Not The Same Anymore

I still remember the early mornings spent with my dad in the fields, harvesting

vegetables to sell. Farming was our way of life, and we grew a lot. Traders would

come to our hometown, collecting truckloads of vegetables harvested by farmers like

us. Back then, more than half of the community relied on agriculture as their main

income source, including my family. Those were bustling days, filled with the sights

and sounds of a thriving farming community. Now, it feels like a distant memory.

Today, my father often tells us to focus on finding a stable, permanent job or even a

government position—something more secure than farming. I understand what he

means; times have changed, and farming no longer provides the stability it once did.

Growing up in Bhaktapur, I spent my childhood exploring this beautiful city, racing

through its narrow alleys and taking in the charm of the traditional brick buildings

and resting spots, or "falcha," where locals would gather. Watching people tend to

their fields, planting paddy and other crops, was once a familiar, everyday sight.

Similarly, the sound of birds chirping and rustling leaves would wake me up every

morning. I wonder where did the birds go now? The greenery birthed by stair-step

farming and farmers working in these fields was what I used to see every day from

the window of my room. These farmers would greet me ‘hi’ while I used to return

home from school. However, this scenario has changed over the years.

I now wake up to the sound of chickens clucking and bricks clashing with each other.

The land in which terrace farming was once done has been turned into a plotting area

and brick factories and now the farmers are rarely seen working in their fields.

At present, Bhaktapur, which is well known for its well-preserved traditional Newari

architecture, temples, and rich cultural heritage, can be regarded as a rapidly

urbanizing city. The city I once knew has been completely transformed. It is now

difficult to find arable land across the city that has a long history of agricultural

production. In the places where farmers used to plow their fields and plant crops,

all I can see now is bulldozers clearing the land.

It is quite obvious that a city has to change along with the time. With modernization,

people here gradually changed their way of living. Most of the farmers began to shift

to other occupations leaving agriculture. Rather than tolling hard day and night in

their fields, these farmers wanted their children to pursue different occupations

where they could simply work from computers and earn more. Similarly, the trend

of building houses on personal land and renting out rooms and spaces has providedthe people of Bhaktapur with a stable income. As a result, traditional brick buildings

are being replaced by concrete structures, leading to urbanization. While this

transformation is happening, the sense of community that once flourished is also

gradually diminishing. In the past, the entire community would come together to

help each other plant crops, making every planting season feel like a celebration. I

remember participating in my neighbors' fieldwork. Unfortunately, this sense of

companionship is now rare. With the limitations of agricultural work, farmers tend

to hire outside laborers instead of relying on community support.

While witnessing these changes is saddening in itself, but what I find truly

disheartening is hearing people talk about the need for development while justifying

the reckless urbanization happening here. I acknowledge the necessity of

development; the blacktopped roads around my home area, which replace what used

to be muddy paths during rainfall, make traveling much easier. However, in the guise

of development, the fertile lands are being turned into plots for building houses.

Constructing roads without proper studies has led to a lack of water in stone spouts,

and an increasing number of brick kilns has degraded the air quality. Is this the

development we want?

I remember watching this place from a nearby hill. I would be mesmerized by the

beauty of the place; greenery all around, traditional houses adding splashes of brown

to the green landscape, and farmers with their family members working, laughing,

and eating together. The whole surrounding seemed to breathe fresh air, instilling in

me a sense of hope and warmth of home simultaneously. While the road to reach the

hill was messy and muddy, the experience would be amazing.

Now, the road is blacktopped, making it easy to reach the hill. However, the hill

itself, once full of trees, is being the green hill has turned parceled out for land. The

once-green has turned into a bare, deserted land. From there, all I can see now is land

being plotted for houses and brick kilns. I can no longer breathe in the fresh air;

instead, I see this place is gasping for air amidst the smoke, noise, and pollution.

Thus, ‘Not the Same Anymore’ depicts the story of how my hometown, became a

victim of unplanned urbanization. Once the city of farmers and their fields, it has

now changed into a hive of brick kilns and plotting of land. With rapid population

growth and commercialization, the city I once knew has been completely

transformed and I believe that after 10 years maybe this place will be nothing but a

concrete jungle.

Seed and Tools

Bhaktapur has long been recognized for its rich cultural heritage and its importance as one of Nepal's key agricultural cities. The city's traditional architecture and historic temples attract attention, as do the lush green surroundings. In the past, farmers in Bhaktapur worked year-round, cultivating seasonal crops such as paddy, cauliflower, ginger, and wheat. However, withthe rise of urbanization, farming has sharply declined in recent years. Today, the crops produced in Bhaktapur no longer meet the city's needs, leading to increased imports from outside.

Here are some photographs of seeds and traditional agricultural tools that were once commonly used in Bhaktapur, collected from my home and local farmers. Compared to the past, crop cultivation has decreased significantly, and traditional farming tools are now used less frequently. There are growing concerns that these tools may soon be relegated to museums, while local food crops could become a rarity.

The Irony

One of the greatest ironies of human nature is that people often fail to practice what they preach. The story of the proposed football stadium in Bhaktapur, and the controversy around it, captures this irony well.

In the fiscal year 2018/19 budget, the government of Nepal announced plans to construct one international-standard stadium in each province. For BagmatiProvince, the Ministry of Youth and Sports chose Bhaktapur as the site for a stadium with a 50,000-spectator capacity. Initially, a preliminary study was conducted on land in Palase (Ward No. 10, Suryabinayak Municipality) and Tathali(Changunarayan Municipality-9), both located in Bhaktapur. However, the plan quickly met with strong opposition from local residents and farmers, who argued that the stadium would destroy fertile farmland and displace residents. They took their protests to the streets.

In response to the protest, authorities proposed relocating the stadium to Sipadoland Nakhel in Suryabinayak Municipality and Sudal and Tathali in ChangunarayanMunicipality. This new proposal, however, led to further protests, as locals claimed that the project would displace 1,500 households and destroy over 2,000 hectares of agricultural land.

Over time, as protests continued, the stadium plans began to lose momentum. Here’s where the irony lies: while locals rallied to protect fertile farmland, the same land in these areas has now been parceled out for commercial use. At present, it’s just concrete structures spreading like roots and creeping across the area, replacing the vibrant green shades of diverse crops.

This raises a difficult question: why did those who once protested to protect farmland end up commercializing it? Could it be that they feared the government’s compensation would be too low, while using the land for commercial use could provide them with a more stable income?