MYAGDI, Dec 20: Despite the information technology penetrating the world, the age-old tradition of assigning the Katwal (messenger) to relay important messages and announcements in the remote villages of the district is still in existence.
Laxuman Kisan of Mudi-3 is only source of information for the locals of a dozen remote villages in the district without easy access to modern means of communications such as telephone, mobile phones or internet.
The 66-year-old's days start going around from one village to another in the locality delivering information and messages that are related to social events and decisions taken by any village gathering, meeting.
At times he relates messages announcing in a loud voice from an elevated place so as to deliver them to a mass local people at once. His job also fetches him salary on which he and his family are surviving. He is provided with five manas of grains as salary from each house for his service. Kisan has gone into this profession since 34 years ago and his job is doing well, providing for himself and his family.
"I took up this job many years ago and am continuing. For my service, villagers pay me in money and grains, on which I and my family are living," he said.
Praising Kisan's work, local technician Nagendra Prasad Gautam said his contribution to informing locals of whatever social events take place in the locality and decisions taken by village gatherings and meetings in the context of villages without access to modern means of communications like phone, is invaluable.
"We heavily depend on Kisan for any new information and message of events in the locality as there is no access to information and technology in the villages," he said.
Echoing Gautam's view of Kisan, social mobilize Alina Rokka said local people are informed of vaccination programs through Kisan.
"His contribution to the society by informing it of whatever events take place in the locality counts a lot," she said of Kisan. RSS
Ties of tradition
