A local, Manroop Sada, in Musahar settlement, having his meal near the heap of paddy in Belhichpena Rural Municipality ward number-5 on December 25,2017. Photo: ByasShankar Upadhaya

RAJBIRAJ: Most men from Musahar community of Belhichapena Rural Municipality have been going to Delhi and Punjab of India in search of employment opportunities.

Though they are living and working in India for about half the year, their income is not satisfactory in order to fulfill the basic needs of Musahar families of Belhichapena Rural Municipality-5 in Saptari.

Most people belonging to the Musahar community of the area are going abroad in search of job opportunities as they do not own any land.

The income they generate from working as farm labourers lasts only a few months. It has become a tradition of the men living in the community to go back to India after this income is exhausted.

However, brothers Manroop and Bachkun Sada from the same community have not felt the compulsion to go abroad for employment.

They have been working somebody else’s farm under Adhiyan system. They are able to feed themselves and their families throughout the year with this income, and make additional income by selling the remaining 20 quintals of grains.

They have also been able to purchase some land for themselves by working hard.

Bachkun has purchased 5 kattha land by working the farm under Adhiyan system. He said that he has been able to marry off six of his daughters with the same income.

Likewise, his younger brother Manroop has been able to purchase 8 kattha land.

Both the brothers have earned two and a half bigha land each by working under this system and have made admirable progress, said Chair of Ward 5 Laxmi Narayan Thakur.

The community has 27 families but none of them have any land in their names. Traditionally, the people of the community have been living in small huts on land owned by others.

Manroop added that he and his brother worked hard for 15 years in others’ fields to earn four to five kilogram of grains, but now things have changed for the better after working under the Adhiyan system.

Bachkun and Manroop are saddened to see the men of their village leave in search of work when the lands are barren in their village due to scarcity of farmers.

They suggested that rewards can be reaped with hard work in their own village, and the farmers can live with their families rather than going abroad for work.