Bajura villages empty as residents return to India for work after festivals

Bajura: Following the conclusion of Dashain and Tihar, villages across Bajura are gradually emptying as locals who had returned from India to celebrate the festivals head back to work.

“I had been working in India as there were no opportunities in the village. I returned home to celebrate Dashain and Tihar this year,” said Radha Sarki, a local resident. Dal Bahadur Nepali of Budhiganga Municipality added that after the festivals ended, he is returning to India in search of work.

He explained, “There are no jobs for those who are illiterate in the village. Our parents also worked in India to raise their children here. The current generation is in the same situation—they have to go to India to earn for their children’s education and to meet daily needs.”

Most residents of Bajura depend on India for their livelihood, often leaving children at home while they work abroad. In the past, locals would return to the village seasonally to cultivate wheat, rice, and millet before heading to India. However, nowadays, many prefer returning only for festivals and skip farming entirely, despite the availability of land. The lack of irrigation facilities discourages cultivation.

Villagers typically return for festivals in Magh, Chait, Vaishakh, and Asoj, while employment opportunities in the village remain scarce. During Bhadra and Asoj, provincial workers temporarily fill the villages, but by Kartik and Mangsir, most residents depart for India again.

The problem has worsened in recent years due to increased landslides, which have destroyed many settlements, further encouraging residents to leave. Municipalities including Budhiganga, Triveni, Khaptad, Chhededaha, Gaumul, Badimalika, Himali, Swamikartik Khapar, Jagnath, and Budhinanda are experiencing significant depopulation.

Locals complain that the local, provincial, and federal governments have not created employment opportunities to retain the youth. Development projects in the area often employ outside labor, leaving local youths unemployed. “Employment initiatives that could keep young people in the village have not been implemented, forcing many to seek work in India,” said Rana Bahadur Thapa, Ward Chairman of Budhiganga Municipality Ward No. 1.

According to the 2016 census, Bajura has 28,064 households and a population of 138,523, highlighting the significant impact of outmigration on the district’s villages.