Life on streets: Resilience of Itahari’s vendors

KATHMANDU: At Milan Chowk, Itahari-4, just in front of Jagadamba Engineering Workshop, buses returning from the east halt for a brief moment.

For passengers, it’s just a short stop, but for some, it’s the busiest time of their day.

For the past 17 years, 56-year-old Ramsewak Yadav from Sunsari has been selling chickpeas, corn, fried peas, and peanuts at this spot.

Carrying a bamboo basket filled with these snacks, he serves the passengers.

Currently, he lives in Itahari with his family in a rented room. Previously, he sustained his family through farming, earning a decent livelihood.

However, his life changed dramatically on August 18, 2008 (Bhadra 2, 2065 BS) when the eastern embankment of the Koshi River collapsed, flooding his farmland. His crops were buried under sand and silt.

“We were farmers before. In 2065, the Koshi embankment broke, and our fields were submerged. Now, there’s only sand; no crops grow there,” Yadav recalls. He lost 10-12 bighas of land in the disaster. Forced to leave his ancestral home, he moved to Itahari in search of work.

Now, he buys snacks in bulk, repackages them, and sells them to bus passengers. This business has become his sole means of survival. “Many buses stop here, and I sell to the passengers. I make around 700-800 rupees a day, which keeps my family going,” he says.

Yadav lives with his wife and son. While his wife takes care of the household, his son continues his studies. Every morning at 7 AM, Yadav arrives at Milan Chowk, standing under the scorching sun throughout the day, selling his snacks.

Despite the heat, dust, and exhaustion, Yadav finds joy in his work, especially when customers buy from him. “I’m happy selling here,” he says with a smile, his head wrapped in a scarf. He rarely takes a day off, except when illness forces him to rest. “If I fall sick, I worry about not being able to support my family,” he shares.

A Shared Struggle

Similar struggles shape the life of 41-year-old Rajeshwar Giri Goswami, another vendor at Milan Chowk. “This work sustains my family. I educate my children with this income,” he says.

Originally from India, Goswami arrived in Nepal with his parents as a child. Tragedy struck early—his mother passed away soon after their arrival, and his father remarried a woman from Dharan. However, his father died not long after, leaving his stepmother to raise him and his siblings.

“We were very young when our father died. My stepmother took care of us. Itahari was almost empty back then, very few houses,” he recalls.

Despite the hardships, Goswami managed to study up to grade six. However, after his stepmother’s passing, his siblings went their separate ways. “I learned how to make kulfi and ice cream. Later, I started selling peanuts,” he says proudly, crediting this trade for his survival.

Over time, he married and started a family, welcoming a son and two daughters. But fate was unkind again—his wife passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

“First, I lost my father, then my mother, and recently, my wife during the lockdown. I tried everything, from doctors to traditional healers, but she didn’t survive,” he says in a trembling voice, recalling the loss due to severe diarrhea.

Now, Goswami rents a room in Itahari, while his son studies in grade 11, and his daughters live in India with their grandparents, pursuing science education. He still has in-laws and brothers in India.

Like Yadav, Goswami is content with his work. He buys raw snacks from wholesale stores, repackages them at home, and sells them the next day. “I prepare everything in the evening—peanuts, chickpeas, green peas, chips, corn—all priced at Rs 50 per pack,” he explains.

He refuses to take a break from work. When asked about rest, he replies, “A man never truly has free time. This is my life.”

No Complaints, Just Concerns

Both Yadav and Goswami express no grievances against the government or their circumstances.

However, they worry that authorities might interfere in their livelihood after reading about them.

Their stories reflect resilience, survival, and an unwavering spirit against all odds—true embodiments of perseverance on the streets of Itahari.

-Tenzing Dolma Tamang