‘If we fail to perform our rituals properly, it will bring a bad fate’

21 Apr 2016

‘If we fail to perform our rituals properly, it will bring a bad fate’

By Nitika Shrestha

“We have been unable to reconstruct our guthi house [small temple]. It is the traditional place where we Newaris perform our rituals. Some of these rituals have to be performed in secret. We cannot do that in tents. There is no privacy. And it is not safe to store our religious and cultural items in tents. So we carry them around all the time. It is very sad and it pains me to perform our rituals nowadays. But whatever the condition, we have to keep our culture alive. This is what makes us unique in this world. Despite the hardships, we must perform our rituals. If we fail to do it properly, it will bring a bad fate.”

Photo: Sameen Poudel

11 Apr 2016

‘Some engineers said my house was unstable, others said it only needs minor repairs’

By Nitika Shrestha

“Right now I am confused. My house has been inspected by the municipality and the Central Districts Office. The community service also inspected it. The municipality engineers said my house was unstable. The CDO engineers said it can be made stable by demolishing the top two of the four storeys. The community service said it could be safe to live with minor repairs. So now, what do I do?

“And I’m not alone with this problem. There is one house in my locality with cracks all over. One engineer said they only need some taku [wooden beams] to keep living there. All around Patan there are houses supported with taku. But with the aftershocks still going on, the situation is hazardous. These houses could fall down even with a minor quake. People live in constant danger. But if they were to demolish their houses, where would they live?

“The government focuses on fully destroyed houses. But what about partially damaged ones? They are silent on this matter and people are left to live in danger. It seems we don’t have any alternative besides living in houses with taku. Even that is not cheap. The three takus for my house cost me Rs 38,000 [approximately £230].

“Also, CDO officials say that a person having two houses can only get relief for one of them, even if both are damaged. That doesn’t sound fair to me. I’m paying taxes for both house I own, but I get relief for only one of them?”

Photo: Nitika Shrestha

11 Apr 2016

‘I spent the last 300 rupees of my relief money on him’

By Pratik Rana

“My wife died 35 years ago. Now I only have my dogs. This one is Kancha. He needed medicine against rabies, so I spent the last 300 rupees of my relief money on him. I got NPR 25,000 [approximately £165] in all. But I needed asthma medicines. I needed appointments with the doctor. This was the last bit. Now it is gone.”

Photo: Pratik Rana

07 Apr 2016

‘I cannot focus on studying for my exams’

By Nitika Shrestha

“I am in the middle of my final exams for the School Leaving  Certificate. These are the most important exams. But I cannot only focus on studying. Because at home there is no water in the tap or the pond any more. Before the earthquake we had plenty. Now I have to walk far every day to fetch water. This is going to affect my exams results, I’m sure, but water is our basic need to survive.”

Photo: Nitika Shrestha

06 Apr 2016

‘We used to be a well-equipped school. Now we don’t even have a library’

By Sven Wolters

“Six students were with me in the library when it happened. I told  everyone to hold each other tight. ‘Don’t panic! Be calm! Pray to god  this will be over soon’, I said. I closed my eyes, I could not look. It  lasted 2.5 long minutes.

“We used to be a well-equipped school. The students were always excited to use our facilities. But now we don’t even have a library. We don’t have a computer lab. We don’t have a science lab. And it’s School Leaving exams. We are hopeful the students’ results won’t be affected by the earthquake. The teachers are working a lot. But these exams are very tough.

“The students are not allowed to enter the school. It is not safe. There are cracks everywhere. The parents asked us: ‘How can we still bring our children here? It’s not safe!’ We had trauma session with psychologists and we built temporary classrooms, right next to the ruin. And a small zinc hut that serves as a canteen.

“We have written to the government. Some ministries want to help with the finances. We have the manpower. We could start building a new school right away. Sure, it will take a few years. We just need the government  to give us the land so we can start.”

Photo: Sven Wolters

31 Mar 2016

‘Now this has become a relaxation spot for goats’

By Nitika Shrestha

“On the day of the earthquake, the elder people of the village had gathered here. This was where they got together to relax every day. Then the structure collapsed and three of them died. Many others got injured. Now it’s almost a year,  but reconstruction work has not even started. This place has become the relaxation spot for goats. They are not domesticated, they belong to the god. They were given as gifts, for good fortune. As this is a public place, nobody is in charge. No one really cares about them playing in the ruins and the mud.”

Photograph: Sven Wolters

28 Mar 2016

‘We became best friends because of the earthquake’

By Nitika Shrestha

“We became best friends because of the earthquake. Her house collapsed and her family was moved to this camp, even though they are not from around here. Then she got admitted to the same school I am going to. First I saw her there and when I saw her again later in the camp, I talked to her. And since that day we became best friends.”

Photo: Pratik Rana

24 Mar 2016

‘Before the earthquake, I would have targeted an A+. But now…’

By Nitika Shrestha

“If we could at least have light, electricity and drinking water I could prepare well for the School Leaving Certificate exam. It is the most important one. But it is difficult to concentrate and study in a tent. Before the earthquake, I would have targeted an A+. But now I can only hope to get at least an A.”

Photo: Pratik Rana

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