FATE OF KALIKHOLA ...

Miles dragged by meters, glittering heavenly eyes engulfed by heavy cotton at any moment ready to compromise its anger with outburst of intense tears banging mother earth without any empathy, was the scenario still vivid in my mind, which was two days before when I was voyaging towards khalikhola, an isolated patch of settlement in southern Bhutan.

“Khalikhola” (kali- black, khola-river) is what the inhabitants explain when if any one questions, what do …..? The word is originated from Lho-Sam Kha  (Nepali language) based on the seasonal river which deprives them from other facilities which they are bound to be getting … but some believe it’s attributed to Goddess kali, the guardian, leading to development of questions and curiosity, saying which? What? How? ... And so on…full of Kipling's servants.

History, the story of present deeds convinces that the hamlet was registered under Sarpang district, a place shouldering maximum  plain area in whole land locked country but presently governed by Dagana district since somewhere in 2007 and nationalized as LHAMOZHINGKHA (lhamo- goddess, zhingkha-still water body)… May be this is the answer for what I was wondering …. Place beautified with teak and sal plantation on either side of the partially deserted motor road, as hardly any vehicle ply on it aside of pitiful bicycle … but road must not be blamed because it’s the bridge and source less river that deprives the motor from being plied.

Nature a system which proudly follows Newton third law “every action has its equal and opposite reaction” consist of four different seasons. Autumn full of yellowish followed by dry warm winter giving its way to lush green with conspicuous flowering and heavily knocked by summer season with reckless monsoon. Generally every season has some draw backs but summer or the monsoon is the worst period of the year that ever experiences by khalikhola. Although rain is a boon for the farmers, I mention it as a necessary evil because with the advent of heavy heavenly tears, it regulates the heat and drench the field for agricultural works but river kali get surplus runoff feeding making it tough enough to feed its fury with causalities, enforcing inhabitants to limit their accessibility.

Hamlet is situated at the foothills of gigantic siblings of upcoming eastern Himalaya embraced by faithfully drained Sunkosh river adventuring all the way from north to south witnessing several good and bad. Presently with the advent of the plan to undergo Sunkosh power project, inhabitants  kneeling on their knees converting  their two  palms in to one with a pure heart pray “ OH GOD LET OUR PLACE BE FREE FROM ALL THE PROBLEMS OF INACCESSIBILITY, MAY OUR WISH BE FULFILLED BY UP COMING POWER PROJECT”