In an interview with Pradeep Poudel, editor of the Agricultural Network, Krishna Prasad Timilsina, the operator of Shri Krishna Khawa Vending Shop located on the Chuchche Khola in Hetaunda, shares his story. The edited version of their conversation follows:
Pradip Paudel:
"Hello, Sir! I heard that your khawa shop has been running since 2036 BS. Is that true?"
Krishna Prasad Timilsina:
"Yes, it’s absolutely true. I never lie. There is no point in lying to get by, not when it’s about surviving. One must always speak the truth."
Pradip Paudel:
"How did you end up in this place?"
Krishna Prasad Timilsina:
"I was born in Kavre district. After growing up, I went to Kolkata with only 30 rupees in my pocket. I spent about four to five years there, then came to Kathmandu. I worked for four years at a tire re-soling shop. But one day, while repairing a tire, it got damaged, and my boss blamed me, saying, ‘Didn’t your father teach you anything? This tire broke because of your carelessness.’ That hurt me deeply, and I decided to quit. Now, I consider that boss as a mentor. If he hadn’t said that, I wouldn’t be here today in Makwanpur. I might have ended up doing something else. During those days, I used to give all my salary to my father. When I left the job, I had only 400 rupees left in my pocket. With that money, I moved to Makwanpur."
Pradip Paudel:
"What was the situation like in this area when you first arrived?"
Krishna Prasad Timilsina:
"When I arrived in Makwanpur, I didn’t feel like going home. I thought I should start a new business. Back then, people didn’t keep buffaloes here, and dairy businesses hadn’t started yet. There was no idea of khawa (a dairy product) business here either, so I decided to start this business. I began by raising buffaloes. Slowly, the farmers here also started keeping buffaloes to sell milk. In the beginning, I sold just 1 kg of khawa daily. At that time, the price for khawa was only 15 rupees per kg. Back then, only people from the hills knew about khawa; the people from the Terai didn’t really understand it. So, it was difficult to run the business in the early days. But over time, the business grew."
Pradip Paudel:
"Did you eventually start a dairy business here?"
Krishna Prasad Timilsina:
"Yes, after people started seeing a demand for dairy products, we opened a dairy. The milk business then began to thrive. As time went on, the farmers realized that selling milk to the dairy wasn’t as profitable as selling it to us. So, after about four to five years, others also started to enter the business."
Pradip Paudel:
"When you were running the shop alone, how were things in the beginning?"
Krishna Prasad Timilsina:
"At the beginning, business wasn’t great when I was running the shop by myself. But slowly, everyone’s business started to grow. Now, when people hear about Khawa from Chuchche Khola, it’s famous all over the country."
Pradeep Poudel:
"How does it feel now that you are selling 50-60 kg of khawa daily?"
Krishna Prasad Timilsina:
"Looking back, I feel that it was a good decision to start the business at that time. Right now, the business is not as booming as before, but we’re still growing. Until now, none of the products we make have received any complaints. There have been multiple checks from the Food Technology and Quality Control Department and the municipality, and nothing harmful has been found in our products. We’ve even received some awards."
Pradeep Poudel:
"What is your opinion about this business and your contribution to it?"
Krishna Prasad Timilsina:
"To me, this shop is like a master shop. I feel proud that, even after I’m gone, my country will survive. There’s a song that goes, ‘Even if I die, may my country live on.’ That’s how I feel about my khawa business. Some people earn a lot, and some earn less. That’s life. We can’t raise the entire ocean; it has its own waves. But the most important thing is satisfaction. I’m content, and my family is content."
Pradeep Poudel:
"Have you brought any ancestral property to Hetaunda?"
Krishna Prasad Timilsina:
"I didn’t bring any ancestral property to Hetaunda. It’s all been through this business. I got married, had three children, and educated them. My eldest son graduated in Science and is now a Master’s degree holder. One son works in the same business, and another son is expanding the business here in Hetaunda. I’ve always told them, ‘Don’t sell counterfeit products; don’t ruin our name.’"
Pradip Paudel:
"Since you’re getting older, how is the business running now?"
Krishna Prasad Timilsina:
"Now, I’ve handed over the business to my sons and daughter-in-law. I’m just in a supervisory role."
Pradip Paudel:
"Since you started with 400 rupees, how many employees do you have now, and how is the business doing?"
Krishna Prasad Timilsina:
"Earlier, when there weren’t many shops, we used to sell 50 to 60 kg of khawa daily, but now we sell only 20 to 30 kg a day. The price of khawa is now 700 rupees per kg. Additionally, we make sweets like barfi, lal mohan, rasbari, and peda, selling around 100 kg of sweets daily. If sales fall below that, our family will have trouble. This business covers all our household expenses. We’ve directly employed two people in our family. These days, almost all the shops in the area employ one or two people. I’m really satisfied with how things have turned out. I’m proud of my profession. I’m happy that everyone works hard. Without hard work, nothing happens. It’s not easy, but the earnings are in proportion to the effort."
