By Hari Koirala, Morang, July 17: The song “Laagdaina dhulo godai ma, MG roadai ma” is very popular among youths. But why was this melodious song shot in Sikkim, India? This is the question that many locals and representatives of Morang’s Pathari Sanishchare Municipality-2 ask these days because they feel that the Selfie Road that passes through the ward is no less attractive than the song’s MG Road.

Ever since the lockdown was eased, people in numbers have been visiting the Selfie Road to take selfies. 

The 1,100-metre long blacktopped road located southwest of Sunjhoda Bridge along the East-West Highway is indeed beautiful. On either side of the road are Sal trees which are part of the Chautari community forest. The scenic environment allows one to capture really good photos, said television journalist Gopal Kafle.

Kafle, who started as a photographer, said, “Number of people visiting the Selfie Road has increased in the past three weeks and they attract many other travellers in the East-West Highway who stop over to see what the crowd is about.”

Not only the locals, the local people's representatives, party leaders and celebrities are also attracted by the beauty of Selfie Road. A local Madhav Prasad Niroula, 82, is amazed by the increasing popularity of Selfie Road. “It is surprising to see so many people coming to take photos on a road that once used to be deserted,” he said.

Cashing on the selfie-takers, many ice-cream and Chatpate, a nepali snack, vendors have started shifting to the Selfie Road from Pathari market. Ice-cream salesman, Ajit Adhikari, informed that his business had more than doubled after he shifted to the famous road. “My daily business used to be around Rs. 1,500 in the market, but here, it is around Rs. 4,000,” he said.

Chatpate seller Sunita Tamang has witnessed a similar growth in her earnings. “My daily sales would be around Rs. 200 in the market,” she said, adding, “Here, it is around Rs. 500 a dau and even reaches Rs. 800 if it does not rain.”

There are around 16 vendors in the area who sell various eatables to the visitors.

Considering the growing popularity of the road, the ward no. 2 office is preparing to put benches on the sides of the road for the visitors’ comfort. Ward member Parshuram Neupane said, “The ward is planning to put iron benches, dustbins and make toilets.”