Two sons, younger son in China, along with the daughter-in-law. They have the pass, but stuck in China. They’ve been calling to check, regretting that they haven’t been able to come, but I’ve told them that the elder son is taking care of the rituals. Two daughters.
Dil Bahadur and Jamuna have been married for over 20 years, sharing a home in Rasuwa, kids, and a life. Jamuna and their legacy were their swept away on 26 August 2026.
I was in goth, a bit far away. 200 meters above were the house and land, it’s swept away now. I had worked so hard for it, but now when it was almost time to reap the harvest, it was swept away.
I wanted to take a break from work, when I was working in the shed, when I felt the ground shaking, my eyes happened on the ground, way below, where I saw the water coming. It came like a monster, maybe 300 meters above. I saw people being swept away, take the houses, farm land away. And a little further, when it had been accumulated into a little lake. The metal bridge was swept away. I came out, and ran into the market, it was chaotic. Everyone was running. People were trying to run up the hill. Someone said they had not seen my wife, that she had ran into the house, but I saw my house being buried by the debris.
One son, in Kathmandu, he’s observing the mourning ritual. I am in Rasuwa, taking care of business here.
Boxes, cars, all swept. Travelers, passengers, who were on the way to the Gosainkunda pilgrimage, were swept away.
Young son. 20 muri rice, NPR 300,000 worth of materials stuck in the house, probably useless, even if they were salvaged at this point. It was a lot to me. I don’t have energy to ask for help.
We are farmers
Our house is buried. 1.15 lakh spent. Concrete home. All our stuff is there. It’s stuck. It might take days to recover, grains, utensils. If only we could retrieve our stuff, but I’m not sure if we can.
I’m not sure when we can use it. But I don’t have time to think about this.
I’m not sure who I can talk to about it.
Helicoptor sound interrupts the conversation. There is no time for grief. Dil Bahadur, in this time, is all alone to face the loss, as his son is in Kathmandu, and his wife is gone. Younger son in China, disabling the daughters to visit him because of limited road access. Dil Bahadur, in all of this, is waiting around for the debris to be cleared from his home, thinking of his wife of over 50 years, whom he cannot see anymore.
