By Yubaraj Ghimire

NYNCHI (Tibet)

Myths, legends, faith and superstition take long to disappear. In fact, it never did in this scenic part of Tibet. But thanks to the local innovative approach, these factors now assume central role in the rural economy.

This area boast of having the ‘First Telephone Village’ as all its 19 houses got the telephone connection in the province few years ago. The village has now become a piece of living museum with all other economic activities on one side, with flourishing tourism business making it their almost compulsory destination. And tourists find it fascinating to hear the legends about standing trees, stones, park and even the steep pebble spread road connecting all the houses there.

Right at the entry of the village is a small stream in whose centre the villagers have put a mane - a holy instrument Buddhists hold and rotate while chanting a mantra. The mane rotates with the force of the stream water, but the myth lives that there is a ‘divine’ force behind it. This rural technology which is quite in use in parts of Nepal as grinding mill serves this part of Tibet both as a mill as well as attraction for tourists.

As locals come to narrate all about their village, they make it a point to ask the visitors to trudge along the pebbled path and say – ‘if you walk bare-foot, you will feel the comfort of natural massage.’ Then each tree around that has one or the other healing or some different kind of power.

All villagers having telephone connection is a better indicator of their life-style. They have been given small plot of lands each, with all these money coming from tourists going into the village development.

As most villages in Tibet, this part has already been developed into a self-sustained economy where the government ‘s role is patronising, supporting as well as subsidising, but quite invisible. Once the village economy turns into surplus, the government ensures that it gets connected with much larger urban economy.

The area is already linked with bigger markets outside, where their produces get ready buyers. But they almost instantly get compensated for any loss. In fact, compact villages have been given plots, technical and inputs assistance and a target of production.

In Mengma village, around two hours drive from the ‘First Telephone Village,’ all 66 families have been given plots – around 89m x 600m in area. The total village product is divided equally among the residents, each getting 2,200 yuan when they sale it, the government spends around another five million yuan for infrastructures like road, electricity and sanitation.

Around 34 residents have trucks to transport their products to the near by market, and this connects the rural economic to urban areas - the nearest upcoming town being Paha which itself is a successful experiment of self-sustainable economy in Tibet.

As part of the government policy, a 32-year-old communist activist was dispatched to Paha after he earned his degree from University on organisation with many villages including the 18 surrounding it under his command. But before he came to guide locals and implement the government policy, the government had already spent 10 million yuan building infrastructures like roads, shops and installing electricity.

Those who wanted to set up shops were given money from the government without any rent for 50 years and asked to keep expanding their business. The government charity forced the villagers to give up their initial reluctance and set up the shops. "They are now earning 3,500 yuan per year with no liability," says the leader. For villagers, what is more important is the remarkable improvement in their life style and security compared to five years ago.