Tamangs and the Khadkas

(Part 2/5) “My grandfather paid the dues to the government and registered this land in his name. He was a naive and simple man who did not know conspiring against others. After he bought the land, he did not immediately move here. No one from his extended family moved here. However, he let a Bahun Bajay use a piece of his land for his animals. My grandfather let the animals graze and he let the Bajay construct a Goth. I do not think my grandfather knew how to say no, so the Bajay settled his animals here. My grandfather had no way of knowing that the Baje would bring in his people, the Khadkas. He had already spread the word amongst the Khadkas about this land were grasses remained juicy and the sun was abundant. And they came in good numbers and settled here. They used their brains to dig up farmland for themselves. And my grandfather was only made aware of this invasion after some time. He came here with his brothers to confront the Khadkas only to find that the settlers were not going to leave. There was violence and eventually a court case. The court decided that this land would be separated into two halves. The upper half for the Khadkas and the lower halves for the Tamangs. We also finally moved in with our families. And as it was planned by fate, the Tamangs and the Khadkas became neighbors. And soon they started borrowing tools and oxen from one another. They started bartering grains with one another. They soon became one community. The village was named Rigu. Now the sons and daughters of the Khadka’s marry the sons and daughters of the Tamangs. Today, they fight together, live together and suffer together.”