Naveen & Inder
Residence: Manali, District Kullu, Himachal Pradesh & Nepalgunj, District Banke, Nepal
Profession: Porters and Farmers
"What do we need porters for? I do not need them. I can carry all my stuff." was my response when porters were discussed for the Miyar Glacier trek. As we hired them and negotiated for the rates, I was a reluctant employer and as often happens, I mixed the issue with the people. It was not exactly the right start. I was cold to them. Its not in their nature though. You can be cold to a man from Nepal but you will always be greeted by a wide grin and some warm words. Naveen and Inder, 28 and first cousins are quintessential Nepali porters. Strong of body and mind, soft of speaking and chewing tobacco all their waking hours, struggle for making a living is their existence and if ever someone struggled like men, it is these men.
Born and brought up in Nepalgunj, they have spent half their lives away from home and all their lives with each other. The result is a bond that defies description. One knows what the other feels without the other knowing it himself. The brotherly camaraderie is unbelievable. With small lands to farm in Nepal, life has taken them to all corners of the Indian subcontinent. From polishing diamonds in Surat to working for a beach restaurant in Goa to carrying loads for rich tourists in Manali, they have seen it all. Along the way have been cold sleepless hungry nights at the Manali bus station looking for employers.
Life is understandably tough, as it is for most people who do real jobs and work hard for making an average living. Naveen, married for 2 years and father of a 1 year old has to stay away from his family for the better part of the year. Does he whine about it though? Not a chance! Thats where the beauty of these people lies. Facing the struggle of life every single day with a smile, not letting a single chance at humour go, not thinking about what might and might not be and living life everyday as if it was the last day.
As the trek progressed and I ended up talking more and more to them, my respect grew multifold. For merely 350 INR per day, they carried 30 kg loads, set up camp, cooked, washed up and often helped some of my fellow trekkers negotiate boulders and crevasses. All this in biting cold and on a 35 km glacier with rubber boots on. All this with a beaming smile, innumberable jokes and not a single complaint. And I think I am a good trekker! The day always ended on a high with a fiercely contested game of cards and a couple of sips from a local rum.
As we parted company after crossing the pass and Naveen and Inder faded towards Shingo La to walk back to Darcha and then to Manali in the hope of making the last few bucks for the winter, I was left wondering about the money I had cribbed about paying them. They still did not carry anything for me, I carried all my stuff and some food as well. Sometimes, you just pay for good company, for the fascinating story of someone's life and it is worth much more than what you pay. I would willingly pay that much and more to meet such fantastic people.
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