Tibetan Border Villages Empty as Residents Collect Yarsagumba

Gorkha. At present, the villages located on the Tibetan border of the district are deserted. As all the villagers have gone to the high pastures to collect Yarsagumba, the meadows, cliffs and hills of the high pastures are crowded with villagers.

The houses in Samagaun, Samdo of Chumanubri Rural Municipality-1 and Chhekmpar of Ward No. 7 in northern Gorkha have been locked. Local people say that the meadows and pastures in Ward No. 1, where pillars No. 34, 25 and 26 are located, are packed with villagers. Similarly, Ward Chairman Tasi Dorje Lama said that the villagers have also reached the Chhekhya and Bhajyo meadows in Ward No. 7.

It takes more than 6 hours of walking from Chhekmpar to reach Bhajyo meadow, which is at an altitude of 4,065 meters above sea level. Currently, residents of Ngyaku, Lеру, Lamagaun, Lar, Furbe and Nile villages of Chhekmpar reside in temporary camps there.

Ward Chairman Lama informed that in Chhekhya meadow, located at an altitude of 4,165 meters above sea level, residents of Chhekmpar, Jhong and Burji villages have set up temporary settlements by pitching tents. Similarly, he said that in Phuchun meadow, which is higher than four thousand meters, there is a temporary settlement of 45 households from Chhule village.

Residents of 812 households from all the villages of Ward No. 7 are currently busy collecting Yarsagumba in these meadows. Women, children, the elderly and the youth all leave the camp at 8 in the morning, collect Yarsagumba all day, and only return to the camp by 6 in the evening.

At present, the villages of Chumanubri-7 are also deserted. Ward Chairman Tasi Dorje said that only the elderly are in some houses and most houses are empty. He said that some have hired people from Rongwa (lower region) as house sitters for a monthly salary. He informed that women from Philim and Pangsing of Chumanubri-3 have been hired as house sitters for two months for a monthly salary of Rs 20,000.

Villagers leave the camp early in the morning and return to the camp late in the evening.