Desavar - The Biggest voluntary labor in Asia

About 10 thousand people who gathered to voluntary labor 'desavar' considered as the greatest voluntary labor for the longest era without any forces. Like every year this year also 10 thousands farmers have about a month pass on the bank of Karnali River. Karnali is the longest river of Nepal. Most of them are busy to dig the canal and rest of them are cooking food and bringing drinking water for labor.
Biggest voluntary labor - Deshavar
Biggest voluntary labor - Deshavar
Biggest voluntary labor - Deshavar

In 1953 Bikram Sambat (i.e. 1896 AD) the Queen Padamkumari ordered own people to dig irrigation canal, that’s why this canal is known as Rani Kulo (Queen Canal). Since then, the annual maintenance of the canal is proceeded as a mass voluntary labor to maintain the tradition is so far.
Now there are almost 10 thousand people who are resident from 2 municipality of the Kailali district and 7 Villages of Kailali district of Far West development region of Nepal. Farmers from Tikapur and Lamki Chuha municipality and Pathraiya, Durgauli, Munuva, Dhansinghpur, Narayanpur, Janakinagara and Thapapur VDCs are busy in digging the canal from Chisapani, the bank of Karnali River. Badghara (village chief) of their village are leaders of this voluntary labor and Badghara are working in the field to supervise their works.
All management (Lodging, fooding, working etc.) of ‘Desavara’ is done by farmers themselves. But every year where to go ‘deshavara’ and how much area should be dug is said by the umbrella committee of three Kula (three canals - queen, Jamara and kulariya) 'main Kula Committee'. Jamara canal is digging every year by 1960 Bikram sambat (i.e. 1903 AD) and Kulariya canal by 1972 Bikram sambat (i.e. 1915 AD). Dhundiraj Shahi started to dig Jamara canal and Madhu- Kanhaiya Mahato started Kulariya canal.
Biggest voluntary labor - Deshavar
Without single penny of government or any NGOs and INGOs, farmers every year dig 20 Km canal to take water from Karnali River to their own land. This process is continued by more than 100 years. They can irrigate their land by last of March to August; this is the season of paddy plantation in Nepal. This area is known as the ‘Rice bank of country’. These three canals irrigate 14 thousand hectares of 2 municipalities and 7 villages.
Biggest voluntary labor - Deshavar
under construction Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation Project
Every year, this canal is destroyed in monsoon season, that’s why government started a mega project ‘Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation Project’ with target of 44 thousand hectares land irrigation. This project is under construction for last 5 years. 
[All photos: Deepak Upadhyaya/ Himal Khabarpatrika]
Location: Chisapani Bazar, Nepal

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