What things actually make Kathmandu a rumor city? There are probably a few answers, but without teashop at the chowks, rumor city would probably lose its essence. Teashop gossips seem to be a favorite morning activities of people – from unemployed youth to high class official and from a ‘know-nothing common man’ to ‘know-everything man’. Tea in morning is essential for us and at teashops, where there would be gathering of the people; it becomes tastier by the tasty gossips.
When Krishna Prasad Bhattarai became the first prime minister after restoration of democracy in 1990 AD, his one habit made headlines for a few days. He would anyhow make a morning trip for tea to a specific hotel in the Baneswor Chowk. Because of his daily appearance there, the shop became a hub of gathering among the leaders and cadres of his party – Nepali Congress. I didn’t know what they gossiped there, but I can tell what people talk in the teashop in the Chowk nearest to me.
I too make a trip to such shop at Kaushaltar, my village, where everyone gather in the morning for at least a cup of tea.I too make to the shop to hear the gossip and to comment on them nearly everyday. It is also a very important aspect of our social interaction, and interesting.
The subject can be widest ever. There can be talks about usability of a bamboo stick or a girl’s colored hair. There can be talks about foreign relationship policy of USA or even a secret conspiracy inside the Singha Durbar. People from all walks of life gather there to comment on issues – some believe what they hear, some returned confused and some angered.
Yesterday, when I was at there, somebody lamented on me. “You call yourself journalists and bring no news here,” he said. He later tried to confirm with me if the rumors that Maoists leader Baburam Bhattarai was in the palace to talk with the king is true. How could I have answered? Suddenly someone came and commented on the issue saying that it’s wrong because Bhattarai was in a town in eastern Nepal.
A few days ago, one middle-aged man entered the scene commenting aggressively against the quality of the tea at the shop and the bad behavior of the shopkeeper. He however neither stopped drinking tea there nor stopped commenting.
One other group was trying to find out the advantages of morning walk. When I returned to them after 15 minutes, they were furiously discussing the current political situation and arrest of leaders and cadres. They asked me the whereabouts of one of the regular of the teashop who was arrested. How could I have answered? They lamented on me for not having enough information despite being a journalist.
In such discussion, if one chose to say something (anything, true or fabricated) as if he had heard it somewhere, the words will soon spread out throughout the village and after some day, somebody in your office will tell you the same rumor with some masala added.
