As oil becomes dearer Bajura locals return to kols

By Sher Bahadur Sarki,Bajura, June 23: A wooden log erected tall over a stone and another stretched horizontally have again become a common sight throughout Bajura district. The set-up is called kol, a traditional mill to process cooking oil by crushing oilseeds.

In this traditional method, another wooden log is connected at the edge of the erected log to rotate it. The rotating log crushes oilseeds inserted in the hole and the oil is collected from below.

For almost two decades, kols had disappeared from the yards of the villages across the district as motorable roads were constructed across the remote district of Bajura.

The roads attracted vehicles and helped set up new markets to import basic goods. While this advancement had its benefit, Bajura locals started getting dependent on the market. Since then, rather than processing oil themselves, people started buying cooking oil from the market.

Moreover, the new generation’s attraction towards the traditional kol disappeared with time. 

However, as the price of cooking oil has reached a record high and continues to rise, Bajura locals have returned to the traditional kols to process oil themselves.

“Kol was installed in our house by my father. It was operational until my father was alive. People from my generation did not use it as we started buying the oil from the market. Now, I am planning to re-erect the old kol because the market price for oil has reached the sky,” said Gagan Thapa, a local of Budhiganga Municipality in Bajura.

Locals informed that a packet of mustard oil that cost Rs. 50 in 2008 cost Rs. 350 recently.

As soon as the winter set in, Bajura locals could be seen busy crushing mustard oilseeds cultivated in their own fields. This scenario was similar during the major festivals, such as Dashain and Tihar, until 20 years ago.

Now, the scenario is expected to change this year.

“Farmers also stopped producing mustard over the years. The homemade oil was very healthy and tasty as well. Now, the tradition is reviving once again. It is beneficial for all,” said Tula Nepali, a resident of Ward No. 2 of Budhiganga Municipality.

Nepali also mentioned how the village women applied the homemade mustard oil on their hair alongside the hair and body of their children.

The locals are also looking forward to increase the production of mustard oil and to earn a decent income by selling it. Even the barren lands of Bajura are being turned into mustard fields nowadays.