At the age of 10, his parents let him go with his relatives to work in India. Karna Bahadur Budhathoki worked as a caretaker of kids for six years. After he was fed up, he left the job and started work in a Tea garden. He did not like working at the same place and went to West Bengal.
He applied for the Indian Army there but was rejected. This did not dent his hopes. He then left for Assam and tried again. Because of his small built, he could not make it in the army.
Democracy was saved but hope is all we have
He worked as a stone breaker and then as a road worker. He went to the hills to work on a road construction project. But heavy downpour in the hills led to the food crisis. He then struggled for his survival.
“After continuously migrating between different cities for survival, I ended up in Nagaland.” He said. “I stayed there until I was 55. I had already forgotten my way back home. Then one day, my younger brother came searching for me. I did not call him brother for six days because I did not know him well.
After 55, I came to Khotang,” added Karna Bahadur, 70. He and his family were happy. As he was an alcoholic, he faced continuous problems. He got into usual fights with the people around him.
Now, it’s been seven years since he has left drinking alcohol. “After I met my family I thought they would take care of me. But my drinking led to several issues with my family. I did not marry. I have no child. I currently have some health issues.” said Karna. A deteriorating relationship with his brother and the family is constantly bothering Karna. “Life is really getting tougher by the day. However, I still hope that someday things will get better in the family.” He summed up.
