In the high hills of northern Nepal, nestled between towering terraced fields and dense forests, lies the village of Dhading. It’s a small, remote community where modern life feels distant, and the rhythms of nature guide each day. This is where Deepak, a 27-year-old boy, was born and raised.
Morning of Labor and Hope
I wake up at dawn to the sound of birds chirping and the gentle breeze rustling through the trees. The first rays of sunlight break over the hills, casting a golden glow over the village. Like every day, He steps out of her small stone house, barefoot, feeling the cool earth beneath his feet. He walks to the nearby spring to fetch water, balancing a brass pot on his head with ease—a skill he learned as a young child.
His family home is simple—a two-room structure built of stone and mud, with a tin roof. The inside smells of wood smoke from the open hearth where his mother, Parbati, is already preparing breakfast. This morning, like many others, Parbati is cooking dhedo (a traditional porridge made from millet) and vegetable curry, made with fresh produce from their terraced farm.
Deepak's father, Anta, has already left for the fields. He’s a farmer, like almost every other man in Dhading. The family’s livelihood depends on the land, where they grow rice, millet, and maize, along with a few seasonal vegetables. They have a few goats, chickens, and a buffalo that provides milk for the family and manure for the crops.
A Walk to the World of Learning
After breakfast, Deepak helps his mother with some chores—milking the buffalo and feeding the chickens—before it’s time to walk to school. His school, the only one in the area, is a 45-minute trek from Dhading. The path is steep and rocky, winding through the hills, but Deepak doesn’t mind. He loves school. It’s a small, simple building with a tin roof, and they barely have enough textbooks, but the school represents opportunity—a window to a world beyond the hills.
Deepak dreams of becoming a teacher, and He knows education is the key to that dream. But the path isn’t easy. In Dhading, boys often marry young, and many of her friends have already left school to help at home or start their own families. But Deepak is determined. His father supports him, even though some in the village wonder why a girl needs so much education.
Festivals and Traditions
Life in Dhading isn’t just hard work. It’s filled with traditions and celebrations, too. Dashain, the biggest festival of the year, is approaching, and the whole village is preparing for the celebration. Deepak can already feel the excitement in the air.
His family will clean the house, decorate the doorways with fresh marigold garlands, and prepare special food like goat curry and homemade sweets. During Dashain, everyone in the village gathers at the temple to offer prayers and blessings. There are dances, songs, and the warmth of community—one of the things Deepak loves most about life in Dhading.
Challenges of Village Life
But life in Dhading isn’t without its challenges. The monsoon rains often bring landslides, washing away roads and making it impossible to reach the nearby town where the health clinic is located. Last year, a neighbouring family lost their home to a landslide, and the whole village came together to help rebuild it, stone by stone. This sense of solidarity is strong here—people rely on each other, and in times of need, no one is left alone.
Access to healthcare is limited, and there are no doctors in the village. When someone falls ill, they often turn to traditional healers or travel long distances to the nearest clinic, which can be difficult, especially for the elderly.
Electricity is unreliable, too. Dhading gets power for only a few hours a day from a small solar grid, and there’s no internet or phone service most of the time. Deepak has never seen a computer or television, but she’s heard stories of the bustling city of Kathmandu from travellers who pass through the village.
Dreams of a New Future
Despite these challenges, Deepak holds onto her dreams. He studies hard, hoping that one day He can go to the district town to finish her schooling and become a teacher. He wants to return to Dhading and help educate the children, especially the girls, who often have to give up their education too early.
As the sun sets over the hills, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange, Deepak sits outside his home, gazing at the distant mountains. He feels connected to the land, to the rhythms of nature, and to the generations of her family who have lived in Dhading before him. But he also feels the pull of a different future—a future where he can blend the traditions of her village with new possibilities, creating a better life not just for herself, but for him whole community.
For now, though, Deepak will wake up tomorrow at dawn, fetch water, help in the fields, and walk the familiar path to school. Each step, he knows, is a step toward her dream.
