Barahathawa (Sarlahi), 6 Magh(19 January): A small cart has been set up next to the vegetable market along the East-West Highway in Lalbandi, Sarlahi. On the cart is a cylinder of gas, a stove attached to it, a kettle filled with milk, a kettle with tea continuously boiling on the stove, and a few glasses placed next to it. This has been a scene for the past 18 years.
Binod Shah is a tea shop owner who is always surrounded by a crowd of tea connoisseurs. Shah, 42, of Lalbandi Municipality-9, has made a name, reputation, and identity by selling tea. His tea shop is surrounded by tea connoisseurs from 4 in the morning to late evening.
“I come to the shop early every day, close the shop only at 8 pm and return home. This has been my daily routine for the past 18 years,” said Shah. “Sometimes, even if I am a little late in the morning, customers scold me.” He started making tea even before he passed his SLC from Janajyoti Madhyamik School in Bastipurma, Lalbandi Municipality in 2059 BS(2003). The Shah family, whose ancestral home is in Durga Bhagwatipur Rural Municipality-5, Rautahat, migrated to Lalbandi after the Bagmati floods washed away their homes and farms. The current place of residence is Sah’s maternal uncle’s house.
“After the family farm was washed away by the Bagmati River floods, my maternal grandfather called my parents here,” he said. “After that, my parents would roast green corn and roast peanuts and sell them, and the money they earned would support the family.”
Shah said that he started selling tea because he wanted to do something for his family while helping his parents. “The astrologer had said that the hotel business would flourish,” he said. “The family did not have the money to open a hotel. I took out a small loan and started the tea business.” He said that this is how he made a living and supported his family. Shah said that he sells about 300 cups of tea daily from early morning to late at night. From that, he earns up to Rs. 6,000 daily.
Shah said that he buys 40 to 50 liters of milk from the dairy every day for tea. “I have to pay Rs 90 per liter of milk,” he said, “I sell a cup of tea for Rs 20.” According to him, many customers come to the shop regularly. Shah said that he bought 15 dhur ghaderi in Lalbandi after selling tea and built a one-story pucca house.
“I paid Rs 100,000 when I bought the house,” he said. “I have gradually built a house by spending Rs 3.5 million. I have educated two sons and a daughter in boarding school. So far, there has been no problem in feeding them.” He says that the turnover is more than Rs 150,000 per month. Shah has the experience of running a tea shop for a year and incurring losses due to borrowing. Since then, he has not had to think about other options for livelihood. Shah says that he has earned money, friends and reputation from the tea shop. With the help of his friends, he sent his son to Germany for higher education five months ago.
According to Shah, his youngest son is in grade 11 and his daughter is in grade 10 at a boarding school. He says that because of the tea business, he has not been able to think about other businesses, jobs, and foreign employment. Since Lalbandi is Shah’s Mawali village, everyone addresses him as Bhanja. He also addresses everyone, young and old, who come to have tea as Mama. That is why Shah’s tea shop is known as ‘Bhanja’s Tea Shop’ throughout Lalbandi.
