Aloyana from Ason

I've no idea why people lit these ghee lamps but I enjoy helping them to lit and offer it to Ajima in this Annapurna temple at Ason. May be they feel happy doing so. Today is Saturday, so I get to come here and help my grandmother to look after the temple. My name is Aloyana Dangol. I am 9 years old from Bhrammatol, Kathmandu and dairy milk is my favorite treat.

Survivor from Ason: Rajkumar Pata Magar

My name is Rajkumar Pata Magar and I'm from Sinduli, Pokhari Panchayat 7 ward. I think our life is both smiles and cries. I smile even I cry within. I've lost my wife 15 years ago and a 17 years old son one year ago. Both died because of cancer. Now I'm 51 and live here at Ason with my another son of 19 years who's studying college. Previously my wife and I did run a small hotel at Thainti near Thamel. We used to make profit of Rs. 1000 - 1500 a day. Profit wise hotel business is good but I couldn't handle all alone so I quit. I've started selling these flowers 14-15 years ago now. This business is okay for me and my son to survive. It has been 25 years I came to Kathmandu and I feel Ason as my own birth place. Festive season is a joyous time here, especially Tihar (Deepawali, Hindu festival) and if luck favors I can make one hundred thousand in one festive season by selling just flowers.

Story of Laxmi Lama

It was only tourists who take pictures then, now even Nepalese people do take my pictures. Tourists from all around the world do come to see Ason. I guess my pictures are there in America, China, Japan and many other countries that I don't know the names. It was King Mahendra's regime, even this hustling and bustling of Ason remains so deserted. There were only few vegetable vendors like me and we use to sell vegetable the whole day. I don't know how to read and write, thus selling vegetable is the easy choice for me to support my family.

Big chunk of my life evolve around Ason. I was only 15-16 years old when I first came to Ason. Now I don't feel like going other place to live. Even when I have gloomy business I feel happy to meet and see people from Lalitpur, Kritipur, Bhakatapur and Kathmandu here at Ason. When I got married, my husband used to live here in Kathmandu with his family so I never get to visit my husband's native village. I have one son and daughter. I lost my daughter when she was only 14 years old and studying in 7th grade. Both my father-in-law and my husband, were bread and butter earner in the family. My father-in-law was a construction manager and my husband was a health worker, especially on Malaria. He had to travel many places. Now both of them are gone.
Laxmi Lama, 75 years originally from Sindupalchok, now a resident of Sowaymbu, lives with her daughter-in-law and two granddaughters in a fairly good home. Her only son is currently working in Canada.

Ashakaji from Ason

I am Ashakaji Jyapu from Nagadesh, Thimi Bhaktapur and selling flower plants, various sort of seeds and vegetables saplings is my family business. My grandfather and father also used to sell the sapling and the seeds. I am 43 years now and I've been doing this business for past 16. There are holidays for me and being here at Ason chowk in the heart of Kathmandu at 7am till 7 in the evening, is my daily routine. I earns anything from Rs. 3,500 to 4,000 a day, which is enough for sustaining my family of four. Photo: Jitendra Raj Bajracharya.