[Reader-list] boys wnts to go back

[Hari Roka]

Dear friends
It is my second posting, want to share from the work. I have been waiting 
your comment, criticism, suggestions and even appreciation.


Teenagers are in hurry to go back home:

If you are habitual to take breakfast, launch, or dinner in nearest Dhaba or 
small restaurant in Delhi, you can find out easily a Nepali boy working as a 
waiter and cleaner in a dirt cloth with innocence face.  If you notice the 
voice of Dhaba owner’s calling using word “Bahadur” some where “Kanchha” to 
serve to the customer or to do something else then you can recognize easily 
that a Nepali boy working in Dhaba.

                       Dhabas boys with dirt clothes are busy in their work 
from early morning to late night.  There is no fixed working hour. Usually 
they have little leisure period around 3 pm to 4.30 pm and they get time for 
rest after twelve at night to six early in the morning.  But in restaurants 
and Dhabas of Bus Park and the railway restaurants the job is very tough. 
Usually they got opportunity to sleep only three to four hours at night.  
And they got one full day leave for cleaning themselves and clean their 
clothes once a month, in which day of the month they get holiday depends on 
owner’s wish.
Mostly 12 to 48   years old ages people are engaged in Dhaba and restaurant. 
Most of the teenager (12 to 18 years group) joins here in 	Dhaba’s job last 
year. But the old and middle age group came here earlier 1998 and before and 
working till the date. Dhaba’s job is not a permanent job, coming and going 
is the nature of job in other word very transitory. The owner usually 
recruits boys in their Dhaba with the guarantee and   recommendation of old. 
Even owner fixed the rate of remuneration for boys with the help of old. A 
small boy gets only Rs. 700 to 1200 per month at the first recruiting after 
taking food and shelter. Then gradually, owner increase their salary after 
six month to one year. Similarly, some times later or having experience they 
get promotion from vessel- washer to waiter. But it depends on new arrivals. 
According to some experienced boys, the remuneration is not recently 
increased due to tough competition. The highest salary of the old who earned 
-especially as a cooker in Dhaba- is getting Rs 4000 per month. All the 
experienced boys those who work more than one year are not feeling any 
competition. Instead of feeling of competition they help new comer to search 
job and keep them in their room till not getting job. Most of our respondent 
answered “there is no competition; it is an easily finding job- “those who 
comes finds, without any difficulties”- through the help of owner and 
friends”. But the teenagers are saying “when new arrivals appeared for job 
then there is less chance of the growth of salary. Most of the young boys 
are literate and attended middle school, some of them passed pre-school 
leaving certificate examination in Nepal. But most of the above thirty age’s 
group are illiterate although they are very energetic and working another 
shift as a community chaukidar (Guarding at night).
Boys usually took their food (breakfast, lunch and dinner) at their own 
Dhaba where they work. Usually below thirty age group boys are unmarried, 
above thirty age group young left their family at home. Most of them like 
Nepali folk music. But in Dhaba and restaurants usually owner heard Hindi 
and Punjabi folk songs. In their first arrival they could not follow the 
word and tuning of song but later they learned and become habitual in Hindi 
music and songs like Hindi language they learned. When I asked how you learn 
Hindi then they replied it became very easier, we speak without hesitation 
that is why we learned slowly and gradually.  In their rented room (for one 
room they pays one thousand to fifteen hundred rupees per month) usually 
they heard Nepali folk song which they brought some cassettes from their 
home town and occasionally they exchange cassettes with friends too. In 
Delhi, in one room generally they live five people who come from the same 
village and have a same type of job. So they have bought common radio or 
cassettes player. Those who does not have cassettes player listen FM radio. 
“But Radio Nepal not comes in our radio” one of the boy commented. They are 
not good listener of any kind of news in radio and television. All the good 
and bad news of their native place, they knew from their relatives and 
friends and some time letters and telephonic contact, and from relatives.
Usually they send their letters and savings to their relatives by hand and 
later take confirmation of the delivery usually asking their relative 
through STD call in short. Still their village telephones are working. But 
there are anxieties to call their family, first they have to left news for 
calling then after one week they again contact directly.
Most of the boys are not organized politically and socially. They said none 
of them contacted by any political organizations here. Even they are not 
familiar with any organizations. But when they were in Nepal most of the 
young boys were known about the electoral politics and favored too the 
particular organization. Some of them easily said about their involvement 
e.g., they were in UML and congress.  But, some of them did not want to 
clarify about their affiliated organization.  There might be political 
reason or their shyness.
Umesh Thapa  Magar a young teenager only thirteen years old boy whose father 
was killed by the Royal Nepal Army behind his house in last January 2002.  
At that period he was studying in class seven in local school of his home 
district Salyan. When his father killed then her mother could not mange 
money to pay fees and stationary of school for her two children. Thus, he 
left school and became helping hand of his mother to cultivate their 
occupied land and other domestic work. But it was not sufficient to mange 
their home from the small income from the grain produced from their 
cultivation even to pay the fees of his sister, now, who reads in class 5. 
At the moment when Maoist came at home and tries to recruit on their red- 
army, because of fear, her mother denied and send India with one relative 
who is  working here in Delhi. Now mother with one small sister are living 
at home and he is working in Dhaba in same villager’s recommendation. He is 
getting food and shelter in Dhaba and earning 1200 Indian rupees per month. 
Usually he saves all. But when he remembers his mother and sister he calls 
at home.  He spent some time Rs.300 in telephone call. (I interrupt him 
while we were talking and ask “why you are spending more in telephone call? 
Instead of using expensive telephone why you are not writing letter to your 
mother?” He replied with tearing his eyes that he gets satisfaction from the 
hearing mother’s voice in telephone) in last October he purchased one pair 
of cloth that was his extra expenses. Otherwise all the money whatever he 
earned and saves and keeps with his villager sends home to his beloved 
mother and sister. Now Umesh has only one dream to schooling his sister till 
higher education. He was looking very bold and committed to her education. 
He was looked like a very serious and sincere guardian at the age of 13.
The story of other boys Ram Prasad, Nara Bahadur Thapa chhetry, Durga Prasad 
Dangi, Amit Shakya, Krishna K.C, has little bit different than Umesh’s 
story. Their parents are still living at home.  They were also students at 
class 9 and 10. They fled from home because the Royal Army personnel arrest 
them and racked them on the suspicion of their affiliation with Maoist. 
Similarly, Maoist followed them for new recruiting in their red-army. When 
the pressure increased from both sides then their parents gave advice to 
flee from home. At first they did not have any idea where to flee but later 
they came here arbitrarily.
They did not hear the news of ceasefire between Royal army and Maoist till 
when we were conversing. When I told them that, now peace initiative has 
begun. After a short period of time Government and Maoist will reach in 
negotiation and peace will be establish in the country. But they did not 
believe me. When I gave them newspaper in   which the news of ceasefire was 
published. Then they started to argue that the current peace initiation not 
took any longer. They compared this peace initiation with last year cease 
fire and talk and reminded  later grand attack and violence over military 
barrack from the Maoist side. When I tried to assure them this time both 
parties are very serious, international situation is very different and all 
national and international forces are pressurizing for peaceful settlement 
then they were looking very serious. Some were became very happy and said to 
call their parents to return back. Some of them want to join again their 
school. But few teenagers refuse to return, they said to read again is not 
possible. But when they knew about other people those who continue their 
study after a long years gap then they confused.
All most teenagers came here from the remote villages; some were very happy 
with the current life style and colorful city’s life and want to continue 
their life in Dhaba till not getting another suitable job. They loves Hindi 
cinema and looks once a month. But majority of them want to go back at home 
hurriedly. They seemed that they are remembering their parents, family 
members and villagers. Again, I met Umesh and ask his desire. He wept 
appallingly. Then asked me in small voice uncle! Who gives me the 
expenditure for further reading?






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