Migrating in Search of Money

Gafur is 42 years old and sells flutes for a living. He is originally from India and currently lives alone in Chaiti Chowk, Kathmandu.

He has seven children, a wife, father, mother, a brother and a sister back home.  He has been selling flute for about 15 years now. He says he earns just enough to manage two meals a day. He doesn’t make the flutes himself, but buys them in bulk and sells them in retail. “In India, there are too many people and too few opportunities.

So, I came here around 17 years ago in the hope of earning big bucks,” he says. He adds that he earns some significant profit during jatras and festivals. He also sometimes manages to send money to his family if he earns enough to save. He visits India once a year to join his family during festivals.