SATV 10 July, Kathmandu: With minimal effort and dedication, 58-year-old Harka Thebe from Dandatole in Urlabari-9 has proven that it doesn't take a massive financial investment to beautify a village.
Through his individual initiative, Thebe has turned a once ordinary stretch of road into a blooming attraction now drawing crowds for photographs.
The transformation began three years ago when Thebe, using money sent by his family abroad for household expenses, spent Rs. 250,000 to level the soil on both sides of the road from Aambari Bazaar to Dandatole. At the time, some locals mocked him, while others criticised his efforts. But undeterred, Thebe envisioned a road lined with seasonal ‘Asare’ flowers.
After preparing the land, he planted flower saplings, eventually receiving help from neighbours. For three consecutive years, Thebe tended to the plants, fertilising, watering, and weeding them on his own. Today, the roadside is vibrant with white, purple, red, and pink blossoms. Saplings of yellow and blue flowers are also growing steadily.
As the flowers began to bloom, the road started attracting locals and passersby eager to stop and take photos. The scenic view, with flowers on both sides of the smooth blacktopped road, has become a point of pride for the community.
Thebe said the original purpose of the beautification was to stop people from tying livestock to electric poles, littering, drying grains, and dumping construction materials along the road, which spoiled the area’s appearance.
"With suggestions from local friends, I decided to plant flowers. Though some mocked me, I never gave up," he said. "Seeing people admire the flowers now makes not just me, but the entire village, happy."
Today, the residents of Dandatole no longer tie cattle along the road or dry harvests there. Instead, they help preserve the area’s newfound charm.
Thebe personally nurtured the flower saplings in a small nursery. His work has inspired a sense of ownership and pride among the locals. What began as one man’s dream has blossomed into a community transformation, without any government aid, only the strength of vision and a few helping hands.
