Since the Time of the Gods,
Our Boats Have Been in These Rivers
The Nepali state views nature merely as a resource. It sees forests as timber and rivers as potential hydropower sites. It boastfully cuts through rivers and hills, promising a brighter future for its citizens. But as the State reshapes rivers to harness untapped hydropower, what will happen to the landscape, to the ecosystem, and to the people who have lived alongside these natural elements for generations?
“Our boats have been in these rivers since the time of the gods, and all the land along the rivers–as far as the fog’s shroud–were Majhis’. We didn’t need any land ownership documents. They were introduced by the State to rob us.”
He was walking towards the river carrying a massive fishing net. Intrigued, I hurried after him to introduce myself and ask if I could photograph him. He agreed. We spent three hours by the river. While heading back, he gave me all of his day’s catch. I refused, even insisted on paying, but he politely declined.
Up the hill I went to see the highest point where the water level would reach once the reservoir is built. It was evident that the entire village of Lubughat would submerge. The people there said that government officials had come to collect their land ownership certificates. They were told that those who do not hand over their papers would not get compensated. In response, residents of Lubughat have formed a committee against the hydropower project and are opposed to handing over their papers to the State.
Project Name: Sunkoshi 3 Hydropower Project
Location: The dam will be constructed at Lubhughat, affecting areas in Kavrepalanchok, Sindhupalchok, Ramechhap, and Sindhuli districts
Type: Semi-reservoir with pumped storage technology
Capacity: 683 MW
Length of Reservoir: 45 kms
Impact: Displaces 1,565 houses and submerges over 3,237 hectares of land
Developer: Nepal Electricity Authority
Partner: Bangladesh Power Development Board
Status: Proposed
They sang and performed all night to invoke the pitris – their ancestors.
Please keep your distance, they told me. “If the pitri’s shadow touches you, you will fall sick. You’ll have to come here again next year to be treated by the pitri. You are our guest. We have to take care of you, so please be mindful and take photos from afar.”
“Let me tell you a story. It is the story of a Majhi, who, upon his death, was buried by his family. Soon after, the pitri came to the village and bewailed his burial. The family, in order to appease their pitri, dug out the lifeless body and cremated it. The pitri returned in anguish, he said, ‘We Majhis are the people of the river. We spend our lives fishing on its waters and sleeping on its shores. Take me back to where we come from. Put me to rest in the river. Allow me to flow through the river like a fish, and I will forever be at peace.'”
It started to rain relentlessly. I waited for it to stop. The water level in the Sunkoshi rose, swallowing surrounding fields. The raging river had already swept away the highway and the bridge I had crossed a few weeks ago. A landslide took away the road that led out of the village. Five days later, an army helicopter rescued us.
“When we looked at the EIA (Environment Impact Assessment) report of the Marin Diversion, we saw that the State had allocated several ghats for us. However, to our dismay, they were marked as cremation sites. For Majhis, ghats are not for cremation; it’s where we dock our boats, where we gather to worship the river. Those ghats were not for us. It showed us how much the State neglects our deep reverence towards our land.”
Project Name: Sunkoshi Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project
Location: Sindhuli District
Objective: To divert water from the Sunkoshi River to the Marin River for irrigation and hydropower generation
Irrigation Benefits: Provides year-round irrigation to approximately 122,000 hectares of farmland in Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, and Bara districts
Hydropower Capacity: 31.07 MW
Impact: Inundates 312 hectares of land and creates a reservoir displacing 54 households
Developer: Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Nepal
Status: Under construction
“How many projects are they going to develop in one river? The river used to be so vibrant and flowed graciously, but now it’s all sand and stones, parched and lifeless. I feel like our river is crying.”
“My grandmother used to tell me that when she took stones from the river to grind spices, she always poured some soil from her home back into the river. She told me that when you take something from the river, you always give something back.”
Since the Time of the Gods, Our Boats Have Been in These Rivers exhibited at Who Does the River To?.
