Traditional homes collapse as owners migrate

By Thakur Prasad Acharya,Myagdi, Dec. 10: Traditional houses built with local craftsmanship in Rumma village of Malika Rural Municipality-5, Devisthan, have begun to collapse. 

As families have migrated elsewhere, many homes now stand abandoned, causing the village’s identity to fade.

Just a decade ago, the village was lined with neat, traditionally built houses that were regularly repaired and maintained. Presently, most of these houses are falling apart, with bushes spreading across the courtyards and porches. The structures began to deteriorate after years without upkeep.

Of the 43 houses in Rumma, 37 are now empty. Farmlands surrounding the village also remain fallow. With residents moving away, the settlement has become quiet and deserted.

According to Ward Chairperson Mim Pun, people have been relocating to towns and cities, and some families also own homes in other parts of the village, leaving the old houses deserted.

“Most residents have houses in two places. In the past, they used to live here for a few months each year, but now they stay only in the lower settlements, leaving these houses empty. As people stopped living in them, the traditional homes have fallen into disrepair,” Pun said. As the traditional houses represent the village’s identity, the ward office has urged homeowners to repair and preserve them.