn't thought a bridge would be built?
- I hadn't. Why?
-We had no idea what and where it would be made. Without this bridge, we used to go to India. You had to come from India? We would come & go from there only. Where is your village? It's across there. Do you see that Pole? It's below that Pole. What do you do? What would I do? I cut grass, and raise cows. (Laughs) All we do here is cut grass and raise cows. That's what we must do. Okay, we'll be on our way. You be careful on your way, okay? Okay, you too, go with care. I have this load, I must ascend carrying this. The bridge has reduced the ascent distance. Yes, come to our village too, it's right there. Okay. It's a lot easier now. Goodbye! With Raghubir, we went to Navgadh Rural Municipality in Dharchula. (Singing) We used to have small wooden bridges... That bridge too, the river would sweep it away the very next day. The flood sweeps away the bridge. They lay it on during the day, at night the flood sweeps it away. They lay it again the next day. Last year, the flood destroyed 12 bridges. Wooden bridges, 12 of them. It might not destroy this bridge, right? We must trust that it won't. Without the bridge, we had to suffer so much. We come here to collect fodder. When we bring animals to graze, it's a problem. Carrying ration is also a problem. When there was flood for 1-2 weeks... The school closed because there was no way for students to arrive. Without this bridge, the people from across... People are stuck wherever they are. How was the bridge built here? The bridge here... We went to VDC office & to ward office to request a bridge. You went by yourself to request a bridge? Hilly life has so many problems, what could we do? Were you involved in the construction phase too? What did you do during construction? We did everything! We were always working here... Worked here until it was completed. We pulled the strings. The skin of our hands was torn. Because we needed it. Otherwise, we wouldn't have much interest in this. People work only when they are in real problems. We worked hard to build the bridge. We left our cattle hungry. Left our kids at home. We were involved in work and completed it. We are happy. You must love this bridge a lot. Yeah! (Laughs) It feels like we made it. Our in-laws used to say they made a bridge... We always wondered how they pulled the cables. You also requested for a bridge yourself. You worked hard on it yourself & pulled the ropes too. After the bridge was complete, how did you feel crossing it for the first time? We were elated. We felt we had made a better bridge than other places. It wouldn't happen if it was thought by 1 or 2. All the villagers united, so it was possible. There was a cliff here. They cut the hill to build the bridge. How did you feel when looking at the bridge being built? My sons and grandsons... I was always worried they might get in an accident. I used to keep coming here & watch them. (Laughs) They'd cut a huge hill. I couldn't sleep as the kids were all over the place. Daughters used to walk around here. Can you sleep in peace now? Now, I can sleep. (Laughs) Now, it's good. The dedication & hardwork of women like Harita, Brinda, and Januka... Comprise this bridge. Across a few hills from there lies Marma Rural Municipality. To see a bridge being built at a rural village in Marma... We began ascending a steep slope. Cement is on the way. On our journey... The ward president Surendra Mahata was added. The people from ward no 5... When they go to town in winter... It looks like they powder their calf with red mud. People know the person is from Marma-5. In monsoon, this road is slippery everywhere. The thing is... This is the only road people use to bring goods or go to school. I will go ahead. If you don't walk, I'll throw a stone at you. How much more? There is no account for that... Feels like we might fail in walking. I took a mountain welfare training at Mustang. I will teach you how to walk in hills & Himalayas. I have already directed you... To carry chocolates & chewing gums. I don't know who did & how much. Never worry about the slope ahead & how would you ascend it. We have to look only 5-7 meters ahead of us. Don't open your mouth, it'll be hard to breathe. How much more?
-It can be seen from the hilltop there. There wasn't a market there before the bridge. There was a school, and later this market settled. Did you take this same road to go to school?
-Yes, I did. After class 7, I went down until I graduated secondary level. You would ascend the same hill every day? About 50-60 students here also take this road to school. To rest from the pain of ascending for 2.5 hours... Let's eat this cucumber and be satisfied. I am advocating that. Yes, you never know the taste of water & a cucumber. I want to thank you. Shall I cut the cucumber, sir? Shall I cut it? "Let the bitterness go away and the cucumber be tastey." Machchakadi is broken & cucumber is cut. What is Machchakadi?
-There is a river down there. After everybody takes one... The rest will be mine. Only three are left, if anyone has to object... tell me. Here, I'll start okay? Thank you very much. Such a steep hill, we have been walking without load. Still, it's been so difficult that we had to rest in many places. How will you take the materials and cables all the way up? Imagine for a while... Such heavy cables weighing 2-25. quintal each... How might have they transported it? Have you heard of a rats' conga line? Have you seen ants move in groups? Just like ants do, people form a line... And everyone carries it over their shoulders. But it throws off people. About 50-60 people worked for it. They have suffered a lot. People are thrown off while descending. Yesterday too, the ropes broke off & fell into the river. 4-5 people would have been hurt. It is such a risky job. Walking with both hands and legs, we reached. A straight height of 2000 meters. We have now reached the hilltop. We have succeeded. The ascend is over. Now, there's no place to ascend even if you want to. Now our job is to go downhill. Look at me sweating. This is how we were able to go up. Now, we have to be careful while descending. Here, our friend from Pokhara... He is walking behind. We didn't leave him behind. From down, this looked far above. It was so far while looking from down there. We had to do this. Now, I can look at it straight like this. But our journey... It began with our first step, right? Now, with this last step, the ascent is complete. Behind here is a settlement. 55 families are living there. There is a lower secondary school there. They have to come here for class 10. To reach headquarters they have to cross this gorge down. High schoolers should go to Lathinath from that village. This is the misery of my village. Students come from there. They study even with such difficulties, right? Did the road stop there because there is no bridge?
-Yes. We make wooden bridges giving 10-15k Rupees... In monsoon, it collapses & we must build a new one. From above here, the life is even more miserable. When I contemplate things here & in Kathmandu, I feel like crying. The grass they cut there, they'll carry it to here. Look at there ma'am, sir too... How will they make a road through that rock? In April, we made a road there for mules to walk. Your job is not easy. I wish you all the best. Such is a misery you'll see, at where we are going. For the bridge, women carried materials down along the river. All the steel parts were carried by women. And men carried the suspension cables. Did you carry materials through this same road? Yes. Oh my god! How did you carry things here? It isn't easy to even walk with bare hands. Did you carry cement over such a road? 4 hours long ascent and again through a steep slope downhill... Walking over cliff edges, we reached Marma. In this place where it is difficult to walk even without any load... The people carried the heavy suspension cables. The skin from our knees was torn. A few days back, we pulled it with a rope cable. We were doing the same thing yesterday... When it reached the middle... We were pulling with a rope. The rope broke & fell down into the river. Did people fall down?
- No, the cable fell. In my experience... This is the most risky place. How many bridges have you built?
- About 30-35. It is the most risky one among all those? How?
-It is. It is surrounded by cliffs. There is steep land on both sides. But it must be built. We can't even employ many people at once here. There isn't enough space. We work on just 1 cable a day. To work without causing accidents or hurting anyone. Saving people should be the first priority. And the materials should be saved too. It takes 3 days to finish a 2 days work. It is strong too... But it isn't easy to construct. We are thinking about how to build it. Is it the first time such a bridge is being built here? It's the first time, it was never made before. It is only now. What can we do when we are in a desperate situation. Because we couldn't do without a bridge, we made this demand. But the making of it is a big thing. How do we build it... There is a huge village over there. The river swept away so many animals and cows. "How to pull these cables?" I thought it was easy. But now, I have realized it is a risky job. We had never seen it before. We had seen bridges after construction. We thought it was easy. We didn't know how hard it would be to carry the materials. One person was hurt two times, a few days back. While pulling the cables... The load was too heavy for me. He was thrown down to the river. Came up from down there. They would have died. He was taken to the hospital once. The same person was wounded the second time too. Now, we are too worried. We are worried about how to build it. Do you think a bridge can be made here? We are aiming to make it no matter what. On this impossible-looking cliff... About 2-4 cables are suspended. Few more cables are to be suspended across.
